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| Available at Amazon.com |
You know, I’m thinking maybe I should write the full review for some of these DVDs and then sell the first 3 paragraphs as a special collector’s edition, because that’s the same kind of scummy double-dipping that studios are doing with sets like this one and the Fantastic Four animated series. Oh, and don’t forget Legion of Super-Heroes, showing that all of the major companies are equally capable of ripping off gullible kids.
Sorry, got off on the wrong foot there, I think.
The Show
I’ve gotta say, enough already with the Spider-Man animated series. Really, the high point for the animated franchise was the Fox show in the ’90s, and it’s been pretty much downhill from there. This marks the sixth incarnation of Spidey in animated form, obviously trying to cash in on the third edition of the movie franchise and reinventing the wheel yet again. So what’s the hook this time? Basically, instead of the more traditional grown-up version of Spider-Man, this series uses the Ultimate Spider-Man comics as a template, regressing Peter Parker to high school and slathering on the angst. Set early in his career, the episodes presented here follow him through his first day back at school after becoming a superhero, as he learns that although with great power comes great responsibility, a date with a cheerleader doesn’t come with it. Nor does a paid position instead of a plain internship.
This storyline progression is all good stuff. Following the life of a teenage boy who is the biggest nerd in school but is secretly a superhero, and yet can’t develop his social standing the same way he can develop his muscles, is a different enough take on the genre that it’s able to keep things interesting when he’s out of the suit. Also interesting is his quest for money, which leads him to think up innovative ways to take pictures of himself in action so he can win the Daily Bugle’s contest to find Spider-Man photos. And there’s a great running gag where he has a 10:00 PM curfew and is constantly nagged by his cell phone to call his Aunt May and let her know, yet again, that he’ll be late.
But here was my problem watching the three episodes included here: I’ve seen the Spider-Man end of it all before. His life is practically packed wall-to-wall with people who are destined to become supervillains, as we meet Norman Osbourne, Harry Osbourne, Max Dillon, Adrian Tombs, Otto Octavius, Eddie Brock and Dr. Curt Conners all in one short span of time, and we naturally know where the storyline is going without needing to be told who these people are. So while they revamp Gwen Stacy into a nerdy sidekick for Peter, Toomes still dons the costume of the Vulture, Dillon still becomes Electro, and Brock probably becomes Venom at some point. The individual backstories and personalities differ somewhat, but the end result is still the same. If the comics spent every other issue re-explaining origin stories and having Spider-Man meet people for the first time, it would take 6 years to get through a story arc.
I admit, I’m probably the wrong audience for this anyway, because the animation style and "Oh woe is me and my life" attitude are squarely aimed at 12-years going in junior high for the first time and looking for someone to relate to. And they probably haven’t been reading the comics or following the endless animated series for 20 years, either. So from that standpoint, it’s a very enjoyable little 70 minute romp. The first episode introduces Adrian Toomes, as the Vulture, who attacks Norman Osborne out of REVENGE for stealing his flying machine patents. The second introduces Electro, who doesn’t really want to be a villain but is just so darn good at it. And the third gives us The Lizard, the standard-bearer for scientists to decide to try out their crazy new formula on themselves first. Note to aspiring geneticists out there: If you make a breakthrough in gene therapy, under no circumstances inject yourself with the stuff before you test it out on a rat first!
Really though, it’s all in good fun and you know exactly what you’re getting into with Spider-Man — silly villain origin, Spider-Man quipping until you want to smack him, web-slinging battle, angst from Peter Parker, and on and on. It’s not a series that’s trying to break any new ground, but it doesn’t have to be. Even the animation style, which is like the ’90s animated version minus all the goofy CGI, is a bit of a throwback to the good old days before everything had to be anime-influenced.
However, my biggest beef with this is that Sony didn’t even wait until the first season was done to start releasing DVDs, as they have cynically planned all along to make the storylines into 3-episode "arcs" and then release them as single DVDs, no doubt leading up to the release of the season set once it’s over with. Unless the set is REALLY cheaply priced, it’s always a ripoff and all the studios are guilty of it. True fans will likely want to skip this and wait for the season to be released, but if you find it for $5 in the bargain bin, little kids will likely eat this disc up, so I guess it depends on your target audience and budget. Rating: ***
Audio & Video
Not much effort put in here, either. The video is presented in the original 16×9 widescreen, which is nice, but colors are really muted, leaving Spider-Man’s trademark bright red costume more of a dull red. Normally an animated series like this should have the contrasts cranked up to the max with lots of primary colors, but this feels kind of subdued and I don’t get why they’d do it that way unless it’s just a bad transfer. Audio is Dolby Digital 5.1, with some good bass rumble during the first scenes and clear dialogue, although there’s very little surround action. Still, much better than you’d usually get with a series like this, so kudos. Ratings: Video ***, Audio ****
Bonus Features
You’d think they’d at least compensate for the running time by throwing some extras your way, right? Wrong. You get a "music video" hyping the series, and nothing else. Rating: 1/2*
The Pulse:
I’d definitely pick this up when the first season came out, but this 3-episode cash-in is a major disappointment. For little kids and Spider-Man freaks only. Overall rating: **1/2
About Scott Keith
