Another new Disney+ Marvel series is upon us! This animated series is based on Marvel’s popular comic-book series of the same name that debuted in 1977.
With each new Marvel tv series, the multi-verse continues to open up, but WHAT IF is the first series to be firmly based in other realities than the one we’ve gotten to know through the MCU and previous Disney+ Marvel series. Even LOKI, which featured the titular character from various multiverses, started with the prime-verse Loki.
EP1 imagines, what if in another reality Steve Rogers had never become Captain America. Instead, Peggy Carter became a super soldier and the first Avenger, donning a costume and shield with the British flag. Disney has pulled off quite a feat, bringing back Hayley Atwell and most of the original MCU cast to voice the characters, save for voice actor fave Josh Keaton as Steve Rogers.
I’m not familiar with the comic-book series, so this was a delight to see a strong woman as our first Avenger, especially during a time when women in history when women weren’t allowed near a battlefield unless it was to care for the wounded or dead. This half-hour story is a wonderful compliment to the MCU film Captain America: The First Avenger and straight fun from start to finish.
My biggest critique, and it’s not a minor one, is the animation. After being absolutely wowed by Sony’s INTO THE SPIDERVERSE animated film, the animation here is lacking, to say the least. The characters themselves are fine, and there are some gorgeously drawn land and cityscapes, but the action moves somewhat sloppily while these beautiful backgrounds stay static. Based on the casting, the budget doesn’t seem to be an issue, but possibly Disney spent all the money on the A-list cast and left the animation as an after-thought. And this is tragic since we know from Disney’s long history of animation, they have always been the best.
WHAT IF… S1 EP1 is now streaming on Disney+.
