Review: Ultimate X-Men Volume 3 - World Tour

While on an international press tour for his book, Professor Xavier is forced to confront a dark secret from his past when his homicidal son escapes from his confines on Muir Island. He sends the X-Men into the field to capture him, but it soon becomes clear that their powers may not be enough to stop his wayward son. Then, Jean Grey and Cyclops are tasked with bringing Colossus back into the fold after he leaves the team and heads home to Russia.

Ultimate X-Men Volume 3: World Tour collects Ultimate X-Men #13-20, written by Mark Millar and Chuck Austen with art by Adam Kubert and Chris Bachalo.

World Tour serves as an update of the classic Proteus Saga from X-Men #125-128. In this version, Proteus is reimagined as the twisted son of Professor Xavier and Moira MacTaggert. After years of being confined to Muir Island through sedation, David Xavier awakens from his sleep when he senses Professor Xavier’s presence in Europe and sets about enacting his revenge on the man who abandoned him when he was still a child. It’s a creative modernization of the story and the twist of Proteus being Professor Xavier’s son is actually something I would have liked to have been canon in the main Marvel universe. Millar is to further be commended for the way in which he infuses the theme of parental abandonment into this narrative. David Xavier is a complex villain because he commits unforgiveable acts of murder and yet has an upbringing that begs the reader to empathize with him. His father was neglectful and abandoned him when David needed him the most. This is made worse by the fact that his father has now created a surrogate family for himself with the X-Men, intensifying his feelings of loneliness and rejection. It humanizes both David and Professor Xavier, the latter of which used to seem more like an archetype than an individual who makes mistakes in his pursuit of his dream.

The validity and effectiveness of pacifism is another theme that permeates this story arc. Professor Xavier preaches a non-aggressive approach to the protection of human lives, which is something that doesn’t always seem to work in implementation. Colossus in particular doesn’t share the same views as his mentor and leaves the team because of this, though he has added reasons pertaining to his feelings of underappreciation and the endangerment he faces as a member of the X-Men. Colossus also vehemently disagrees with Professor Xavier’s psychic manipulation of Magneto. Indeed, many important questions are raised here. Are non-violent actions a viable solution when faced with aggressive opponents? Can one really claim they are a pacifist when they’re manipulating the mind of another person without their permission? World Tour doesn’t really provide any answers to either of those questions. Although, Millar comes close as he gives the X-Men an irredeemable foe that must be dealt with in as aggressive a manner as possible. Professor Xavier’s psychic surgery of Magneto’s mind creates a rift in the X-Men as well. There’s a growing distrust towards him, particularly from Beast and Colossus, the former of which suspects that his relationship with Storm may be a lie. These kinds of character explorations are really interesting and help to add depth to this collection.

The main storyline for this collection is really great. Millar pens a really cohesive narrative that is sure to resonate with readers and he continues to flesh out these characters so that they feel like complicated individuals. Kubert and Bachalo’s pencils are noteworthy, with Bachalo especially adding a touch of creepiness to the arc once things start to get topsy-turvy with David’s manipulation of reality. The two issues written by Chuck Austen, which introduce fan-favourite Gambit to the Ultimate Universe, are unfortunately quite weak and feel disjointed when collected in this trade. Regardless, World Tour is more of a hit than a miss and is a really fresh take on an iconic storyline from the X-Men oeuvre. Millar and co also get bonus points for their reimagining of Psylocke (a British S.H.I.E.L.D. agent? Yes please!).

RATING: B

Review: Ultimate Spider-Man Volume 4 - Legacy

When Norman Osborn makes a re-appearance after his apparent death, Peter fears the return of the monstrous Green Goblin will not be far off. Cognizant of the fact that Osborn knows his secret identity, Peter realizes the lives of his loved ones in danger. He must act quickly to stop Osborn before anyone can get hurt.

Ultimate Spider-Man Volume 4: Legacy collects Ultimate Spider-Man #22-27, written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Mark Bagley.

Legacy is a remarkably straightforward story that structures itself around an inevitable rematch between Spider-Man and Green Goblin. Harry Osborn returns to school after a lengthy absence, which also prompts the discovery that his father is alive and well. Peter is understandably strung out because he’s certain that Osborn is Green Goblin and that he knows his secret. Sure enough, this proves to be true and Osborn threatens the lives of Peter’s loved ones should he not retire as Spider-Man. Naturally, Peter doesn’t do as he’s told and so Osborn goes after Mary Jane. A whole lot of nothing happens in between these events, which means that there are extended sequences of exposition and dialogue. There’s barely even a glimpse of a subplot in sight. It’s actually reminiscent of the formula used within the Marvel Cinematic Universe – talk, talk, talk, punch, punch, punch and repeat! As such, it seems like what could merely be a three or four issue arc is stretched into six.

For the most part, Legacy seems to allude largely to “The Night Gwen Stacy Died” (The Amazing Spider-Man #121-122). In this version, the Green Goblin lures Spider-Man out to the bridge using Mary Jane as bait. The events play out similarly from there. That said, Bendis and Bagley do inject fresh material into this arc to further distinguish it from its infamous predecessor. Notably, Gwen Stacy (who has not been treated as a love interest thus far) is developed further and we begin to see her imposing herself more into Peter’s personal life. We get a sense that things aren’t so great at home for her and she’s becoming more attached to Peter, as well as Aunt May. There’s an additional implication that this creates a wrinkle in Peter’s relationship with Mary Jane. Gwen is still an enigma, but she’s endearing to the reader. The characters still want to write her off as a freak even though it’s clear that she’s troubled for a reason. Harry is similarly troubled. He first seems to be free from the trauma that occurred during the series’ opening arc, but we soon learn this is merely due to hypnosis at the behest of his father. While I find most versions of Harry Osborn to be annoying, Bendis and Bagley’s take on the character incites empathy from me. It’s evident that he truly cares for his friends and desires a healthy relationship with his father, but Osborn is quite literally a monster. Harry’s arc is subtle in these six issues, but his role in the final conflict adds an impressive dramatic flair to the overall storyline.

Legacy visits a lot of familiar ground, particularly as it dwells on the theme of the responsibility of powers and the bull about how it’s necessary to lie (by omission) to your loved ones since it will supposedly protect them from harm. This combined with yet another “Green Goblin hurls a Spidey girlfriend off a bridge” incident contributes to the overall sense of déjà vu with this storyline. Bendis and Bagley also seem to be treading water as well, since this collection seems almost singularly focused on tying up the loose end of Osborn’s fate during the opening arc. It’s not the most impressive showing from Bendis and Bagley thus far. By its final page, Legacy leaves the reader with some closure as well as some hints towards the direction Peter’s life may take should he continue on as Spider-Man. Thankfully, it also leaves us with a memorable final clash between Spider-Man and Green Goblin as well as questions regarding Gwen’s home life.

RATING: B-

Review: The Ultimates Volume 1 - Super-Human

In the aftermath of Magneto’s attack on Washington, General Nick Fury assembles a team of uniquely qualified individuals to combat any future superhuman threats to humanity. Though the S.H.I.E.L.D.-sponsored Ultimates become the face of heroism in America without ever having thrown a punch, they are put to the test when they must bring down one of their own while the entire world is watching.

The Ultimates Volume 1: Super-Human collects The Ultimates #1-6, written by Mark Millar and illustrated by Bryan Hitch.

Overall, Super-Human is best described as a mixed bag. At its best, it is a cinematic masterpiece that unfolds seamlessly over the course of six issues. At its worst, it seems as if it is written from a frat boy perspective with laughable dialogue and questionable sexist moments. Boiling it down solely to its storyline, this trade gives us an essential reimagining of the Avengers, one which proved so iconic that it served as the primary source material to the early films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It begins with a flashback to World War II, where we see the apparent death of Captain America. It’s atmospheric and captures the tone we associate with that era, which is obviously a testament to Bryan Hitch’s skill as an artist. From there, we’re taken to the present day with Nick Fury assembling a S.H.I.E.L.D.-sponsored superhero squadron. This team – consisting of Iron Man, Giant Man, Wasp, Thor and an unthawed Captain America – become overnight celebrities thanks to the public relations savvy of Betty Ross and a harrowing battle against the Hulk. It’s a truly impressive narrative due to its sheer simplicity and creative reimagining of the Avengers as a government-sponsored military strike force. In fact, some of the most interesting moments occur during downtime when we see the machinations that go into such an operation. Bureaucracy, manipulation of public opinion and (mis)use of science all make for fascinating themes within the mythos of the Avengers. Its pacing is admittedly slow, but once we get to the action in the fifth issue it’s positively explosive.

Bryan Hitch’s art is part of what makes it so easy to describe this collection as filmic. He strives for realness in his work, which is successful a great deal of the time. We see him capable of rendering accurate versions of George W. Bush and Shannon Elizabeth, as well as a Samuel L. Jackson-fied Nick Fury. This also ensures a kind of grittiness to his work and this edge creates a distinctive aesthetic for the world in which the Ultimates operate. Hitch should also be commended for his redesigns of the Ultimates – Giant Man, Wasp and Captain American in particular look really chic and streamlined in the ultra-modern looks Hitch depicts them in. If that weren’t enough, he’s also highly skilled at illustrating action sequences. Devoid of its dialogue, the fifth issue’s Ultimates vs. Hulk battle is a non-stop grudge match that’s tightly choreographed and detailed within every centimeter of the panels.

Where Super-Human loses me at points is the characterization and dialogue crafted by Mark Millar. Millar seems like he’s trying so hard to be irreverent, funny and contemporary with his work here, but instead it comes across as immature and incites more eye rolls than it does laughs. Captain America becomes wholly unlikeable for this very reason. He’s a jerk, plain and simple. He lacks the endearing qualities and quirks that make him so beloved in the main universe. Instead he comes across as a hyper-masculine meathead who is down to sucker punch anyone he deems as an annoyance. Cap is such a DB that he makes Iron Man come across rather favourably, though admittedly Millar doesn’t do much to actually make Tony seem like anything more than an eccentric. Millar’s biggest misstep is issue five. Bruce Banner turns into the Hulk and goes after his one-time girlfriend, prompting the Ultimates to go after him in order to prevent this from happening. Millar depicts Hulk’s motivations as being rather simple – he’s horny and he’s angry. With the former, it’s implied that the Hulk’s reasons for acquiring Betty are sexual. This seems to indicate that what he wants to do is assault her, which is extremely unsettling. What is more disturbing is that this motivation appears to be played off as humorous. The Hulk wanting to sexually assault someone is not funny, neither is the Wasp using her breasts as a distractionary tactic. We also get some weird dialogue with the Hulk expressing his desire to use Giant Man’s skull as a toilet bowl (ew). Millar uses a lot of crude humour that’s very unfunny due to the implications behind them and the level of immaturity that it seems to carry with it. Then there's issue six, which depicts a violent domestic dispute between Hank and Jan. Its sheer level of aggressiveness is really shocking. Millar's dialogue for the event really borders between being exploitative and depicting the realities of abuse. It's difficult to really judge whether the sequence serves to draw focus towards a very important and very prescient issue (i.e. domestic abuse) or whether it's there for shock value. There’s a reason there’s a parental advisory label on the back of this trade. It’s certainly not intended for the same audience that the MCU films are.

I really want to like Super-Human and in many ways I actually do. However, there’s a lot of creative decisions that were made that seem out of place and rather questionable for a series that reimagines the Avengers. Bryan Hitch’s artwork is certainly a reason to celebrate this book. His aesthetic is on point and provides a kind of grit that really draws the reader in. Furthermore, the basic elements of Millar’s conception of the Ultimates are really smart and relevant. His portrayal of this team as S.H.I.E.L.D. agents was really a marvelous idea and the way in which he managed to seamlessly weave Bruce Banner and Hank and Janet Pym into the organization is truly inspired. The pacing and plot are similarly very engaging. It pays homage to the Avengers’ very first issue, while also modernizing and expanding upon it. Sadly, the dialogue and character choices really hinder this collection from an otherwise well-deserved high score. Needless to say, I’m not much of a fan of Millar’s vision of Captain America and the humour he settles on for this series.

RATING: C+

Review: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight Volume 5 - Predators and Prey

When the vapid vampire Harmony Kendall lands a popular reality TV show, the world’s slayers are inextricably cast as villains. With Buffy and her allies’ reputations smeared, they must find a way to continue protecting the very people who now fear and hate them. Buffy must also contend with a malicious renegade slayer contingent and finally deal with Dawn’s continued magical transformations.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight Volume 5: Predators and Prey collects Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight #21-25, written by Jane Espenson, Steven S. DeKnight, Drew Z. Greenberg, Jim Krueger and Doug Petrie. Georges Jeanty and Cliff Richards provide the art.

Thus far, the eighth season has been structured with four issue arcs followed by self-contained one-off issues. Predators and Prey eschews this format in favour of a more episodic form of storytelling, enabling this collection’s writers to tell a series of stories that either build on or wrap up events from this season. These stories vary in quality, with the better ones being those that help progress the overall narrative of the season. Jane Espenson’s “Harmonic Divergence” casts Harmony as a Lauren Conrad-esque reality star whose stumbling efforts to achieve fame accidentally leads to the tarnishing of the slayers’ public perception. It’s an interesting turn of events, especially since the insipid Harmony accomplishes something on a global scale that legitimately hurts the slayers’ operations without even meaning to. It’s a complication that works well to ratchet up the tension and makes things more difficult for Buffy and her allies.

 

Steven S. DeKnight’s “Swell,” Drew Z. Greenberg’s “Predators and Prey” and Doug Petrie’s “Living Doll” provides a different function in that they’re responsible for tying up some of the loose ends introduced during season eight. “Swell” is a Japan-set adventure where Kendall and Satsu team up together in order to fight off the miniature demonic Vampy Cat dolls. Besides getting to see more of Kendall and being able to warm up to her character a little more, this story is notable for featuring Satsu moving on from her romantic pursuit of Buffy. “Predators and Prey” is both hilarious and touching, as we see Andrew and Buffy working together to dismantle the operations of a rogue slayer group. Greenberg more or less closes the book on the renegade slayer Simone, who functioned loosely as a season three Faith kind of a character earlier in the season. Beyond that, he pens a really funny scene in which Buffy and Andrew bond while en route to their assignment and he also adds a bit of genuine emotion as Andrew finally earns the trust and respect of Buffy and her allies. Then “Living Doll” serves the sole purpose of resolving the Dawn subplot, which means this Dawn-heavy issue focuses on Buffy having to save her little sister. It’s not the most interesting of stories, but at least we get a sense from its closing moments that Dawn is maturing as a character.

The weakest story collected is “Safe,” written by Jim Krueger. It’s a filler issue centered on Faith and Giles as they investigate a supposed slayer sanctuary in Eastern Europe. It has a lot of potential, but it progresses far too quickly due to its short length. It’s a treat getting to see Faith and Giles working alongside one another, but it’s done in a manner that feels far too much like skippable filler.

Predators and Prey is a mild step-up from the previous collection of season eight stories. The dialogue is stronger and there does seem to be a conscious effort being paid towards moving the narrative along. Its major flaw is in the stories’ rushed pace, particularly with “Predators and Prey” and “Safe.” With so many cooks in the kitchen, it’s actually remarkable that this collection feels fairly consistent. Of course, Georges Jeanty and Cliff Richards are to be praised for this as their art helps to unify all of the stories collected here.

RATING: B-

Review: Suicide Squad Volume 1 - Trial by Fire

Recognizing the necessity for Task Force X, the tough-as-nails Amanda Waller resurrects the program and recruits a handful of dangerous criminals into this so-called Suicide Squad. Under the field leadership of Colonel Rick Flag, she sends them off in service of their country. Should they fail, these expendable agents will be disavowed – or worse.

Suicide Squad Volume 1: Trial by Fire collects Suicide Squad #1-8 and Secret Origins #14, written by John Ostrander and illustrated by Luke McDonnell.

The great thing about this book is that it doesn’t read like an average work of superhero fiction. Writer John Ostrander pulls inspiration from military and espionage thrillers, adding a tinge of bureaucracy with international intrigue to the narratives. The tone is gritty, with an emphasis placed on action and the intricate psychology behind the characters involved. There’s also an undercurrent of uncertainty as Ostrander has a penchant for ensuring that not all characters return alive (or sane) from their missions. This book is simmering in its pacing, mirroring Cold War era storytelling sensibilities. Needless to say, Ostrander’s initial eight issues of Suicide Squad aren’t crowd pleasers that amount to light reading. They can be dense, challenging and slow in pacing, but they’re also complex and exciting.

The stories presented in this trade are almost entirely episodic. The trade begins with Secret Origins #14, which acts as a prelude to the series and gives us the origins of both Amanda Waller and the historical precedents to the then-current Suicide Squad.  It’s almost entirely composed of flashbacks, which are admittedly quite dull. The only valuable information gleaned from this issue is regarding the fateful mission that soured Rick Flag’s relationship with his lover Karin Grace and the circumstances surrounding what transformed Waller into such a hardened badass. The series itself then kicks off with a two-parter that sees the Suicide Squad venturing to the fictional country of Qurac to undermine the terrorist efforts of the Jihad. These two issues were a fantastic way to begin the series as its espionage tinted storyline requires the characters to travel to a foreign country, infiltrate the base of operations of a terrorist group, and face off against a cadre of colourful villains. It’s very James Bond in its approach and thrills from panel to panel. This is followed by a one-and-done issue where Darkseid’s Female Furies attack Belle Reve in an attempt to secure the escape of Glorious Godfrey. It’s an action-heavy story that highlights the individual capabilities of the Suicide Squad, as well as the incredible skill the Female Furies have as Darkseid’s top assassins. Another one-off issue sees Deadshot impersonating a vigilante stoking the flames of white supremacy in an attempt to undermine his efforts and to alleviate racial tensions in America (it’s unnerving how little has changed since 1987 in that respect). It’s a little out of place overall and overly simplistic in how it approaches its themes. This trade draws to a close with a three-part story involving the Suicide Squad going on a rescue mission to extract a writer from Russia who has been unfairly incarcerated. The mission goes south rather quickly when they discover she does not want to be rescued and when the Enchantress goes rogue. It’s an admittedly dated adventure that has Cold War tropes all over it. The Russians are all written as one-dimensional archetypes, but the action and concentration on deeper themes regarding free speech and martyrdom help to counterbalance this. Much like the introductory two-parter, this multi-part narrative is influenced heavily by the spy thriller genre and is an engaging follow-up to the 007-esque opener. Its aftermath, an (almost) action-free character study provides a fascinating conclusion to this trade.

What really draws me into John Ostrander’s world for the Suicide Squad isn’t the stories themselves, as they’re certainly fairly generic, but rather the incredible character work that he does. I’m most fascinated by the female characters in this collection. It should go without saying that Amanda Waller is the standout. Her gruff persona and take-no-prisoners attitude is highly entertaining, but there’s also an undercurrent of loyalty beneath that tough surface and her tragic past makes it easy for readers to empathize with her. Similarly, June Moone’s unique predicament of being the host to the evil entity known as the Enchantress draws sympathy from readers. The June and Enchantress personas are at constant odds with one another and that creates tension within the narrative as we’re unsure just how much damage the Enchantress will cause when she’s in the driver’s seat. Though she’s written in more of a supporting role, I also found Nightshade to be a really engaging character. She’s initially introduced as the team’s contact point in Qurac, having been working undercover within the Jihad, and her role then evolves into being an invaluable member of the Squad as the team’s resident teleporter. Layers of complexity are added to her character as we see that she has feelings for team leader Rick Flag and that she’ll push herself past her limits for the team. Aside from these three, Deadshot and Rick Flag are also standouts. Deadshot is an absolutely fascinating character who is unapologetic in his approach to relationships (or lack thereof) and his extremely grey conscience. He’s contrasted against the by-the-book Flag who becomes very much invested in this team and who appears to value life much more.

For those looking for the hilarity and insanity of the Suicide Squad film, Trial by Fire may not be an ideal read. It’s grim and gritty, with a decidedly serious take on the team. The bureaucratic aspects are played up, with the narratives playing out more like an Ian Fleming James Bond novel than your average superhero popcorn flick. That’s not a bad thing either. There’s a real sense of intrigue to the stories Ostrander created here and the characters have a lot of depth to them, with many being quite sympathetic despite being criminals or having questionable morals. Luke McDonnell’s art further compliments these stories. His characters are expressive and dynamic, with scenes involving the Enchantress being especially thrilling. He manages to make her seem genuinely creepy despite the fact that she’s dressed in green and wearing a pointy witch’s hat. Ostrander and McDonnell make for a great team. Together they make this collection of stories truly entertaining.

RATING: B

Review: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight Volume 4 - Time of Your Life

When Buffy and Willow head to New York City to learn more about the Scythe, Buffy is unwittingly sucked into a portal and is taken to the far future. There she meets Melaka Fray, the only slayer left on Earth. Buffy learns that a mysterious madwoman is responsible for bringing her into the future and that Melaka’s vampiric brother is plotting their demise.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight Volume 4: Time of Your Life collects Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight #16-20, written by Joss Whedon and Jeph Loeb with art by Karl Moline, Georges Jeanty and Eric Wright.

Despite being penned by Joss Whedon, Time of Your Life is the weakest of the story arcs from season eight thus far. It’s a four-part narrative that contributes very little to the overall direction of the season. Buffy gets plucked out of the present and spends some time in the far future with Whedon’s lead heroine from his comic book series Fray. It’s a diversion from the machinations of Twilight, but isn’t quite as fun or inventive as it should be. It’s fascinating to see Buffy in the role of a fish out of water by having her interact in an environment so different from what she’s used to. However, Whedon’s dialogue seems uncharacteristically immature at times. Buffy’s dialogue and overall behaviour throughout seems childish and vapid. At this point, she’s a woman well into her twenties who is the leader of hundreds of slayers. Whedon instead writes her as if she’s still in high school. She practically wets herself in excitement over being in New York City and then reacts like the dullest tool in the shed whenever she interacts with another person. Whedon seems far more capable of writing Willow and Kennedy as fully-formed characters here, as they are given more of an opportunity to be both humorous and serious (and act their age). In fact, I quite like Kennedy here and her dynamic with Buffy proves to be quite amusing following Buffy’s tryst with Satsu.

This collection concludes with a singular issue written by Jeph Loeb set in the style of the halted Buffy animated series. As a concept, it’s fascinating and the designs (drawn here by Eric Wright) provide really neat visual representations of the season one cast. Where Whedon explored the future with his four-part arc, Loeb examines the past. He gives both Buffy and the readers fuzzy nostalgic feelings by setting the issue during a simpler time in the titular slayer’s life. It’s filler, but it’s done in a way that’s far more creative than usual. It also works to show just how cool an animated series would have been for Buffy, though I’m sure we can all agree that it’d be better without Dawn lurking about.

Time of Your Life is the first real stumble the eighth season has had. Its inconsistent characterization and lack of progression is disappointing. By its final page, we’re no closer towards reaching the resolution of the Twilight storyline or knowing more about the Scythe. I wasn’t terribly impressed by Whedon’s dialogue for Buffy and his artist Karl Moline struggled to differentiate characters from one another (Buffy and Melaka’s sister Erin look like the same person). Loeb’s one-off issue was entertaining and held potential, making it the most enjoyable part of this trade.

RATING: C+

Review: Winx Club (Season One)

After a chance encounter with the fairy princess Stella, 16-year-old Bloom learns that she has mystical powers. She is subsequently transported to the world of Magix, where she enrolls in the magic school Alfea. There, she and Stella form a special team known as Winx Club with their friends Flora, Musa and Tecna. Together they must learn to master their special abilities and best the mischievous trio of witches known as the Trix.

Winx Club is an Italian animated series created by Iginio Straffi. Its first season consisted of 26 episodes and aired in 2004.

At its core, Winx Club is a healthy mix of She-Ra: Princess of Power and Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon with a dash of Harry Potter. The series owes a lot to the magical girl genre as it focuses on a group of teenage girls who transform into powerful heroines in order to fight the forces of evil. We’re introduced to the world of Winx Club through Bloom, a seemingly normal girl who was raised on Earth. She’s bright, inquisitive and moralistic. Much of the first season focuses on Bloom and her search for the truth about her past, much of which is a total mystery to her, as well as her blossoming relationship with Sky. Bloom’s character and her arc are surprisingly deep, as the season explores subjects like adoption and self-doubt. Bloom can be a bit bland at times, which is why it helps that she’s contrasted and complimented by her group of friends. Stella is the scatterbrained fashionista, Flora is the gentle environmentalist, Musa is the sarcastic music lover, and Tecna is the logical scientist. Their characters are mostly secondary in comparison to Bloom, but they are given their fair share of the spotlight. For instance, we see that Stella can be a bit of a screw-up and Musa’s interactions with her love interest Riven proves to be volatile at first.

The first season largely revolves around the Trix’s constant pursuit for power and their eventual mission to acquire the powerful Dragon's Fire. As antagonists, the Trix are nasty, vindictive and relentless. Though they initially seem like mere nuisances to the Winx Club, much like the Misfits were to Jem and the Holograms, their plots become more and more deadly as the season wears on. This cumulates in an intense and harrowing battle during the final episodes, where the Trix attempt to invade Alfea and the combined might of Magix must unite against them. This multi-part finale exemplifies the season’s pervasive darkness and maturity, which seems at odds with the demographic it aims for, and shows just how high the stakes are in this world. In fact, it is its tone that partly makes Winx Club so interesting in its first season. It is further helped by the directional quality the stories have, as the Trix’s schemes and Bloom’s identity crisis work are interwoven into an evenly paced arc that stretches across the entire season.

The animation is perhaps what is the weakest about Winx Club’s first season. The style itself is interesting and provides the series with a unique aesthetic, but the quality of it is both inconsistent and crude. Its usage of CGI makes everything seem dated and the backgrounds aren’t quite as detailed as they should be. The characters themselves also look awkward at times, both facially and when they move around. Action sequences also have a tendency to be rather static and laughable, which is unfortunate since the series depends heavily on magical conflicts. This unevenness also spills out into the voice work. The Cinelume/RAI English voices aren’t the best since the characters don’t sound distinctive enough and their line delivery isn’t the best.

The first season of Winx Club does a remarkable job of establishing a unique cast of characters and the magical world they live in. The concept itself isn’t wholly original, but its execution is bright, fun and entertaining. There’s a depth to the characters and their stories that is uncommon in most animated series aimed at younger audiences, which is actually quite refreshing. Overall, I appreciate the efforts made to create a series of overarching storylines that lead towards an explosive conflict in the season’s final episodes. Individual episodes can be a bit childish at times, but the general tone for the first season is consistent and its pace keeps audiences engaged. While the low quality of the animation and voice work hinder Winx Club quite a bit, the lovable characters and captivating storylines are enough to really illustrate why this series was able to transform itself into a profitable franchise.

RATING: B-