The Ultimate Spider-Man Animated Series Discussion Thread

[Spider-Aziz]

A preview of season 2

VIDEO-CLick to Watch!:

I like the nod to Spider-Man & His Amazing Friends

[Pep]

Originally Posted by Spider-Gnome

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...

Absolutely! I'm amazed when people say that USM looks good. The characters are so bland and expressionless. They're a total bore to watch! Compare the way these characters look in this show to the way the Spider-Man characters looked in Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes; they were very detailed but still expressive.

Another question: I've noticed that some people are going to buy Ultimate Spider-Man despite the fact that they don't like it. Why is that? Are some fans really that loyal to Spider-Man in general?

[zeptron]

SSM's designs also helped created better fight sequences. I'd say that's a trade-off. The action sequences the show had could never be done in a live action movie because the choreography and stunt budgets would go through the roof.

For instance, the 90s show drawings were more realistic, but that came at a price, poor animation, heavy overuse of stock footage, and Spider-man didn't move very fast or that well. The action was also pretty lacking for the most part not just because of the realistic designs, but the censorship as well.

[Picard Sisko]

The designs in The Spectacular spider-Man are also more humble and down-to-earth IMO.



Compared to Ultimate Spider-Man...

[DawnWarrior]

I would call the USM designs more..."conventional" and the SSM more..."stylized."

[Picard Sisko]

USM designs feel the same as any other disney animated series.

[Shikamaru]

What I hate about this show, and this is something I primarily hate about the Ultimate Spider-Man comics but this show has this problem too, is that Spider-Man being mentored by Nick Fury and taught how to be a great superhero. That really bothers me. Part of the reason that made Spider-Man so great when he was first created is that he was the first teen superhero to not be a sidekick and to be given the title of "man" as opposed to "boy". He had no one and had to get to where he is by himself. That's why Spider-Man is such a great coming of age story and life story overall and why he is very relatable. When you give him a mentor that constantly instructs him what to do, you're taking that away from the character. You're taking away an aspect that made Spider-Man an interesting character to begin with.

[DawnWarrior]

^I agree with all that, but the show actually makes it far worse, because this Spidey doesn't want to be mentored for some reason. He doesn't want training, he doesn't follow orders, he doesn't want any of SHIELD's gear (and when he does he breaks it), and he doesn't want to hang out with other young heroes. Fury showers him with everything a budding super-hero could ever want and Spidey throws it all back like it's diseased.

[Picard Sisko]

They make Spider-Man look so stupid.

[Picard Sisko]

Why do I have a gut feeling that the next video game is going to be based on the Ultimate Spider-Man cartoon?

[OctoHaz]

Originally Posted by DawnWarrior

^I agree with all that, but the show actually makes it far worse, because this Spidey doesn't want to be mentored for some reason. He doesn't want training, he doesn't follow orders, he doesn't want any of SHIELD's gear (and when he does he breaks it), and he doesn't want to hang out with other young heroes. Fury showers him with everything a budding super-hero could ever want and Spidey throws it all back like it's diseased.

Yeah, that was kind of my biggest gripe with the show when I finally sat down to watch it (go Netflix); Peter/Spidey was a JERK. Yeah, sure, Peter's always made mistakes, he's never been perfect, but moments of actual jerkishness in the comics (or in SSM) is rare. In USM, I reeeeally kept wanting to smack him. :/ I just found him to be... less sympathetic overall.

It seemed to me like the latter half of the season was better for this (even as the plotty-type episodes gave way to Monster of the Week for the most part).

Maybe Season 2 will be better?

(For the record, I don't hate the show any more (though I still think it vastly inferior to SSM). I just have... issues with it. So many issues. )

[bigdaddy313]

Behold the trailer for season 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ak14WB0l0yA

[Spider-Aziz]

Originally Posted by Spider-Aziz

A preview of season 2

VIDEO-CLick to Watch!:

I like the nod to Spider-Man & His Amazing Friends

Originally Posted by bigdaddy313

Behold the trailer for season 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ak14WB0l0yA

Look a little above

[bigdaddy313]

the one i put is a full fledged season 2 trailer

[Coffee]

Hi everyone,

I'm new here & this is my first post.

I actually caught up on both series & definitely prefer Spectacular to Ultimate.

In terms of designs, it took a couple of episodes for me to get used to the design & feel of spectacular, but I actually like it. My only issue is / was Harry & (when they were exposed) Peter's arms / elbows, they seemed l"ego-ish".

I initially disliked Ultimate Spider-man & still have some issues, but the final episode displayed a more serious tone & hopefully season 2 will build on that (I've accepted the breaking of the 4th wall & the constant family guy style jokes being thrown at the viewer, even though I'm not a fan of it.)

But Spectacular is my favortie of all the spidey series (even eclipsing the nostalgia factor of the 90's show)

It had humor, action, developed characters (and character arcs) & a surprisingly more mature that what I initially expectant.

A fully realized NYC.

Followed an actual timeline. Watching the seasonal change was a nice little touch (watching the snow melt from episode to episode.....talk about paying attention to continuity!)

Diversity (Something that reflects our current world)

Even the way each episode ended with that nod to the comics, the spidey mask logo.

I could go on, but seeing as this is the Ultimate thread, everyone already knows how cool this show is!

[GamerSlyRatchet]

For those curious, the first episode is now available for download at iTunes for free:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/tv-seaso...-2/id588451855

[Picard Sisko]

Originally Posted by GamerSlyRatchet

For those curious, the first episode is now available for download at iTunes for free:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/tv-seaso...-2/id588451855

Thanks for pointing that out. For free, I guess I'll download it. Interested in seeing their version of "The Lizard."

[ericadawn16]

I can't wait for Rocket Raccoon and the rest. I noticed they weren't in the trailer. They did have Hawkeye though.

So, I was watching Ultimate Spider-Man, it was the "Attack of the Beetle" episode. I love this episode so very, very much but the first two times I saw it basically consisted of non-stop squee. Squee isn't very conducive to character study and the little character study I had done was Coulson related between the year at cooking school and the only agent to take down the Beetle and his owning what looks like a cartoon interpretation of a blue '55 T-Bird...so nice...

Today, I paid attention to Aunt May and well...

First of all, it's all from Peter's perspective so we're very limited, but...

1. Coulson talks several times about how interesting May is.
2. May seems to be gone an awful lot...
3. We don't get to hear a lot of what May and Phil are actually talking about.
4. And most important...May is able to get out of her own kidnapping, remove her restraints AND FIRE a fighter plane.

Again...

Aunt May used a fighter plane to rescue Coulson and Spider-Man. Then, she LIED. She said, "Oh, I must have hit the wrong button" but she was doing that twinkling eye thing like when a character is lying. She knew exactly which button to hit and when.

What if Aunt May had her own secrets? What if she was some sort of agent or a founding member of SWORD or something? What if Coulson knows all of this but is keeping it secret from Peter just like he's keeping Peter's secret from May? What if all of May's trips and mountain climbing and such are actually cover stories for continuing her activities? I mean, we know Peter's parents were involved in things and Marvel has a habit of making parents secretly involved in SHIELD or whatever...think Tony Stark and Reed Richards...

I know I should just be happy in season two to even have Aunt May and maybe even have her still going out on dates with Phil but...

I REALLY WANT MAY TO BE A SECRET AGENT OR SOMETHING!

[Picard Sisko]

Why are they trying to make Aunt May cool in this? She is so annoying IMO.

[Spider-Aziz]

Originally Posted by bigdaddy313

the one i put is a full fledged season 2 trailer

Oh, sorry
Checked the trailer, looks pretty nice

Originally Posted by GamerSlyRatchet

For those curious, the first episode is now available for download at iTunes for free:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/tv-seaso...-2/id588451855

Thanks for the link

[Spider-Aziz]

I think their designs changed a bit
This episode is dull

[tdeverea]

Originally Posted by ericadawn16

I can't wait for Rocket Raccoon and the rest. I noticed they weren't in the trailer. They did have Hawkeye though.

So, I was watching Ultimate Spider-Man, it was the "Attack of the Beetle" episode. I love this episode so very, very much but the first two times I saw it basically consisted of non-stop squee. Squee isn't very conducive to character study and the little character study I had done was Coulson related between the year at cooking school and the only agent to take down the Beetle and his owning what looks like a cartoon interpretation of a blue '55 T-Bird...so nice...

Today, I paid attention to Aunt May and well...

First of all, it's all from Peter's perspective so we're very limited, but...

1. Coulson talks several times about how interesting May is.
2. May seems to be gone an awful lot...
3. We don't get to hear a lot of what May and Phil are actually talking about.
4. And most important...May is able to get out of her own kidnapping, remove her restraints AND FIRE a fighter plane.

Again...

Aunt May used a fighter plane to rescue Coulson and Spider-Man. Then, she LIED. She said, "Oh, I must have hit the wrong button" but she was doing that twinkling eye thing like when a character is lying. She knew exactly which button to hit and when.

What if Aunt May had her own secrets? What if she was some sort of agent or a founding member of SWORD or something? What if Coulson knows all of this but is keeping it secret from Peter just like he's keeping Peter's secret from May? What if all of May's trips and mountain climbing and such are actually cover stories for continuing her activities? I mean, we know Peter's parents were involved in things and Marvel has a habit of making parents secretly involved in SHIELD or whatever...think Tony Stark and Reed Richards...

I know I should just be happy in season two to even have Aunt May and maybe even have her still going out on dates with Phil but...

I REALLY WANT MAY TO BE A SECRET AGENT OR SOMETHING!

Holy *****! You might be on to something! I really never thought about it until reading this but it makes perfect sense. It would be cool if May has some secrets of her own.

[Sebastos]

Originally Posted by Spider-Aziz

I think their designs changed a bit
This episode is dull

I noticed a bit of a change in the animation too, what about the 4th wall stuff?

[Spider-Aziz]

Originally Posted by Sebastos

I noticed a bit of a change in the animation too, what about the 4th wall stuff?

There's too much of those cutaways and fourth wall stuff, as usual
And Spider-Man still can't fight his fights on his own
Although Spider-Friends had Spider-Man in a team, he was still the star of the show as the logo says, big brain and the guy most dependable
This show paid nod to that show in this episode, but it's a shame to a good memory

[Panthro]

Originally Posted by Picard Sisko

The designs in The Spectacular spider-Man are also more humble and down-to-earth IMO.



Compared to Ultimate Spider-Man...

I never really had a problem with the animation of USM, my problem was more with the writing.