X-Men: The Legend of Wolverine

Released to capitalize on the Wolverine-centric plot of the theatrical X-Men 2 sequel, this loose assemblage of episodes from the animated spin-off is frequently more confusing than illuminating, since each of the shows contains some new background on Wolverine--explanations for his past, various mutant powers, and legendary temper--­but features different villains and three different story arcs, making it pretty much useless as any kind of chronological primer on the "legend of Wolverine." Supporting characters come and go without warning or development and Wolverine himself is frequently a contradictory character (one episode, which introduces blue teleporter Nightcrawler, finds Wolverine indulging in a fundamentalist Christian spirituality, but in another episode he's returning to his supposed Buddhist roots in a Japan-set plot lifted from The Seven Samurai). The vocal talent on the series is somewhat inconsistent (with accents ranging from Rogue's “Southern” drawl to Gambit's “Cajun” rhythms), and while the animation is colorful, it's not really up to the high standards set by Marvel Comics (though the energy-sucking alien who dominates the first two episodes has a cool manga flair). The DVD extras, which include a bonus episode, brief interview with Stan Lee, and excellent interview with legendary X-Men scribe Chris Claremont, are better than the main program. Sure to be hugely popular, this is a strong optional purchase. Aud: P. (D. Fienberg)