Spider-Man: The Animated Series, also known as Spider-Man, is an American superhero animated television series based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. The series aired on the Fox Kids Network from November 19, 1994, to January 31, 1998, and later aired in reruns on Toon Disney's Jetix block and on Disney XD. The series was produced by Marvel Films, and animated by TMS-Kyokuichi.
The series finale was the first to introduce the "Spider-Verse" storyline, also known as the "Spider-Man Multiverse", which later inspired similar narratives in various Spider-Man comics, cartoons, and films in the early 21st century. People magazine described the show as one of the best animated comic book adaptations of all time. The show was presented in Dolby Surround for Fox Kids.
Synopsis The series follows Peter Parker, a college student at Empire State University who struggles to balance his responsibilities as the costumed hero Spider-Man with the problems of his personal life. In addition to fighting crime, Peter must navigate his romantic affections for love interests Felicia Hardy and Mary Jane Watson; maintain his friendship with Harry Osborn; focus on his academic performance as Dr. Curt Connors' student; and help to support his Aunt May after the death of his Uncle Ben by working as a freelance photographer for the Daily Bugle. The Bugle is owned by loudmouth publisher J. Jonah Jameson, who often uses Peter's pictures of his alter-ego to discredit and carry out a smear campaign against Spider-Man. Peter's peers at ESU include football star Flash Thompson, popular barista Liz Allan, scientific genius Debra Whitman, and research rival Michael Morbius.
As Spider-Man, Peter faces various supervillains who threaten New York City, including criminal masterminds such as the Kingpin and the Hobgoblin, scientific mishaps like Doctor Octopus and the Green Goblin, and the extraterrestrial symbiotes Venom and Carnage. Spider-Man is occasionally aided in his fight against crime by other superheroes, including the X-Men, the Punisher, Blade, Doctor Strange, Daredevil, Iron Man, Captain America, and the Fantastic Four.
Adaptations A large number of storylines and events from the comics are loosely adapted in the series, such as:
Season 1 The first episode, "Night of the Lizard", is loosely based on the comic story "Face-to-Face with... the Lizard!" from The Amazing Spider-Man #6 (November 1963). The episode "The Spider Slayer" is loosely based on the comic story "Captured by J. Jonah Jameson!" from The Amazing Spider-Man #25 (June 1965), with the subplot of Flash Thompson dressing up as Spider-Man to scare Peter Parker being taken from "Marked for Destruction by Dr. Doom!" from The Amazing Spider-Man #5 (October 1963). The episode "Return of the Spider Slayer" borrows elements from the comic books including the way Alistair Smythe treated Spider-Man and Jameson in a very similar way to how his father Spencer Smythe treated them in the comic story "24 Hours till Doomsday!" in The Amazing Spider-Man #192 (May 1979), the three spider slayers are from "Invasion of the Spider Slayers Part 5: Arachnophobia Too!" from The Amazing Spider-Man #372 (January 1993) and Mary Jane uses her famous line from her first comic appearance: "Face it, Tiger. You just hit the jackpot", in the comic story "The Birth of a Super-Hero!" from The Amazing Spider-Man #42 (November 1966). The episode "Doctor Octopus: Armed and Dangerous" is loosely based on the comic story "Spider-Man Versus Doctor Octopus" from The Amazing Spider-Man #3 (July 1963). The episode "The Menace of Mysterio" is loosely based on the comic story "The Menace of... Mysterio!" from The Amazing Spider-Man #13 (June 1964). The episode "The Sting of the Scorpion" is based on the comic story "Spidey Strikes Back!" / "The Coming of the Scorpion! OR: Spidey Battles Scorpey!" in The Amazing Spider-Man #19-20 (December 1964–January 1965). The episode "Kraven the Hunter" is loosely adapted from the comic story of the same name from The Amazing Spider-Man #15 (August 1964). The dream sequence from the episode "The Alien Costume, Part One" where the symbiote and the Spider-Man costume fight over Peter Parker is adapted from the comic story "The Sinister Secret of Spider-Man's New Costume!" from The Amazing Spider-Man #258 (November 1984). The end of the episode "The Alien Costume, Part Two" where Spider-Man uses the bell to get free from the symbiote is adapted from the comic story "'Til Death Do Us Part!" from Web of Spider-Man #1 (April 1985). The beginning of the episode "The Alien Costume, Part Three" where Eddie Brock has a wall covered with newspaper clippings of Spider-Man and turns into Venom swearing vengeance on Spider-Man is adapted from the comic story "Chance Encounter" from The Amazing Spider-Man #298 (March 1988), while the scene where Eddie menaces Peter at Aunt May's home is adapted from the story "The Sand and the Fury" from The Amazing Spider-Man #317 (July 1989). "The Hobgoblin" two-parter is loosely adapted from the comic stories "Secrets!" / "Confessions!" / "Endings!" from The Amazing Spider-Man #249-251 (February–April 1984). The episode "Day of the Chameleon" is loosely adapted from the comic story "Spider-Man Vs. the Chameleon!" from The Amazing Spider-Man #1 (March 1963).
Season 2 The episode "The Insidious Six" "and "Battle of the Insidious Six" are both based on the comic story "The Sinister Six!" from The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1 (October 1964). In "Battle of the Insidious Six" the scene where Peter is unmasked by the Insidious Six, after Aunt May is kidnapped by them, but they believe he was just standing in for the real Spider-Man, is from the comic story "Unmasked By Doctor Octopus!" from Amazing Spider-Man #12 (May 1964) but instead of Aunt May, it's Betty Brant who is kidnapped by Doctor Octopus by himself. The episode "Hydro-Man" is based on the comic story "The Coming of Hydroman!" from The Amazing Spider-Man #212 (January 1981). The episodes "The Mutant Agenda" and "Mutants' Revenge" are based on Spider-Man: The Mutant Agenda #1-3 (March–May 1994). The episodes "Morbius" and "Enter the Punisher" are both based on the comic stories "The Spider or the Man?" / "A Monster Called Morbius!" / "Vampire at Large!" from The Amazing Spider-Man #100-102 (September–November 1971). The Man-Spider plot is loosely adapted from "Fast Descent into Hell!" / "To Sacrifice My Soul..." from Marvel Fanfare #1-2 (March–May 1982). "Enter the Punisher" is also based on the comic story "The Punisher Strikes Twice!" from The Amazing Spider-Man #129 (February 1974). The episode "Tablet of Time" is based on the comic story "The Web Closes!" from The Amazing Spider-Man #73 (June 1969) with Smythe's robot originating from "Invasion of the Spider Slayers Part 4: One Clue Over The Cuckoo's Nest" from The Amazing Spider-Man #371 (December 1992). The episode "Ravages of Time" is based on the comic stories "If This Be Bedlam!" / "Death Without Warning!" from The Amazing Spider-Man #74-75 (July–August 1969) and "Lifetheft Part One: The Wings of Age" / "Lifetheft Part Two: The Thief of Years" / "Lifetheft Part Three: The Sadness of Truth" from The Amazing Spider-Man #386-388 (February–April 1994). The episode "Shriek of the Vulture" is based on the comic stories "Duel to the Death with the Vulture!" from The Amazing Spider-Man #2 (May 1963) and "The Wings of Age!" from The Amazing Spider-Man #386 (February 1994). The episode "The Final Nightmare" is loosely based on "The Thief of Years" from The Amazing Spider-Man #387 (March 1994).
Season 3 The episode "Make a Wish" is based on the comic stories "Doc Ock Wins!" from The Amazing Spider-Man #55 (December 1967) and "The Kid Who Collects Spider-Man!" from The Amazing Spider-Man #248 (January 1984). A flashback to Spider-Man's origin is shown and is adapted from the comic story "Spider-Man!" from Amazing Fantasy #15. The episode "Attack of the Octobot" is based on the comic stories "Disaster!" from The Amazing Spider-Man #56 (January 1968) and "The Kid Who Collects Spider-Man!" from The Amazing Spider-Man #248 (January 1984). The episode "Rocket Racer" is based on the comic stories "The Fiend from the Fire!" from Amazing Spider-Man #172 (September 1977) and "The Rocket Racer's Back in Town!" / "...And Where the Big Wheel Stops, Nobody Knows!" from The Amazing Spider-Man #182-183 (July–August 1978). The episode "The Ultimate Slayer" is loosely based on the comic story "Invasion of the Spider Slayers Part 6: The Bedlam Perspective" from The Amazing Spider-Man #373 (January 1993). The episode "Tombstone" is loosely based on the comic stories "Grave Memory" from The Spectacular Spider-Man #139 (June 1988) and "Will!" from The Spectacular Spider-Man #142 (September 1988). The episode "Venom Returns" is blended from several different comics including "Hearts and Powers" / "Gun From the Heart" from The Amazing Spider-Man #344-345 (February–March 1991) and "Toy Death!" from The Amazing Spider-Man #359 (February 1992). The episode "Carnage" is loosely based on the comic stories "Savage Genesis" / "Savage Alliance" / "Savage Grace!" from The Amazing Spider-Man #361-363 (April–June 1992). The episode "The Spot" is based on the comic story "True Confessions!" / "Spider on the Spot!" from Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #98-99 (January–February 1985). The episode "Goblin War!" is based on the comic story "The Goblin War" from The Amazing Spider-Man #312 (February 1989). The episode "Turning Point" is based on the comic stories "How Green Was My Goblin!" from The Amazing Spider-Man #39 (August 1966) and "The Night Gwen Stacy Died" / "The Goblin's Last Stand!" from The Amazing Spider-Man #121-122 (June–July 1973).
Season 4 The episode "Guilty" is based on "Guilty!" / "Lock-Up" from The Spectacular Spider-Man #150-151 (May–June 1989) and "Crash Out!" from The Spectacular Spider-Man #155 (October 1989). The episode "The Black Cat" is based on "Never Let the Black Cat Cross Your Path!" from The Amazing Spider-Man #194 (July 1979). The episode "The Return of the Green Goblin" is based on "The Green Goblin Lives Again!" / "The Green Goblin Strikes!" from The Amazing Spider-Man #136-137 (September–October 1974).
Season 5 The episode "The Wedding" is loosely based on "The Wedding" from The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #21 (September 1987). The "Six Forgotten Warriors" saga is loosely based on "The Parents of Peter Parker!" from The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #5 (November 1968) and "The Assassin-Nation Plot" storyline from The Amazing Spider-Man #320-325 (September 1989–November 1989). The "Secret Wars" trilogy adapts the 1984 limited series Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars (May 1984–April 1985). The "Spider Wars" duology adapts the second "Clone Saga" (October 1994–December 1996). John Semper would later claim that this arc inspired Dan Slott's "Spider-Verse" storyline.
Episodes
Cast and characters
Main voice cast Christopher Daniel Barnes – Peter Parker / Spider-Man Edward Asner – J. Jonah Jameson Jennifer Hale – Felicia Hardy / Black Cat Saratoga Ballantine – Mary Jane Watson Linda Gary (seasons 1–3) & Julie Bennett (seasons 4–5) – May Parker Rodney Saulsberry – Joseph "Robbie" Robertson Joseph Campanella – Dr. Curt Connors / Lizard Gary Imhoff – Harry Osborn / Green Goblin Neil Ross – Norman Osborn / Green Goblin Roscoe Lee Browne – Wilson Fisk / Kingpin Efrem Zimbalist Jr. – Dr. Otto Octavius / Doctor Octopus Hank Azaria – Eddie Brock / Venom Mark Hamill – Jason Philips / Hobgoblin
Production