Spider-Man (1981 TV series)


Spider-Man is a 1981-1982 American animated TV series based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. It is the second Spider-Man cartoon, following the 1967-1970 series.

Synopsis

The series featured Peter Parker having to balance his alter ego crimefighting with his responsibilities as a university student, a part-time photographer for the Daily Bugle and caring for his elderly Aunt May Parker.

Cast

Note: Neil Ross would reprise his role as Norman Osborn/the Green Goblin for the 1994 Spider-Man cartoon series.
Walter S. Burr was the Voice Director for the series.

Production

Background

The series was created to launch Marvel Productions, successor of DePatie–Freleng Enterprises, who had previously produced the 1978 New Fantastic Four and 1979 Spider-Woman animated series.

Character designs

The character design for Peter Parker was also quite faithful to the comic books of the period and hearkened back to the illustrations by John Romita Sr. of the young hero in Spider-Man's newspaper strip adventures from the 1970s. Due to network constraints and demands from parents, characters such as Spider-Man were not allowed to make a fist to strike an opponent, but the show's creators managed to conceal these issues with a focus on action and relatively fluid animation.
Much like the Spider-Man newspaper strip of the late 1970s, Peter Parker's character design did away with the 1960s crew cut for a more modern hairstyle during this time, which the character continued to be portrayed with through the 1980s and early 1990s.
Likewise; Parker abandoned the conservative suit and tie of the 1960s comics and previous animated series in favor of dark blue straight-legged linen pants; Paired with a hip turquoise/light blue jacket over a yellow turtleneck. Stan Lee once remarked that John Romita Sr. often drew Parker with a turtleneck instead of a collared shirt since he felt it would better hide his Spider-Man costume, which was always worn under his street clothes.
Peter's mask was connected to his costume at the back of the neck, almost like a hood, which he would pull over his head when he changed into Spider-Man.

In relation to ''Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends''

Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends was originally believed to be something of a sequel to this solo Spider-Man animated series, although this has since been disputed as both series first aired at the same time on September 12, 1981. The two series are connected in the latter's third-season episode "Origin of the Spider-Friends." Although not as well known as Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, it does remain faithful to the character's origin. The animation style of both incarnations and incidental music soundtrack are identical, although the voice actors are different.
One seeming inconsistency is Norman Osborn. In this series, his portrayal is similar to that seen in the comics: wearing a costume and having a split personality. In Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends he seems to be portrayed as having a serious medical condition as a result of a lab accident, and physically transforming into the Goblin. However, at the end of Triumph of the Green Goblin, he is shown falling, with his disguise in shreds, and tells Spider-Man he'll go back to the clinic he left to be cured, which can be interpreted as either having a treatment for his Goblin transformation or therapy for his split personality.
In the episode "The Prison Plot" of Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, there is a flashback sequence that depicts a scene from this series' "When Magneto Speaks...People Listen", which hints the two shows are, in fact, connected.
Doctor Doom is pulverized by his laser cannon, accidentally tampered by Spider-Man, and Boris, his old assistant, joins the protagonist to be able to stop him, just like Red Skull dies in the decisive battle. However, since Doctor Doom appears in the third episode and his faithful Boris accompanies him as always, just like Red Skull is still alive in the thirteenth episode, Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends can not be considered the sequel of 1981 TV series.

Episodes

The episodes featuring Doctor Doom had an ongoing storyline about rebels in Latveria trying to topple Doom. Throughout these episodes Doom is able to trick people, especially Jameson, into thinking that he is a kind ruler and international humanitarian.

Broadcast and home media release

All 26 episodes have been released on DVD in the UK by Clear Vision, over four DVD volumes. To avoid confusion with other Spider-Man DVD titles, Clear Vision released the show on DVD under the name Spider-Man 5000.
As was the case with Amazing Friends, the series was later re-aired in the late 1980s as part of the 90-minute Marvel Action Universe, a syndicated series that was used as a platform for old and new Marvel-produced animated fare. The show was last rerun in the US in 1998 as part of the UPN Kids Action Zone block alongside several other Marvel shows.
The rights to all Marvel shows were owned by Disney, before Marvel acquired them in 2008. Currently there are no plans for a DVD release in the US or elsewhere.
In Canada, Morningstar Entertainment released the episode "The Vulture Has Landed" on DVD in the set entitled Spider-Man Vs. The Vulture. The set also contains "The Vulture's Prey" and "The Dark Terrors", both from the 1967 Spider-Man TV series. Morningstar also released "Canon of Doom", although the episode is the Bonus episode on the disc. "Arsenic And Aunt May" was also released in the Heroes box set. All the Morningstar DVDs were mastered from VHS/Betamax copies that were released by Prism Video in 1985 as part of their Marvel Video Library series.
The series was available for streaming on Netflix from 2011 to 2013. The series became available on the Disney+ streaming service at its U.S. launch in November 2019.