For anyone that loved Marvel’s on-again-off-again “What If?” series, you’ll probably enjoy their latest direct-to-DVD film, “Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow.” It plays out in much the same way, and in this alternate reality, the Avengers have fallen victim to Ultron. Tony Stark, the supergroup’s only surviving member, has taken it upon himself to raise the children of his former colleagues – James (son of Captain American and Black Widow), Torunn (daughter of Thor), Azari (son of Black Panther), and Pym (son of Giant Man and Wasp) – but when Ultron returns 13 years later to finish the fight, the young teens must fill their parents’ shoes in order to save the world. Despite the fact that this sounds more like a Saturday morning cartoon than something comic book fans would be interested in, “Next Avengers” is actually one of studios best animated films to date. The idea that all these superheroes would leave behind children to take over for them is an interesting concept, and the addition of an elderly Tony Stark/Iron Man and Bruce Banner/Hulk (who’s living in seclusion in the Savage Land) helps to give the project a little validity. Here’s hoping Marvel’s animated division continues cranking out these cool one-shots, because it’s only a matter of time before a “Marvel Zombies” film becomes a reality.
