Anyone else caught the new Marvel's Spider-Man series on Disney XD? The first two episodes premiered today, and there's been a series of online shorts telling the origin story (albeit in a way not entirely consistent with the show proper, since it shows Spidey debuting his final costume right after Uncle Ben dies, but in the show he's in the goggles-and-hoodie costume until episode 2). The origin shorts and the first episode are on DXD's YouTube channel -- here's the playlist.
So far I quite like the new show, better than I liked the last one. It's combining a back-to-basics approach to the Spidey story -- no SHIELD team or Nick Fury mentoring this time, just Peter trying to figure out his new powers, school, money, friends, etc. -- with elements from the modern Dan Slott run like Horizon Labs (reinterpreted as Horizon High), Max Modell, and the like (Slott is a producer on the show), as well as with modern characters like Miles Morales and Anya Corazon. I think the character designs are pretty good, with kind of a mild anime influence, and the animation quality is better than the norm for Disney XD Marvel shows in recent years. The humor and the character work are pretty good so far, and the voice cast is pretty good too. (Fred Tatasciore's performance as Max Modell isn't too far off from my head casting for the comics character's voice, which was David Ogden Stiers.)
Amusingly, Norman Osborn will be played by Josh Keaton, who played Spidey on Greg Weisman's The Spectacular Spider-Man. I can't think of another instance where an actor known for playing a superhero has gone on to play that hero's arch-nemesis in a later production. The closest thing I can think of is Neal McDonough playing Green Arrow in an animated short and then playing Arrow season 4's big bad Damien Darhk. Or Dean Cain playing a version of Vandal Savage in Smallville, but that was a single-episode villain, not an archfoe.
I love it that the show is focused on science-geek kids, and that the online shorts are about Peter using the scientific method to get a handle on his new powers. The idea of a cartoon that celebrates science is terrific, if it encourages young viewers to get excited about learning science. Although the show's grasp of science is a bit iffy so far. There's a flashback in episode 1 where Peter tells Uncle Ben that the clock he's repairing "needs a bit more iron oxide." How would more rust help fix a clock???
So far I quite like the new show, better than I liked the last one. It's combining a back-to-basics approach to the Spidey story -- no SHIELD team or Nick Fury mentoring this time, just Peter trying to figure out his new powers, school, money, friends, etc. -- with elements from the modern Dan Slott run like Horizon Labs (reinterpreted as Horizon High), Max Modell, and the like (Slott is a producer on the show), as well as with modern characters like Miles Morales and Anya Corazon. I think the character designs are pretty good, with kind of a mild anime influence, and the animation quality is better than the norm for Disney XD Marvel shows in recent years. The humor and the character work are pretty good so far, and the voice cast is pretty good too. (Fred Tatasciore's performance as Max Modell isn't too far off from my head casting for the comics character's voice, which was David Ogden Stiers.)
Amusingly, Norman Osborn will be played by Josh Keaton, who played Spidey on Greg Weisman's The Spectacular Spider-Man. I can't think of another instance where an actor known for playing a superhero has gone on to play that hero's arch-nemesis in a later production. The closest thing I can think of is Neal McDonough playing Green Arrow in an animated short and then playing Arrow season 4's big bad Damien Darhk. Or Dean Cain playing a version of Vandal Savage in Smallville, but that was a single-episode villain, not an archfoe.
I love it that the show is focused on science-geek kids, and that the online shorts are about Peter using the scientific method to get a handle on his new powers. The idea of a cartoon that celebrates science is terrific, if it encourages young viewers to get excited about learning science. Although the show's grasp of science is a bit iffy so far. There's a flashback in episode 1 where Peter tells Uncle Ben that the clock he's repairing "needs a bit more iron oxide." How would more rust help fix a clock???
