Hero Up!
Clearly, this particular Marvel superhero cartoon is intended for kids, you can tell from the animation if nothing else. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I popped the disc in but I found myself enjoying the show and appreciating what Marvel Animation was doing here. The Marvel universe is intriguing enough for kids to like, but obviously not every expression of the Marvel universe should be seen by children, which is why this show is cool. It brings together a significant portion of Marvel’s coolest characters like Iron Man, Storm, Wolverine, The Falcon, Thor, and Dr. Doom to name a few, and presents them in an action packed, humorous cartoon that is kid-friendly. It’s something that parents and kids are likely to agree on and both can enjoy.
So that’s what the show intends (and as far as I’m concerned, succeeds) on doing. Specifically concerning this DVD, viewers can expect about two and a half hours of content across the seven episodes. The overall story is that Dr. Doom is trying to collect all of the fragments of the Sword of Infinity. It’s briefly explained in the first episode that the sword shattered into multiple pieces after Dr. Doom and Iron Man were fighting in the skies high above Superhero City. The Superhero Squad must find these sword fragments before Dr. Doom, because the sword in its complete form provides tremendous power, enough that Dr. Doom would be able to control the universe.
Each twenty-two minute episode follows a proven formula of good vs evil. You will come to quickly know the returning members of the Squad like Iron Man, Wolverine, Silver Surfer, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, and Captain America, but many other Marvel characters appear as well. You will see the Fantastic Four, Juggernaut, Magneto, Mole Man, and others. The number and variety of characters keeps things fresh and interesting and also allows for large scale battles in which each member gets to show off their patented powers.
Before jumping into conflict, Iron Man, the apparent team leader, always tells his squad to “hero up!” which initiates a ten second or so animation sequence that is the same through every episode. It features the same theme song of the show, which is actually a pretty catchy punk tune. Like most cartoons, each episode can stand on its own but you will get a more complete picture and appreciation of the show by watching the episodes in order.
Episodes & Features
The series begins with “And Lo..A Pilot Shall Come!” which has the Squad facing off against three huge dinosaur like monsters that are tearing Superhero City apart. There are no formal introductions to the characters, and I was surprised to see how the designers made Hulk into an all brawn, no brains type of character. He is the source of a significant amount of the show’s humor. Unlike the classic X-Men animated series of the 90s, more intended for teens, The Superhero Squad Show makes it a point to inject a healthy dosh of humor into each episode. I think that works out pretty well considering the target audience is younger children, even if much of the humor may not get much more than a smirk if anything from adult viewers.
Episode two, originally aired as episode three, is “This Silver, This Surfer!”. In this episode, Silver Surfer realizes he’s having a hard time fitting in with the Squad and Earth itself, and he leaves. MODAK, Dr. Doom’s partner in crime, captures him and the Fantastic Four pitch in with the Squad to help rescue him. In “Hulk Talk Smack!” the Hulk is affected by the power of a fragment of the Infinity Sword and he temporarily morphs into the Gray Hulk. “To Err Is Superhuman!,” originally aired as episode two, features Reptil, and young, inexperienced mutant. While in battle, he manages to get a fragment of the sword taken from him. Throughout the episode, Wolverine mentors him into learning how to become a superhero.
Episode five, “Enter Dormammu!” pits Dormammu, a powerful wizard, against the Squad and Doctor Strange. In “A Brat Walks Among Us!”, a young girl possesses one of the Sword fragments after it got stuck in her tiara. The Heroes For Hire team up with the Squad while Dr. Doom tries to take advantage of the situation. Finally, “Oh, Brother!” which is actually episode twenty in the season, focuses on Asgard and Thor. Loki and Dr. Doom are planning to take over Asgard and Thor has lost his memory.
These seven episodes are all pretty good. I wouldn’t go as far as to call any of them great, but I can say they were enjoyable. For the younger, intended audience, I imagine they would only be better. The extra features aren’t likely to do much for either audience though. Included is a three minute interview with Marvel legend Stan Lee. In this interview, he talks about the show, including his role as Mayor. It’s a nice feature, but very short and only worth a once over. There is also a two minute music video consisting of a blend of animation and film. This is The Superhero Squad Show world tour music video, which is set to the show’s theme song. Finally, three trailers (one for the show, one online trailer, and one for the video game) are also included.
To the summary…