It’s been six years since we’ve had an “X-Men” cartoon on the air, and with “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” due in theaters this summer, there couldn’t be a better time to launch a new animated series. Enter “Wolverine and the X-Men,” Marvel’s latest show based on the superhero group that debuted at the end of last year. Combining the look of “X-Men: Evolution” with the storytelling of the popular 90s series, the latest iteration finds Wolverine in charge of the team when Professor Xavier suddenly goes missing. Though Volume One (dubbed “Heroes Return”) only includes the first three episodes, “Wolverine and the X-Men” doesn’t take long to pull you in. All of the familiar characters are there (Cyclops, Jean Grey, Iceman and Beast), as well as a few welcome surprises (Emma Frost, Angel and Forge), while the overarching story of the season promises a clever spin on the “Days of Future Past” storyline. The character designs are solid (even if some of the costumes suck, like Cyclops’ angry rocker look) and the writers seem intent on remaining true to the comic’s long history by reintroducing and reinventing classic stories. It’s hard to imagine this show ever becoming as big of a hit with the fans as the aforementioned “X-Men: The Animated Series,” but based on “Heroes Return” alone, it certainly has the potential.
