The Ultimate Spider-Man Animated Series Discussion Thread

[NJCaliboi]

So apparently the return date has been set for Monday January 21st.

I found this old article about speculation as to the supposed direction the powers to be at Marvel want the show to go for season 2. Apologies in advance if this has already been posted or refuted:

http://www.marveltvnews.com/2012/06/...men-tv-series/

[Sebastos]

I don't know, I kind of lost interest in the show. Never finished watching the remaining episodes.

[Spidey220987]

Originally Posted by Gwendolyn Stacy

This show is getting a dvd release. It's a two disc set, but with a run time of 132 minutes. I don't know how long each episode is, so I can't tell how many episodes are on here.
http://www.amazon.com/Spider-Man-Ave...rds=Spider-Man
I don't why they left out the Ultimate part though. At first, I thought this might be a direct to video movie, until I looked at it again today to see what it was about. So is anybody going to get this?

I've pre-ordered it lol, along with Young Justice season 2 part 1, and TDK Returns Part 2

[Mr. Dent]

I watched up until ep 21 on Netflix and I had to take a break after that school play episode. It sort of epitomized every problem I had with the show.

In the beginning, it was a little difficult to deal with the tongue-in-cheek nature of the show especially coming off of Spectacular Spider-Man, but I got over it by the time I was into the 5th episode because even though some of the jokes were pretty hammy the show was funny and a bit interesting over all. But at that 21st episode for some reason, I just couldn't take how the show handled itself anymore. I just couldn't take how nothing at all is taken seriously and it almost feels like the writers want to avoid any type of serious plotline or even romantic subplot even if it doesn't make sense not to address it. I don't buy that they're doing it because it's a show for "kids". This clearly isn't for kids. It's more for teenagers if anything. They throw around the words death and kill too much for this to be primarily for kids not to mention some of the references, jokes, innuendo, and even words they use would never be caught or understood by kids. I remember there was one episode that was completely a Bond parody based around Fury, with the title being "For Your Eye Only" and ending with "Spider-Man will return in Octopussy". A kid would never get that reference. And that's just the main problem. I'm not even going to into the idea of Spidey being on a ****ing SHIELD team with a bunch of other teenagers. Honestly, if they wanted to do that they should have just made a Nova show for Sam Alexander and left Spidey to actually be Spidey. But I digress.

It feels like the writers think the audience is too dumb or have too short-attention spans to deal with smart writing or plot. Given, like I said, I like some of the stuff they do, such as the chibi Spideys which give the show a distinct Japanese feel and reminds me of Puffy Ami Yumi and Teen Titans, and some episodes are legitimately funny, but they go way too far to make this show completely nonsensical. On top of all that, that play episode just reminded me of Spectacular Spider-Man's own play episode, which was one of the best animated TV episodes I've ever seen. Honestly, if someone asks why you don't like Ultimate Spider-Man or have a problem with it, just tell them to watch that Spectacular Spider-Man play episode and then Ultimate Spider-Man's play episode, and I'm sure they'll understand. The two episodes perfectly exemplify the difference between the two. One is smart and witty, putting forth a compelling story and plot with drama, comedy, and meaningful character study and development while still operating within the parameters of a "kids" show and the other is just pure hijinks with minimal plot and even characterization, let alone development or study of them.

Urgh, the more I post about it and think about the two next to each other the sadder it makes me. I just can't for the life of me understand why Marvel feels like they have to put out these shows that have no substance to them, with Hulk and the Agents of SMASH clearly being in the same vain as Ultimate Spider-Man and Avengers Assemble possibly following suit as well. They started out pretty great with Wolverine and the X-Men and Avenger EMH, and since then it's like there has been a seismic shift in production mindset. I just don't get why they're doing this and what they're getting out of it. If they're hoping to bring in young guys who don't read comics, I don't understand how making products that are little more than parodies of your characters is going to want to make them read comics that are actually serious. And I really hope they don't think what they're doing is good TV either. I really hope that what we're seeing isn't Disney playing big brother with the animation branch of Marvel.

Maybe I'm just a mad fanboy, since apparently Ultimate Spider-Man is a "hit" (even though I've seen no actual ratings of the show). But I honestly can't for the life of me understand how this...parody came out of Marvel. You would think that, with the chance to finally adapt their flaghsip character themselves they would try to do a faithful adaptation and produce something better than what Sony has to offer, but they went in the completely opposite direction. I can understand wanting to put Spidey in the overall Marvel world but they don't need to put him on a ****ing SHIELD team to do that. iI just prey that after Ultimate ends in the next year or two they put out a Spidey cartoon that's actually deserving of praise and attention like SSM.

Really, my heart is heavy just thinking about SSM...

I'm still going to order the DVDs to support Spider-Man and Marvel, but I really hope Marvel rethinks what they're doing in animation.

[ericadawn16]

When I was actually a kid, I grew up with PeeWee's Playhouse, Tiny Toon Adventures and Animaniacs. I'm not sure about your age or whether your familiar with these, but they are children's shows. However, they reference everything from pop culture to classic films to Shakespeare and have sexual innuendo in differing degrees. This idea of children's shows not being allowed to have anything adult is a new idea which I hate. I prefer something like Ultimate Spider-Man or the Super Hero Squad Show where the whole family can watch together. Actually, the Super Hero Squad Show was probably one of the best when it comes to utilizing the bulk of Marvel's characters especially the female characters and using actual ideas from the comics...one episode was even inspired by Neil Gaiman's 1602 and titled as such.

There were a couple of bad episodes in USM...Hulk being sick, but I loved the majority of them especially the play episode. However, I did see a darker, more serious bent to the last few episodes of the season and I'm not opposed to that either. I mainly wish that they would do more with the female characters, especially Aunt May although I loved the episode about Peter having to accept her dating again.

[Grievous]

I can't really judge this show, having only seen what I can find on YouTube. I still don't know why they ended SSM, if it isn't broke don't change it. But I guess Disney didn't what a show that started out with Sony still going on. I'm not happy with Harry being Venom but its the ultimate based side of Spider-Man not the classic comics based so I guess I don't mind too much. I don't like Spidey working with Shield and other young heroes. I just want him to fight his villains and that's that. Really the only other hero character I like is White Tiger and that's simply because I welcome more female characters in the world of Spider-Man, and naturally being a guy I don't mind that the artist actually gave her sex appeal alone with a cool costume. Honesty I'm surprised that people saying how much of a kid show this is when compared to SSM haven't noticed that White Tiger has a more curvy figure then Black Cat did in SSM. But that aside this show is a lot more childish then SSM. Something I don't like, keep the action and jokes for the kids but keep the story good and interesting for the adult fans.

[Picard Sisko]

I still can't make it past the first episode of USM. Its a challenge for me. I find the show so disgraceful to the character, and I never understood why Disney made such a childish series. Spectacular Spider-Man was perfect, and they downgraded to this garbage.

[OctoHaz]

It's... different. My husband likes it because it has the same tone as the Ben10 cartoon (and written by the same group of people, IIRC). I don't hate it. I find it inferior to Spectacular Spider-Man in many ways, mostly in animation quality (Spectacular seemed a lot smoother, though some of Ultimate's fight scenes are nice), characterization (seriously, Spidey is kind of an ******* for most of the show) and tone (which seems more appropriate to Deadpool than Spider-Man).

I reeeeeeeally dislike Doc Ock's design, but I love Tom Kenny's voicework.

Ain't much to say apart from that.

[Spider-Aziz]

Someone gave the show a positive review

Originally Posted by Sebastos

I don't know, I kind of lost interest in the show. Never finished watching the remaining episodes.

What's the last episode you watched?

[Picard Sisko]

"Your friendly neighborhood Ultimate Spider-Man reporting for duty, sir." That's all I have to say to show my hatred for the series.

[Spider-Aziz]

Originally Posted by Picard Sisko

"Your friendly neighborhood Ultimate Spider-Man reporting for duty, sir." That's all I have to say to show my hatred for the series.

Panic or simple cringe?

[Spider-Aziz]

I watched Spectacular Spider-Man again, the whole series, pure solid awesomeness
I'm not one to hate USM, and Freaky is one of my favorite episodes in this cartoon, but man was it hard to watch this time

[Hawkingbird]

I hate it. It doesn't hold a candle to EMH.

[Picard Sisko]

I'm watching Spectacular Spider-Man, and it is really well-written, animated, and takes some of the greatest elements of different incarnations of the character.

[Mr. Dent]

I was in love with it by the time I finished it. You'll be left with a bittersweet feeling every time you think about it and see Ultimate Spider-Man on television now though.

[Picard Sisko]

Even though there is no series "conclusion," does the show still feel like it had a decent ending?

[Spidey_62]

Originally Posted by Picard Sisko

Even though there is no series "conclusion," does the show still feel like it had a decent ending?

It's a really bittersweet ending, the last is one of the show's very best. One of the best from any Spidey show. They tie up big things, but then get so many good things going and leave them for the third season.

[THUNDERSTRIKE]

the only GOOD thing about USM is that it IS so bad, that it just makes you go back to watching SSM and realize what a gem it is in comparison to the turd that USM is...

[zeptron]

One thing to note about Spectacular is that it's the series that's paid tribute most to the original Stan Lee/Steve Ditko comics. As all the characters were taken from the comics. Not a single one was made up. I also liked how some scenes were taken directly from the comics, such as Green Goblin dragging Spider-man by his glider in Uncertainty Principal and Shear Strength using the cover of ASM 33.

What I find ironic is that before Spectacular started, people were hating on it because of the character designs and now it's considered by many to be the best Spider-man adaptation. Whereas Ultimate had people thinking it was gonna be better simply because it's designs were better and it's considered by many to be the worst Spider-man cartoon.

It goes to show that while art may be important, it's not the deciding factor on a show's quality.

[Picard Sisko]

Originally Posted by THUNDERSTRIKE

the only GOOD thing about USM is that it IS so bad, that it just makes you go back to watching SSM and realize what a gem it is in comparison to the turd that USM is...

[Spider-Aziz]

Originally Posted by Picard Sisko

Even though there is no series "conclusion," does the show still feel like it had a decent ending?

Decent ending, yeah

[Spider-Gnome]

Originally Posted by THUNDERSTRIKE

the only GOOD thing about USM is that it IS so bad, that it just makes you go back to watching SSM and realize what a gem it is in comparison to the turd that USM is...

Dude, we often disagree, but here we are in full agreement!

Originally Posted by zeptron

What I find ironic is that before Spectacular started, people were hating on it because of the character designs and now it's considered by many to be the best Spider-man adaptation. Whereas Ultimate had people thinking it was gonna be better simply because it's designs were better and it's considered by many to be the worst Spider-man cartoon.

It goes to show that while art may be important, it's not the deciding factor on a show's quality.

See, I find the character design of Ultimate sort of bland. I prefer the style for Spectacular. It's funny how Batman: The Animated Series had a simple style, and people don't get all over it for the art...

[OctoHaz]

Originally Posted by zeptron

What I find ironic is that before Spectacular started, people were hating on it because of the character designs and now it's considered by many to be the best Spider-man adaptation. Whereas Ultimate had people thinking it was gonna be better simply because it's designs were better and it's considered by many to be the worst Spider-man cartoon.

I admit that I was skeptical myself about Spec's character designs... until I saw 'em in action. Wowzers.

[Drakepool]

I really liked the SSM character designs. I always thought their Spidey looked...cute.

[Shikamaru]

The TSSM art style always reminded me of the classic 1960's art style from the Lee/Ditko era. It brought that atmosphere alive.