Spider-Man is one of the most important and popular superheros of all time. He is easily the most recognizable Marvel figure and has received constant media adaptations, both live-action and otherwise. Although many of the Spider-Man films are extremely popular, the cartoons are where the Wall Crawler truly shines.
When push comes to shove, any live-action adaptation suffers from limitations that animation just doesn’t come across. This means that the Spider-Man cartoons are usually the quintessential versions of the character. From Spider-Man Unlimited to Ultimate Spider-Man, many of the Web Slinger’s animated series are also the best stories Spider-Man has to offer.
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Spider-Man Unlimited
A controversial cartoon
Spider-Man Unlimited is easily one of the most controversial Spider-Man cartoons ever created. The series was only originally made to settle licensing disputes between Fox and Marvel, leading to the series not receiving the care it truly deserved. Despite heavy criticism of the project, it has developed somewhat of a cult following among the Spider-Man fanbase, especially with those who grew up with the cartoon.
The short-lived series only ran for 13 episodes and featured a truly out-of-this-world plot. Spider-Man would attempt to save J. Jonah Jameson’s son on a mission to Counter-Earth and would find himself stuck on the alternate earth instead. The show had Spider-Man continue his neighborhood-saving antics, all while trying to find a way home to his version of earth.
Obviously, the show wasn’t entirely popular since it was canceled mid-season, but that’s somewhat to be expected from a show created to satisfy corporate dealings. The only thing that a majority of fans seemed to like about the series is the original costume design. Yet, all the criticisms considered, the series still ended with a better reputation than the Amazing Spider-Man films.
Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man
A popular show for new Marvel fans
Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man is Marvel’s answer to the popular Spider-Man series of old. It features a truly unique art style and is more MCU-adjacent than previous titles. There are even some direct crossovers, as Charlie Cox plays Daredevil in the MCU and Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. The series is extremely popular among newer fans, especially for those who are just getting to know the popular character.
The way the newer series touches on Spider-Man’s origins is incredibly unique and perfect for fans who aren’t completely familiar with the overall mythos. There are obvious story discrepancies between the show and the original comic, but that tends to happen with literally any Spider-Man reboot. There are some older fans who trash talk the series for its distinct and unique differences, but it is beloved by a majority of the fanbase.
The show’s third season is currently in production, and the series is more popular than ever. Yet, many fans worry the show’s need for MCU synergy prevents it from maintaining its own identity. Hopefully, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man will be able to find more middle ground in its third season and beyond.
Ultimate Spider-Man
An excellent Disney XD cartoon
Ultimate Spider-Man is one of the most popular modern Spider-Man cartoons. It introduced many newer fans to more underrated and unknown heroes through their interactions with Spider-Man. It is also one of the first shows to start featuring a lot of MCU synergy. Many plot lines and character personalities are directly carried over from the popular film franchise. While Spider-Man is based on an amalgamation of comic and film adaptations, mostly since he had not yet officially entered the MCU.
In Ultimate Spider-Man, the Wall Crawler is forcibly recruited by Shield, giving him access to a whole new level of technology and missions to tackle. The series crosses over with many of the period’s other Marvel cartoons, like Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. and Avengers Assemble. This version of the character would also receive more somewhat obscure crossovers, like the Phineas and Ferb episodes Phineas and Ferb: Mission Marvel Parts 1 and 2.
To this day, the series remains one of the most popular Disney XD cartoons ever conceived of. It developed both Spider-Man and Peter Parker in fascinating ways and introduced audiences to a lot more obscure heroes and villains. The show also concretely proves that Drake Bell is just as talented behind the scenes as he is on the screen.
Spider-Man: The Animated Series
Greatest Spider-Man ever?
Spider-Man: The Animated Series is often considered the greatest piece of Spider-Man media. It features the Wall Crawler in never-before-seen situations while taking him to a level beyond what is possible in normal comics. Censorship laws might’ve meant the Web Slinger didn’t land a single punch throughout the series’ run, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t find clever ways to beat the bad guys.
The show is one of the longest-running of the Spider-Man cartoons and managed to fit a lot within its five short seasons. Not only did some of Spider-Man’s most iconic villains make appearances, but many of his most popular allies would show their faces now and again. Many of the Wall Crawler’s most iconic storylines are adapted, like the Venom and Man-Spider sagas. What the series lacked in action, it made up for in art style and clever quips.
Spider-Man: The Animated Series is ultimately praised for its realistic depiction of Peter Parker. He doesn’t always make the right decisions, and sometimes things spiral outside his control. Yet, despite the insurmountable odds, Peter always returns to his role as Spider-Man, which is easily the quintessential point of the character. Peter might not always like being a superhero, but “with great power comes great responsibility.”
The Spectacular Spider-Man
The underrated version of the Web Crawler
Spectacular Spider-Man is easily one of the most underrated of the hero’s cartoons. It ran for only a year before being canceled because of Disney’s Marvel deal. Nevertheless, at the time that it aired, it quickly became one of the most popular Spider-Man series of all time. From the incredible art style to the amazing Spider-Man himself, the series simply did everything right about the character and then some.
The series was canceled due to no fault of its own and became one of the MCU’s first major controversies. Fans were happy to get Disney-branded Marvel content, but not if it meant canceling such a fantastic series. Throughout the years, there have been various talks about rebooting the cartoon, but these rumors remain extremely unfounded. Moreover, a reboot simply wouldn’t work since The Spectacular Spider-Man represents an era of Marvel that doesn’t exist anymore.
Overall, The Spectacular Spider-Man represents a bygone era for the Wall Crawler, which remains decidedly popular. It features many ideas for Peter Parker’s character, which have been somewhat lost with the MCU’s need for synergy. The MCU might be one of the best superhero franchises of all time, but many fans will never forgive it after its role in the death of The Spectacular Spider-Man.
Ultimately, many of the Spider-Man films are good, especially recently. However, their limitations don’t really lend themselves to the chaotic movement of Spider-Man like an animation can. Several of the most popular series, like The Spectacular Spider-Man and The Ultimate Spider-Man, prove the MCU hero does his best work outside the silver screen.
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Stephan is the sports journalist for the Maple Grove Report.
