What I like about SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN is that while it seeks ways to update and modernize many of the trappings of the Spider-verse, from character ethnicity (in the name of diversity) or technology that wasn't around even 5-10 years ago, they always try to go with the original source material as often as possible. In many ways they aren't eager to mine pop culture references to do this, as Bendis sometimes did in ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN. There, Kraven was a Reality TV star. While it still works now, in a decade it will date him. This episode, however, sees no need for such trappings for Kraven. Sergei Kravenoff is a big game hunter in Africa, pure and simple. He has a lover in Calypso (who never looked hotter) and enough raw physical prowess to be able to wrestle a lion and even a charging rhino to the ground. Obsessed with the ultimate big game, when Calypso (played by Angela Bryant) informs him of a "mysterious figure" alerting him to the presence of Spider-Man in NYC, Kravenoff naturally sets out for the "ultimate game".
Simple, pretty much the same origin as the original ASM #15, save some minor details and including Calypso from the start, something the 90's cartoon from John Semper & Co. didn't accomplish as well. Kraven is played by Eric Vesbit, who sounds fine with the rogue's deep Russian accent, although his tendency to refer to himself in third person was a bit annoying after a while, but fortunately Josh Keaton's Spidey mocks it, so I could swallow it.
As always, the life of Peter Parker seems to be just as vital if not more so than that of Spidey. Still trying to find a way to talk to Gwen about their feelings privately, Liz Allen is making her crush more apparent, cuddling with Peter after acing a Biology test due to his tutoring. While this causes Gwen to become more distant, Peter finds himself flush with the idea of Liz the cheerleader, and seeming girlfriend of Flash Thompson, genuinely liking him. Alanna Ubach has played Liz for a while but is really getting more to do with the role and she's growing on me. Peter finds himself caught between two girls; while he seems to prefer Gwen, he's still a teenage guy smitten by the idea of a cheerleader liking him. Don't a lot of us wish we had such problems in high school.
Kraven manages to examine and battle Spider-Man, but while giving it a good go with his skills, spears, bolas and knives, he ultimately is no match for Spidey, who thrashes him and leaves him webbed to a street-lamp. However, having gotten a sample of Spider-Man's scent from a bit of torn costume (the thermal quip was great) allows his lion to track the web-slinger's scent.
This leads him to Dr. Conners' lab, where Peter is interning again (and where Debra Whitman, who is African American in this show, is introduced). Dr. Miles Warren, introduced last episode and played by Brian George, sees opportunity to test out his mutagenic serum that Conners wants buried when Kraven arrives. Enhancing Kraven with DNA from various jungle beasts, Kraven gains superior strength, speed, stamina, as well as claws, and a feline-human body.
Honestly, this was part of the two absurd things about the episode, even for this show. One was Kraven walking his lion around the city on a leash and not being arrested for it; that bit would have been goofy in the 1981 Spider-Man cartoon and was no less goofy in this 2009 version. The second was turning Kraven into a "Tiger-Man". There seemed no reason to do that beyond the fact that "animal toys" sell well for kids. While some could say it was an attempt at the Ultimate Kraven, who sometimes turns into a feral beast, I thought it was a step too far. Cheeks Galloway's original design for Kraven was spot-on perfect, but the Tiger-Kraven just seemed too...pandering to kids for me. Perhaps it was an attempt to merge Kraven with Spidey's feline adversary the Puma, much as the show "merged" Shocker and Montana? While I found myself getting used to that, I am not overly thrilled with Tiger-Kraven.
On the positive side, the battle between Spider-Man and Tiger-Kraven across the city streets, a museum, and eventually Central Park were pretty damned entertaining. Spider-Man was clever with his webs, but when it got down to it, just threw Kraven a good ol' fashioned butt-kicking. I am thrilled that this show has given us a fighting Spider-Man who can lay some punches to the face as well as crafty web and acrobat moves. I am extra thrilled that unlike the MTV Spider-Man from 2003, who also kicked butt, this show has better writing.
Still, the MTV show had one thing for it, and that was making Kraven awesome. While this show is truer to the comics, the ultimate evolution into a Tiger-Man was a major con for an episode full of pro's. But, that doesn't make the episode bad; that just means instead of an A+ grade, it has to settle for an A-, which is still more than fine.
The episode ends with Calypso revealing that their "benefactor" is the Master Planner, who is assembling a new team of rogues. The fact that Peter MicNicol was voicing Master Planner was a major sign; another that he is assembling a new Sinister Six, and of course Dr. Octopus always led that group. Tiger-Man or not, what we may get is the first animated version of the OFFICIAL team roster of Doc Ock, Vulture, Sandman, Mysterio, Kraven, and Electro. That of course means Shocker and Rhino departing the team; considering Rhino's dumb as a post and Shocker may decide to stick to paid gigs, that is more than reasonable (plus, Shocker's gauntlets proved to provide some hassles the last time they battled Spidey). The big question, of course, would be how could Spider-Man hope to have a rematch with the Six when he needed the alien symbiote to basically fight them for him the last time?
I liked the reference to the Black Cat, as well as Peter's black eye; it showed that not all fights come away without injury. It was cool seeing him comfort Liz at Flash's bedside, and even some concern for the lug, who has come through for Peter at least once last season (giving him a speech that helped him realize the symbiote was making him darker and driving his friends away).
The next episode promises the return of the Sinister Six and may answer some of these questions, as the show may still be planning stories in 3-4 episode "arcs" (with lingering subplots). It is a format that is working brilliantly.
