Spectacular Spider-man

[dreamweaver13]

At first, i wasn't too thrilled about the animation style of Spectacular Spiderman, so i didn't give it a chance at first. But after catching a few episodes, man, i couldn't get enough!! I think this is the closest thing to comic-book Stan-Lee/Romita spiderman in the animated world. While there are some changes, it seems like it's the most loyal intepretation of spidey there is! spider-man's battle quips are hilarious, and the references are endless. when peter refused to be set up by Aunt May with MJ because she has "a wonderful personality", and when he finally opened the door to meet her for the first time... BAM, i almost wept!

I love this series. i've only seen season 1, and i can't wait for the next.

[areaseven]

Sacrilege! Nothing beats the 1967 TV series, especially with its immortal theme song.

[dreamweaver13]

Sacrilege! Nothing beats the 1967 TV series, especially with its immortal theme song.

hey the new one's pretty catchy too.

[Keith]

The name Spectacular + the animation style = Gay. 90's Spiderman forever!

[blacklotus]

Personally, I like the Spiderman and Friends cartoon (friends = Firestorm and Iceman)

[areaseven]

Personally, I like the Spiderman and Friends cartoon (friends = Firestorm and Iceman)

That's another classic that shouldn't be messed with. The 1967 series is still better, though.

[badboy00z]

The 90's series will always be the best IMO. I loved watching it when I was a kid.

[taksraven]

Supervolt - Best animated superhero EVER! And thats due to one single comment.

Taksraven

[Roy Focker]

That's another classic that shouldn't be messed with. The 1967 series is still better, though.

I was always so pissed at NBC. Never got a chance to watch more then two episodes of Spiderman & his Amazing friends. They kept putting a Football game in its place. That's what sucked about Saturday Morning Cartoons. A sporting event took more importance.

[Ladic]

i liked pryde of the xmen

[Macross007]

The name Spectacular + the animation style = Gay. 90's Spiderman forever!

I second that.

[-Snowblind-]

Eh, I like it.

Not entirely happy with some of the changes they made (Silver Sable... ugh), but otherwise it keeps true to the spirit of the old-school Spider-Man, and that's what made Spider-Man fun.

As for the animation style... it's still far better than the majority of other modern cartoons.

Any word on a third season? Or is it DOA?

[Graham]

1967 Spiderman forever, it's what I grew up watching and you can't beat the theme song, plus it gets very trippy and psychadelic at times.

Graham

[Raptor One]

The name Spectacular + the animation style = Gay. 90's Spiderman forever!

Have you watched it?

[areaseven]

As far as superhero cartoons go, here's how I rank them:

Spider-Man

1. 1967 series

2. Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends

3. 1981 series (prior to Amazing Friends)

4. 1990s series

5. Spectacular Spider-Man

6. Spider-Man Unlimited

7. Spider-Man: The New Animated Series - Doogie Howser and Spidey don't mix. Lisa Loeb is still cute, though.

Batman

1. Batman: The Animated Series

2. Batman Beyond

3. The Batman

4. Batman with Robin the Boy Wonder - Gotta love the trippy surf rock theme.

5. The New Adventures of Batman - Adam West, Burt Ward and Bat-Mite. What's not to like about this?

6. Batman: The Brave and the Bold

Superman

1. 1940's Fleischer Studios series - Even Bruce Timm's version pales in comparison.

2. Superman: The Animated Series

3. 1988 series by Ruby-Spears

X-Men

1. Pryde of the X-Men

2. X-Men: Evolution

3. 1992 series

4. Wolverine and the X-Men

Iron Man

1. 1960s series - The theme song is as immortal as Spidey's.

2. 1990s series

3. Iron Boy: Armored Adventures

The Incredible Hulk

1. 1982 series

2. 1960s series

3. 1996 series - Sorry, but it just tries too hard.

The Fantastic Four

NONE. Was never a fan of this group.

[RD Blade]

Personally, I like the Spiderman and Friends cartoon (friends = Firestorm and Iceman)

I think her name was Firestar... and yes! That's the show I grew up on. The subsequent shows were all better, but SMAHAF holds a special place in my memories...right below Transformers and Mighty Orbots.

[Roy Focker]

Didn't you always want to see Fire Star & Ice Man having sex?

[mikeszekely]

As far as superhero cartoons go, here's how I rank them:

Spider-Man

1. 1967 series

2. Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends

3. 1981 series (prior to Amazing Friends)

4. 1990s series

5. Spectacular Spider-Man

6. Spider-Man Unlimited

7. Spider-Man: The New Animated Series - Doogie Howser and Spidey don't mix. Lisa Loeb is still cute, though.

Batman

1. Batman: The Animated Series

2. Batman Beyond

3. The Batman

4. Batman with Robin the Boy Wonder - Gotta love the trippy surf rock theme.

5. The New Adventures of Batman - Adam West, Burt Ward and Bat-Mite. What's not to like about this?

6. Batman: The Brave and the Bold

Superman

1. 1940's Fleischer Studios series - Even Bruce Timm's version pales in comparison.

2. Superman: The Animated Series

3. 1988 series by Ruby-Spears

X-Men

1. Pryde of the X-Men

2. X-Men: Evolution

3. 1992 series

4. Wolverine and the X-Men

Iron Man

1. 1960s series - The theme song is as immortal as Spidey's.

2. 1990s series

3. Iron Boy: Armored Adventures

The Incredible Hulk

1. 1982 series

2. 1960s series

3. 1996 series - Sorry, but it just tries too hard.

The Fantastic Four

NONE. Was never a fan of this group.

It seems like you just don't like new stuff... which is cool, I guess. Whatever floats your boat.

The 90's was a very campy decade (and this is coming from someone watching "Saved By the Bell" because he's nostalgic for the 80's). The Fox Kids Spider-Man and X-Men series were both good, but both products of the decade. Modern cartoons seem to have funky animation, but I think at the very least the Spectacular Spider-Man is probably the best-written comic book cartoon to date.

As for Batman, The Animated Series was great in the way it fleshed out some of Batman's lamer villains, as well as the way it took the 40's gothic look of Burton's first film and really gave Gotham some character of it's own. I really wound up enjoying The Batman, though, as a more modern take on the character.

[dreamweaver13]

The classics are dear to my heart as well, but I wonder how much of the feedback in this thread is purely out of nostalgia, and how much of it is a fair assesment of the new series? sure the old series are great, but the new series seems superior in terms of writing, pacing, action and plot development. i can only watch spidey swinging from building to building with the exact same motion for so long.

For instance, there are action moments in spectacular spiderman where i could almost see my own jaw dropping to the floor. the action sequence in the last episode of S1 (with the thugs and the helicopter) is one particular example.

[Keith]

I tried watching Spectacular Spiderman, I really did, but teh animation style killed it for me. Mind you you're talking to someone who absolutely loves Leiji Matsumoto's tales despite potato-ey hero's, the story & atmosphere conquers animation style there, but didn't for me with waify spiderman.

[Bri]

Not to impressed with the Spectacular Spiderman, the art style is just not my thing. Most superhero animated series don't work for me. I like Batman: The Animated Series and Pryde of the X-men but that is pretty much it.

Also there was Filmation with Flash Gordon. Really like the character designs of that series. Same with Defenders of the Earth.

Edited June 19, 2009 by Bri

[Keith]

Defenders...

[terry the lone wolf]

Defenders...

No not the Defenders with Hulk, Dr. Strange, Sub-Mariner, & the Silver Surfer but the Defenders of the Earth with Flash Gordon, Phantom, & Mandrake and Lothor.

Though Defenders would be great cartoon but the closest we came to it was a episode of Justice League guest starring Dr. Fate, Aquaman, and Solomon Grundy.

Hooray! My 1000th post; I'm a Global pipe holder!!!!

Edited June 21, 2009 by terry the lone wolf

[EXO]

Just checked it out on youtube... didn't know there was a new series. Looks better than the last MTV incarnation. I think they're a bit late on the whole baggy pants thing.

I gotta throw my vote for the Amazing friends. That had great animation and character design. Watching Iceman on his ice sled was cool and Firestar was hot. I even loved the theme song more than the 60's one. The theme song was the only thing good about the 60 version but it looked like ancient flash animation. I enjoyed those too, like the Captain America ones, but Saturday mornings with the Amazing friends was the best.

[dreamweaver13]

Just checked it out on youtube... didn't know there was a new series. Looks better than the last MTV incarnation. I think they're a bit late on the whole baggy pants thing.

I gotta throw my vote for the Amazing friends. That had great animation and character design. Watching Iceman on his ice sled was cool and Firestar was hot. I even loved the theme song more than the 60's one. The theme song was the only thing good about the 60 version but it looked like ancient flash animation. I enjoyed those too, like the Captain America ones, but Saturday mornings with the Amazing friends was the best.

anything is better than the MTV version. doesn't help that they ended the series with spider-man quitting. what the hell??