The 1994 Fox Animated Spider-Man show

[DrFurball]

I liked it. Considering the censors and animation difficulties they had to work around, I think it was great. The characterization was spot-on for almost everybody. Spidey's quips were funny, particularly. And you gotta love how the show introduced kids to Marvel Comics.

I liked how each season had at least one story arc (although the Morbius story ran a little long). It featured what's probably the best version of the Alien Costume Saga ever (and it introduced the concept of the suit amplifying the wearer's negative traits, a concept used in every subsequent iteration), as well as the only appearance of Carnage in animation (Dormammu aside, it was still a very well-done portrayal).
Oh, and don't forget the guest stars. The Punisher, Daredevil, the X-Men, and Doctor Strange!

The quality of animation was unforgivable, though. The censorship was ridiclous at times, too. I mean, the police had lasers? No one could throw a punch or say "die"?
Also not a big fan of some of the character designs (Peter Parker's not supposed to look like a bodybuilder. Dormammu wasn't all that scary-looking. And what was up with Venom's lips?) Although some were nice (MJ in those jeans and boots...)

[Kurolegacy]

I loved the animated series when I was a kid. In fact, it was what introduced me to Spider-Man to begin with. I just wish that it had gotten at least one more season so it could've ended with him bringing MJ back rather than that tease of an ending we got of them heading to find her. Also would've been cool to get a Clone Saga there since they had the plot thread of Warren getting Peter's DNA and then the tease of Ben Reilly in the last 2 episodes.

[Capsizing Heart]

At the time it looked okay, but when you rewatch it as an adult you can see how badly it's aged. I remember one episode where there was an action sequence, and I could have sworn the frame rate dropped mid sequence. The first couple of episodes had good animation, but it fell off early on.

The one thing I hated about this show after watching it years later, was how bitch-made Spider-Man was. He got beat up, by literally everyone he fought, and hardly ever looked good in a fight. Rewatch the opening intro, most of the time he is either running away, or getting his ass kicked by his villains.

I remember as a kid laughing with my Dad at how bad the animation in the show was. Jerky movements and QUALITY. But I don't know, I guess in an age when all the cartoons look like well...cartoony poorly animated crap or are over simplified to buggery I can really appreciate a show like this.

But for your second comment I laughed hard, it's something I never noticed but now can't unsee. Those credits sure sell me the hero. Lol.

The quality of animation was unforgivable, though. The censorship was ridiclous at times, too. I mean, the police had lasers? No one could throw a punch or say "die"?
Also not a big fan of some of the character designs (Peter Parker's not supposed to look like a bodybuilder. Dormammu wasn't all that scary-looking. And what was up with Venom's lips?) Although some were nice (MJ in those jeans and boots...)

Peter sure was hot in this show, even if he had awful dress sense. What was that polo all about? Seriously. But yeah, the laser thing is something I found hard to get passed as a kid, now I'm older it's even more jarring. I did laugh though because when Smyth's Dad dies in the Oscorp explosion they say 'disappearance' but also pause and say the word through gritted teeth like they are offended they can't say 'dead' lol. I loved that amongst all the censorship we had scenes of MJ working out in tight and small exercise gear haha.

[Magnum_Valentino]

I liked it. Considering the censors and animation difficulties they had to work around, I think it was great. The characterization was spot-on for almost everybody. Spidey's quips were funny, particularly. And you gotta love how the show introduced kids to Marvel Comics.

I liked how each season had at least one story arc (although the Morbius story ran a little long). It featured what's probably the best version of the Alien Costume Saga ever (and it introduced the concept of the suit amplifying the wearer's negative traits, a concept used in every subsequent iteration), as well as the only appearance of Carnage in animation (Dormammu aside, it was still a very well-done portrayal).
Oh, and don't forget the guest stars. The Punisher, Daredevil, the X-Men, and Doctor Strange!

The quality of animation was unforgivable, though. The censorship was ridiclous at times, too. I mean, the police had lasers? No one could throw a punch or say "die"?
Also not a big fan of some of the character designs (Peter Parker's not supposed to look like a bodybuilder. Dormammu wasn't all that scary-looking. And what was up with Venom's lips?) Although some were nice (MJ in those jeans and boots...)

Carnage appeared in the following series, Spider-Man unlimited, but that's amongst the worst things to ever have existed so you're better off not knowing.

I also remember the frame rate dropping in not just one but many shots as the years went on. They also repeated a lot of footage, so there'll be reaction shots set in entirely different locations because they're from other episodes. One particularly common one of those saw Spidey landing on a rooftop and turning round to look over the edge. That's in about 5 episodes. The first episode, though, Night Of The Lizard, the animation in that one's superb. I'm not sure how relevant this is either, but the animation in the earlier Batman episodes from around that time is slow and often poor, which is rarely commented on because the look of the show is so amazing. Just a thought.

Plus Blade was uncharacteristically, erm, Caucasian looking...

[Capsizing Heart]

Oh yeah! One thing I remember is that horrible flat CGI city, but they also seemed to make it once. So if they wanted to use it, it was always at night because that was the colouring of the CGI city. So sometimes Spidey is on the bus or something and it is night outside, then he steps out of the bus into an animated city and it is now day time...

[Erik B]

it was this show that got me into the comics at the same time the clone saga began and Ive been hooked since then. man i loved this show. watching it today you realize how corny it was, but i was 10 in 94 so corny didn't apply back then.

one thing that always bothered me....the damn line "the pain its excruciating" which must have been said tooo many times and was really annoying for me.

[Evyatar1992]

yes is that episode.. know i over to saw the 3 parts. when spidy became a monster. and maria crwoford helped him with his boyfriend sergie . VS the Punisher.

who dont remmber it was frank. with the mechine car

[Evyatar1992]

ben \Railly who was with hydro man no??

and u too DR. i understand all u right on all but i didnt know that head censors.. :\
and peter is hot in this spider man :).

sorry about the duble

[Kiryu]

I really dug this 1994 animated series, the Venom Saga in this series is probably the best take on it ever, period.

[Evyatar1992]

yes this part. and the episode with his DNA. when he became monster.

and alot of episodes

[Samut]

I never watched it as a kid (unavailable in Thailand i guess)

But when i watched it during this Summer... wow, the cartoon just isn't good. The biggest problem with the cartoon was the pacing. It felt like they were shoving in a dozen comics into one 20 minute cartoon. They also sugar coated scenes like Harry's death. I love Spectacular Spider Man (the cartoon that hooked me to Ultimate Spider Man... then Amazing Spider Man... and everything else other relating to Spider Man... other than the Animated series in the 90s)

Its a shame that SSM was cancelled Then again, the Animated Series was also cancelled so i guess lots of people were disappointed too.

[BillCarson]

I remember being a fan of X-Men TAS and then picking up some X-Men comics because of it and it made me feel like I had been watching the minor league version of the X-Men. By the time Spiderman TAS came along I was obviously deep into comic books and it felt like a major downgrade compared to them. I would have probably felt the same way if I was into X-Men comics before seeing the show. X-Men TAS was a lot better than Spiderman TAS tho.

[Rob London]

I remember being a fan of X-Men TAS and then picking up some X-Men comics because of it and it made me feel like I had been watching the minor league version of the X-Men. By the time Spiderman TAS came along I was obviously deep into comic books and it felt like a major downgrade compared to them. I would have probably felt the same way if I was into X-Men comics before seeing the show. X-Men TAS was a lot better than Spiderman TAS tho.

Man, I'm gonna have to give the nod to Spider-Man here. While the voice acting on Spider-Man was often stiff, on X-Men it was excruciating. Storm seemed to be reading her lines phonetically, Rogue was impossibly grating (fun fact - her voice actor is now Nova Scotia's Ministerial Assistant for the Department of Tourism, Culture, and Heritage), and Xavier sounded like a sex deviant.

[BillCarson]

Man, I'm gonna have to give the nod to Spider-Man here. While the voice acting on Spider-Man was often stiff, on X-Men it was excruciating. Storm seemed to be reading her lines phonetically, Rogue was impossibly grating (fun fact - her voice actor is now Nova Scotia's Ministerial Assistant for the Department of Tourism, Culture, and Heritage), and Xavier sounded like a sex deviant.

I thought X-Men was more faithful to the source material and dealt with some mature subject matter a little better. Plus...Wolverine's voice actor was awesome. I still don't think either of them were fantastic. I bought the X-Men show on DVD not too long ago and it was pretty hard to get though even for a die hard X-Men fan such as myself. The only cartoon from my childhood that I find I can watch as an adult is Batman TAS.

[Rob London]

I thought X-Men was more faithful to the source material and dealt with some mature subject matter a little better. Plus...Wolverine's voice actor was awesome. I still don't think either of them were fantastic. I bought the X-Men show on DVD not too long ago and it was pretty hard to get though even for a die hard X-Men fan such as myself. The only cartoon from my childhood that I find I can watch as an adult is Batman TAS.

Hm. On one hand, I did kinda like Wolverine's VA.

On the other hand, JEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAN