User reviews

After the very disappointing Spider-Man 3 I'm happy to see things improve and what better way to improve by a whole new animated series.

This show is yet another reboot for the Spider, so far it's a good new take. at first I didn't think I would care for this show, I really had no interest but inside me I am a Spider-Man fan and therefore I had to check it out when it first aired, and I loved every second of it. I haven't been able to fault this show since it aired, everything seems to be working out well in terms of humor, drama, characters, plots, etc. Not only that the show has a pretty good pace of things, all balanced right unlike some action packed shows which don't have a heavy balance of all things considered.

I'm glad this show hasn't been another superhero disappointment like The Batman was for me when that first aired, and progressed. This is no The Batman, it kind of feels like the Batman: The Animated Series for Spider-Man here, little bit, but in terms of being well written and depth. Nothing highly dark or crazy here, yet.

Sometimes change is good, isn't it? Hope the series gets better and better.

At first glance this show may appear to be an animated adaptation of the kiddie-friendly 'Marvel Adventures' Spider-Man comic book and that might put a few people off. However, if you can see past the stylised somewhat anime-influenced character design and persevere then you're in for a treat. Viewers don't need to be dedicated web-heads or even comic-book fans in particular as this show is essentially a reboot of Spidey's early years. Having said that, fans will get a kick out of the show too as all the main players are present and correct. The villains specifically are given new 'plausible' twists on their origins that mange to be inventive without offending the fan faithful. Characterisation is spot-on, Peter is idealistic and a little naive but still manages to deliver the trademark quips when in costume, MJ is supportive and strong, Flash is a jerk, Jonah a blow-hard, Harry is a bit of a dweeb with a sliver of darkness no doubt inherited from his manipulative and ruthless father, Norman Osbourne. In a slight retcon Eddie Brock is now portrayed as Peter's childhood friend who lost his parents in the same plane crash that killed the Parkers, but that's just a set-up for the affair with the black alien goo. We're also treated to a bit of romantic tension, will Peter opt for MJ, cheerleader Liz Allen, the slinky charms of Black Cat or the sweet natured Gwen Stacy (there's no way that could end badly, right?)? With superbly animated action sequences featuring some, heck I'll say it, spectacular fight choreography and imaginative use of webbing that almost shames the movies this is a show that manages to be both fun and dramatic in just the right blend. There's a certain joyous, youthful spirit to SS-M that's easy to buy into because, let's face it, Peter started off as Spidey when he was in high school and this show stays faithful to that (unlike the crow-barring of Tony Stark back into his school days in the cell-shaded nightmare that is 'Iron Man: Armoured Adventures'). Probably the most enjoyable comic-book adaptation since Justice League Unlimited, at least as good as Batman: Brave & The Bold IMHO.

Spectacular Spider-Man is just the thing to please two circles: those who want to get into Spider-Man on a further level than just the movies (if they haven't read much of the comics) and those who are die-hard fans looking for their next spidey-injection. It gives a fresh perspective on the Peter Parker saga, even as it's meant, or aimed at possibly, at kids. Its style reminds one of Kim Possible with the characters' profiles, especially with the eye-lids being so wide as to suggest something so comical its almost hard to take seriously. And it's bright and flashy too, with only the sporadic sort of darkness one remembers from the 1990's Batman animated series.

But when Spectacular Spider-Man works, it works so well as to wonder if it might even beat out some of the best Spider-Man comics has to offer in the 21st century. Sure, some characters can be whiny (Harry Osbourne) or nagging (Aunt May) or underdeveloped when compared to their filmic counterparts or just 'different' in a way that's unsettling (Doc Ock and the Sandman are the two biggies for me). For the most part though the writing is so strong as to give every episode a sense of urgency, of the weight on Parker's shoulders moment to moment and beat to beat. Can he bounce between Mary Jane and his 'night-life'? How can he get those next pictures to the Bugle? Will he beat that incredibly menacing dude voiced perfectly by Keith David? I never thought that the show totally floored me like I've seen from Batman or another recent animated piece like Avatar. But the stories involved me, the animation usually delivered as complimentary to the characters and settings, and its voiced extremely well. Hard to go wrong.

Ever since I was little, I've been a fan of Spider-Man and watched all the series. But this is the best Spider-Man adaption ever made. The show is great and manages to deliver what Spider-Man fans has been wanting. The design is something new and special to the Spider-Man series, in this series we come across a lot of the villains from the series such as Venom, Green Goblin, Doctor Octopus, Sandman, Rhino, Lizard, Shocker, Electro, Vulture, Mysterio and many more! It is a big shame that this show has been canceled, this animated Spider-Man series is favorable and deserved more seasons. I am not sure if it will ever happen, but I really hope they will go back to this series and continue to make more episodes because it is hard finding such a good animated show these days.

Perhaps the inspiration for this show's name was after Marvel Comics' second Spider-Man solo series, "Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man." I don't know, I'm not sure. What I am sure of, is that "The Spectacular Spider-Man" is "spectacular" entertainment. The show is a hi-tech reboot of the Marvel Comics character created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, about orphaned schoolboy Peter Parker, who is bitten by a mutated spider that grants him a vast array of spider-like abilities which he then uses to fight crime as the masked superhero Spider-Man.

Spider-Man is my all-time favorite superhero. In my opinion, the character got his greatest screen treatment with "Spider-Man 2" (2004), which is my second favorite movie of all time and is also my favorite superhero movie of all time. (And yes, I am very, very upset that a reboot franchise is in the works.) This show is pretty fantastic and fits well with the times, 2010. The animation, as one person described, is very much like a Japanese cartoon - Anime', in other words - yet still uniquely American in its presentation. I have to say that it helps this show and makes the animation seem more dynamic and fluid for the viewer.

Peter Parker is probably the most instantly recognizable and empathetic of superheroes for the mere fact that he's a teenager, rather than an adult, and has to learn for himself what it means to be a grown-up, and that with "great power, there must also come great responsibility." We always identified with Parker's personal battles (as well as his battles with well-known super-villains like Dr. Octopus and the Green Goblin), like his romantic relationships, his social awkwardness, his money problems, and grade troubles. I would imagine that is something most college-age kids will always be able to relate to. I know I have on more than one occasion.

I hope this show continues being the "spectacular" piece of animated entertainment that it is.

10/10

This isn't the same old rehashed Peter Parker/Spiderman mythology that fans can recite by heart. It's original, witty, and definitely creative in its execution that still keeps the spirit of everything we know and love about Spiderman. Remember, just as Marvel Comics released Amazing Spiderman, Spectacular Spiderman, & a host of other Spiderman spin offs that each maintained their own plot lines this show does just the same thing.

In this the Spectacular Spiderman, the writers have successfully taken the main characters in Peter Parker's life and updated them with 2008 lifestyles and diverse cultures and issues. Most important, they've mixed GREAT action sequences with outstanding writing and characterization. In addition, the voice actors and storyboarding are all top notch that I can only hope to see continue for several more seasons.

Shows like this one and Avatar just remind me that great animation is still fun to watch no matter what age or what generation you may be.

Respectfully, Carter p.s. look up Bob Carter & know that I speak from some experience in this area.

I've watched every spider-man animated series there has ever been and this one is by far my favorite of them all. The past series that I've watched have so many flaws I can count them on 10 hands, but this... flawless so far!

Okay, the theme song is pretty weird, but I kind of like that too.

I love that it's more about the high school years with Gwen Stacy (something that was left out of the 1st film Grrrr!) Though I seriously doubt that the producers will kill the animated Gwen :P That's not likely. Plus they're keeping faithful to the comic by making Mary Jane's identity a mystery. Nice!

Compared to the 90s show, the animation is consistent from one episode to the next. In the 90s series artists got lazy and repeated scenes or it was drawn crappy one weekend, then beautiful the next. Spectacular stays clean and well drawn. Even the action sequences are clean, like Spidey's movements are so well done it's hard to believe. And thank you so much for not incorporating 3D buildings....yuck! Spidey's jokes are funnier than they ever been in any previous series as well. The villains give him plenty of ammo.

Speaking of villains, they are so strategically placed throughout the series it's amazing (no pun intended). Their stories are not rushed like the 90's show. He's not babbling on and on about some girl while fighting the baddie and then the scene gets cut back and forth sporadically. I can't say anything bad about this show... yet. But I doubt that they'll give me a reason to.

So until this one goes belly up, make mine Marvel!

"The Spectacular Spider-Man" is a good cartoon show for a new generation of Spider-Man fans. It's fast-paced and stylish (cartoony) and it aims to be hip with the youth of 2008. But it's still very true to the Spider-Man tradition, if updated to be fresh for modern viewers.

I grew up watching the 1990s "Spider-Man" cartoon, which seemed to be modeled after the comic books of the day. "Spectacular" has its own stylized designs for the classic Spidey characters. What's cool about "Spectacular" is that it focuses on the early days of the superhero, when Peter Parker is a geeky high schooler. It hearkens back to the original Stan Lee/Steve Ditko comics, with Peter growing into his powers while struggling with teenage social drama. (Thanks to bullying jock Flash Thompson, snobby cheerleaders, strict curfews, and various secret identity complications.) Comic book mythology is tampered with, a little, allowing Parker to be high school buddies with brainy Gwen Stacy and rich boy Harry Osborn. (Eddie Brock is a recent graduate from Parker's city high school.)

"The Spectacular Spider-Man" highlights what is most attractive about the character, and that is that Spider-Man is a kid just like any of us. He has amazing abilities that every kid dreams of, but he still faces the kinds of problems we all face. Peter Parker's high school misadventures are what make Spider-Man unique.

This Spider-Man is young and energetic. He delights in swinging through the city and catching bad guys. His famous wisecracking sense of humor is intact, which is a lot of fun. Each episode is action-packed and full of humor, which should make this incarnation a hit amongst kids nowadays. Every kid watching will want to be Spidey.

As Peter Parker is getting used to his superpowers, we see his famous rogues gallery take shape. The world of "The Spectacular Spider-Man" is littered with the well-known characters of the comics, including friends, foes, and eventual villains. In the first episode alone, we meet Norman Osborn, Curt Connors, Eddie Brock, J. Jonah Jameson, The Enforcers (Hammerhead, Montana, Fancy Dan, Ox), Flint Marko, the man who will become the Vulture, and, yes, Otto Octavius. All of these colorful characters make the rounds in this very busy cartoon city. The show is just buzzing with comic book personalities.

The episodes of "Spectacular" make up a continuing story. The continuity established in the cartoon does not come from the original comics. It's self-contained and builds the mythology up episode by episode within its own world. Each episode plants the seeds for future story arcs, setting the series in motion.

This show is great for introducing new fans to the Spidey universe. Fans of the recent blockbuster movies shouldn't have a hard time following along. They'll recognize characters like J. Jonah Jameson of the Daily Bugle and Norman and Harry Osborn, but they'll get to see new aspects of the Spider-Man mythos. The show focuses on teenage Spidey and adds touches like the light-up Spider-Man signal on his belt (a nod to the early comics), the mechanical web-shooters, and the drawn-out introduction of Mary Jane Watson (another nod to the comics).

Personally, "The Spectacular Spider-Man" isn't quite to my tastes. It's clearly updated and styled to be hip with a younger generation. Not for me. As I said, I grew up with the 1990s cartoon and will always be partial to that. But if I had been born later or introduced to this show first, I might have been partial to this version. I still admire it for showing such respect for the characters and material, bringing modern viewers a fresh and exciting Spider-Man world that is true to the spirit of the comics. (I've been disappointed with other updated superhero cartoons.) "Spectacular" is a fine way to introduce today's kids to the wonders of everyone's friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.

Although spoken of in the same breath as Batman The Animated Series, TSSM is not of that stature. It has aged less well even in the 5 years that have passed than BTAS has in almost 20. In contrast to BTAS stylish and stylised animation, a combination of 1940s and the futuristic, TSSM is set in a routine and blandly depicted New York.

The characters are rather childishly drawn, with disproportionately large hands and feet and, more annoyingly, with big puppy dog eyes. This would be fine in a cartoon aimed specifically at young children, but TSSM affects some attempts at realism and even some darkness, so it seems misplaced. The threat of the Green Goblin, in particular, is undermined by his appearance, which makes him seem like a typical cartoon monster seen in Scooby Doo.

The stories themselves are largely adapted from the earliest Spiderman stories from the 1960s. with some additional characters imported from later periods (Black Cat, Venom, Tombstone). These adaptations are fairly loose with the originals and throw in a few surprises, such as the identity of The Green Goblin.

There are so many in-reference to the early 60s Spiderman that I wonder what the purpose of them is and who it is aimed at. For instance, "The Big Man" was (in the comic) an alias of Frederick Foswell, who does indeed appear in this series. But here The Big Man is soon revealed to be Tombstone who immediately says his real name as L. Thompson Lincoln. He is then confusingly referred to sometimes as The Big Man, Tombstone or Lincoln. So why call him The Big Man at all, except as a homage to the early comics? To add to the confusion (at least to someone familiar to the original comics) Foswell sometimes appears under his other alias Patch.

Another in-joke is a poster of a werewolf which appears just before we see John Jameson on-board a space craft. Long term comic fans will know that John actually becomes a Wolf man later on as a direct result of his space mission, but the reference will be lost on 99% of the viewers.

The original 1960s series is updated to the 2000s with constant mentions of E-mail and mobile phones. Mobiles in particular are put into the stories with little effect. The first time that Peter Parker's mobile rings in the middle of a fight with a super-villain, its amusing, but the joke is used repeatedly.

The fight scenes, particularly those with multiple opponents are excitingly well done.

As a big fan of Spider-Man I love this show and it really gives him justice. I hope there will be an season 3, 4, and 5 for this show because it has big expectations to be one of the greatest superhero animated series at all time. Anyway this show has a wide array of villains, supporting characters, and Spidey while having just as much as focus on his alter ego, Peter Parker. A few of the villains from season one are Vulture, Shocker, Venom, Green Goblin, Doctor Octopus, Sandman, Rhino, Lizard, Hammerhead Tombstone, and Electro. Which are all portrayed quite well. Season 2 introduces Mysterio, Kraven, Molten Man, and Silvermane and all the rest of the same villains from season 1 (besides the Lizard which they are planning to do a spin off movie of.) Anyway this show is a must for Spider-Man fans and comic book fans everywhere and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

I'm sorry but I just can't get into this show. After seeing all the positive reviews about it, I decided to give it a try. I barely got through an episode! I know it sounds kind of silly but I just can't get past the character designs and the overall look of the show. To me everything and everyone just look silly, childish and so cartoony. I just can't take it seriously. I know it probably has good writing and voice actors and all that, but to me it just looks too childish. Also, why is Spider-Man so skinny. He's seriously the same size as Gwen and MJ! And Venom has tiny legs and Doctor Octopus just looks weird. And what's up with the Green Goblin's chin?

I grew up on the 90s Spider-Man: TAS and to me it just doesn't get any better than that. I know the animation isn't great compared to modern stuff, but I can easily look past that due to the great writing, voice acting and character designs. Anyway, I gave it a shot, but the Spectacular Spider-Man just isn't for me.

I have read all 26 reviews here and I am wondering what these people are thinking and in fact, I'm wondering too what the producers of this cheesy product where thinking. Ask me, I have no doubt as to why the program was canceled. The drawing and animation are absolutely horrible and appear to be designed by someone in elementary school for kindergarteners. The drawing and animation in the 60's cartoon, when it was all done by hand, are exceedingly better than this crap. The 90's cartoon series definitely blows this away. Many of the reviews here state opinions of this show being better than any others ever produced. How anyone who is an adult or nearing adulthood could think that this tripe is better is beyond me. It's crap, plain and simple.

I have seen everything spider-man and this show is the best there is. No other spider-man cartoon has come this close. They cover responsibility, humor and the action flowing in perfect rhythm. This is the most loyal adaption of the spirit from the comics as well. I have never seen it come together this good on TV. You see many of the popular villains and some of the not so popular ones and this is great. You see his personal life on a level that the comics brought out. The people that made this cartoon must of been serious fans. It is a real crime that they canceled this. The newest spider-man cartoon "Ultimate Spider-man" is the ultimate insult to all spidey fans.

When i first watch spectacular Spider-man, i was skeptical because of the character designs not the animation. However i decided not to judge a book by it's cover and went ahead and watch it and it was the best animated adaption since the 90s. Each episode was better and better and kept waiting to watch the next episode.

This series really did live up to its name and it is truly SPECTACULAR!! Anyone who says otherwise is their opinion and it is not the truth. This show had a perfect balance of Comedy, Drama and Action along with responsibility & morality, the elements of spider-man's life as a hero and a civilian.

This is in my oppinion by far the best portrait of any Spider-Man including live action.

You see the struggles of him having relationships and keeping up with school . He also has to look after and obey rules from his aunt may while crime fighting.

One of best things this show does is it carefully builds up the villains . It shows there motives and insights into the type of characters they are. Each has a defiant personality and even without looking you can tell whose talking .

The first season is perfect, each detail and little plot line or device is carefully put there to get revisited in later episodes.

Season 2 is just as great as season 1 and for me has some better action but I would say one or two episodes r a bit dragged but everything is is perfect.

While I didn't get the chance to watch this show until years after it came out, I am so glad I did. In my humble opinion, this is the best adaptation of the spider-man character in any medium. As a big fan of the character and the sam raimi spider-man 1 and 2 films, I think this adaptation even surpasses those efforts and basically all that came before.

This show captured the essence of Peter Parker and Spider-Man brilliantly, showing the struggles he navigates everyday to fulfill his promises to his Aunt May, succeed in the classroom and hang out with his friends (as well as gain new ones), and of course, protect the citizens of New York as the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. It handled mature themes such as loss, isolation/loneliness and feelings of inadequacy brilliantly, has superb writing for not only Spider-Man but basically all characters, weaves together interesting stories and introduces us to classic comic book storylines while also framing things within the lens of a high schooler trying his best in all facets of life, allows minor characters to shine, and captures the duality of Peter Parker and Spider-Man very well. It also has a catchy and entertaining opening theme song, and fast fluid animation that captures fight scenes well. Overall, I would say it is the best animated Spider-Man adaption I have seen, and it is a real shame it only got 2 seasons, I don't think it deserved to be cancelled at all. An underrated gem.

With cute humor, interesting plots, and not too squishy romance, this Spider-Man adaptation is truly I ever wished for. Very simple and playful, but fun and exciting. The music is great, especially the intro. It's unfortunate that in order to get more money the show had to be cancelled as I was looking forward to at least some culmination for the character arcs. With the new spider verse movie coming, I decided to binge this show. I now realize I should have savored it while it lasted.

To anyone debating on starting this show, just do it. It's short and enticing, and hopefully will push you to support a further story if it is ever possible.

what is there to say about this show spiderman fighting almost every known villain in his rogue gallery, peter getting to date gwen stacy,mary jane watson,liz allen and not to mention that this show completely beats out the original animated series by 2000 miles its sad to hear though it was canceled by Disney but no way will this show ever die out of our hearts and our minds. I love how villains such as electro,sandman and tinkerer were present due to them never appearing in any other forms of the TV show and how spiderman is back to being his witty small and downright funny self long live the show that is called SPECTACULAR spiderman

Yet another revival of the first adventures of Spider-Man when he was still in high school. Episodes with very simple storylines that very much reflect the original comic even if there are some changes. The graphic style is beautiful and eye catching.

The animation and character design on this show is the worst I have ever seen for spider-man, or any Marvel super-hero for that matter. This kind of animation belongs in the realm of "parody" shows like TEEN TITANS. People act like this is a good show because of XYZ but never mention how awful the animation is? Maybe it's because most people can't draw worth a damn anyway so they are not critical of animation quality and style. Maybe people can't see it because they can't draw a straight line much less a goofy looking spider-kid with an alien head.

The style of this show is so overwhelmingly bad that I can't actually bear to watch it in more than seconds at a time. Spider-man's head is deformed, he looks like an alien should be under the mask.

Let's pretend I wanted this show to happen. Let's pretend I actually asked for this show. I would have to request such a thing like this: "Dear Sony,please make a spider-man cartoon using the cheapest animation style possible, minimalist, and cartoony, and goofy looking. I want it to look like a parody, really kiddie and not serious looking. I want the show to look like a cartoon made for toddlers. I want it too look like comedy show for 3-8 year olds. Also please make spider-man into a child with a skinny body and a big misshaped head like an alien. Make all the characters animated like kimpossible, or other NOT serious shows like that. I really hate realistic animation, and realistic proportions in cartoons. Please make characters unrealistically top heavy with skinny legs and jagged lines for "style". I really like the stylizing of hyper-unrealistic cartoons with big eyes and limited detail. I really hate detail, and shadow, and proportion. Let's just make this like...a kid drew it!!! I want it to look like my 8 year old who is a talented artist drew it! That would be spectacular! Thanks SONY! Here's a big plus for you, it will cost the same to animate this cartoon as it did to produce 5 episodes of the 90's FOX version of Spider-Man. I also like shows like Batman Brave and the Bold, so if this could take some pointers from that minimalist lazy style that would be great" SO there you have it. I would have to request crap in order to get this show made. And I can't imagine it's story is so good that it helps one to over look the abysmal lack of realism and detail (otherwise known as quality).

I am not against low quality animation when it comes to satire, comedy, parody,and jokes. But when it comes to serious stories, with action based characters, involved in life or death stakes, I want it to look realistic like in the majority of comics drawn by Jack Kirby, Todd Macfarlane, and Steve Ditko, John Romita. You know good looking art like in the 90's FOX version.

In my opinion, not being able to see how bad this animation is is like not being able to taste rancid food. It's like not being able to detect when food is spoiled, moldy, rotten, sour, and so bad that it will make you sick.

If you are one of the many people who cannot see how bad this animation is then please realize you lack a visual sensory perception in a part of your brain that cannot detect good from bad quality visual stimulation. Much like some people can't detect certain flavors, odors, colors. You people cannot detect when things look "off" or "unrealistic".

I feel like this show could have been animated as stick figures, or like powder puff girls and not one fan of this show would have felt any differently about it.

To me, cartoons are a visual medium FIRST, and a STORY second. I can't get over bad animation to get to a good story. I also can't let good animation cause me to forgive terrible storytelling (like in Avengers Assemble).

Despite what all the fans of this show think, it was canceled for a REASON. And the fact remains that the longest running Spider-man series is by no coincidence the BEST QUALITY one. And that one is the 90's series that aired on FOX.