The Spectacular Spider-Man

[Tyler]

The Spectacular Spider-Man was an animated series that ran from 2008 to '09. It was developed by Greg Weisman (Gargoyles) and Victor Cook (Hellboy Animated: Blood & Iron), and of course based on the original Marvel comic by Stand Lee and Steve Dikto (who also co-created Doctor Strange together).

I really can't go off enough about how much I love this series. It bums me out they only did two seasons. They were going for five, but when Disney consumed Marvel there became a mashup of rights and it was easier to just do another series (Ultimate Spider-Man...).

The final episode does resolve some things but there are so many cool hints it really makes me ache for more. Characters like Hobgoblin, Scorpion and Carnage would have made appearances in later seasons and if other characters the show re-imagined are any indication they would have been familiar yet fresh.

The show also turned me on to lesser known Spidey villains like Tombstone, Hammerhead, Silvermane and the Enforcers. There was almost a villain heirarchy from thug, crime lord to full-on super mercenary.

So please tell me there are others who enjoyed this brief, underrated show as much as I did.

[wataru]

Mmhmm...

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=5549&hilit=spectacular

[Tyler]

It's a year old and I was last to post.

It seems like the search function works only for you.

[SuperSaiyan4Godzilla]

Mmhmm...

http://tohokingdom.com/forum/viewtopic. ... pectacular

Yeah. Since the thread is so old, this is the new one.

[UltramanGoji]

Is the whole series on Netflix?

This is my favorite Spidey cartoon. I absolutely love the aesthetic and design of the environment and characters. Especially the Lizard.

[Spirit Ghidorah 2010]

If there's one good thing that the new Ultimate Spider-Man show ever did, it's that it reminded me just how phenomenal this show is. Hell, I'll just go out there and say that Spectacular Spider-Man is even better than the 90's series. It is THAT good.

[Gorosaurus Rex]

Spectacular Spider-man is the best adaptation of the character outside of the comics. Its a phenomenal show. Seriously, go watch it. I adore this work. I am still heartbroken that I will never see more.

[o.supreme]

I actually started a spider-man animated series poll on another website:

http://www.clubtokyo.org/discuss/viewtopic.php?t=18677

Spectacular had better writing in season 2, but I could never get past how ugly the character designs were. The lack of noses, skin texture, shadows, and the limb lines that looked like they were animated 12” GI: Joe dolls were all very off-putting. If the new “Ultimate” show has one thing going for it, it is definitely better quality animation. Now if only the story quality can improve to match it.

Fox’s Spider-Man (1993-1997) will always be tops to me as it had both great animation, and great storytelling.

Is the whole series on Netflix?

At one time the first 13 episodes were, I don’t know currently. They probably have all the DVD’s you can get through the mail. However various other Spider-Man shows (1967, 1980, 1981, 1993, 1999, 2003) are all on Netflix for instant streaming.

I can sympathise with fans that are mourning the loss of Spectacular Spider-Man however. Since Jeph Loeb took over animation for Marvel Disney he cut short both this show and Avengers:EMH.

[shinmattiathekaiju]

Best Spiderman series ever!

I hate Disney for canceling it.

[Tyler]

I can see people having a beef with the animation style, but not the actual animation. The simple look made the animation much smoother and better than what you see in others. The only time where things looked noticeably off to me was when a giant X-mas tree fell in one episode and it was mainly due to an awkward jump to CG and normal animation.

[Gorosaurus Rex]

.

Fox’s Spider-Man (1993-1997) will always be tops to me as it had both great animation, and great storytelling.

I'm going to draw issue with you there. The animation is sloppy and stiff at times and it is often reused. The pacing is all over the place in favor of action sequences that aren't even that good. The best part of the 90's show is the theme song and how faithful it was to the comics. The actual show is so-so

[Spirit Ghidorah 2010]

The animation was actually pretty good. It did a great job showing off Spidey's true agility and speed (something none of the other shows seemed to be able to accomplish with as much success).

The character models on the other hand are lacking. Everyone is either horrendously disproportionate or look 5 years younger than they should. I remembered when the show tried to sexualize Black Cat and MJ, but that had a counterproductive effect since they both look 10 years old.

[Tyler]

The show is stylized for a reason. It would bother me more if it wanted to look realistic, then you had a character or two that looked really out of place. But instead the show has a theme going with all the designs that makes them feel like they come from the same world.

[Gorosaurus Rex]

The stylized look works for me as well. I would rather have a well written and fluidly animated show than a show with gorgeous character models but uncreative combat sequences.

[Spirit Ghidorah 2010]

Meh, I'd still prefer if it kept its fluid animations but incorporated more realistic models (sort of like what TNAS did, another series that I loved the hell out of). But it's a very minor gripe for an otherwise outstanding animated show. I think SS and My Little Pony are the only two cartoons that I still actively watch.

[o.supreme]

.

Fox’s Spider-Man (1993-1997) will always be tops to me as it had both great animation, and great storytelling.

I'm going to draw issue with you there. The animation is sloppy and stiff at times and it is often reused. The pacing is all over the place in favor of action sequences that aren't even that good. The best part of the 90's show is the theme song and how faithful it was to the comics. The actual show is so-so

I can understand why you feel that way in some instances. But past the first season production issues, the reused animation was not seen anymore (except for occasional flashbacks obviously).

The stylized look works for me as well. I would rather have a well written and fluidly animated show than a show with gorgeous character models but uncreative combat sequences.

I guess I'm the exact opposite. Which is why I hated Transformers Animated in a similiar vein to SS. Sure the writing got better in the 3rd season, but the ugly charcter models make it basically unwatchable to me. If a show has great animation models, then there is always hope that the writing style will improve. Whereas if you are stuck with crappy animaiton models, chances are this is they way they will stay for the reminader of the series. I know very few animated series that either improved or changed their character models, its a much more expensive and time consuming process as opposed to getting better writers/scripts.

"IF" SS had the animation models and style of animation of "Ultimate" that could very well have been the best Spider-Man animated series ever.

Just to explain where I'm coming from. I dont by many comics anymore. But when I used to. Whether it be Batman, Spider-Man, X-Men, whatever... I would never devote myself to a comic just because I had to have "every issue". If I looked at a comic, and the artist changed, and I thought his/her work was atrocious I wouldn't buy it, no matter how good the writer was. I understanbd creative license, and individuality. But... If I look at a character, and I cant recognize them, then I'm probably not going to buy it.

[Tyler]

I can't stand a thing about Ultimate Spider-Man. It's just advertisement for The Avengers.

[shinmattiathekaiju]

.

Fox’s Spider-Man (1993-1997) will always be tops to me as it had both great animation, and great storytelling.

I'm going to draw issue with you there. The animation is sloppy and stiff at times and it is often reused. The pacing is all over the place in favor of action sequences that aren't even that good. The best part of the 90's show is the theme song and how faithful it was to the comics. The actual show is so-so

Thats because the series got crippled by the network in order to avoid scaring the kids.

[Gorosaurus Rex]

That explanation still doesn't make any sense. The animation and voice acting for the series are still really off.

For those who prefer the 90's show, when was the last time you watched it? For the longest time, I was on your side of this argument, but after rewatching it recently I just couldn't help but notice how bizarre a show it was.

[o.supreme]

The animation and voice acting for the series are still really off.

How so? I dont find the VA casting any better or worse than any other spider-man animated series.

For those who prefer the 90's show, when was the last time you watched it? For the longest time, I was on your side of this argument, but after rewatching it recently I just couldn't help but notice how bizarre a show it was.

Probably 6-12 months ago when it first came on Netflix. I reewatched the entire series again with my kids, and had a blast watching it. Also the fact that it remains one of the highest demanded TV series (not just animated but TV series period) requested on DVD I think speaks for itself.