DVD Review: "The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes": Volume Two: "Captain America Reborn!"

Rated: TV-Y7 for fantasy violence Starring: Eric Loomis, Brian Bloom, and Colleen O'Shaughnessey Released: April 26, 2011

Synopsis: If the planet is threatened by super villains, time traveling conquerors, alien invaders, mythical beasts, or robots bent on the total destruction of humanity...if the forces of evil are so overwhelming that no single hero has the power to save the world...when there is no hope left, you assemble the Avengers. The Avengers are the best of the best in the Marvel universe; the greatest heroes who take on the unbeatable foes. These are the heroes who hold back the storm; on their shoulders rests the fate of the world.
(Adapted from the Amazon.com page for the DVD)

Plots: 5/5
As superhero TV series go, these episodes are amazing.  Not only is each individual episode enthralling, but the stories connect to make a larger narrative.  Each episode seems to be setting up something for later in the series, possibly in the next volume, all the while having its own story.  The two-parter "Gamma World," which closes off this volume, is the best.

Production Values: 4.5/5
The voice work is great, as usual, and the action sequences are outstanding.  However, the mostly amazing animation has a spot or two where it could have been done better.

Moral Content: 10+

• Positive Elements: Themes of heroism and self-sacrifice; helping your fellow man is shown in a positive light.  A hero says, "Violence doesn't solve anything."
• Sex: None.
• Nudity: Shirtless men; women, including a main superheroine and a featured villainess, in low-cut/high-rise tops.
• Violence: Plenty of the usual hits, kicks, and explosions.  The heroes and villains get blasted, smashed, and thrown around throughout.  Guns and other projectile weapons are also fired.
• Drugs: None.
• Language: Mild name-calling, such as "cucumber head."
• Frightening/Intense Scenes: Some of the monsters are quite scary-looking; the two-parter "Gamma World" shows both the heroes and regular people being transformed into monsters.
• Other: Hulk belches.

Conclusion: Upon watching the first volume of Avengers episodes, I was surprised at how intense and gripping they were.  The same is true of this second one; in fact, it ratchets things up in both of those categories.  Now, I've got to get my hands on the third one!

Score: 4.75/5