Spider-man the Animated Series feels like someone summarized dozens of stories from the 1970s and 80s comics to the show runners, and then they took them all, and mixed everything up. But the show introduced a lot of kids to Spider-man and it is fondly remembered by lots of 90s kids the way I remember the Incredible Hulk with Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno from the late 70s. This is clearly a show for kids, even though it's nod to the comics will attract old comic nerds like me. And as a kids show it clearly prioritizes using the Marvel characters to sell action figures. They introduce the Hobgoblin before the Green Goblin (I think because they made that toy before they were supposed to?). So the writing is childish and the voice acting is often over the top....but darn it, the show is watchable and has a following. I think it is because it is focused on comics stories from the 70s and 80s, when Peter Parker was a 20 something college student. Kids would be oblivious to that, but a lot of us who were teenagers when they read those comics never saw an animated show try to do those stories so it's fascinating from our point of view. And I think the younger viewers pick up on the fact that a more interesting story was behind some of this. Like the "Kid Who Collects Spider-man" story with worked a lot better in the comics. It's one of the all time great tear-jerkers when Spider-man has a conversation with a terminally ill child.
So for those positive elements, I give it seven stars. Probably a little generous.
So for those positive elements, I give it seven stars. Probably a little generous.