From Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment come Volumes 1 and 2 of the animated television show, “The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes”, which debuted on the Disney XD network in the fall of 2010.  These two separate DVD sets cover micro-episodes 1-13 of the first season.

As fans of the Avengers know, this group of superheroes is comprised of several characters from the Marvel comics universe who come together to battle the forces of evil.  Each 22-minute micro-episode of the series tends to highlight one of the heroes, giving a bit of back story for those of us who may be unfamiliar with them.  Featured on these discs are:

• Iron Man
• Thor
• Hulk
• Captain America
• Ant-Man
• The Black Panther
• Hawkeye
• Wasp

While I am a superhero fan, my knowledge of The Avengers is limited to my exposure to the “Incredible Hulk” television show of the 1970s, the Iron Man movies of recent years, and the newly released Thor.  My mindset as I watched these programs was definitely one of discovery.  So I appreciate the time that the creators took in offering background information on the characters.

“Mightiest Heroes” is a fun program, hearkening back to the days when I used to watch “Superfriends” on Saturday morning TV.  The difference with this show, however, is its sophistication.  It takes itself a little more seriously and has a crisp, modern look about it.  The rock soundtrack and extended fight scenes would appeal to older teens and adults more so than young children.  In fact, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend the program for younger viewers, not just because of the amount of fighting, but the writing may actually go over kids’ heads a bit.  My best advice would be for parents to view a few episodes and decide what’s best for their children and what they may enjoy.  There’s a touch of old-fashioned innocence about it, while at times it can have a bit of dark intensity.

A few thoughts about some of the characters and episodes:

I enjoyed the program’s personification of Iron Man – the voice actor Eric Loomis is clearly doing a pseudo-impression of Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark, which I thought was a great choice considering the popularity of the 2008 and 2010 films.  He gives levity to the character that is very enjoyable without being silly.

These episodes were my first exposure to the character of Thor, which came in handy when I went to see the 2011 live-action film later.  Here we’re able to learn much about this hero’s unusual back story and see the mythology that surrounds him.  I found his stilted manner of speaking to be unusual, but it put a smile on my face.

As a child I enjoyed the “Hulk” television show, but on this program I could do with less of him.  Especially in his episode “Hulk vs. the World”, there’s very little plot and mostly just smashing, bashing and fighting.  Yes, this is the nature of the character, but I could have used a bit more narrative and story line.  But if you enjoy the Hulk doing his destructive thing, then this will be right up your alley.

On the flip side, the episode “Meet Captain America” has plenty of narrative, giving us Steve Roger’s origin story and well preparing us for not only this television program, but the upcoming live action movie as well.  He’s a very patriotic and all-American character, perfect for these times when the American flag has been waving proudly.

Overall this is a fun program for fans of the superhero genre, suited to teens and adults.  The 2D animation is well done, and the micro-episode format is great for tailoring your viewing time to your preferences and schedule.  Enjoy these on a Saturday morning and get set for an entertaining ride!

DVD Release Date: April 26, 2011
TV Rating: G
Length: Volume One – 1 Disc, 7 Episodes, 161 Minutes.
Volume Two – 1 Disc, 6 Episodes, 137 Minutes.