Ben 10 Alien Force
Season One, Vol. 2
Created by Man of Action
Featuring the voices of Yuri Lowenthal, Ashley Johnson, Greg Cipes
Rated Y7
Warner Home Video
Release Date: January 13, 2009

Ben 10 Alien Force Vol. 2 continues the journey of teenage hero Ben Tennyson. Alongside his cousin Gwen, his former nemesis Kevin Levin, and with the help of his DNA changer the Omintrix , Ben is on a mission to find his Grandpa Max and kick some alien butt along the way. Created by Man of Action (aka comic writers and artists Joe Kelly, Duncan Rouleau, Joe Casey, and Steven T. Seagle), Vol. 2 contains four episodes from the first season of the popular cartoon.

There is really nothing new to say about this series that hasn’t already been said. Ben 10 is a by the books cartoon and that is not necessarily a bad thing. It actually reminds me a lot of the old cartoons of yesteryear. It is short and concise and overall, a satisfying experience. Most of the cartoon is hand drawn, a practice that seems to be becoming a lost art. It is also easy to follow for viewers who are just getting into Ben 10 but still able to touch upon pre-existing storylines from previous episodes to give a sense of continuity for long-time viewers.

I also like how each episode is written in a pretty mature fashion. The dialogue is clearly written for youngsters but there is a an adult edge to it. There is even a fair share of pop culture references for parents who might be watching the cartoon with their kids. For anyone who is watching, rest assured that you will be entertained.

The cartoon is not perfect though. While it does its best to create a singular continuity, plot holes are still evident. In one episode, a new character is introduced but rather than incorporate them in later episodes, the character is not seen again. I would hope that the show does something with this character in later episodes.

I also cannot understand the overall package of the DVD. Why charge almost fifteen dollars for only four episodes from a complete season (well, it’s $10 if you get it from Amazon, but still)? Personally, I would rather wait to buy complete season in one DVD box set, which I am sure would be cheaper than buying them in separate volumes. But, I guess if you’re buying if for your child, they probably would want to see these episodes sooner rather than later, so maybe that’s the logic behind releasing these in Volumes — the kids want it now!

Overall, Ben 10 Alien Force is just good clean fun for all. It is cartoon that is entertaining, exciting, and never talks down to its viewers. It is one of the few cartoons that appeals to it target audience but also keeps adults entertained as well.