Marvel Month: The New World Saga: Mutant X

The one with Lex Luthor

 

PLOT

Adam Kane worked for Genomex, a biotech company. He ran experiments that created people whose genes were altered after birth, giving them extraordinary abilities. These people were known as New Mutants, overtime Adam came to regret his role in the project and to make amends, he formed a team to fight his former employers, protecting New Mutants and help his team control their powers better, that team was Mutant X. The major threat for Mutant X came from Genomex and the Genetic Security Agency (or GSA), led by Adam’s former friend, Mason Eckhart.

The team consists of Jesse Kilmartin, who could alter his body’s density (making himself intangible or tough as a stone), but he could only hold either state as long as he could hold his breath. Shalimar Fox, is basically the Wolverine/X-23 of the series (minus the claws), she has feline-esque traits that enhance her strength, agility, and rapid recovery. She later developed a sixth sense for danger. Emma DeLauro’s a tele-empath, she could sense and manipulate emotions, influence minds through telepathy, and project psychic energy. Brennan Mulray, is an electrical elemental who can generate large powerful electrical blasts, he could also use that power to propel himself into high jumps or across brief distances. Adam himself, has no powers but relies mostly on his knowledge of genetics, medicine, and computers, as well as military experience as the show progresses.

Mutant X was very formulaic initially, starting off with a Villain of the Week, the team meeting a New Mutant who either needs help from Genomex or is in cahoots with Genomex and the GSA. The team would confront these threats, stop Genomex and the GSA, rinse and repeat. Eckhart was the main villain for Season 1, but at the end of the season was locked away in a stasis capsule, though he made occasional appearances in the next two seasons. Season two introduced Gabriel Ashlocke, one of the earliest and most dangerous new mutants, he has the abilities from all four Mutant categories (Feral, Elemental, Molecular and Psionic), making him a bit overpowered, but there are minor side-effects from his mutation, with the first few episodes dealing with Gabriel trying to find a cure while The team tried to stop him. Eventually, The Team defeated him and Ashlocke died, after that, the show went back to stand-alone stories and the mutant of the week formula.

Season three, revealed that Emma died offscreen in an explosion alongside Adam, but Adam is still alive, just in a more reduced role. Emma really is dead, but now we have new additions, Lexa Pierce, who has light-altering abilities that can make her invisible, and fire bursts of light from her hands. The team now work for an organization called the Dominion, which sends the team on missions tied to New Mutants and other genetic threats. The season also introduced The Creator, and this mystery tied to Adam and the fact that he was still alive.

The series ended with the revelation that Adam spent the season researching and discovering that New Mutants’ altered DNA was unstable, and eventually their genetic abilities would be fatal. Adam’s been working on a way to keep the team’s powers from killing them, but the real shocker came when Adam reveals that Jesse should’ve died two weeks ago, yet he didn’t.  Learning this, the Dominion wants Adam’s research and Jesse brought in for testing. Lexa copies Adam’s research, but refuses to hand over Jesse, so they take her instead. She attempts to escape and learns that she near death too. As The team discuss this with Adam, the Dominion attack their base and capture Jesse.

The team go to rescue Jesse and Lexa, but that’s where they meet the team’s benefactor and leader of the Dominion, The Creator, who turns out to be an ancient version of Adam from the 1800s, who reveals that everything that’s happened was by his design. As Adam moves closer to The Creator, the latter activates a force field around The team, the guards take Adam away then start firing at the team. This leads Adam to activate the self-destruct on their jet, destroying the Dominion compound. The Series ended on a cliffhanger, with Adam’s fate hanging in the air, a clone from the 1800s, will they-or-won’t they being resolved, and the lives of many a New Mutant hanging in the balance.

The show was planned for a fourth season, but one of it’s distributors Fireworks Entertainment, ended up going under due to original syndicated programming slowly dying. Fan campaigns attempted to save its fourth season or conclude it with a movie, but it didn’t work. SyFy did rerun the series. That’s not getting into the legal issues between 20th Century Fox, Marvel, Tribune and Fireworks. Fox owned the licencing rights from Marvel to develop the X-Men property (weather we liked it or not), and anything similar was an infringement. Fox claimed that “Mutant X” was too similar to “X-Men”, and “Mutant X” was being advertised as an “X-Men replacement”.

Marvel countersued Fox, saying that the two were dissimilar and asking the courts to allow “Mutant X” production to go forward. Production was allowed, as long as “X-Men” material was not used in the promotion of “Mutant X”. By early 2003, Fox and Marvel resolved their differences in a confidential settlement of their suits. Meanwhile, Fox continued to pursue their case against Tribune and Fireworks. Tribune sued Marvel for fraud and breach of contract, claiming Marvel encouraged Tribune to connect “Mutant X” to the X-Men, misrepresented what they were getting in their license, and caused millions in losses due to the need to alter storylines and characters to ensure the mandated distance between “Mutant X” and “X-Men”, as well as fighting Fox’s litigation. In November 2005, the dispute was settled out of court.

REVIEW

Mutant X is one of those superhero shows that has plenty of potential, even when its limitations are hard to ignore.

One of the show’s strongest assets is its cast. Forbes March does a good job as Jesse, while Victoria Pratt brings plenty of energy to Shalimar. Lauren Lee Smith makes Emma an engaging member of the team, and Victor Webster gives Brennan a charismatic presence. John Shea is convincing as Adam Kane, the team’s mentor and scientific mind, while Tom McCamus makes for a suitably calculating antagonist as Mason Eckhart. The later additions of Karen Cliche as Lexa Pierce and Michael Easton as Gabriel Ashlocke also bring some fresh energy to the series as its story develops.

There are some welcome familiar faces, too. George Buza, best known to many animation fans as the voice of Beast in X-Men: The Animated Series, appears as the Dominion’s unnamed liaison. Cedric Smith, who voiced Professor X in that same cartoon, also appears in the pilot as Dr. Breedlove. For viewers familiar with the 1990s animated X-Men, seeing these actors turn up in live action adds an extra layer of enjoyment.

Beyond the cast, the production design deserves credit. The Mutant X headquarters, the Sancuary has a distinctive look, giving the team a home base that feels more interesting than a generic laboratory set. The music by Donald Quan and Lou Natalie also helps establish the show’s atmosphere, lending its adventures a sense of mystery and drama. These elements go a long way toward making the series feel like a proper superhero production, even when its budget becomes apparent elsewhere.

Unfortunately, the fight scenes are a major weakness. The choreography relies heavily on wire work, and there are moments when the wires are plainly visible, making it difficult to believe that the characters are performing superhuman feats. The editing doesn’t help matters, either. Frequent, abrupt zooms in and out of shots make the action feel disjointed rather than exciting, and some sequences are so visually hectic that they can be genuinely uncomfortable to watch. For a series built around characters with extraordinary physical abilities, the fights should be one of its biggest selling points. Instead, they often remind you of the limitations of early-2000s television production.

The handling of Emma DeLauro is another frustrating issue. Lauren Lee Smith eventually departed the series, with her revealing later that her exit attributed to dissatisfaction with the quality of the scripts (John Shea reportedly shared similar concerns and also wanted to leave, though he reached a compromise that allowed him to remain as a recurring character). Emma’s death as part of the show’s changing direction feels particularly disappointing because it removes an established character rather than giving her a more satisfying development or departure. There were also claims that the show pushed its female cast toward revealing outfits to attract viewers, including bikinis. If that was part of the thinking behind its approach, it reflects the familiar problem of a genre production relying on sex appeal rather than trusting its characters and storytelling to draw an audience.

The series’ conclusion is perhaps its biggest casualty of circumstances beyond the story itself. “Mutant X” ends on a cliffhanger, leaving major developments unresolved. The show was caught up in corporate and production difficulties, including the collapse of one of the companies involved, and it never received the proper final season or conclusion its story needed. That leaves the viewer with the frustrating feeling that the series simply stops rather than ends. It’s particularly unfortunate for a show that had built up its characters and mythology over three seasons.

There’s also a funny historical wrinkle to the whole production. Avi Arad helped create the show at a time when the rights to Marvel characters were spread across different companies. Although the series was not officially an X-Men adaptation, its premise, terminology, and overall concept made it feel unmistakably inspired by the mutant corner of Marvel’s universe. The resulting above legal issues makes this series existence more interesting. Arad was essentially making a series that could scratch the X-Men itch without directly using the X-Men themselves. It’s an interesting workaround, even if the lawsuits make the whole situation feel like a corporate superhero drama in its own right.

Overall, “Mutant X” is a mixed bag, but one that leans more toward the positive thanks to its cast, production design, music, and ambitious attempt to build its own corner of Marvel-inspired superhero television. Its weak action editing, visible wires, uneven writing, and unresolved cliffhanger keep it from reaching its full potential. Still, the series has enough personality to make it worth revisiting, particularly for fans curious about the era when superhero television was experimenting with comic-book concepts outside the major film franchises. It could have been much better, but there’s still something enjoyable beneath the rough edges.

RANK: 3 out of 5

We’re at the home stretch; we’re ending on two high notes. Starting with an animated series based on one of my favorite movies.

Marvel Month: The New World Saga: Nick Fury: Agent of SHIELD

“America’s save.” – Nick “Von Malibu” Fury

PLOT

Agents of the terrorist organization HYDRA invade an S.H.I.E.L.D. facility, killing Clay Quartermain and reviving a cryogenically preserved Baron Wolfgang Von Strucker. Nick Fury, retired and living in an abandoned mine shaft in the Yukon, is approached by S.H.I.E.L.D. agents Alexander Pierce and Contessa Valentina Allegra De Fontaine to return to duty to take down Hydra, now led by the children of Von Strucker, an old enemy of his. Fury refuses to return until he learns of Quartermain’s death. He then accompanies Pierce and De Fontaine to a S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier, where he reunites with old friends Dum Dum Dugan and Gabriel Jones, is introduced to telepath Kate Neville, clashes with new S.H.I.E.L.D. Director General Jack Pincer is shown advanced technologies that S.H.I.E.L.D. is developing, including a Life Model Decoy of Fury.

Shown a recording of Quartermain’s death, with the killer taunting Fury by name, and informed that the killer was Von Strucker’s daughter, codenamed Viper, Fury deduces that Von Strucker’s body was taken to harvest a pathogen known as the Death’s Head Virus, developed by Arnim Zola to be Hitler’s doomsday weapon. Viper calls a meeting of the remaining four Hydra lieutenants from Cairo, Osaka, Prague, and London. She executes the London lieutenant for questioning her authority. Fury learns that Zola is still alive and being kept in a S.H.I.E.L.D. safehouse in Berlin, and Fury and De Fontaine travel there. They rendezvous with local Interpol agent Gail Runciter and proceed to the safehouse, where an elderly Zola, in a wheelchair and requiring an oxygen mask, seemingly overpowers Kate Neville’s telepathy with his evil visions of destruction. Runciter lures Fury away from the group and shocks him with a device before revealing herself to be Viper in disguise. She then kisses Fury with poisoned lipstick, leaving him unconscious, enabling Hydra to retake Zola. Fury learns he has 48 hours to live unless he can recover a sample of Viper’s DNA from which to develop an antidote.

Hydra threatens to attack Manhattan with the virus, barring payment of US $1 billion, and as proof of their threat, the real Gail Runciter is found, dying from the virus. After Fury and his team brief the President of the United States, Pierce determines from a chip from a laptop sold in the Aleutian Islands that the Hydra base might be there. Fury has his people split into two teams, one led by de Fontaine heading to Manhattan to find the refrigerated truck they believe will be needed to deploy the virus, and the other with Fury leading Pierce and Neville to the Aleutian Islands. Upon arriving in the Aleutian Islands and confirming that a Hydra transmission has come from there, Fury’s plane is shot down by heat-seeking missiles. In Manhattan, de Fontaine’s team figures out that the refrigerator truck is disguised as a garbage truck, while Fury and his team, having bailed out of the airplane in time, infiltrate the Hydra base.

Fury realizes that it was too easy to get in, just before his team is captured and stripped of their weapons. Viper reveals to him that she will release the virus even if they are paid, and locks Fury and his team in a freezer. Fury reveals that in place of his missing left eye, he keeps an explosive with which they can escape. Reaching Viper’s control room, Fury and Viper fight until she gets hold of a gun and shoots him. However, it turns out to be Fury’s Life Model Decoy. Fury incapacitates Zola and captures Viper, and Neville uses her telepathy to draw the code to abort the detonation from Viper’s mind. The Helicarrier arrives and captures the rest of Hydra’s forces, but Viper escapes with the body of her father. Fury decides to return to S.H.I.E.L.D. to counter the new threat of Hydra, while Viper is shown to have restored her father, Baron Wolfgang Von Strucker, to life.

REVIEW

“Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.” is a mixed bag. There are some entertaining performances, a few amusing one-liners, and surprisingly decent model work, but the movie is held back by clunky exposition, a generic action-movie plot, and a lead performance that takes a while to find its footing.

Let’s start with one of the movie’s most entertaining elements: Sandra Hess as Andrea von Strucker. Hess plays the HYDRA operative with such gloriously over-the-top enthusiasm that she often seems to be in a completely different, much campier movie. Her flashy costumes, seductive mannerisms, and literal kiss of death make her a memorable antagonist, and she commits to every ridiculous aspect of the character without hesitation.

Honestly, Hess gives the impression that she knows exactly what kind of movie she’s in and has decided to have as much fun with it as possible. Andrea is hardly the most psychologically complex villain Marvel has ever produced, but Hess’s performance ensures that she rarely becomes boring. Her theatrical energy is a welcome contrast to the more straightforward performances surrounding her.

Kevin Kiner’s musical score is another highlight, helping give the movie the atmosphere of a larger-scale spy adventure. The model work for the Quinjets and S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Helicarrier is also worth praising. While the production obviously lacks the resources of a modern Marvel blockbuster, the physical models have a tangible quality that makes the vehicles more convincing than some of the movie’s less successful visual effects.

It’s also fun to see Gary Chalk as Dum Dum Dugan. Dugan is one of Fury’s most recognizable associates in the comics, and Chalk provides a welcome connection to the wider Marvel universe. The movie doesn’t always give its supporting characters enough to do, but the presence of familiar faces helps make this version of S.H.I.E.L.D. feel like an organization with a history beyond the events of the plot.

And then there are the one-liners. Some are painfully cheesy, but a few are funny enough to earn a laugh, particularly when the movie leans into its pulpy spy-fiction sensibilities. Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. is at its best when it stops trying to be a serious espionage thriller and embraces its comic-book absurdity.

Unfortunately, that brings us to the biggest question surrounding the movie: David Hasselhoff as Nick Fury.

To be fair, Hasselhoff has the look. With his eye patch, rugged appearance, and familiar screen presence, he resembles the grizzled comic-book version of Fury more than one might initially expect. The problem is that looking like Nick Fury and actually playing Nick Fury are two different things.

For much of the movie, Hasselhoff lacks the attitude and likability needed to make Fury a compelling leading man. He’s supposed to be a seasoned intelligence operative who has seen everything and doesn’t scare easily, but his performance initially feels oddly detached from the character’s supposed reputation. He doesn’t quite project the intimidating authority or dry wit that would make Fury’s return to action feel exciting.

Things become more interesting after Andrea poisons him. Rather than simply accepting his impending death, Fury responds by laughing in its face. It’s an entertaining moment that finally gives Hasselhoff an opportunity to display some of the reckless defiance the character needs. Unfortunately, even as the movie progresses, he continues to lean heavily into his usual hammy screen persona. That approach occasionally works with the material, but it never quite makes him the definitive live-action Nick Fury.

Watching the movie today also creates an interesting contrast with the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s interpretation of S.H.I.E.L.D. and its personnel. One example is Alexander Pierce, played here as a relatively young, inexperienced audience surrogate. There’s nothing inherently wrong with this portrayal, and having a less experienced character learn about the organization alongside the viewer is a perfectly reasonable storytelling device. However, anyone more familiar with Robert Redford’s MCU version of Pierce may find it strange to see the character as such an eager newcomer rather than a veteran intelligence official with a sinister agenda.

The problem isn’t that this movie’s interpretation is necessarily inferior; it’s that the MCU version has become so familiar that seeing Pierce in this earlier incarnation feels like encountering an entirely different character.

The movie’s dialogue is another significant weakness. There’s an enormous amount of exposition, and the writers seem determined to explain practically every detail of the story, even when the audience could reasonably be expected to work things out for themselves.

The opening is a particularly obvious example. A guard explains who Baron von Strucker is to a man who turns out to be a HYDRA spy. It’s an awkward way to introduce the villain, since the scene essentially has a character explain information to someone who already knows it. The movie repeats this approach throughout, including Fury’s explanation that S.H.I.E.L.D. relieved him of duty after he took down HYDRA.

Things become even more blatant when Fury, Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, and Alexander Pierce arrive aboard the Helicarrier. The PA system helpfully announces what S.H.I.E.L.D. stands for (at the time): Supreme Headquarters, International Espionage, Law-Enforcement Division.

These moments make the movie feel as though it doesn’t trust viewers to understand the world they’re watching. Some exposition is necessary in an adaptation introducing a relatively unfamiliar corner of Marvel to television audiences, but there’s a difference between providing context and stopping the story to explain every last detail.

The larger problem is that “Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.” is an extremely by-the-numbers action movie. Its plot follows a familiar formula: the hero has retired, an old threat resurfaces, and he’s forced back into action. Along the way, he clashes with a stuffy bureaucrat, rekindles unresolved feelings for his former partner, Valentina, and pursues revenge against Andrea. Naturally, the story makes room for plenty of one-liners and action sequences before reaching its inevitable confrontation.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with this formula. Plenty of enjoyable action movies have been built around the same ingredients. The issue is that “Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.” rarely does anything particularly interesting with them. Fury’s retirement doesn’t reveal much about his character, his relationship with Val lacks enough depth to become emotionally compelling, and the conflict with Andrea is more entertaining because of Hess’s performance than because of the writing.

The movie’s straightforward structure also makes it feel somewhat dated, although that isn’t necessarily a bad thing for a production from 1998. Its approach resembles the kind of made-for-television action adventure that could comfortably fill an evening’s entertainment without demanding much from its audience. Unfortunately, it also means the film rarely rises above being perfectly serviceable.

Ultimately, “Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.” is a mixed experience with enough charm to keep it from being a complete failure. Sandra Hess steals the show as Andrea von Strucker, Kevin Kiner’s score adds atmosphere, the model work for the Helicarrier and Quinjets is impressive for the production, and Gary Chalk’s appearance as Dum Dum Dugan is a welcome nod to the comics. A few cheesy one-liners also provide some much-needed entertainment.

On the other hand, Hasselhoff never quite finds the right balance for Nick Fury, the excessive exposition repeatedly slows the story down, and the plot relies on action-movie conventions without adding much of its own personality. The result is an adaptation that feels more like a generic spy thriller with Marvel names attached than a particularly distinctive superhero production.

It’s worth watching as a curiosity from the era before Marvel’s cinematic dominance, especially for anyone interested in seeing how the company experimented with its characters on television. But while there’s some fun to be had, this version of Fury never quite earns his reputation as the man who can bring the world’s most dangerous heroes together.

RANK: 2 out of 5

Next, we enter the new millennium with a TV series featuring the X-Men. Well, they may look like the X-Men, but due to copyright issues, they’re not. Still get excited as if it is X-Men (though they aren’t)!

Marvel Month: The New World Saga: Night Man

Fighter of the Dayman (wah ah).

Once again, we’re looking at another adaptation of a Marvel property, that didn’t start off as a Marvel Property. Night Man, began as a character from Malibu Comics, as part of their Ultraverse line. First launched in 1993, this series saw great success, but saw declining sales just as quickly, leading to Marvel to buy a year later.

Despite Malibu’s failure the company would see minor success in other media, with an obscure cartoon, the only well-known property most people know from Malibu: Men In Black (the movies and its animated series), and today’s subject, Night Man.

PLOT

The original premise is that Johnny Domino, San Francisco’s hottest young jazz musician, is struck by lightning and develops the power to hear the frequency of evil, like a radio. He also cannot sleep anymore. This somehow leads him to become a Batman-like hero, but with homemade gadgets.

The series went on a strange path that ends up with him in a secret stolen-from-the-government Powered Armor that grants him flight, camouflage-style invisibility and advanced sight functions through the round red lens over the left eye of his mask including the ability to see in the dark and fire a laser beam and grant him the capacity to project a hologram of himself (which in a few episodes performs for him in his club while he’s busy elsewhere).

This leads Domino (and his Q-like friend Raleigh Jordan) on a quest to rid San Francisco of crime. The show’s definition of crime frequently fluctuates between mundane criminals like bank robbers and drug dealers, and supernatural threats like vampires and extradimensional beasts. Although the show follows a villain-of-the-week formula initially, as the series progresses, his nemesis is computer technologies billionaire Kieran Keyes, who kills Johnny’s father, Frank Domino, in the premiere of the second and final season.

Speaking of Season two, this season was filmed in Canada, with most of the main cast removed, save for, Johnny/Night Man’s actor Matt McColm. Derek Webster was replaced with Derwin Jordan, a Canadian actor who kinda resembles Webster. Earl Holliman appears as a guest star, mostly just to get killed off and set up the rivalry between Johnny and Keyes.

REVIEW

In the late 1990s, superhero television was in a rather interesting place. Before the genre became dominated by big-budget cinematic universes, syndicated television was experimenting with all sorts of unusual heroes, from costumed crime fighters to characters with bizarre supernatural abilities. One of the more obscure examples was Night Man, a superhero series created by Glen A. Larson and based on a Malibu Comics character. Running for two seasons, the show followed Johnny Domino, a jazz saxophonist who gains the ability to hear evil thoughts after being struck by lightning. Using a special suit to protect his identity, he becomes Night Man, a crime fighter who takes on criminals and supervillains across San Francisco.

Although the series has its share of dated effects and questionable creative decisions, Night Man is an entertaining, occasionally cheesy superhero show with a charismatic lead, a memorable theme song, and a few genuinely fascinating connections to other Glen A. Larson productions.

First and foremost, Matt McColm deserves credit for his performance as Johnny Domino/Night Man. A former model and martial artist, McColm brings both the physicality and screen presence needed to make the character convincing. He handles the fight sequences well, and his athleticism helps Night Man feel like a capable crime fighter rather than an ordinary actor awkwardly performing superhero stunts. Johnny’s musical background also gives him a little more personality than the typical costumed vigilante, even if the show doesn’t always make the most of that aspect of his character.

The supporting cast helps round out the series, too. Derek Webster and Derwin Jordan bring different personalities to their respective roles as Raleigh, Johnny’s associate and technical support. Earl Holliman adds veteran gravitas as Frank Dominus, while Kim Coates becomes a particularly welcome addition as Kieran Keyes, a recurring villain who eventually develops into one of Night Man’s most persistent adversaries. Coates brings an over-the-top menace to the role, giving the show a more recognizable antagonist to return to rather than relying exclusively on a different villain every week.

The setting is another major strength. San Francisco gives Night Man a distinctive atmosphere, with its hills, waterfront, and nighttime cityscape providing a fitting backdrop for a hero whose adventures are closely tied to jazz and the urban underworld. There’s an amusing production detail here, though: despite the show’s San Francisco setting, the first season was filmed in San Diego. The series eventually moved production to Canada for its second season, a change that would have much more significant consequences for the cast.

One of the show’s most memorable features is its jazz-inspired saxophone theme song, which perfectly captures its blend of superhero action and noir atmosphere. Co-composed by Larson, the music gives the series an identity of its own. Rather than relying entirely on the bombastic orchestral style associated with many superhero shows, Night Man uses jazz to emphasize Johnny’s musical background and the nocturnal world in which he operates. It’s an excellent fit for the character, and the theme is one of the first things that comes to mind when remembering the show.

But perhaps the most fascinating aspect of Night Man is its connection to one of Larson’s earlier television productions: Manimal.

In a surprising crossover we see Simon MacCorkindale return as Dr. Jonathan Chase, reprising the role he played in the short-lived 1983 series. For anyone unfamiliar with Manimal, Chase was a scientist who could transform into different animals to fight crime. The original show became something of a cult curiosity, not least because of its ambitious practical transformation sequences, which were a major part of its appeal.

The crossover brings Chase into Night Man’s world and updates those transformation effects with computer-generated imagery. The results are mixed, as we’ll get to shortly, but the crossover itself is a delightfully unexpected meeting of two generations of Larson television. More importantly, it gives Manimal something resembling a second, more substantial finale. The original series had lasted only eight episodes, so seeing MacCorkindale return to the character and participate in a new adventure provides a little extra closure for fans.

It’s also a reminder of how much fun television crossovers can be when they bring together characters who otherwise have little reason to share a screen. The fact that Night Man could revive Manimal at all is a significant part of its appeal as a piece of television history.

Unfortunately, the show hasn’t aged particularly well in the visual-effects department.

The effects were reasonably acceptable for a syndicated series of the late 1990s, especially given its modest budget, but nearly three decades later, their limitations are hard to ignore. Night Man’s flight sequences are among the most obvious examples. The show frequently reuses shots of him flying upward toward the camera, and the repetition becomes increasingly noticeable once you’ve seen the effect a few times. Rather than making his flight feel dynamic, the reused footage starts to feel like a shortcut.

The rotoscoping used for the Nightwoman suit is another weak point. The effect may have seemed adequate at the time, but it looks conspicuously artificial today. The same applies to the virtual travel sequences into the Ultraweb, which have the unmistakable appearance of late-1990s computer graphics. The Manimal crossover’s CGI transformations are similarly dated. While updating the original practical effects was understandable, the digital replacements lack some of the tactile weirdness that made the original transformations so memorable.

These flaws don’t make the show unwatchable, but they do remind you how much its presentation depended on effects technology that has since become obsolete. The practical stunts and performances generally hold up better than the digital spectacle surrounding them.

A more serious problem is what happens when the production moves to Canada for the second season. The show undergoes a major cast shake-up, losing its established supporting cast and replacing several familiar characters. Derek Webster is also replaced by another actor with a passing resemblance, making the change particularly noticeable. Cast turnover is hardly unheard of in television, but losing so many familiar faces at once makes the second season feel less like a continuation of the original show and more like a partial reboot.

The supporting characters had helped give Johnny’s world a sense of familiarity, so removing them weakens the show’s sense of continuity. McColm remains the central attraction, but a superhero series needs more than its leading man to maintain a compelling world around him. The changes make the second season a more uneven experience, even when its individual stories remain entertaining.

The celebrity cameos are another mixed bag. Some are fun additions (Little Richard, Taylor Dayne, Patrick McNee), but others (Jerry Springer, Donald Trump) feel as though they exist primarily to give viewers a recognizable face rather than serve the story. The most bizarre example occurs at the end of the pilot, when David Hasselhoff appears as an arms dealer. His role lasts roughly fifteen seconds before Night Man kills him.

The cameo was largely a nod to Knight Rider, the earlier Larson series that made Hasselhoff a television star. As an inside joke, it has a certain appeal, but the execution is so abrupt that it feels almost surreal. Hasselhoff appears, establishes himself as a criminal, and is immediately dispatched. It’s a strange way to end a pilot, and the cameo is more amusing for its randomness than for anything it adds to the plot.

Still, the show’s willingness to play around with Larson’s television legacy makes it hard not to imagine what other crossovers might have been possible. Given that Night Man managed to bring back Manimal, a crossover with Automan seems like an entirely plausible idea. Automan, another short-lived Larson series from the early 1980s, featured a TRON-like crime fighter who could enter the real world. A meeting between Night Man and Automan would have been a wonderfully strange collision of two different visions of high-tech television heroics.

Sadly, that crossover never happened. Considering how obscure both shows are today, it’s a shame we didn’t get to see another of Larson’s forgotten creations return for a guest appearance. The Manimal crossover demonstrates that the idea could work, even if the execution wasn’t always perfect.

Ultimately, Night Man is a mixed-to-positive experience. Matt McColm makes for a convincing and physically capable hero, the San Francisco setting gives the series an appealing identity, and the saxophone theme is an absolute highlight. The supporting cast, particularly Earl Holliman and Kim Coates, adds personality, while the Manimal crossover makes the show an unexpectedly important footnote in Glen A. Larson’s television career.

On the other hand, the aging effects, the awkward cast overhaul in the second season, and some decidedly odd celebrity cameos prevent it from becoming a consistently strong series. It can be cheesy, uneven, and visually dated, but it also has a distinctive charm that helps it stand apart from more conventional superhero shows.

For fans of obscure 1990s television, Night Man is worth checking out. It may not be a lost superhero masterpiece, but it’s an entertaining time capsule from an era when television creators were willing to experiment with unusual characters, unconventional musical styles, and the occasional improbable crossover. And if nothing else, it gave Manimal another chance to roam the small screen—which is more than most short-lived 1980s shows ever received.

RANK: 3 out of 5

Speaking of David Hasselhoff… Tomorrow, see David Hasselhoff as Nick Fury SR.

I think that sentence might be my own “Ready Kafka.”

Marvel Month: The New World Saga: Generation X

Emma Frost and Banshee, two of three recognizable X-Men in this movie (Not pictured: Jubilee)

PLOT

The movie begins with a prologue, using the in-universe definition for Mutation. This was later emulated in the X-Men movies four years later with similar defining quotes on mutation and evolution, respectively.

Rebellious teenager Jubilation Lee finds herself in trouble after her mutant “fireworks” power manifests itself at a local arcade. She is rescued from her predicament by Emma Frost and Sean Cassidy, the headmasters of Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters. They recruit “Jubilee” and offer her sanctuary at the school, a place where mutants learn to control their powers. The trio then picks up teenager Angelo “Skin” Espinosa and proceeds to the school where Jubilee and Skin are introduced to their fellow students: M, Mondo, Buff, and Refrax. At the school, the students are taught not only to cope with their mutant powers but also with a world that fears and hates them. The students are warned not to leave the school grounds lest they come into conflict with the “townies” from the local area.

In addition to coping with their new abilities, Jubilee and Skin find their dreams haunted by Russel Tresh, a mad scientist obsessed with the power of dreams. Tresh once worked with Emma Frost as a researcher on a project to develop a “dream machine” to access the dream dimension, but he was fired from the team when Emma discovered his unethical behavior. Tresh believes that material extracted from mutants’ brains will allow him to develop his own psychic abilities. Although Jubilee is able to resist Tresh somewhat, Skin finds himself drawn to Tresh and his promises, and unknowingly falls victim to the scientist. Instructors Frost and Cassidy soon find themselves leading the novice team against an enhanced Tresh to rescue Skin, a conflict which sees the youngsters pull together as a team and leaves Tresh trapped in the “dream dimension”.

REVIEW

Before the X-Men became a major cinematic franchise in the 2000s, Marvel and Fox made several attempts to bring the mutant team and its wider universe to live action. One of the strangest was Generation X, a 1996 television movie intended to introduce audiences to a younger generation of mutants. Based on the comic series of the same name, it features a team of teenagers learning to control their abilities at a school for gifted youngsters. Unfortunately, while the premise had potential, the execution is so clumsy that the movie serves more as an amusing relic of the 1990s than a successful adaptation of the source material.

Let’s start with the positives, because there are a few things worth appreciating. Matt Frewer is easily the movie’s biggest highlight as the villain, Russel Tresh. Frewer brings an exaggerated, manic energy to the role, making Tresh feel like he’s wandered in from a much more flamboyant superhero production. His performance is on par with Jim Carrey’s Riddler in “Batman Forever”: loud, theatrical, and seemingly determined to chew through every scene he’s in. It might be a little much for the movie’s relatively modest production, but at least Frewer understands that a comic-book villain should be entertaining to watch.

There’s also some fun to be had with the movie’s locations. Hatley Castle, which serves as Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters here, would later become familiar to audiences through the X-Men films, where it served as the exterior of the X-Mansion. Seeing it in this earlier Marvel adaptation is a neat bit of franchise history, even if the movie itself is nowhere near as memorable as the films that followed.

An even funnier detail appears early on, when an X-Men arcade cabinet makes a brief appearance. It’s a small moment, but it feels unintentionally amusing to see a real X-Men game sitting in a movie about the X-Men’s younger counterparts. It’s the sort of detail that makes you appreciate the odd little connections between different corners of the franchise.

And then there’s the production itself, which provides plenty of unintentional comedy. The low budget is painfully apparent in the special effects, particularly the dated computer-generated imagery and unconvincing practical effects. Some of the mutant powers look more like television effects experiments than anything genuinely superhuman. There’s even a brief moment when a noticeably muscular body double stands in for Buff, creating a continuity oddity that’s difficult not to laugh at. The movie clearly wanted to deliver a larger-than-life superhero experience, but its limited resources frequently work against it.

Unfortunately, the problems extend well beyond the effects.

One of the most glaring issues is the casting of Heather McComb as Jubilee. Jubilee is an Asian-American character in the comics, yet the movie casts a white actress in the role and calling her Chinese-American. This isn’t a minor change to an otherwise faithful adaptation; Jubilee is one of the X-Men’s most recognizable younger characters, and changing her ethnicity without any meaningful reason strips away part of her established identity. The movie could have introduced an original mutant if it wanted to make substantial changes to the source material, but instead it uses a familiar character while disregarding an important aspect of her background.

The tone is another major problem. Generation X constantly bounces between serious adult subjects and immature humor, often without any sense of how the two should coexist. At times, it wants to explore the anxieties of being a teenager who feels alienated from society. At others, it seems desperate to remind viewers that its characters are rebellious adolescents who make raunchy jokes and act obnoxiously.

The result is tonal whiplash. Rather than making the characters feel like believable teenagers, the humor often makes them seem like exaggerated caricatures of teenage behavior as imagined by adults. Depending on the version of the movie, Jubilee even drops the F-bomb twice in a single scene. That language isn’t inherently a problem in a story aimed at older viewers, but here it feels at odds with the otherwise awkward blend of family-friendly superhero adventure and supposedly edgy teen drama. Instead of giving the movie a consistent identity, the conflicting approaches make it feel as though the writers couldn’t decide what kind of audience they wanted to reach.

The team’s dynamics are equally underdeveloped. The central appeal of the X-Men has always been more than watching people with superpowers fight villains; it’s about a group of outsiders learning to trust one another and work together despite their differences. Unfortunately, Generation X struggles to establish that sense of unity.

There are hints of individual relationships, including the apparent romantic tension between Buff and Refrax, and the characters develop friendships with one another along the way. But those connections never quite add up to a convincing team dynamic. The movie spends time introducing its characters and giving them their own personalities, yet it doesn’t do enough to demonstrate how those personalities combine into a cohesive group.

This weakness becomes particularly obvious during the climax. By that point, the team should feel as though they’ve grown into a unit capable of overcoming their differences and coordinating their abilities. Instead, their collective identity remains surprisingly vague. The film wants us to believe that these young mutants have become a team, but it hasn’t put in the necessary work to make that transformation convincing.

The handling of Emma Frost is another questionable decision. In the movie, Emma is portrayed as a hero and mentor to the young mutants. While this interpretation isn’t completely without precedent in the comics, it could be confusing for viewers whose primary exposure to the X-Men comes from the animated series. In that era, Emma was primarily known as a villain and member of the Hellfire Club, so seeing her presented as a straightforward ally without much explanation can feel like a rather abrupt departure.

Of course, Emma’s later evolution into a more complicated character would become an important part of her comic-book history. The problem isn’t that the movie gives her a heroic role; it’s that it doesn’t do enough to establish why this version of Emma should be trusted or how her history informs her relationship with the students. The adaptation makes a substantial change to a familiar character without providing enough context to make it satisfying.

Ultimately, Generation X is a frustratingly poor attempt to bring Marvel’s younger mutants to live action. Matt Frewer’s wonderfully over-the-top villain, the recognizable Hatley Castle location, and the occasional accidental laugh from the low-budget effects give the movie a certain novelty value. But those positives are overwhelmed by questionable casting, inconsistent tone, underdeveloped team relationships, and a general inability to make its young heroes feel like a convincing group.

The movie has the ingredients for an interesting story about teenagers struggling with their identities and learning to accept their differences. Unfortunately, it gets distracted by juvenile humor, awkward character choices, and effects that frequently undermine the action. Even its more promising ideas never come together into a satisfying whole.

For X-Men fans, Generation X is worth a look as a curious piece of the franchise’s pre-cinematic history. As an actual superhero movie, however, it’s difficult to recommend. It feels less like the beginning of a promising new generation of mutants and more like a reminder that simply putting familiar names and superpowers on screen isn’t enough to make a good X-Men adaptation.

RANK; 2 out of 5

Next, we look at another Marvel-adjacent hero, with a hero from Malibu Comics

Marvel Month: The New World Saga: Solarman

Stan Lee really wanted this to succeed.

So, like I mentioned last time, this is a pretty obscure Marvel property, added to the fact that he actually isn’t a Marvel character, he’s a creator-owned character from Pendulum Press, a company known for making comics based on literature. Solarman was created in the late 1970s by David Oliphant and Deborah Kalman. The character Solarman was created in response to the 1970s energy crisis as part of an energy awareness program to educate children about alternative fuels, notably Solar Energy. Solarman was Davos, an alien from the Sun. The original run only lasted three issues.

Nine years later, Marvel Comics writer/editor Stan Lee and then-Marvel president Jim Galton contacted Oliphant with the suggestion of publishing a Solarman book through Marvel. Oliphant, Lee, and Margaret Loesch created a new version of Solarman: his secret identity is a teenager named Ben Tucker who aspires to be a comic book artist, and whose adversary is the alien warlord Gormagga Kraal. Written by Lee and illustrated by Jim Mooney, this version of the character debuted in 1989, and lasted two issues. In 1992, a 22-minute animated Solarman pilot was also produced, based on the Marvel Comics version.

PLOT

The pilot is a shot-for-shot adaptation of the first issue of the Marvel comic. Gormagga Kraal has a device that can extract energy from a sun, and Earth is next. The Energizer creator, Sha-han and his unnamed daughter (she’s probably named in the comics) warns him of the dangers of using the Energizer on Earth’s sun and the effects it could have on its inhabitants, but he ignores him. This leads Sha-han to flee with a device that can stop him, but Kraal shoots him down.

We then see Ben Tucker, who aspires to be a comic book artist, despite his father wanting him to be an athlete. Later that night, Sha-han’s ship crashes on the beach. Ben sees it and helps Sha-han, who gives him the device: a Morpher, I mean the Circlet of Power, then dies shortly after. Later that night, Ben sees hologram of Sha-han who explains who Kraal is and what his intentions is with the world, and because Ben was the only one willing to help Sha-han, he proved himself worthy of the powers of Solarman.

The next day, Kraal sends his android henchmen after Ben, but with the power of the sun, and encouragement from Sha-han, he transforms into Solarman for the first time. He makes quick work of the androids, but after he changes back, the androids rebuild themselves and capture Ben.

Kraal demands for Ben to surrender, but Sha-han’s daughter and her robot sidekick, Beepie save Ben. Unfortunately, Sha-han’s daughter dies in the crossfire. Ben gets captured, but Beepie opens window, letting sunlight in, allowing Ben to transform to Solarman.

Solarman and Kraal fight, with Solarman proving victorious, but Kraal fires the Energizer. Solarman races the Energizer (similar to another conclusion to a Marvel production), and Kraal vows revenge.

REVIEW

Before Marvel became a household name in animation through shows like “X-Men: The Animated Series” and “Spider-Man”, the company had plenty of attempts at bringing its characters and concepts to television. Some became classics, others were forgotten, and then there was “Solarman”, an obscure animated pilot from 1988 that never aired on TV until 1992. It tried to introduce audiences to a brand-new superhero. Created by David Oliphant and co-written by Stan Lee, the pilot had ambitions of launching an entirely new franchise. Unfortunately, despite a few interesting ideas, Solarman is a rather forgettable superhero adventure that struggles to justify its own existence.

Let’s start with the positives, because there are a few. The pilot’s theme song is an energetic slice of 1980s superhero goodness, complete with flashy animation by XAM! Productions. The animation is particularly effective during the fight scenes, where the action has a kinetic quality that helps the pilot feel livelier than its story often deserves. It’s the sort of opening that makes you think you’re about to watch something much more exciting than what ultimately follows.

Another highlight is Beepie, Solarman’s robot sidekick. Beepie is easily one of the more appealing elements of the pilot, providing some personality and a little mechanical charm in a story that badly needs both. The character also seems like the sort of companion who could have made for a marketable toy, which would have been useful had the pilot actually become a series. Beepie has the potential to be more memorable than the hero he’s accompanying, and that isn’t exactly a compliment to Solarman himself.

The pilot is followed by an interview between Solarman creator David Oliphant and co-writer Stan Lee, which is arguably more interesting than the cartoon. The two discuss the character’s creation and their hopes for the project, and the interview even demonstrates how comic-book cover art is put together. For anyone interested in the creative process behind superhero comics, there’s some genuinely insightful material here.

At the same time, the interview is almost painfully bittersweet. Oliphant and Lee clearly wanted Solarman to succeed and become a full-fledged television series. Both men even wear Solarman sweaters while discussing their hopes for the character. On one hand, it’s kinda funny to see two creators so enthusiastically promoting a superhero most viewers have probably never heard of, but it’s also a little sad knowing that their ambitions never came to fruition. You can see the excitement they had for the project, which makes the pilot’s failure to launch all the more disappointing.

Unfortunately, the positives end there, because Solarman has some serious problems.

For starters, the story features some surprisingly grim character deaths. Sha-han and his daughter are both killed, with the daughter’s death occurring near the end of the pilot and leaving Beepie behind. The intent is presumably to give the story emotional weight and establish the seriousness of Solarman’s mission, but the deaths feel more abrupt than meaningful. Rather than giving the audience enough time to connect with these characters, the pilot seems to expect their deaths to generate an emotional response simply because they’re tragic.

The daughter’s fate is particularly unfortunate because Beepie is left without her, making the robot’s situation feel more upsetting than the story seems prepared to explore. There’s an interesting emotional angle here, but it isn’t developed enough to have the impact it should. Instead, the deaths leave the pilot feeling needlessly bleak, especially when the rest of the story doesn’t offer enough depth to balance that darkness.

Then there’s Solarman himself, who is easily the pilot’s biggest problem. For a character who was supposed to launch a new superhero franchise, he’s… very bland. He has the usual assortment of superpowers (flight, super-strength, and super-speed). But he doesn’t have anything sun-related. He does have a laser, he used a couple times, but that was really his Morpher, so it doesn’t count.

The irony is that Solarman seems to borrow quite a bit from DC Comics, despite being developed in collaboration with Marvel. His origin involves receiving a powerful item from a dying alien, which inevitably brings Hal Jordan’s Green Lantern to mind. Beepie, the robotic companion, can be similar to Booster Gold’s sidekick, Skeets. The premise of a teenager transforming into an adult superhero is reminiscent of Shazam (something Stan Lee himself acknowledges during the accompanying interview). And Solarman’s connection to solar energy naturally invites comparisons to Superman.

None of these similarities would necessarily be a problem on their own. Superhero fiction has always involved characters sharing broad concepts, and Stan Lee himself helped build Marvel by putting fresh spins on familiar ideas. The problem is that Solarman doesn’t do enough to distinguish its hero from those influences. Rather than taking recognizable superhero concepts and reshaping them into something fresh, it mostly assembles familiar elements without giving them a compelling new identity.

That leaves Solarman feeling less like a fully realized character and more like a collection of superhero traits. His powers are generic, his personality doesn’t give him much distinction, and his supporting cast doesn’t receive enough development to make up for his shortcomings. Beepie has more potential as a character, but even the robot can’t carry the entire production.

Ultimately, “Solarman” is a disappointing curiosity. Its energetic theme song, lively fight animation, and charming robot sidekick offer glimpses of a potentially entertaining series, while the interview with David Oliphant and Stan Lee provides a fascinating look at the hopes behind the project. Yet the pilot itself is weighed down by an unremarkable protagonist, underdeveloped emotional moments, and a collection of superhero concepts that feel far too familiar.

The interview may leave you wishing that Oliphant and Lee had gotten the chance to realize their ambitions, but watching the pilot makes it easier to understand why “Solarman” never made it to series. There’s a difference between having a character with marketable powers and creating a superhero audiences actually want to follow. Unfortunately, Solarman never quite makes that leap.

RANK: 1 out of 5

Next, we take a look at the first X-Men movie. No, not that one.

Marvel Month: The New World Saga: Death of the Incredible Hulk

Hulk no wanna go.

PLOT

David Banner masquerades as David Bellamy, a janitor, to gain access to Genecore Laboratory. He believes that the studies of one of the scientists there, Dr. Ronald Pratt, may hold the key to curing his transformation into the Hulk. At nights David breaks into Pratt’s high-security laboratory and examines his work, making corrections and additions. Ronald notices his alterations and hides in the lab in wait for his secret helper. He catches David, who, under threat of the authorities being summoned, reveals his true identity and his transformations into the Hulk. His condition dives into Ronald’s own research on using genetic engineering to enhance humans’ healing ability, for the Hulk’s accelerated metabolism closes any wound in seconds.

With the help of his scientist wife Amy, Ronald constructs a force field cage and sensors which enable them to study the creature. The next few months, David, Amy, and Ronald bond while working on both Ronald’s healing project and a cure for David. The facility’s board pulls Ronald’s funding because he refuses to turn his research towards engineering super soldiers, forcing him to move up David’s treatment. An Eastern European spy named Jasmine is ordered by her superior, Kasha, to steal Ronald’s files. Since Jasmine has attempted to leave the espionage business before and believes that Kasha is selling the information they acquire for his own financial benefit, Kasha holds her sister Bella hostage to ensure her compliance. Jasmine infiltrates the lab during David’s treatment, expecting no one to be there since the procedure was unauthorized. Ronald tries to stop her from taking his files, and she shoves him into a table of chemicals, leaving him in a coma. She pulls him out of the way of the resulting fire, but anger at her disruption and assault has already transformed David into the Hulk. The Hulk attacks Jasmine, who flees, and carries Ronald to safety before escaping the security officers alerted by the smoke alarm.

Since the information in the files Jasmine took is insufficient, Kasha orders her to abduct David in the hope that he can fill the gaps. However, after Jasmine finds David, her co-agents act on orders to eliminate her as unnecessary. During the resulting fight, one of the men is mortally wounded. He tells Jasmine that Bella is the leader of the spy network and faked her own hostage situation. David takes Jasmine to her cabin hideaway and treats her bullet wound. In return, Jasmine uses her espionage skills to get David to Ronald’s hospital room without being identified so that he can speak to Ronald, coaxing him out of his coma.

The Hulk saves Jasmine from another attack by Kasha’s men, causing her to see David with new eyes, and they become romantically involved. Plans to leave the country in order to elude their respective pursuers are aborted when they hear the Pratts have been kidnapped by Bella. Jasmine extracts their location, an airfield, from one of her former comrades and tips off the authorities. While sneaking into the airfield hangar, Jasmine is caught by the network’s torturer, Zed, but she misdirects and overcomes him by pretending to swallow a suicide pill. The police raid the airfield, and David gets the Pratts to safety. Bella boards an airplane with Zed and shoots Kasha, who had been making overtures of taking her place. Disregarding her orders to escape, the vindictive Zed tries to run Jasmine down with the plane. David runs out to protect Jasmine and turns into the Hulk. The Hulk breaks into the plane. Bella opens fire on him, unintentionally shooting the fuel tank. The plane explodes, killing Bella, and Zed, while the Hulk plummets to the ground. David transforms back to human before dying of his injuries. Jasmine, Ronald, and Amy mourn for him.

REVIEW

After “The Incredible Hulk Returns” and “Trial of the Incredible Hulk” expanded the world of the television series with appearances by Thor and Daredevil, respectively, the third and ultimately final television movie, “Death of the Incredible Hulk”, takes a different approach. Rather than setting up another potential spin-off, it attempts to bring David Banner’s long-running search for a cure to a definitive conclusion. The results are a mixed bag, with some strong performances and a surprisingly fitting ending held back by a noticeably smaller production and some questionable continuity decisions.

As always, Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno remain the heart of the production. Bixby once again delivers an excellent performance as David Banner, conveying the character’s exhaustion after years of running, his desire for a normal life, and his determination to help others despite everything he has endured. Bixby also returns behind the camera as director, having directed the previous film, “Trial of the Incredible Hulk” (I forgot to mention that last time, my apologies). His experience with the character and the series is evident, even if the material he’s working with isn’t always as strong as it could be.

Ferrigno, meanwhile, remains an imposing presence as the Hulk. Although the character has relatively little screen time compared to some of his earlier appearances, Ferrigno still brings the necessary physicality and pathos to the role. The Hulk is more than just a rampaging monster here; he’s the other half of David’s existence, and the film ultimately asks us to consider what it means for both sides of the same person to reach their end.

The supporting cast is another positive. Elizabeth Gracen plays Jasmine, a beautiful and resourceful secret agent who becomes involved with David while working to escape the control of her handlers. Anna Katrina plays her sister, Bella, while Andreas Katsulas brings an appropriately threatening presence to Kasha, Jasmine’s handler. Philip Sterling and Barbra Tarbuck also make for effective antagonists as Dr. Ronald Pratt and Dr. Amy Pratt.

Jasmine is particularly interesting because she very similar to Black Widow. Both are capable female operatives trying to break free from dangerous organizations, and Jasmin’s predicament makes her a natural ally for David. Whether the character was deliberately inspired by Black Widow is another matter, however, as writer Gerald Di Pego has never confirmed that connection.

One thing I appreciate about The Death of the Incredible Hulk is that, unlike its two predecessors, it doesn’t feel like a backdoor pilot for another Marvel series. “Returns” was clearly interested in establishing Thor as a potential television star, while “Trial” devoted considerable attention to introducing Matt Murdock and his war against the Kingpin. Here, the focus remains firmly on David and his struggle to find a place in the world.

And then there’s the ending.

As the title promises, the film concludes with David and the Hulk apparently dying after falling from an exploding aircraft. It’s a bleak conclusion for a character who has spent years trying to escape his condition, only to find that every potential opportunity for a cure or a normal life has slipped through his fingers. Yet there’s something fitting about the finality of it all. David has spent so much of his life running that the prospect of finally finding peace, even through death, carries a certain tragic weight.

There were plans for a fourth television movie that would have somehow brought Bruce Banner back, but those plans were ultimately abandoned following the disappointing ratings for this installment. In retrospect, I’m torn about that. On one hand, I would have liked to see Bixby and Ferrigno return for another adventure. On the other, the ending here gives the original series a degree of closure that another installment might have undermined. For a character whose life has been defined by endless wandering, the idea that his journey finally comes to an end is strangely appropriate.

Unfortunately, the movie has several shortcomings, beginning with the conspicuous absence of Jack Colvin’s Jack McGee. Bill Bixby reportedly discussed bringing Colvin back with Gerald Di Pego, but the writer felt that including him would overcrowd the story without contributing much to its central plot. More importantly, nobody involved in the production made a serious push to ensure that the character returned. I can understand the desire to keep the story focused on David and Jasmin, but leaving McGee out of the final chapter still feels like a missed opportunity. Even if he didn’t need a major role, a brief appearance could have acknowledged his importance to the series and given the audience one last glimpse of the man who spent so many years pursuing David.

The production itself also feels considerably smaller than that of the previous two movies. Once again, filming took place in Vancouver, but this time the budgetary limitations are much more noticeable. The Hulk’s transformations, which had always been one of the series’ signature elements, are especially underwhelming. Rather than showing the familiar process of David becoming the Hulk, the film cuts away after David’s eyes turn white. Given how iconic those transformations had become, it’s disappointing that the final movie couldn’t give the audience at least one proper on-screen Hulk-out.

The death of the Hulk is similarly underwhelming from a visual standpoint. A moment that should carry enormous emotional and dramatic weight is presented without the impact one might expect from the conclusion of a character’s story. The idea behind the ending is stronger than its execution, and the limited production values make it difficult for the scene to land as effectively as it should.

There’s also a curious issue with the Hulk’s abilities. Throughout the original television series, the Hulk was incredibly strong and durable, but his powers generally operated within a relatively grounded framework. In this film, however, his abilities appear to have increased substantially.

For example, the Hulk is able to stop two visibly larger tractors, one with each arm, until both machines break down. That’s an impressive feat even by his standards. Later, while David is held in a laboratory force field, he sustains an inch-long laceration that heals within seconds. This is a notable departure from the television series, where even the Hulk’s healing abilities had limitations, and injuries could take considerably longer to recover from.

These moments suggest that the Hulk’s strength and healing factor have continued to develop over time. It’s an interesting idea, particularly for a character whose powers are tied to his extraordinary physiology and emotional state. Unfortunately, it also creates a rather awkward continuity problem when the film reaches its conclusion.

Despite these apparent improvements in his abilities, David and the Hulk die after falling from the exploding aircraft. That outcome is especially difficult to reconcile with the fourth-season episode “Free Fall”, in which David survives a fall from an even greater height. He transforms into the Hulk when he crashes into a tool shed, and although the Hulk is subsequently fatally injured when he hits the ground, the episode establishes that David’s transformation can protect him from an otherwise devastating fall.

Granted, The Death of the Incredible Hulk is trying to provide a definitive ending, and dramatic storytelling doesn’t always have to follow a perfectly consistent set of rules. Still, the contradiction is difficult to ignore. If the Hulk has become stronger and can heal more rapidly than before, it’s reasonable to question why this particular fall proves fatal when David previously survived a comparable situation. The film’s desire to end the story ultimately takes precedence over the established logic of the character’s abilities.

Ultimately, “The Death of the Incredible Hulk” is a mixed conclusion to a series that deserved a more substantial farewell. Bixby and Ferrigno remain excellent in their respective roles, the supporting cast adds some welcome new faces, and the decision to avoid another backdoor pilot allows the story to concentrate on David’s personal journey. Its ending is also thematically appropriate, even if its execution leaves something to be desired.

However, the absence of Jack Colvin, the reduced budget, the lack of a proper Hulk transformation, and the inconsistencies surrounding the Hulk’s powers keep the film from reaching the heights of the original series. It’s a shame that the final chapter feels so constrained when it should have been a celebration of everything that made the show memorable.

Even so, Bixby and Ferrigno give it their all, and there’s a certain poignancy to seeing David Banner’s journey finally reach its conclusion. Whether or not the ending was intended to be permanent, The Death of the Incredible Hulk remains a flawed but memorable farewell to one of television’s most enduring interpretations of the Marvel character.

RANK: 2 out of 5

So, this next one will be a bit weird, as it’s another pilot, but at the time it was made it had a comic book being made at Marvel, via licensing deal. I even debated whether or not to do this one.

Marvel Month: The New World Saga – Pryde of the X-Men

X-Men! Saves The Day!

PLOT

The X-Men’s archenemy Magneto is being transported by a military convoy. Magneto is unable to use his powers, trapped in a force field, until he is freed by the White Queen (Emma Frost), a member of his “Brotherhood of Mutant Terrorists”, allowing him to use his magnetic powers to tear apart his portable prison and escape.

Elsewhere, Kitty Pryde arrives at Professor Xavier’s school to begin training her phasing powers, allowing her to pass through solid matter. In the Danger Room, Kitty is introduced to the X-Men: Cyclops, Colossus, Dazzler, Nightcrawler, Storm, and Wolverine. Frightened by Nightcrawler’s demonic appearance, Kitty almost causes the Danger Room to go haywire, making Wolverine protest her recruitment.

Magneto sends Pyro and Blob to retrieve the tracking coordinates for the Scorpio comet approaching Earth, with the secondary goal of distracting the X-Men while Magneto and Juggernaut invade the X-Mansion. Xavier reads Magneto’s thoughts, learning that they seek to steal the “mutant power circuit” of Cerebro; he gives it to Kitty and orders her to flee, but Magneto manages to capture it.

The X-Men return from their confrontation with Blob and Pyro to find the mansion in ruins, and the Professor and Kitty unconscious. Xavier reads Magneto’s thoughts again and learns his full plan: to redirect the Scorpio comet onto a collision course with Earth and plunge the planet into another ice age, which would leave normal humans weakened, allowing the mutants to take over. The X-Men leave for Magneto’s sanctuary Asteroid M, but the X-Men instruct Kitty to stay, as the mission is far too dangerous and she has not been trained. Kitty, wanting to prove her worth and make amends for her previous failure, phases aboard the Blackbird and hides, with Xavier’s permission.

Upon reaching the asteroid, each X-Man meets an obstacle on the way to Magneto: Storm covers the breach the X-Men blow into Asteroid M, Dazzler takes on Pyro, Wolverine traps Toad, Colossus engages Juggernaut, and Cyclops battles White Queen. After teleporting past Blob, Nightcrawler confronts Magneto as the Scorpio comet approaches Earth. As Magneto is about to blast Nightcrawler, Kitty emerges from the floor, causing Magneto to accidentally blast the wiring of his device. Nightcrawler teleports up and uses his body as a conduct, while Kitty knocks Magneto onto the platform, using his power to redirect the comet’s course towards Asteroid M. Nightcrawler must risk sacrificing himself to complete the machine’s circuit, or the comet will change course back to Earth.

The X-Men watch from the Blackbird for Nightcrawler to teleport at the last minute. The comet and asteroid collide, but Nightcrawler rematerializes out in space. The team attempts to retrieve him with the Blackbird’s grappler arms, but they miss, and he apparently disintegrates. While the X-Men mourn Nightcrawler, he emerges from a storage locker, revealing that he teleported himself into the plane before the atmospheric compression burned up his suit. While the X-Men give Kitty credit for her efforts, Wolverine insists that Kitty is not yet a member of the X-Men.

REVIEW

Before “X-Men: The Animated Series” introduced Marvel’s mutants to a generation of television viewers in the 1990s, there was “Pryde of the X-Men”, a 1989 animated pilot that attempted to bring the team to television a few years earlier. Although it never progressed beyond a single episode, it has since become a fascinating piece of X-Men history, offering a glimpse at what could have been. While the pilot has plenty going for it, its shortcomings help explain why it never became the launching pad for a full series.

First, the animation is a real highlight. Produced by Toei Animation, the pilot has a level of polish that gives it an almost OVA-like quality, with fluid character movements, detailed backgrounds, and energetic action sequences. The character designs are colorful and faithful to the comic-book aesthetic of the period and the animators do a good job bringing the X-Men’s powers to life. Whether it’s Wolverine getting into a brawl, Nightcrawler teleporting around the battlefield, or the team facing off against Magneto and the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, the action is easily one of the pilot’s strongest assets.

The voice cast is another major plus. Michael Bell brings authority to Cyclops, Alan Oppenheimer makes the Blob suitably intimidating, Susan Silo gives Emma Frost an appropriately cold demeanor, and John Stephenson provides the familiar gravitas expected of Professor X. Kath Soucie also does a good job as Kitty Pryde, the young mutant whose introduction provides the audience’s entry point into the world of the X-Men.

However, the three biggest standouts are Soucie, Earl Boen as Magneto, and Patrick Pinney as Wolverine. Soucie brings an appealing youthful energy to Kitty, making her an easy character to follow as she learns about her new teammates and their mission. Boen, meanwhile, gives Magneto the commanding presence befitting one of the X-Men’s greatest adversaries. Pinney’s Wolverine is particularly memorable, although for a rather unusual reason: he speaks with an Australian accent!

This might sound familiar to anyone who remembers Wolverine’s appearance in Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, where he also spoke with an Australian accent. Unlike that cartoon, however, there’s a behind-the-scenes explanation for the decision. Along with executive meddling, the production wanted to capitalize on the popularity of Crocodile Dundee, which had helped make Australian culture popular in American entertainment. There were even plans to make Logan Australian in the comics, though those ideas were ultimately abandoned. As with Amazing Friends, the result is amusing in hindsight, especially considering how firmly Hugh Jackman’s portrayal established Wolverine’s Canadian identity.

Finally, Stan Lee serves as the pilot’s narrator, introducing the X-Men and explaining their powers and backgrounds. It’s an appropriate touch for a show attempting to bring a complicated comic-book universe to an unfamiliar audience, even if the execution leaves something to be desired.

Unfortunately, that brings us to the pilot’s biggest weakness: it is incredibly exposition-heavy. If Stan Lee isn’t explaining who somebody is or why they matter, then another character is usually doing the same thing through dialogue. Some explanation is understandable, particularly when introducing a large ensemble of characters to viewers who might never have read an X-Men comic, but the constant need to explain everything can make the story feel more like a guided tour of the franchise than a naturally unfolding adventure.

There are also a few awkward character moments, particularly involving Nightcrawler and Kitty. Kurt occasionally comes across as unintentionally pervy when he describes Kitty as a “lovely vision” and seems to flirt with her. The problem is that Kitty is supposed to be fourteen, while Nightcrawler is in his twenties. Even allowing for the different sensibilities of the period and Nightcrawler’s playful personality, these moments are uncomfortable and distract from what should be a friendly relationship between teammates.

The pilot also suffers from the commercial considerations surrounding its production. According to writer and producer Will Meugniot, the original creative plans called for the Sentinels to be the principal antagonists. That would have made sense thematically, given the X-Men’s ongoing struggle against prejudice and humanity’s fear of mutants. Instead, the show was pushed toward a more toy-driven approach, resulting in a greater emphasis on Magneto and the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. The Brotherhood certainly makes for a recognizable group of villains, but the change arguably sacrifices a more distinctive story in favor of something more immediately marketable.

What makes the pilot’s failure especially frustrating is what happened to Kitty Pryde afterward. She was intended to be the audience’s introduction to the X-Men, but Marvel apparently allowed the failure of Pryde of the X-Men and the decision to make Kitty the focal character to work against her chances of appearing in the subsequent X-Men: The Animated Series. She wouldn’t make another animated appearance until X-Men: Evolution debuted in 2000.

That is a shame, because Kitty is one of the more accessible characters in the X-Men mythos, and Soucie’s performance demonstrates how well she could have worked as a younger perspective on the team. It’s difficult not to wonder whether the pilot’s reception might have been different if Marvel had pursued another approach rather than seemingly letting this attempt influence Kitty’s animated future for so long.

Ultimately, Pryde of the X-Men is a mixed bag. Its gorgeous animation, strong voice cast, and colorful presentation make it an enjoyable showcase for Marvel’s mutants, and it remains an intriguing alternate version of what an X-Men cartoon could have been. However, the relentless exposition, awkward character interactions, and toy-driven creative decisions keep it from reaching its full potential.

It’s worth watching for fans interested in the history of the franchise, particularly those curious about the road not taken before the 1990s animated series became the definitive X-Men cartoon for many viewers. But as a standalone pilot, it feels more like a promising proof of concept than a fully realized series premiere.

RANK: 2 out of 5

Next, we bid farewell to David Banner in one last TV movie

 

Marvel Month: Trial of The Incredible Hulk

For everyone who thought Netflix did the Frank Miller suit first. No.

PLOT

Still on the run, David Bruce Banner makes his way toward a large city with the hopes of staying incognito under the name David Belson. Unbeknownst to him, the city is under the control of a crime boss named Wilson Fisk and protected by a mysterious black-clad crimefighter known as Daredevil. While riding the commuter subway train, David witnesses two passengers sexually molesting a woman, Ellie Mendez, and intervenes. They strike him, you can guess how that goes for them. David is arrested by the police and charged with attacking Ellie, who claims her actual attackers saved her from David.

Blind defense attorney Matt Murdock offers to take David’s case pro bono publico, explaining that Ellie’s attackers work for Fisk, whom he is trying to bring down. David is uncooperative, but Matt can tell he is telling the truth when he says he tried to help Ellie. Matt visits Ellie, who continues to claim David attacked her, but conspicuously falters under questioning, especially after Matt reveals he overheard her talking to her nurse about some men visiting her with his hyper-sensitive hearing. Considering Ellie a risk, Fisk has the nurse, one of his agents, give her a lethal injection, but Daredevil breaks into the hospital and stops the nurse.

Angered that Fisk’s group tried to kill her when she was cooperating with them, Ellie calls Matt and offers to tell the truth about the attack in exchange for protection for her parents, who Fisk’s men threatened. Before Matt can meet with her to get her statement, Fisk has Ellie abducted from protective custody. In jail, David has a nightmare about transforming into the Hulk on the witness stand during his upcoming trial. The stress causes him to transform in reality, and the Hulk breaks out of prison.

Daredevil finds the apartment where David is staying, wanting him to stand trial. David suspects Daredevil is one of Fisk’s men, so he unmasks himself as Matt Murdock. Matt tells David that an accident with radiation blinded him when he was 14, while giving him enhanced senses and a “radar sense”, and that he was inspired to become Daredevil by Officer Albert G. Tendelli, who now acts as his police contact. David nonetheless refuses to help or tell what he knows about the Hulk. Fisk plants info about Ellie’s whereabouts as a trap for Daredevil. When Daredevil arrives, Fisk uses spotlights and blaring speakers to disorient him; instead, the speakers overwhelm Daredevil’s enhanced hearing, allowing Fisk’s men to beat him nearly to death. David arrives to save Matt, transforming into the Hulk in the process. Matt traces the Hulk’s face as he transforms back to David, thus learning David’s secret.

Using his training as a medical doctor, David treats Matt and spreads a cover story about his injuries being the result of falling down stairs. While Matt’s self-confidence is shaken, David’s confidence has been restored by seeing how Matt has embraced his unique gifts, which are also caused by exposure to radiation. At David’s persistent coaxing, Matt begins to retrain his body.

Fisk holds a meeting of crime bosses and proposes the consolidation of their operations into a nationwide syndicate, with himself as chairman. He presents footage of Daredevil’s apparent death as proof of his power. Daredevil and David infiltrate Fisk’s office tower to discredit Fisk and save Ellie. David frees Ellie with assistance from Fisk’s right-hand man, Edgar, who hints to them that he has on multiple occasions saved people from Fisk, who always forgives him. Daredevil breaks into the meeting, and the crime bosses flee.

David and Matt part as friends. David heads to a radiation laboratory in Portland in hopes of finding a cure for himself, and Matt remains in the city to protect it.

REVIEW

Following The Incredible Hulk Returns, the second reunion movie for the beloved television series takes another step toward expanding the Marvel universe by introducing yet another superhero: Daredevil, the Man Without Fear. Released in 1989, The Trial of the Incredible Hulk brings David Banner into conflict with Wilson Fisk, better known as the Kingpin, while introducing Matt Murdock as a lawyer who fights crime both in and out of the courtroom. It’s an interesting combination of the original show’s grounded drama and Marvel’s street-level superhero storytelling, although the movie’s ambitions occasionally get in the way of its central character.

Once again, Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno return as David Banner and the Hulk, respectively, and their presence remains the movie’s greatest strength. Bixby continues to bring a tremendous amount of humanity to David, portraying him as a man who desperately wants to do the right thing but whose condition makes a normal life almost impossible. Ferrigno, meanwhile, provides the physicality that makes the Hulk such an imposing presence whenever David loses control.

The new additions are equally welcome. Rex Smith plays Matt Murdock, the blind attorney who secretly operates as Daredevil, while John Rhys-Davies portrays Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin. Smith gives Matt a quiet determination that fits the character, while Rhys-Davies brings an imposing presence to Fisk. He’s a convincing criminal mastermind, someone who can exert control over an entire city without necessarily needing to get his hands dirty.

The production’s move from Los Angeles to Vancouver was also a smart decision. Primarily motivated by cost-cutting, the relocation nevertheless works in the movie’s favor, since much of Vancouver can convincingly double for New York City. (Despite the movie never explicitly saying it’s as New York), the urban environment helps establish the sort of sprawling, crime-ridden metropolis that suits Daredevil’s world.

That change in setting also complements the return to the original series’ grounded realism. After The Incredible Hulk Returns introduced the decidedly supernatural Thor, this movie focuses on one of Marvel’s more street-level heroes. Daredevil doesn’t need a giant robot or a magical hammer to make an impression; his stories revolve around corruption, organized crime and the struggle to protect ordinary people. That makes him a natural fit for the world David Banner inhabits.

The movie also has a place in Marvel history as the first of many Stan Lee cameos in a live-action Marvel production. Here, Lee appears as a juror during David’s dream sequence at his trial. It’s a brief appearance, but it’s a fun little inclusion for anyone familiar with Lee’s long-standing association with Marvel’s characters.

Unfortunately, the movie’s biggest problem is that it feels much more like a backdoor pilot than the last movie.

The Incredible Hulk Returns managed to maintain a reasonably satisfying balance between David Banner’s ongoing story and the introduction of Donald and Thor. Although it was clearly setting up a potential spin-off, the movie still gave David a personal dilemma and a reason to interact with the newcomers. The Trial of the Incredible Hulk, on the other hand, seems much more interested in establishing Daredevil’s world than continuing David’s journey.

The film introduces a corrupt urban environment controlled by Kingpin, establishes Daredevil’s secret war against organized crime, and gives Matt Murdock an opportunity to demonstrate his abilities while helping David after he’s framed for a crime he didn’t commit. All of this makes sense as the foundation for a Daredevil television series, but it leaves David feeling like a supporting character in his own reunion movie.

That’s not to say the combination is inherently bad. Seeing David caught up in a criminal conspiracy gives him a reason to interact with Matt, and the contrast between a man trying to escape his own condition and a superhero who has devoted his life to fighting injustice is an interesting one. But the movie’s attention is divided, and it never quite feels as though David’s personal story is receiving the same care it did in the original series.

The absence of Jack McGee is also noticeable. After being such a crucial part of the original show’s dynamic, his removal from these last two television movies feels like a missed opportunity. McGee’s pursuit of David was one of the defining elements of the series, and his presence could have added another layer of tension to a story in which David is framed and forced to prove his innocence. Instead, the movie focuses on establishing Daredevil and Kingpin, leaving a familiar part of the series behind.

There’s also a rather amusing continuity error involving David’s appearance. Throughout much of the movie, he sports a beard, which disappears whenever he transforms into the Hulk, only to return when he changes back into Banner. It’s a fairly obvious oversight, and once you notice it, it’s difficult not to look for it during every transformation sequence. Given the practical limitations of the production, it’s understandable that maintaining continuity across the Hulk makeup and transformation footage wasn’t always easy, but it remains a distracting little mistake.

And of course, there’s the trial, or lack thereof. So, there is no trial. The movie kinda lies to you, we see a court case with David, but it’s in a dream sequence. The movie’s writer and producer Gerald Di Pego has explained that the idea of having the Hulk actually go on trial was never even discussed.

Despite these shortcomings, The Trial of the Incredible Hulk is still an enjoyable TV movie. Rex Smith makes for a Matt Murdock, John Rhys-Davies is an effective Kingpin (paving the way for Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio decades later), and the return to a more grounded superhero story suits the franchise well. The Vancouver setting also gives the movie a convincing urban atmosphere, and the Stan Lee cameo is a fun piece of Marvel history.

The biggest disappointment is that the movie seems more concerned with launching a Daredevil series than giving David Banner another meaningful chapter in his life. With Jack McGee absent and David’s own struggles pushed somewhat into the background, it doesn’t quite capture the same balance that made the original series so effective.

Still, it’s an interesting experiment in bringing Marvel’s street-level heroes into the world of The Incredible Hulk. While it doesn’t fully succeed as a continuation of David’s story, it demonstrates that the television format could accommodate more than one Marvel character—and leaves you wondering what a Daredevil series starring Rex Smith might have looked like.

RANK: 3 out of 5

We’ll say our farewell to David Banner later. Next, we’re taking a look at an early pilot for the X-Men featuring Australian Wolverine!

Marvel Month: The New World Saga – The Incredible Hulk Returns

So, are the Duncan kids half-Asgardian?

PLOT

Dr. David Banner has been gainfully employed at the Joshua-Lambert Research Institute (as David Bannion), where he and a team of scientists are putting the final touches on a Gamma Transponder. The Transponder’s public purpose is as an energy source, but Banner has secretly incorporated a secondary function which he intends to use to cure the gamma alteration that transforms him into the Hulk. He has not changed into the Hulk for two years, having met a young widow, Maggie Shaw, with whom he is romantically involved; focusing his thoughts on Shaw allows him to fight back transformations. By chance, he is recognized by a former student of his, Donald Blake. Blake reveals that, on an expedition in Norway, he was bound into possession of a magical hammer containing the soul of Thor, an immortal Viking warrior banished from Valhalla and reluctantly compelled to serve Blake and can summon Thor by speaking Odin’s name. Frustrated by Thor’s brutish and moralistic character, Blake wants Banner’s advice on severing their bond. Thor is summoned and bullies Banner until he turns into the Hulk. The Hulk battles Thor, leaving the lab severely damaged.

In the morning, Banner scolds Blake for setting back his experiment and demands that he make amends. While ordinarily he leaves the area when the Hulk is sighted, Banner is confident enough that the Transponder will cure him to risk staying. He advises Blake to speak to Thor to learn more about their bond.

Journalist Jack McGee hears of sightings of the Hulk, and his investigations lead him to suspect that David Bannion is the Hulk’s human alter ego. When he investigates Bannion’s address, Banner puts him off the scent by having Thor answer the door and identify himself as David Bannion. Thor bonds with Blake at a bar, briefly entertaining the possibility of Thor using his powers to fight crime. A mercenary gang outside the Joshua-Lambert Institute seeks to kidnap Banner and the Transponder, but the Hulk effortlessly dispatches them. The mercenary leader Jack LeBeau targets Shaw as a hostage. Mercenaries disguised as police officers ambush and kidnap Shaw despite the combined efforts of the Hulk and Thor. Joshua-Lambert executive Zack Lambert has been working as the mercenaries inside man as revenge against his overbearing older brother Joshua, but he balks at the kidnapping and is fatally shot.

LeBeau demands the Transponder as the ransom for Shaw. Recognizing its potential as a weapon in the wrong hands, Banner sabotages the Transponder, removing his chance of a cure. Zack contacts Banner from his deathbed and tells him where Shaw is being held. Hulk, Blake, and Thor ambush the gang’s hideout and fight them to rescue Shaw. McGee is once again berated by his editor for his obsession with the Hulk and Thor. Blake and Banner agree that Shaw has likely figured out that Banner is the Hulk. Thor and Blake, now at peace with each other, say their goodbyes to Banner. Under threat of McGee finding him if he stays longer, Banner is forced to end his relationship with Shaw and once again leaves to find a cure.

REVIEW

After the original “The Incredible Hulk” television series ended in 1982, David Banner’s journey seemed to have reached its conclusion. But in 1988, Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno returned for a television movie that not only brought the beloved characters back but also introduced another Marvel superhero into the mix: Thor, the God of Thunder. It’s an interesting continuation of the original series, one that takes its familiar formula in a new direction while laying the groundwork for a potential live-action Marvel TV universe.

The first thing worth praising is the returning cast. Bill Bixby is once again excellent as David Banner, bringing the same weary humanity to a man who has spent years running from the monster inside him. Lou Ferrigno also returns as the Hulk, maintaining the physical presence that made his portrayal so memorable. And then there’s Jack Colvin, making his final appearance as reporter Jack McGee. Colvin had been such an important part of the original series that having him back is a welcome treat, even if the movie doesn’t give his character quite the send-off he deserves.

The newcomers are equally enjoyable. Lee Purcell plays Maggie Shaw, a scientist who becomes romantically involved with David, while Tim Thomerson brings a rough-edged charm to the film’s villain, Jack LeBeau. Steve Levitt plays Donald Blake, the man who discovers Mjolnir and eventually brings Thor into his life.

But stealing the show, at least for anyone familiar with his later work, is Eric Allan Kramer as Thor Odinson. Long before his appearances in projects such as “Good Luck Charlie” and ironically Mr. Freeze in “Stuart Tries to Save the World”, Kramer takes on the role of Marvel’s legendary thunder god with an enthusiasm that’s difficult not to appreciate. His Thor is boisterous, arrogant and frequently amusing, providing a welcome contrast to David’s perpetual melancholy.

The story itself begins with David in a position we rarely get to see him occupy: he’s actually happy.

Two years have passed without him transforming into the Hulk, and he’s found a degree of peace that seemed impossible during the original series. He’s working alongside Maggie, developing a romantic relationship with her, and appears to be closer than ever to finding a cure for his condition. For once, David has a genuine chance at a normal life.

Naturally, that can’t last.

The arrival of Donald Blake and Thor throws everything into disarray, forcing David to confront the Hulk again and abandon the possibility of settling down. Once more, he finds himself on the road, unable to escape the circumstances that have defined his existence.

What makes this particularly effective is that the movie understands what David stands to lose. His potential cure isn’t just a scientific breakthrough; it’s his chance to stop running. His relationship with Maggie represents the possibility of a future beyond endless wandering. Seeing those hopes slip away in such a short time reinforces the tragedy that has always defined the character.

At the same time, introducing Thor provides a fresh dynamic that the original series never really explored. The original television show was (apart from the existence of the Hulk himself), a fairly grounded drama. Its stories generally revolved around ordinary people, personal problems and situations that David encountered while traveling from town to town. Introducing a character who is explicitly supernatural changes the equation considerably.

And that’s part of the fun.

The concept of the Hulk teaming up with other Marvel superheroes is something that had plenty of potential, even within the budgetary limitations of late-’80s television. This wasn’t a big-budget theatrical production with the resources to recreate Asgard or deliver the kind of spectacular action sequences we’d expect from a modern Marvel movie. Nevertheless, the idea of David Banner crossing paths with another superhero opens up possibilities that the original series couldn’t offer on its own.

It’s also enjoyable to see the movie incorporate otherworldly elements into a franchise that had otherwise remained relatively realistic. Thor’s presence introduces mythology and magic into David’s world, creating an interesting contrast between two characters whose circumstances couldn’t be more different. David is a man desperately trying to rid himself of a power he never wanted, while Thor is a warrior whose extraordinary abilities are central to his identity.

The movie’s music deserves recognition as well. With Lance Rubin taking over scoring duties, the film needed someone who could preserve the distinctive atmosphere established by Joe Harnell’s work on the original series. Rubin does a commendable job of emulating Harnell’s musical style, maintaining the emotional tone that made the television series so effective. And thankfully, Harnell’s iconic “The Lonely Man” theme returns at the end, providing a familiar musical reminder that, despite the introduction of another superhero, David’s fundamental predicament hasn’t changed.

Unfortunately, The Incredible Hulk Returns also makes some decisions that hold it back.

The most obvious issue is that the movie is basically a backdoor pilot for a potential Thor series. The same would be true of the next television movie. Both films seem interested in exploring a broader Marvel universe (though this one wasn’t as bad), but the proposed series that these appearances were intended to establish never materialized.

It’s understandable why the producers would want to expand the concept. The original series had already demonstrated that the Hulk could sustain dramatic television stories, and introducing additional Marvel characters offered a way to build on that success. But there’s a noticeable difference between a movie that tells a complete story and one that also has to establish the premise for a show that might never happen.

Thor’s characterization is another mixed bag. In the comics, he’s a noble Norse prince who is cast down to Earth by Odin and must learn humility. Here, he’s reimagined as an arrogant Viking king who must perform several heroic acts before he can enter Valhalla.

It’s an interesting reinterpretation, but it’s a substantial departure from the source material. This version of Thor is less a god learning to become worthy of his power and more a warrior trying to prove himself through heroic deeds.

His abilities are also considerably more limited than comic-book readers might expect. He doesn’t fly or demonstrate control over the weather, which makes him feel somewhat less like the mighty thunder god audiences know. Given the production’s limited budget and resources, it’s understandable that the filmmakers couldn’t recreate everything associated with the character. Having Thor wield a hammer and possess superhuman strength was already enough to establish his identity within the story. Still, it’s difficult not to imagine what a more faithful adaptation might have accomplished.

Then there’s Jack McGee.

After spending so much of the original series pursuing David Banner, McGee’s final appearance here feels strangely hollow. The character is hastily written without any chance of him discover David’s secret, which would have been a major turning point after years of chasing the Hulk. Instead, the movie seems to be clearing the way for Donald Blake and Thor to take over the pursuit in the prospective spin-off.

That might have made sense if the new series had actually been produced, but since it wasn’t, McGee’s departure feels rather unsatisfying. After everything he went through in the original series, he deserved a more meaningful conclusion than simply being sidelined in favor of a potential new franchise.

Even so, “The Incredible Hulk Returns” remains an enjoyable continuation of the television series. It brings back the cast that made the original show work, gives David Banner a compelling personal dilemma, introduces Thor in an entertaining fashion and expands the franchise’s possibilities without completely abandoning its dramatic roots.

It isn’t without its shortcomings, particularly when it comes to Thor’s characterization and the movie’s obvious attempts to establish a series that never happened. But Eric Allan Kramer’s performance, the contrast between David and Thor, and the return of the original show’s emotional core make it worthwhile.

Ultimately, the movie demonstrates that the world of The Incredible Hulk had room for more than one superhero. It just needed the right balance between expanding that world and remembering what made the original series special.

RANK: 4 out of 5

Next, David teams up with Daredevil to take on Kingpin.

 

Marvel Month: The New World Saga: The Transformers

Yes, this counts.

PLOT

This series focuses on the Transformers, split into two warring factions: the heroic Autobots and the evil Decepticons as they crash land on Earth and continue their eons-long conflict there.

The series began with a three-part miniseries, “More Than Meets The Eye”, where we see the conflict between the Autobots flee Cybertron and Decepticons follow them, leading to a scrimmage in space and crashing on Earth, 4 million years in the past. The volcano, the Autobots’ ship. the Ark crashed in erupted in 1984 reawakening the Autobots and Decepticons begin their war anew on Earth, but now with all of humanity caught in the crossfire.

So, unlike most (but not all) adaptations, where the war is fought in secrecy, with only the Autobots’ human allies aware of what’s going on, it’s public knowledge here. Aside from everyone, the Autobots’ allies are the Witwicky family Sparkplug and his son Spike, as well as Spike’s girlfriend (later wife) Carly, and their friend Chip Chase. Later, they’re joined by the Earth Defense Force leader, Marissa Fairborne and to a lesser extent (especially after the movie) Spike and Carly’s son, Daniel.

The Decepticons would never ally themselves with humans, but there is one they work with on occasion, Dr. Arkeville. A cyborg scientist, that works with the ‘Cons but is mostly out for himself. To say he and Starscream got along well is an understatement.

The three-part minseries and Season 1 set up the status quo of the series, the Autobots have to protect Earth and humanity from the Decepticons. Season 2 expanded the cartoon’s scope and cast. This season tends to feature more character-driven episodes than the first, with many characters getting their own “spotlight” episode. It also features a recurring theme of the Autobots assimilating Earth culture, such as playing basketball and football and even watching a soap opera. Excursions to alien civilizations popped up occasionally as well (not to mention time travel, miniaturization, and battles against undersea creatures). The second season also saw the introduction of concepts and characters that would spread out to other segments of the franchise, including the mystic Alpha Trion, the ancient Vector Sigma supercomputer and its circuit key, not to mention the first appearance of Elita-1 and the Female Transformers within official fiction.

Season Two breaks down very roughly into three segments. The first thirteen episodes focus on the Season One cast; about half of them prominently feature the previously-introduced 1985 product, the Constructicons, Dinobots, and Insecticons. Then, starting from the two-part “Dinobot Island,” the next twenty-six episodes introduce the remainder of the new 1985 toys, and the season shifts focus to them, with almost every new character receiving at least one dedicated spotlight episode. Finally, the last ten episodes of the season are given over to introducing the first 1986 product, the four Combiner teams (the Decepticons’ Stunticons and Combaticons and the Autobots’ Protectobots and Arielbots), and to giving the sidelined 1984 cast a little more screentime in supporting roles.

In-between seasons was Transformers The Movie, which took a time jump twenty years after the aired last episode at the time. I’m not doing a review of the movie, as I already did a tribute post for it ten years ago, and I’d just be repeating what I said then.

Season 3 changes the whole premise of the show. Gone were the two teams stranded on Earth, along with many of the characters that composed those teams. In their place was a galaxy-spanning tale of battles on alien worlds. With the Autobots in firm control of Cybertron, the Decepticons, though still a threat, were somewhat reduced as villains; new enemies in the form of the Quintessons were introduced. Plots often centered on the ultra-powerful city-bots, Metroplex and Trypticon.

Season 3 has a mixed reputation. It contains some of the most mistake-laden episodes of the entire franchise most of which can be laid at the feet of AKOM, a studio formed by series director Nelson Shin. But some of its episodes are among the best as well, both in animation and scripting; “Dark Awakening”, “Chaos”, “Webworld”, and “Dweller in the Depths” are all heavy fan favorites.

Late in Season 3, as in Season 2, the forerunners of the 1987 toy line were introduced: the Terrorcons, Technobots, and Throttlebots, and (very briefly) the cassettes Slugfest and Overkill. The season concluded with the resurrection of Optimus Prime, spurred on by a massive campaign on the part of fans, who were displeased by his death and subsequent “evil” resurrection. There was also a fourth season, but it was only three episodes, so I just count it as part of Season 3. It also had a fifth season and a sequel series, “Transformers Generation 2”, but both are just repackaging episodes of G1.

REVIEW

When looking back at the original “Transformers”, it’s easy to reduce it to its simplest description: a half-hour toy commercial about robots who turn into cars, planes, guns and various other vehicles. And, to be fair, that’s exactly what it was created to sell. But dismissing the Generation 1 cartoon as nothing more than a toy commercial would sell it short. For all of its commercial obligations, “The Transformers” managed to build an enormous cast of memorable characters, surprisingly emotional stories and a mythology that continues to influence the franchise decades later.

The voice cast is one of the show’s greatest strengths, although there are far too many talented performers to list everyone. Peter Cullen is, of course, iconic as Optimus Prime, while also providing the voice of Ironhide. Dan Gilvezan gives Bumblebee an appealingly youthful personality, Scatman Crothers makes Jazz effortlessly cool, and Corey Burton handles an absurd number of roles, including Spike Witwicky, Shockwave, Brawn and Vector Sigma. Susan Blu gives Arcee plenty of personality, Chris Latta makes Starscream one of the most entertaining villains in the cast, and Casey Kasem brings his distinctive voice to both Cliffjumper and Dr. Arkeville.

Then there’s Frank Welker, who deserves his own paragraph simply because of how much work he does. Megatron, Galvatron, Soundwave, Rumble, Frenzy, Ravage and various creature noises all come from him. His ability to make each character sound distinctive is remarkable, especially considering just how many characters he had to portray.

The show also deserves credit for attempting to be more than a simple commercial. There are plenty of episodes that actually try to tell interesting stories, develop the characters and explore the relationship between the Autobots and Decepticons. The series can be surprisingly funny, occasionally dramatic and, at its best, genuinely heartfelt.

That doesn’t mean the toy-commercial aspect ever disappears. New characters inevitably need to be introduced, and as the series progresses, some episodes feel like they’re built primarily around giving the latest batch of toys something to do. It’s particularly noticeable when you realize that a character who barely existed in the previous episode suddenly becomes critically important because Hasbro has a new figure to sell.

Still, there’s enough creativity underneath the merchandising requirements to make the show stand on its own.

The animation is another fascinating part of the series. Much of the production was handled by Toei, whose work gives the earlier episodes a strong visual identity. The show also used an unidentified Filipino animation studio whose identity has never been definitively established, although TMS has frequently been theorized as the company involved.

One particularly memorable episode associated with this mysterious production is “Call of the Primitives.” It’s an unusually ambitious episode visually, and it stands out enough that it’s easy to understand why fans have spent so much time trying to identify exactly who animated it.

Unfortunately, the animation quality becomes considerably more inconsistent around the middle of the second season.

The primary animation studio shifted from Toei to AKOM, and the difference can be pretty dramatic. Characters routinely change proportions between shots, objects appear and disappear, colors are inconsistent, backgrounds can be wildly off-model, and sometimes characters don’t even look remotely like themselves.

It’s easy to make fun of the mistakes, and many of them are genuinely hilarious, but it also highlights one of the show’s biggest weaknesses. The animation simply wasn’t given the consistency it needed. Considering how ambitious the series could occasionally be, it’s frustrating to see such poor-quality animation undermine it.

Another episode that deserves criticism for very different reasons is “Thief in the Night.” The story depicts Arabs from the fictional kingdom of Carbombya through a collection of negative stereotypes, and the portrayal was bad enough that Casey Kasem left the series in protest. It’s one of those moments where the limitations of the era can’t really excuse what was put on screen. Older children’s animation inevitably contains material that hasn’t aged well, and this is one example where acknowledging the historical context doesn’t make the portrayal any less uncomfortable.

The final stretch of the original series is also rather disappointing from a storytelling perspective. Rather than building toward a satisfying conclusion to the Autobots and Decepticons’ conflict, the final episodes increasingly feel like an extended commercial for the new Headmaster and Targetmaster toys.

And that is unfortunate because “The Transformers” had spent the previous three seasons building toward a much larger conflict.

The original series had already demonstrated that it could deliver genuinely dramatic moments. Optimus Prime’s death in “The Transformers: The Movie” remains one of the most famous moments in the franchise, and the continuing conflict between the Autobots and Decepticons could have provided a satisfying culmination on television. Instead, the final episodes are primarily concerned with introducing the next generation of characters and toys.

Despite those problems, there’s a reason Generation 1 “Transformers” remains so beloved nearly forty years later. The animation may be inconsistent, the writing occasionally bends to Hasbro’s marketing needs, and some episodes have aged considerably worse than others, but the series created the personalities and relationships that would define “Transformers” for generations.

It gave us Peter Cullen’s Optimus Prime, Chris Latta’s Starscream, Frank Welker’s Megatron and Soundwave, Scatman Crothers’ Jazz, Dan Gilvezan’s Bumblebee and countless other characters who became icons in their own right.

More importantly, it proved that a show created to sell toys could become something considerably more memorable. “The Transformers” wasn’t always polished, and it certainly wasn’t always consistent, but when everything came together, it was funny, exciting, imaginative and occasionally surprisingly emotional.

For all the mistakes, commercial compromises and production problems, Generation 1 remains the foundation upon which virtually every subsequent “Transformers” series has been built. And that’s an impressive legacy for what was, at the end of the day, supposed to be a half-hour toy commercial.

Next, we finally catch back up with David Banner and this time he won’t be alone.

In Memory of Peter Cullen (1941-2026)