Algernon writes...

One more belated Spectacular Spider-Man Review

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Persona

Another jam-packed episode, giving us the alien costume, Black Cat, Chameleon & our first real look at Captain Stacy. I really don't know how you do it Greg, I have to check my watch to make sure these episode are really twenty minutes long.

I think it's interesting how you've chosen to go with the classic alien version of the black costume as opposed to the Ultimate "cancer suit". Particularly since your version of Brock draws heavily on his Ultimate incarnation. This show does a good job of blending elements from Spidey's various incarnations.

This episode also introduces two new antagonists into Spidey's world. Black Cat is a lot of fun. And before anyone else says it Felicia was doing the whole "amoral-cat-burglar-with-the-hots-for-our-hero" thing back when Catwoman's schemes mostly involved using black magic to turn Superman into a house cat. The Catwoman that Black Cat supposedly ripped off didn't really exist before Frank Miller's Batman: Year One, so there.

We also meet Chameleon. I liked that you went with the more old school master of disguise version, as opposed to the more Mystique style shape shifter he's become in recent years. He's also the man behind my favorite line in the episode…

"My insectoid early warning system is tingling!"

I'd go on but there are only so many different ways to say "I liked that" without it sounding repetitive. Looking forward to the Sinister Six.

Todd Jensen writes...

My ramble/review of the most recent episode of "The Spectacular Spider-Man".

This is a minor detail, but I was astonished when Aunt May and Anna Watson were talking about Falstaff in the play that they were going to see. I can't fully explain why at present (because of the "no ideas" rule), but we were discussing "Bad Guys" a couple of days earlier in the comment room, and part of the discussion turned on Dingo's real name being Harry Monmouth (a name also borne by Prince Hal) and its implications. (Though the play that Aunt May and Anna Watson were going to see was apparently "The Merry Wives of Windsor" - which I like to think of as the Falstaffian equivalent of the "Goliath Chronicles", incidentally, except that Shakespeare wrote that one - rather than one of the Henry IV plays.) At any rate, I was surprised at the timing.

I hadn't thought at first that Peter's sleepiness, and his silence during the final battle with the Sinister Six, was due to the alien symbiote, but that made a great revelation at the end. I'm looking forward to seeing how that develops in the upcoming episodes.

J. Jonah Jameson had another human moment when he discovers that Aunt May had a heart attack (I'd suspected, incidentally, that we'd see that coming when she had a faintness spell at the start of one of the earlier episodes - I think it was the Chameleon one).

The Sinister Six definitely came across as a threat - and I liked how they were all handled with their familiar characterizations (Sand-Man is still more interested in making a big haul than in getting revenge on Spidey, for example).

kyle tonarella writes...

sorry to bug you once again but i need questions answered will be seeing green goblin in season 2 and more crime bosses such as silvermaine in the gang war storyline you said you were doing for season 2
and will we be seeing more of black cat in the series as it goes on and last but not least will the lizard return

Algernon writes...

Sorry this took me so long, I've been up to my neck in exams. Fortunately that's all behind me now and I can finally play catch up with these reviews.

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The Uncertainty Principle
First off, I liked that this was a Halloween episode. It's always been my favorite holiday and it's particularly appropriate considering who this weeks villain is.

Speaking of which, this episode really did a good job of illustrating what always made the Green Goblin such a menacing villain. Behind that apparently deranged visage there lurks a cold and calculating intellect. Steven Blum's voice work was again top notch. I especially liked the "lets see which breaks first" line, the Goblin has an appropriately ghoulish sense of humor.

On the civilian front we see Harry descent into self-destruction reach a climax. A pity that Pete's too busy trading punches with costumed lunatics to really notice. Fortunately Gwen's still there to try and save Harry from himself. I have to admit I never really cared for the comic book incarnation of miss Stacy but you guys have done a great job of investing the character with a lot of strength, nicely done. On a lighter note, was anybody else suprised by how comfortable Flash seemed in that cheerleader outfit?

As for the mystery of the Goblin, personally I think that this "revelation" still leaves too many questions unanswered. How did Harry get his hands on the goblin juice in the first place? What the heck is Norman hiding behind that secret passage? I definitely think we haven't heard the last of the Green Goblin.

Arthur Jr. writes...

Hey Greg, I have a bunch of questions for you that are Spider-Man-related:

1. If "The Spectacular Spider" is successful, will there be any plans for a season where Spider-Man will meet other heroes and even help them face off against some of their enemies in the episode he first encounters them in?
2. Why use Montana of The Enforcers as the Shocker instead of Herman Schultz? That's what I've been wondering.
3. If Kingpin isn't going to be included in the show, what will this mean if there are plans for Silvermane, Owl, and Caesar Cicero since Kingpin is much powerful than them? I didn't mention Hammerhead since the series has him a servant of Tombstone and I'm not familiar with Top Man (whom Hammerhead succeeds over)!

Antiyonder writes...

Continuing my review on The Spectacular Spider-Man:

Episode 4- Market Forces
- Peter should have showed some more enthusiasum concerning MJ's good personality. Who knows, they could marry each other some day.
- If only Flint and Alex didn't resort to crime, I could see them as this generation's Odd Couple.
- Definitely thought Spider-Man 3 with the emo line from Eddie.
- In all seriousness, I found the choice to use Montana as The Shocker to be a good one. It certainly keeps the story interesting.
- While we can agree that Norman isn't parent of the year, I found his advice to be a sound one indeed.

Episode 5- Competition
- Looking forward to seeing Flint and Alex's interaction when they meet up in The Sinister Six.
- I'm going to guess that May didn't look into Peter's room after the webbing expired.
- Good to see that Sandman has a sense of priority (no revenge), even if he didn't have the sense to take a crime breather.
- Had a flashback to Spider-Man And His Amazing Friends when Sandman left the bag of money behind.

Episode 6- The Invisible Hand
- Nice to see that the Grant/Brant bit wasn't lost on the younger crowd.
- Always good to see Jameson when he isn't doing the ranting, and this show does that well too.
- While Clancy Brown does good voice work for an antagonistic character, he certainly doesn't sound villainous when voicing a protagonist (refering to his voicing of George Stacy).
- Have to say that Tombstone really looked intimidating even before his display of power.

Questions:
1. What was the silicon armor suppose to do?
2. Recognized Sandman's voice actor as John Dimaggio (Dr. Drakken). Was his facial similarites with Drakken intentional?
3. Given that Betty is an adult in this series with Peter being a minor, was BSP showing any nervousness with Betty (since she was at least considering to go to the dance with him)?

Thanks for another enjoyable set of episodes.

Grant writes...

This isn't a question just praise and thanks. I felt that last episode (Persona) deserved at least that. I loved ever minute, all the angles, villains, the cat, and of course the black. The Black Cat was deliciously flirtatious and Helfer played it up perfect. The whole team deserves a big pat on the back for putting together such a stupendous series in The Spectacular Spider-Man.

Wayne writes...

Since the cancellation of Gargoyles with the other stories that you have created have you tried to take the ideas for any of the spin offs to other companies such as Scifi, Cartoon Network, etc to try to get a new series or one of the spin offs produced? I loved Gargoyles, as well as, your work on other series, loved the Goliath Chronicles and would love to see the completed spinoff for King Arthur and Gryph. Do you have any plans to work on any other series in the future other than Spiderman, yours or others?

bwyell writes...

If I buy 30 copies of every issue of the Gargoyles comic book, will you promise not to kill Gwen Stacey?

Todd Jensen writes...

My review of the latest "Spectacular Spider-Man".

Another enjoyable episode. Parts that especially stood out to me:

We see more of the consequences of the Lizard story (and now Eddie Brock's got even more reason to be angry with Peter - and this time with Spidey as well).

Although I'd heard that Chameleon would be showing up in this episode, I was still surprised when he pulled off the Dr. Connors disguise. And then when he shed the Norman Osborn disguise, as well.

J. Jonah Jameson in great form as usual. Telling Peter to get out of his office in seventeen words, shouting "Spiderman's not a fraud!" and then feeling amazed that he just said that, and printing the retraction - on page 42, in a small font!

Even though I knew from last week's episode that Harry Osborn had been sent away, I was still surprised to see Mary Jane replacing him in the opening credits. (Though, knowing your enjoyment of making changes as the story progresses, I shouldn't have been.)

The influence of the alien symbiote on Spidey was well-done, especially his justifications for keeping it. (The kind of justifications that wind up getting used for paving material on a certain road.) I'm looking forward to seeing where things go from here.

Fresh embarrassment for Peter - now seeing his alter ego being defended by Flash Thompson!

And we get a reference to the upside-down kiss (I've never seen any of the Spiderman movies, but I've still heard of it; it's one of those things you have to be aware of unless you become a hermit).

Another fine job, as ever.

Anonymous writes...

*SPOILERS*

I enjoyed it. Venom, being one of my favorite spidey villains, made a strong entry into the series here, as it slowly absorbed Spiderman, turning him into a badass. Really looking forward to more Venom action.

Nice moment at the end with Black Cat. Definite echos of a certain infamous alleyway scene from the 2002 film. Thanks for that throwback, Greg.

Chameleon also made a strong showing, with his frequent impersonations (Dr. Connors, Spidey, Norman) that make it obvious where he got his name from. Kudos.

So Mason makes his first appearance. Forgive me for asking (I'm not AS MUCH of a Spider-man fan as other people here seem to be.) but who was the dark-haired guy working with Chameleon? His name escapes me. :(

Is this the season finale? There was no promo for the next episode. If it was, thanks for a great first season. If not, I still can't wait for more.

So, either way, great job on this episode and the series in particular.

End review.

See you at the Gathering next month.

Greg Bishansky writes...

"Persona"
... And so it begins, the Venom arc. I'll admit right off the bat, this is not a story arc I've been looking forward to. But, I'll save my ramble on Venom and everything that I think is wrong with him as a character and a concept for my review of the season finale, when Venom actually appears.

Peter is such a geek, alien life is discovered and no one seems to care. Not Aunt May, but she's got other things on her mind. Good to see him and Eddie on speaking terms again, but honestly, can you blame Martha Connors for not wanting him there? I can't.

Nice change to the title sequence. Harry's out and Mary Jane is in. That's funny considering that she did not even appear in the episode itself.

And here we have our favorite feline, the Black Cat. Tricia Helfer did an awesome, purrfect job with that character. Oh. My. God. What have I done? Did I just type "purrfect?" Yes, I did. I hate myself for doing that, as I genuinely think puns are the lowest, least funny form of humor there is. But, I can't help myself here, because Cat was indeed purrfect. Argh, I'm doing it again!

The Black Cat has always been one of my favorite characters in the Spider-Mythos. So, I've been anticipating her almost as much as I was anticipating the Green Goblin. I think she was done purrfectly here (Ugh, I'm still doing it?), from her moves to her lines.

Speaking of those lines...

"My kitty sense is purring."
"Try not to get your goop in my hair." .... and I thought Mary Jane and Rand's line about being randy was pushing S&P. How did that get on the air?

Yes, I like Black Cat better than Catwoman and I always have. There, I said it.

Loved Steve Blum as the Chameleon. It's also refreshing to see a more old school take on him, as opposed to him just being a standard, Mystique-like shape shifter. I suppose he could eventually become one, but I'm glad he's not starting out that way. "So, which captain of industry are you going to masquerade as this time?" ... hmm, I know I should be focusing on this episode, so, I'll just do that. La di dah. Oh, what the hell, I can't resist... when he shows up at the party later as Norman Osborn, my mind went back to last week's episode where for a brief time the Green Goblin and "Norman Osborn" were face to face and I shouted "I KNEW IT!" so loud, I think I woke up the neighbors. The Goblin mystery is definitely not over... but, enough of that, I've now indulged myself. Back to "Persona."

Eddie Brock now hates both Peter and Spider-Man. Too birds, one stone. So far, this has been the best depiction of Eddie Brock I have seen yet, but... I am still apprehensive about the whole Venom story. As I've said before, Venom is a character I've never liked. I'm going to give the character and concept another chance in this universe, but I am remaining skeptical.

Chameleon disguised as Spider-Man cracked me up with his faux Spider-Wit. "My amazing insect sense is tingling." And I loved how Jameson just knew that the real Spidey was real, yet was still slandering him. Daran Norris is great.

And now we meet Mayor Waters. Okay, first thing I want to know is, was she in the comics? I don't recall her, and Marvel always preferred to depict the real Mayor of New York (Giuliani appeared as mayor several times in the 90s comics). She also reminds me of Senator Hillary Clinton, and with that, I'll refrain from going any further. Best not to bring politics into this review.

I liked seeing Quentin Beck and Phineas Mason as the Chameleon Goon Squad. Looking forward to them popping up again. Beck looks kine of like Moe. Wait... Bowl Cut Beck. Balding Mason and no hair Chameleon... no, too easy. ;)

The symbiote itself was well done. I like how it subtly took over Peter's costume, and seems to be playing evil Jiminy Cricket on his shoulder. Peter is going to go dark, and I'm hoping for some wacky malicious hijincks and no dancing and strutting in the streets.

Finally, the infamous upside down kiss between Spidey and Black Cat. Purrfect... I promise you, and I promise myself, I will never do that again.

ColdFusion writes...

Just watched "Persona" and I have to say, I'm ecstatic about there being such an intelligently-done show on a channel block that calls itself "for kids" @_@
The attention to detail was perfect. They actually showed all of Chameleon's tricks instead of being lazy and letting us assume he can fake things... Showed several instances where he had to 'prove' he was the real deal.. people suspected his height.. and best of all, when his goon pressed a button on his watch, he actually had to DO something with that button to make his boat arrive.. he slid it to the left a bit. That right there is what TV for any demographic is sorely lacking right now. I actually have faith that maybe entertainment is de-retardifying as we speak :D
Keep up the excellent work.

Enterprise writes...

I know you been asked this before but dose disney have a say so or the rights in weather a film could be made out of this spectaculer series

P.B.D. writes...

Is there a chance Norman staged the whole green goblin is Harry thing to throw people off his trail?

P.B.D. writes...

Why did you go more with the movie symbionite suit instaed of the classic look?

Dirk writes...

1. Since Harry was the First Green Goblin in the new cartoon, does that mean that Norman Osborn will never become the Green Goblin?

2. Will the Hob Goblin, Scorpion, Mysterio and other villains appear in the series?

3. Will Carnage eventually appear in this series (like Season 4 or 5 if the show stays succesfull)? Or is he too violent/scary to put in this cartoon.

Nabil writes...

Hey Greg,
you guys are doing a fantastic job on the series i really love it, every bit and piece of it i have couple questions though:

1- Do you have any idea on when the first dvd will be released and will it have a bluray edition as well?
2- is there any chance that tombstone is not really the big man, but as foswell put it "some other guy pulling the strings from behind" especially that tombstone never refer to himself as the big man?
3- there surely a lot of mystery surrounding goblin's identity even though we are to believe it is harr after the unmasking in last episode, when will we have a definitve answer on who the goblin was/is? (season 3 ?)
4- are there any plans for a series of comics or video games based on the spectacular spidey series?

Keep up the good work and thanx a bunch for all your efforts

Arcturus writes...

First of all, I just want to say that the Spectacular Spider-Man is perhaps the best Spider-Man television series in a long time! The writing, the animation, the voice work and the plot lines are all excellent! I also like how the episodes flow together. I can certainly see all the dedication throughout the series, keep up the good work! I do have a few questions, where has Eddie Brock been? What has he been up too? I believe the last we seen of him was in Catalysts. I understand that the symbiote saga is underway, and Eddie Brock is an essential part of the arc, are we going to see what drives him into wanting to smash Spider-Man/Peter Parker? I simply ask because Venom is my favorite Spider-Man villain.

Todd Jensen writes...

My review/report on the latest episode of "The Spectacular Spider-Man", if a day late.

Obviously, the big question about this episode is: Is Harry really the Green Goblin, or has he been framed? Bishansky's already said a lot about that, so I won't say anything more (except that I also think that Harry *is* being set up).

What more appropriate time for the Goblin to show up than Halloween? I enjoyed Spidey's parody of "Twas the Night Before Christmas", especially his not-too-successful effort at the rhymes. And talk about daring! Peter actually making Spider-Man his Halloween costume. Shades of the gargoyles' own two Halloween parties ("Eye of the Beholder" and the Double Date story in the comic).

And not only does Flash Thompson wind up dressing as a cheerleader, but so do all his football buddies. I hadn't expected that latter part.

Tombstone's as imposing as ever (I can see why Hammerhead respects him). And I got a kick out of Goblin's "deja vu" remark to Spidey.

Great to see more of J. Jonah Jameson's human side, as he waits anxiously for news about the shuttle landing. Which itself looks like it'll have its own big consequences: now Venom's in town. Things are going to get even more lively in the Big Apple now....

Greg Weisguy writes...

Harry looking like the Green Goblin when seen through the vial of globulin green was a nice touch.

Clones have a bit of a stigma attached to them among Spider-Man fans, but you've shown you can execute the concept well in Gargoyles and Buzz Lightyear. How do you feel about the issue? Can clones work in a (relatively) grounded property like Spider-Man?

Harvester of Eyes writes...

Thoughts on the Spectacular Spider-Man episode "The Uncertainty Principle."

Wow. So many good scenes in this episode. I'll do my best to keep my thoughts following some sort of coherent pattern.

First off, I'm very impressed with the Green Goblin so far. I was a little stunned to learn Steve Blum was doing his voice (my reaction was probably the same as my reaction way back when I first learned Mark Hammill voiced the Joker), but it fits the character well. I love all his gadgets, and I'm glad to see that he has the charged gloves again (something I missed from the movie). I also love the sound effects his pumpkin bomb explosions make. Like sick, mutilated laughter, which is very appropriate.

I also love the way that his mind works. Blackmailing Tombstone was never his intent. He was simply trying to get his two main enemies into the same room to eliminate them.

"Anyone else getting deja vu? Oh well, let's run with it!" Great watching Spidey and the Goblin interact.

It's kind of funny how the Goblin keeps making Spider-Man and Tombstone work together. And wow... Tombstone took three blades in the back. Makes me wonder what exactly he had done to himself. Also thought it was interesting the way Spider-Man saved himself from going splat. Reminds me of an old episode of the first cartoon where he fought the Sandman, but what he did in this series is much cooler.

As far as the ending is concerned, I loved the confrontation between Harry and his father. Norman raised a good point. Tombstone probably wouldn't have let Harry live if the Goblin's identity were revealed, but I can't help but wonder if anything else was going through his mind. Norman is a ruthless man who never apologizes. And as far as unmasking the Goblin is concerned, I'm convinced there's another angle, but I'll avoid delving into "ideas masquerading as questions," and won't get into specifics.

Still, it was a good character moment for Norman. We also got a nice character moment from Jonah. It's fun seeing hard men have moments of softness. I particularly liked how Jonah's actions bit him on the rear, forcing him to swallow his pride again (the first time being in the episode "Catalysts," when he was forced to give Spider-Man credit for stopping the Goblin). I like his voice a lot better than in the 90s cartoon. Ed Asner was good, but he wasn't a perfect fit. I like what Daran Norris does with it.

It was also nice to see a cameo from the Black Cat. Wonder if she'll be popping up again.

Greg Bishansky writes...

"The Uncertainty Principle"
*** SPECTACULAR SPOILERS ***

I loved this episode.

Very good title, as curve balls continue to be thrown at the audience. The mystery of the Green Goblin's identity is far from over. Well, after re-watching "Catalysts" and "Reaction" over again before watching this I am more convinced than ever that Harry is not the Green Goblin. Either he's been brainwashed or Norman has the Chameleon (who is showing up in the next episode) standing in for him as an alibi. But I'll get to that later.

Nice to finally see Hammerhead in action. Yes, this is why he's Tombstone's enforcer. But, nope, he's no match for the Green Goblin... that's why he's Spider-Man's arch-nemesis.

I loved scene with the Goblin and Tombstone. Just watching the two most dangerous characters in the series go at it like that is priceless. You can see why Hammerhead respects Tombstone so much. The Goblin is arguably more dangerous, but Tombstone commands respect just as much as fear.

It wouldn't be Halloween without costumes, and is that the Black Cat I see? Nice. Mary Jane shows up dressed as a sexy vampire. Liz shows up dressed as a Johnny Depp Fan Girl. Gwen... doesn't even have time to get into a costume because she is too busy worrying about Harry. Poor Gwen, when I see her, I think to myself that she is the only sane person in an insane world. "Some one is getting the look!"

I've been waiting to see Flash dressed as a cheerleader, but I did not expect the rest of the football team to be joining him. Way to show unity, guys. Flash seemed to like having boobs a little too much. So, how long until Rand tells Sally where she can stick it?

I loved Jameson in this episode. People have complained about him being two dimensional, but I never saw it. Hopefully this shut them up. His concern for his son's life was touching. I like this reasoning for his hatred for Spider-Man in this universe. He can't stand to see the spotlight stolen from his son. Is it rational? Not really. Is it understandable? Yes.

"Trap?" "Trap!" Someone's been watching "Serenity".

The fight scene at the end of the episode was stunning. A tip of the hat to everyone involved. Though this borders on cliche, you could feel the heat. I'd say it would be hard to top this one, but I said the same after Spidey's fight with the Lizard.

The final scene at the Osborn residence was... great. Norman is such a manipulative bastard, and I really felt for Harry. But this is the finest case of "the writers are trying to trick you" that I have ever seen. Now, Harry is taking a leave of absence. I hope we see him again soon.

Harry as the Green Goblin just does not add up.
* When the Goblin stole the tech-flight glider from OsCorp, it didn't have the bat-head designed to fire pumpkin bombs and extend a spear on it yet. Harry does not have the technical know-how to add on a feature like that. Norman does. Or the expertise to add that Inhibitor cannon to it. Harry's a moron.
* If Harry were the Green Goblin, he would have attacked the Fall Formal instead of going after Tombstone.
* How would Harry even have access to the Globulin Green in the first place?
* Why would Harry attempt to kill Octavius? Norman knew Otto was a liability, Hammerhead said so in "The Invisible Hand". Norman berated Otto for being a weak man. Then he dressed up as the Goblin so he would have an alibi to show Hammerhead.
* The Green Goblin and Norman Osborn both had the same safety key for Otto's experiment.
* The Big Man was only ever referred to as "Mr. Lincoln" by Norman once and that was in the underground lab while Rhino was being created. Harry could not have overheard that.
* Norman Osborn just so happens to have a secret chamber, which we never saw the inside of. Where's Harry keeping the glider and equipment... not under his bed. For that matter, stealing one or two vials of Globulin Green, I can buy... but we've seen Harry drink from too many.
* Norman's knowing smirk at the end of "Reaction" about unmasking the Goblin before it's too late.
* Peter tipped his hand, told the Goblin he figured out who he was. The Goblin knew Spidey would be coming to the Osborn residence.
* Harry in "Goblin mode" didn't admit to anything except taking the drug. To be the son Norman always wanted. A straight A student and a star athlete.
* Norman is thrown twenty feet up a wall by Harry and is uninjured.
* And it was Norman himself who rationalized it all at the end (a very rehearsed sounding explanation). Then offered to take he fall.

No, Harry was set up. By his own bastard father.

Spectacular episode.