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The headline line, “Marvel’s best release in years,” comes from a single critic, David Reddish of Wealth of Geeks, and was quoted in Rotten Tomatoes’ first-reviews roundup published March 20, 2024. It is an individual opinion within a broadly positive early reception, not a consensus verdict. X-Men ’97 is an animated series, so it sits outside this site’s documentary focus, but the way early critics weighed nostalgia against new storytelling is a useful lens for any revival.
What the first-reviews roundup actually reported
Rotten Tomatoes published its roundup on March 20, 2024 and updated it on July 25, 2024. The piece describes X-Men ’97 as a ten-episode animated sequel to X-Men: The Animated Series, created by Beau DeMayo, that carries forward the predecessor’s 2D animation style. At the time of the article, the first two episodes were streaming on Disney+. That availability detail is dated to March 2024; check Disney+ directly for current access, since territories and catalogue placement can change.
The roundup is a qualitative survey of early critics. It does not report a review percentage or a Tomatometer-style score as a current figure, and aggregate ratings shift as reviews accumulate, so this article does not treat any score as settled.
Where the praise concentrated
Reviewers grouped their praise around a handful of recurring strengths. Each is attributed to individual critics rather than to the whole press corpus.
#1 Best Overall
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Honoring the original while moving forward
The most common point was balance. Critics said the series brings back the original’s styles, characters and actors while using them to tell new stories. Reddish’s quoted line makes this the core of his praise: the show carries over elements from three decades earlier yet still feels like a current release.
Animation and action staging
The 2D animation drew the strongest description. Reviewers called it crisp and vivid, and the roundup’s author framed the reaction as praise for the “nostalgic 2D animation style” and for “captivating action sequences.” Alison Herman of Variety, while noting that the pace can be dizzying, wrote that the pleasantly throwback, neon-colored, two-dimensional look of the original makes that speed engaging rather than tiring.
Rank #2
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Writing, character relationships and voice work
Writing and character relationships were singled out, along with returning and new voice performances. The roundup gives these as a separate praise category, so readers should treat them as the reviewers’ own assessments rather than a measured finding.
Accessibility for newcomers
Two critics addressed whether a viewer needs to know the 1990s series. Angie Han of The Hollywood Reporter described the show as accessible to casual newcomers as well as to fans who had waited 27 years for a follow-up. William Goodman of TheWrap said the writing supplies enough context for viewers arriving fresh.
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- Alexa voice control - The Alexa Voice Remote lets you easily control your entertainment, search across apps, switch inputs, and more using just your voice. Press and hold the voice button and ask Alexa to easily find, launch, and control content, and even switch to cable.
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- DTS Virtual-X Sound - An immersive sound format creates a three-dimensional sound experience with your TV’s speakers.
- Supports HDMI ARC - Sends audio directly from the HDMI jack to a compatible soundbar or AV receiver, removing the need for an extra cable.
Key quotations
- David Reddish, Wealth of Geeks: “Despite carrying over styles, characters and actors from three decades ago, the show, in sum, represents Marvel’s best release in years. Yes, better than anything else in movies, live-action, streaming, or animation.” This is the source of the headline phrase.
- Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter: “The series is part drama, part sitcom, part action fantasy, all wrapped up in a zippy half-hour package as accessible to the casual newcomer as it is to those who’ve been waiting 27 years to find out what happens next.”
- Alison Herman, Variety: “The pace can be dizzying, but when rendered in the pleasantly throwback, neon-colored, two-dimensional style of the original, it’s also engaging.”
How to judge the verdict
The roundup itself asks, “Is it all nostalgia or does the series deliver the goods?” and answers by sorting reactions into six areas: fidelity to the original versus new storytelling, animation and action, pacing and character writing, voice performances, accessibility for newcomers, and how the show handles identity, prejudice, grief and motherhood. Reading the praise against those headings shows where critics agreed and where a single voice, such as Reddish’s, went further than the others.
Two caveats matter. First, the “best release in years” claim is one critic’s comparison across film, live action, streaming and animation, and the roundup presents it that way. Second, these are first reviews from March 2024, written before the full run was available to critics for later assessment. They describe early reception, not a settled critical consensus on the series as a whole.
Rank #4
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- Seamless streaming: With fast Wi-Fi and apps that launch in a snap, Roku Select Series TVs get you to your entertainment quickly. You get excellent picture quality, clear sound, automatic updates, and more. It’s simple to use. Hard to outgrow.
- TV, simplified: With setup that only takes minutes, a simple-to-navigate Home Screen, and an uncluttered remote control that does all you need—Roku makes it easier to watch the TV you love.
- A world of free entertainment: Enjoy a huge selection of free live TV, news, sports, movies, shows, and much more—all just a click away.
- More streaming, less searching: With personalized picks right on your Home Screen, quick access to the sports and entertainment you watch most, and fast and easy search in one place—the days of endless scrolling are over.
Practical takeaways for readers
- Treat “Marvel’s best release in years” as Reddish’s opinion, not a press-wide ranking.
- Use the March 20, 2024 date when citing the reaction; the roundup’s July 25, 2024 update does not turn it into a current score.
- For the original series’ availability or the current aggregate score, check Disney+ and the review aggregator directly.
- If you are new to the franchise, the early reviews suggest the writing gives enough context to start here.
Overall, the early critical response was warm and specific: it praised the 2D style, the writing and the action, and it argued that the show honors its source without leaning on nostalgia alone.
Quick Recap
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