Spider-Man on MTV

[Shy]

[center][img]http://www.mtv.com/onair/spider-man/flipbooks/images/spiderman_8.jpg[/img]
[size=1][i]Note: The series does not look nearly this good.[/i][/center][/size]
[size=1]MTV recently launched a new animated series about the collegic adventures of Peter Parker, Mary Jane Watson, and Harry Osborne. This is much different than any previous Spider-Man animation, the main difference being that these the situations are heared towards young adults, and the animation is fully computer generated. If any of you saw the MTV Movie Awards this year you should know exactly what the animation looks like. It is basically cel-shading so everything looks like it was taken out of a Jet Grind Radio cut-scene.[/size]

[center][img]http://www.mtv.com/onair/spider-man/flipbooks/concept_completion/images/peter_5.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.mtv.com/onair/spider-man/flipbooks/concept_completion/images/mj_4.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.mtv.com/onair/spider-man/flipbooks/concept_completion/images/lizard_12.jpg[/img][/center]
[size=1]These designs are somewhat faithful to the original comics they were inspired by, but were based on the new "Ultimate Spider-Man" comic book series. In fact, Brian Michael Bendis, a writer for the comic, was a consultant for several of the episodes. Some of the designs look great, (The Lizard being a prime example) but the main problem is that characters designs are not the most important part of animation, [i]the animation is.[/i] For some reason TV is unable to do a CGI series with realistic movements, and everyone ends up walking around like a bunch of robots. This makes the action very uninteresting and blocky, which is a major problem for an action show like this. It is even worse when the characters try to be intimate, like in a scene where [spoiler]Mary Jane and Peter kiss.[/spoiler] There is no depth to their movements, and it looks like one of those animated films people make with their action figures of Legos.


The techno background music fits the series surprisingly well, but the voice acting is weak. I guess being "cool" on MTV means that you have to sound bored most of the time, and it gets tired to hear such unpassionate dialogue from two characters who are fighting to the death. Peter Parker's voice fits him pretty well, but there is no distinction between him and Spider-Man. Spider-Man sounds like a bored slacker, which is the worst way to portray the character. He is a regular guy who is trying to be Superman, and even though he has his fair share of failures he continues to bounce back with a clever reply.

The stories are really tired. One episode a nerd on campus gains super-powers and attacks the fraternity house, while in another Harry dates a villain without knowing it. Even though this is MTV there isn't the edginess that one would expect, and in many ways this is a tamer series than FOX's old Spider-Man cartoon on Saturday morning. I was hoping that airing on MTV would give them a chance to push the boundaries of these characters, but nothing is pushed. This is basically the same Peter and Harry that went to college in the 1960's, only now Mary Jane is a boring and angsty sidekick, void of the passion that she had in the old comics. Harry is annoying, but he has always been like that. Aside from the nice apartment I'll never understand why Peter makes friends with a person like Harry, oh well. The writers seem a little confined, since they are trying to stay within the boundaries set by the movie. I think they should have just thrown caution to the wind, and done whatever they want.

Hopefully toning down the Marvel characters for mainstream audiences isn't going to be a huge trend, but after Hulk and Teen Titans it looks like hardcore fans are stuck with the comic books if they don't want to be disappointed. There is also a lot of name-dropping, which is used as a combination of filler and product placement in the episodes. One of the villains steals an MTV movie award, while Spider-Man swings by a few corporate logos while chasing down the Lizard.

In closing, I recommend this show to people like me, who enjoy watching super-hero shows, regardless of the qality. By far, this is not the worst animated series based on Spider-Man (Spider-Man Unlimited is), but nobody but fans of the character will find any enjoyment out of the show. Problems with the plots, animation and characters are great to make this noteworthy, and I'd much rather be watching a rerun of "Clone High."

-Shy[/size]

[Mist]

[color=crimson][size=1] I suppose Spider-Man is alright. The only problem is that although the plots are planned out well, the, I dunno,[i] animation[/i] can't keep up to its action sequences. I must say, I was kind of disappointed when I saw the fist episode, but I felt better by the second.[/color][/size]

[Japan]

I love Spiderman, but I was disappointed as well. I did't like the type of animation that they used and it doesn't seem very well done (animation). Like they don't seem real like characters from Final Fantasy. The voice actors that were chosen don't fit the characters well, though Peter Parker's voice was ok. The show seemed to bore me to death.

[Dan Rugh]

The guy who does Peter's voice is Neil Patrick Harris of Doogie Howser M.D. fame. lol

Well, I've seen a few episodes and I don't think it's too bad. I'm usually not a big fan of cel-shading, though.

[HoT LaVa 904]

I like tha t.v. series it's good.
Tha animation don't bother me at all.
It's all good.

[Guest TriGunMaSta68]

Can you say, boring? *gropes at thought of the series*
I mean it will get a little fanbase but seriously? MTV is probably losing money on this deal, and i wouldnt think of MTV to have a show like that (or like nething cuz MTV isnt good cept for music video-time and The New Tom Green Show). This could possibly be the worst show ever in my book, no wait...it doesnt beat Oprah.

[Manic Webb]

I think the animation is pretty good. It's a little cartoony, but Mainframe (the people who made ReBoot and Beast Wars and nearly every other CGI TV series) never go for the most realistic look in their work. On top of that, CG is very expensive, and Spider-Man has very good animation for an all-CG TV series. Movies get the full fluid-motion treatment, but you only get so much time and money to make an entire series. The cel-shading is new for Mainframe, but they're the same as they ever were in terms of quality.

It doesn't follow the comic book much, but this series is more based off of the live-action movie than the comics. The stories focus more on Peter's college life, so with that in mind, the story is pretty well done. Everybody is partying, but Peter is struggling to make his way through school, work, and fight crime while trying to maintain something resembling a social life.

An okay show. Better than Spider-Man Unlimited.

[DeathBug]

Well, anything is better than Spider-Man Unlimited. ~_^ (60's Spidey? Better. Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends? Better. At least those two have camp appeal)

I've been watching MTV Spidey, and find it passible entertainment. It's not the best, but there's been a lot worse, mostly Spider-Man Unlimited.

(Have I made it clear how much I don't like Spider-Man Unlimited?)

Anywho, there's only two things about it that bugged me. First, they're showing the episodes out of order. (That's why last week's eps had Maxwell Dillion as a supporting character, but the first episode shows hi going all ee-vil.)

Second....I hate the origin of Electro. Anyone else tired of variations on the Carrie theme?

Notoriously, DC Comic charachters get better cartoons than
Marvel characters. I wish they'd done a Spidey show in the style of X-Men: Evolution; that'd be sweet.

[Shinken]

God that's awesome... I loves that show. It's got good music, I like the art style, and the voices aren't bad either. Only problem I have is that when a person touches another, they don't seem to actually do so... It's like they're close, but no contact. Other than that, I give it a nine out of ten.

[Eclectic]

I like the show, mostly because Eve's in it. Other than that, the animation could be better, as well as the voice actors. But it's still okay and better than watching reruns of Punk'd.

[Ryan]

[color=teal][font=garamond]

I really like this show. Nothing in what Shy said really bothers me. I watch this every Friday when they have 2 new episodes. I really enjoy watching this. I actually know quite a few people who watch this aswell and they enjoy aswell. I guess everyone has their own opinions.[/color][/font]

[conpiracymonki]

[b][size=1]
Lol. No-one knows about it yet here -.-'
I think we'll probably get it in a good two months' time or so >.>

But um, yeah. I don't really know what to think from reading the thread. The replies are.. mixed >.>[/b]

*wonders off imagining cool new Spiderman cel-shadedness*[/size]

[Porticon]

I've been watching the new spiderman (just missed my first episode this week) and I love it. Yes the animation is high grade/cost but low human feeling, but the voices are well done, the plots are fun and interesting, and they have Parker/SPidey down perfect. Parker's attitudes are perfect, his vocal inflections, everything...and then when hes Spider-Man he acts just like he did in The Amazing Spider-Man comics....hes highly skilled, highly sarcastic, and always seems highly disinterested (because he always has somehting else bothering him). The spidey animation has his movements down perfect...even better than the film did. All in all I give it a 8 out of 10.


whoever said they wished it was done like X-men Evolution is insane.....thats the worst horrible destruction of everything that is cool about X-Men ever...I mean its terrible.....they've taken Xavier's School and turned it into 90210. Its all about pre-teen drama, its horrid..I hate it.

[Izzy]

EVERYONE MAKE YOUR FONT BIGGER! :)

I love Spiderman but I dont think I'll be watching this one. now.. atleast, haha

[Sere Tuscumbia]

[size=1]Mmmm, I actually kinda like this show. Only because I have a Spiderman obsession. O_o;; Which is weird, because I'm phobic of spiders . . .

And, yeah, I mean, this looks really, really fake and all, but I think the animation ends up being kinda cute. Like it's trying to be real, but knows that it's fake.

So some of the issues on the show make me nuts (like the fact that it's always Peter's friends that are being kidnapped, but they still can't figure out 1) Why Peter isn't there with them, 2) Why they're being called "Spiderman's friends", 3) Why Peter keeps on running off suddenly, then when he returns says that he had to check on some "chemistry thing". It's like Clark Kent and his glasses!) but I like how it shows just what Peter has to go through, you know. He's just trying to get through college and be a normal kid, but everyone still wants to kill him, and his own best friend thinks that Spiderman (him) is the worst person in the world.

However, I though that Harry was originally called Harvey, and that Harry was Hobgoblin?

I also thought that Harry knew that Peter was Spiderman? O_o;;

And if there's one thing that REALLY bugs me about this series, is the fact THAT NONE OF THEM CHANGE CLOTHES. MJ's outfit looks horrible, AND SHE NEVER CHANGES OUT OF IT!!! *dies*

But oh well. I think that this series may turn out to be pretty darn good. ^_^ Considering that this is MTV that's showing it, and MTV is known for showing the crap shows . . . >>;;;;;

And I really, REALLY like the theme song. That is a really kick-arse theme song.

--Sere[/size]

[DeathBug]

Enters rant mode: (Minor comic spoilers)
[spoiler] Harry never becomes the HobGoblin! (Sorry if I appear harsh, but Hobby is one of my fave characters, so this is a petpeeve of mine. ) The HobGoblin is a businessman named Roderick Kingsly. A thug fleeing Spider-Man found one of Norman Osborn's Goblin hideouts and sold the information to Kingsly. Kingsly killed the thug, raided all the hideouts and used the equipment to become the HobGoblin: just as powerful as Norman, but not insane. HobGoblin was a powerful enemy and a meticulous planner.

Harry becomes the second Green Goblin, carrying on in his dad's place. The goblin formula poisons him, though, and he dies. Before he dies, he makes peace with Peter.[/spoiler]

[Guest Crowe]

[color=indigo]I decided to post this in here rather than make a new thread, but before I start let me say that it is [b]not[/b] about the Spiderman on MTV.

Do you remember the [semi]-old Spiderman cartoon that used to be played on FOX kids? A few days ago when I saw the Spiderman on MTV I remembered, and I remembered how [b][i]pimptastic[/b][/i] it was. While looks through "Eric's Spiderman Site" (which is possibly the best and most exstensive Spidey fansite ever) I read through most of the episodes. Knowing me, I started getting all nostalgic.

So I opened Kazaa Lite ++ up and did a search for a few episodes. After watching a 2 of them (from the "Neogenic Nightmare" story arc) I was in love. I had belived that I grew out of cartoons, it isn't so, new cartoons just suck. I went to amazon and tried to find some DVDs, but every one they had was sold out. With out an easy way to get them I downloaded a few more. They were from the "Secret Wars" and "Spider Wars" stary arcs. I fell in love, this is my favorite cartoon ever. [spoiler]The ending of the last episode kind of sucked, where Spiderman traveled to our reality and met Stan Lee, I found that a bit cheesy.[/spoiler]

I'm currently searching [u][b]everywhere[/u][/b] to find the full set. Does anyone else remember this gem?[/color]