Let me start this by getting one point out of the way: I never saw the need for this property. I more than understand Marvel going after the yout market and the DVDs are a great way of doing just that. But it they wanted to hook the kids and spin that into reading the books, why create a (borderline) new property? They already have the Young Avengers or the Runaways that have current books and appearances in the line. If they wanted to skew younger, why not Power Pack or Marvel Adventures Adventures? If they wanted a future team, they already have A-Next!

With all of these options with books behind them and a more seamless gap to monthly or trade reading I cannot fathom why they created this new team of children heroes. Maybe if it were an entirely new IP like Runaways was when it started, but come on. The children of the Avengers? There is no reason not to use any of the previously mentioned properties.

Okay, that said let's hit the disc itself ...

In the previous DVD releases of Marvel's animated movies (Ultimate Avengers I & II, Iron Man, Dr. Strange) the animation was of a fairly high quality. While the plotting as been on both ends of the spectrum, the visuals never disappointed and this newest entry is no different. While the style is definitely geared towards kids (I don't think there was a shadow in the entire film), it's a crisp and clean animation style that certainly works for the action involved within.

The fight scenes between the Avengers' kids on the robot Avengers themselves are fast paced, frenetic and crazy - yet they're very easy to follow. The cuts do not distract you from the story and you can very easily tell what's going on. This should be standard, I know, but very often this is not true and it ruins the action sequences. In this regard, the movie works quite well.

The problem lies not with the pictures, but with the words. now I went into this DVD sqaurely in the mindset that his disc was aimed at kids. Ultimate Avengers, Iron Man and Dr. Strange had to straddle the line between not alienating the younger set while enticing the adults of my generation. Next Avengers has no such problems as its main goal is to lure in unsuspecting youths and if some other 20-somethings like it all the better.

Even still this was just a dumb story. Ultron's taken over the Earth and Iron Man took the four remaining kids of the Avengers (Hawkeye's son pops up later on) and hides them somewhere away from Ultron, allowing the Earth to be taken control of by the robot. Of course the kids screw up and Ultron finds them, leading the yougin's to New York and to the Resistance. Fights ensue, robot Avengers are decapitated, Ultron is defeated. The Hulk pops up for some strange reason and everyone's happy.

This movie may work well for kids, but I don't see it selling very well to the secondary market nor do I see it inspiring a new generation fo readers. Sure, there are some indide jokes about the Marvel universe thrown in there, but it's not nearly enough to sate fans' appetites. And that's fine since they aren't the target demographic, but it isn't even all that great for ids either.

If Marvel wants to tap into the kids market in another DVD, my suggestions is to use the fantastic Power Pack series as a guide. Hell, how about an animated series based on the Franklin Richards books? Two 15 minute stories per episode. Then bundle them together as DVD seasons.

You can buy the Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow DVD right here.