"The Spectacular Spider-Man" (2008) TV series 2008-2009

Creator:

Stan Lee
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2

Genre:

Animation | Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

Plot:

An animated television show that focuses on a 16-year-old Peter Parker and the origins of Spider-Man.

Plot Keywords:

Spider-Man | Superhero | Based On Comic Book | Marvel Entertainment | Villain

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Josh Keaton	...	Peter Parker / ... (26 episodes, 2008-2009)
Lacey Chabert	...	Gwen Stacy (25 episodes, 2008-2009)
Joshua LeBar	...	Flash Thompson / ... (21 episodes, 2008-2009)
Grey DeLisle	...	Sally Avril / ... (20 episodes, 2008-2009)
Alanna Ubach	...	Liz Allan / ... (18 episodes, 2008-2009)
James Arnold Taylor	...	Harry Osborn / ... (17 episodes, 2008-2009)
Vanessa Marshall	...	Mary Jane Watson / ... (17 episodes, 2008-2009)
Clancy Brown	...	George Stacy / ... (16 episodes, 2008-2009)
Deborah Strang	...	Aunt May Parker (16 episodes, 2008-2009)
Steve Blum	...	Green Goblin / ... (15 episodes, 2008-2009)
Alan Rachins	...	Norman Osborn (15 episodes, 2008-2009)
Andrew Kishino	...	Kenny 'King' Kong / ... (14 episodes, 2008-2009)
Phil LaMarr	...	Randy Robertson / ... (14 episodes, 2008-2009)
Daran Norris	...	J. Jonah Jameson / ... (13 episodes, 2008-2009)
Ben Diskin	...	Eddie Brock / ... (13 episodes, 2008-2009)
Peter MacNicol	...	Dr. Otto Octavius / ... (12 episodes, 2008-2009)
John DiMaggio	...	Hammerhead / ... (12 episodes, 2008-2009)
Kevin Michael Richardson	...	L. Thompson Lincoln / ... (12 episodes, 2008-2009)

Series Directed by
Dave Bullock		(5 episodes, 2008)
Jennifer Coyle		(4 episodes, 2008-2009)
Victor Cook		(3 episodes, 2008)
Troy Adomitis		(2 episodes, 2008)
Dan Fausett		(2 episodes, 2008)
Kevin Altieri		(2 episodes, 2009)
Michael Goguen		(2 episodes, 2009)

Series Writing credits
Stan Lee		(26 episodes, 2008-2009)
Kevin Hopps		(7 episodes, 2008-2009)
Andrew Robinson		(6 episodes, 2008-2009)
Matt Wayne		(4 episodes, 2008-2009)
Greg Weisman		(3 episodes, 2008)
Nicole Dubuc		(3 episodes, 2009)
Randy Jandt		(2 episodes, 2008-2009)

Series Produced by
Diane A. Crea	....	producer (26 episodes, 2008-2009)
Joshua Fine	....	associate producer (26 episodes, 2008-2009)
Craig Kyle	....	executive producer (26 episodes, 2008-2009)
Stan Lee	....	executive producer (26 episodes, 2008-2009)
Victor Cook	....	producer (13 episodes, 2008)
Greg Weisman	....	supervising producer (13 episodes, 2008)
Eric S. Rollman	....	executive producer (4 episodes, 2008)

Series Original Music by
Kristopher Carter		(26 episodes, 2008-2009)
Michael McCuistion		(26 episodes, 2008-2009)
Lolita Ritmanis		(26 episodes, 2008-2009)

Series Film Editing by
Bruce King		(25 episodes, 2008-2009)
Ralph A. Eusebio		(13 episodes, 2008)
Damon P. Yoches		(13 episodes, 2009)

Series Casting by
Jamie Thomason		(13 episodes, 2008)

Series Production Management
Sherrian Felix	....	assistant production manager (13 episodes, 2009)
Ben Maloney	....	assistant production manager (13 episodes, 2009)
Ian Richter	....	executive in charge of production (8 episodes, 2008)

Series Art Department
Mike Inman	....	background painter (26 episodes, 2008-2009)
Vince Toyama	....	background supervisor (26 episodes, 2008-2009)
Joey Mason	....	background painter / color supervisor (23 episodes, 2008-2009)
Adam Van Wyk	....	storyboard artist (9 episodes, 2008-2009)
Kalvin Lee	....	storyboard artist (2 episodes, 2008)
Jay Oliva	....	storyboard artist (2 episodes, 2008)

Series Sound Department
James Lafferty	....	assistant dialogue recording engineer (26 episodes, 2008-2009)
Eric Lewis	....	dialogue recording engineer: Studiopolis, Inc. / dialogue recording engineer (26 episodes, 2008-2009)

Series Visual Effects by
Ulysses Argetta	....	digital effects supervisor (13 episodes, 2008)

Series Animation Department
Walter Gatus	....	character designer (26 episodes, 2008-2009)
Mike Inman	....	background painter / background artist (13 episodes, 2008)
Kenny McGill	....	key background designer (13 episodes, 2008)
Thomas Perkins	....	character designer (11 episodes, 2008)
Mike Mangan	....	animatics (5 episodes, 2008)

Series Editorial Department
Myra Owyang	....	assistant editor (26 episodes, 2008-2009)

Series Music Department
Greg Herzenach	....	musician (26 episodes, 2008-2009)
Mark Mattson	....	music mixer (26 episodes, 2008-2009)
Mako Sujishi	....	music mixer (26 episodes, 2008-2009)

Series Other crew
Jennifer L. Anderson	....	post production assistant / production assistant (26 episodes, 2008-2009)
Sherrian Felix	....	production coordinator (13 episodes, 2008)
Jamie Thomason	....	dialogue director (13 episodes, 2008)
Adam Tootla	....	production coordinator (13 episodes, 2008)

Production Companies

• Adelaide Productions
• Culver Entertainment
• Marvel Enterprises
• Sony Pictures Television

Distributors

• Sony Pictures Television (2008-) (USA) (TV)
• Kids' WB (2008-) (USA) (TV)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD) (season 1)

Also Known As:

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:TV-Y7 | Australia:PG

Company:

Adelaide Productions

Trivia:

This is the first Spider-Man animated series to include the villain Flint Marko/the Sandman since the third season of the 'Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends' cartoon in 1983.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Stylizing Spidey (2009) (V)

A fresh and stylish introduction for new Spidey fans

"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.