Spiderman 1994 Season 1 Review

Episode One (Night of the Lizard): I enjoy the rock style introduction quite a bit. Cool animation effect with Dr. Lizardo’s eyes. The music is very solid so far. Curt Connors is the Lizard. Good voice actor for Mr. Jameson’s character. Cool scene where Dr. Connors regrew a mouses limb with reptile DNA. The design of Dr. Lizardo is cool. I like the details on the scales and the bestial growl. The Neogenic Recombinator was the scientific invention Connors used that led to his transformation. Humorous references to the Avengers and Hulk when Spiderman was exploring the sewers. Conners was going to use his device on all of humanity. Nice tail whip from Lizardo in combat. Connors used to be Spider-Man’s teacher and friend. I wonder if most of the villains will know Peter Parker somehow. 7/10

Episode two (The Spider Slayer): I thought the scene with the drones tracking Spider-man was neat. I liked the difference in animation styes. It looks like computer modeling and animation. Norman Osborn was tracking Spider-Man. The Black Window is a giant robot spider used to attack Spider-Man. I think Felica Hardy is the Black Cat in later episodes. Eddie Brock appears to be a rival photographer who sometimes helps the villains. Kingpin let’s go! Great voice actor. I look forward to Kingpin being a recurring villain. Flash Thompson and Harry Osbourne are basically Spider-Man’s bullies. What is going on with the Osbourne’s hair lol. I Like the scene with the Black Window robot attacking the dinner party. The battle between Kingpin’s soldiers and Spider-Man was cool. The inventor, Alistair’s father, presumably dies in the explosion and at the end it looks like Kingpin is going to manipulate this tragedy to his advantage. 6/10

Episode Three (Return of the Spider Slayers): A new and improved pair of Black Window robots attack Spider-Man on the roof of a building. Kingpin has recruited Alistair to kill Spider-Man. Smyth captures Spider-Man and Jonah Jameson. Smyth is bent on revenge for the death of his father. The Spider Slayers are sent to kill all Spider-Man’s associates including Harry, Flash, Felcia, and Eddy. The jokes from Spiderman are some of the funniest so far. I was amused by the comment he made about not having an exterminator card when he defeated the Spider Slayers. The music in this episode has been very solid. Neat battle between the flying scorpion spider slayer and the Oscorp tanks. All three of the Spider Slayer robots combined into one that was very cool. Lots of great action in the last part of this episode with very good sound effects and score. Lol he stole The Thing’s It’s Clobbering time quip, that was silly. This episode was the first time Peter meets Mary Jane Watson. 8/10

Episode Four (The Menace of Mysterio): The Egyptian room in the Metropolitan Museum is robbed by what appears to be Spider-Man. The robbery is caught on camera and Spider-Man deliberately looks into the camera. Peter and MJ set up a tutoring and movie date. Jameson does a press conference at the museum demonizing Spider-Man as a villain. I love the suit design for Mysterio and solid voice actor for the character. Spider-Man battles Mysterio at the mall where Mysterio shows off his powers of illusion. Appreciated the humor when Spider-man called the angry mob peasants with torches. Peter Parker says he’s going to give up Spider-man for MJ. They did a flashback of Uncle Ben’s death. They also did a flashback of Mysterio’s origin story. Mysterio was a special effects technician who was arrested for using an explosive without a permit. Mysterio created holographic special effects for his criminal activities. I really appreciate all the cool monsters that Mysterio projects at the end. I also appreciated Spider-Man’s reference to Ray Harryhausen. The battle between Spider-Man and Mysterio was very good. 8/10

Episode Five (Dr. Octopus: Armed and Dangerous): Peter Parker is excited to go on a date with Felcia Hardy. What happened to MJ? Peter did allude to the Spider Slayer episodes so maybe he is just glad they are friends again. Peter Parker is escorted when he gets to Felcia’s large estate. I really like the tentacles on Doctor Octopus’s suit when he uses them to disable the cameras on the estate. Doctor Octopus easily knocks Peter unconscious and abducts Felcia. Doctor Octopus turns out to be Otto Octavious. This is another character who was a teacher in Peter Parkers life. He educated Peter at a science camp. Really like the quote Octavious said to the young Peter Parker. “Science is the important thing; it justifies everything we do in its service.” Doctor Octavious was a scientist who was ridiculed by his peers for his experiments. The Hardy Foundation promised funding then stopped the funding when results weren’t fast enough. Octavious was bitter and took his work to a basement. Jameson and Octavious get into an argument in the hostage negotiation for Felcia. Jameson attempts to deliver the ransom money to Doctor Octopus who captures him. Spider-Man and Doctor Ocotpus have a brief, but cool, fight. Peter Parker and the FBI attempt to appeal to Doctor Octopus’s vanity and Peter is the one who goes to deliver the ransom money on the pretense that he is interested in the cold fusion reactor. Doctor octopus explains how the mechanized tentacles were melded to his spine. The tentacles are also controlled by his brainwaves. He claims this makes him more efficient. Spider-Man and Doctor Octopus battle in a abandoned rocket manufacturing plant. Spiderman uses a magnet to trap Doctor Octopus. Doctor Octopus is imprisoned and alludes that he will escape prison with his intellect. “Stone Walls a prison does not make and Iron bars does not make a cage.” 7/10

Episode Six (The Sting of the Scorpion): Felica Hardy tells Peter that she doesn’t want to date him and just wants him to be her tutor. Peter’s Spidey sense is triggered and he leaves to investigate.  Spider-Man shows off some of his webbing techniques and quips in a battle with a group of jewel thieves. Jameson hires a private detective to tail Peter Parker. The goon’s name is Gargan. Jameson has secretly been funding the creation of another Neogenic Recombinator and a Battle suit. Gargan wears a battle suit modeled after a scorpion which is a natural predator of spiders.. Spider-Man and The Scorpion battle in the city. There was a flashback scene where Jameson tells editor Robbie that he hates masked vigilantes because a masked crime boss killed his wife because he wouldn’t drop a lead he had. The Scorpion becomes panicked because he is having a mental breakdown from the physical transformation. He is told by the doctor that the process is irreversible, so he takes Jameson hostage.  Spider-Man and The Scorpion battle in a nuclear reactor. Spiderman makes a Tick and adamantium reference. The quips at the end of the episode weren’t landing for me. I don’t think Scorpion was as cool or interesting a villain as others in pervious episodes. Felcia Hardy is coy at the end of the episode. She’s becoming kind of an obnoxious character. 5/10

Episode Seven ( Kraven the Hunter): Kraven is trying to kidnap a scientist named Mariah Crawford. Spider-Man and Kraven battle on some skyscrapers. Kraven’s outfit is all over the place. Mariah Crawford does a flashback scene where she recounts how she met and fell in love with Kraven. They were given a wonder drug in the jungle by somebody. Kraven was injured in an animal attack and Mariah gave him the drug. Kraven became a bestial hunter. Mariah is hidden away in Robbie’s apartment, but Kraven the Hunter tracks them and attacks Robbie when he returns from vacation. Peter Parker goes to see MJ at a fashion show. There is a romantic conflict of interest because both MJ and Felica Hardy ask Spiderman to be their date at the after party following the show. Kraven tracks Spider-Man to the fashion show and attacks him. Kraven has hidden Robbie away at the zoo and tells Spider-Man he will kill Robbie if he interferes. I like the jungle themed music associated with the Kraven scenes. Mariah Crawford comes to the zoo and accidentally triggers Kraven’s trap, which triggers a water blast that sends her reeling into a lion cage and drops Robbie in the water. There are some cool animals in the zoo like a rhino, lions, and crocodiles. Kraven is given the antidote by Mariah, and they sail off happy and in love. Spider-Man makes quips about the complexities of his own love life. 6/10

Episode Eight (The Alien Costume Part 1): A pair of astronauts trigger a seismic disturbance on an asteroid by releasing the Venom fluid. One of the astronauts is Jameson’s son. The astronauts bring back a powerful unknown compound called promethium X. The Kingpin and Smythe are tracking the shuttle. The shuttle is infected with the compound and makes an emergency landing in New York. They believe the shuttle will crash into George Washington Bridge. The Kingpin calls Rhino and tells him he wants him to be at the crash for recovery. The shuttle crash-lands and Spider-Man tries to save the astronauts. Rhino and Spider-Man battle on the shuttle and Rhino escapes with the Promethium X. Kingpin has found a buyer for the promethium X. Jameson puts a one-million-dollar bounty on Spider-Man forcing him to lay low. The substance gets onto Spider-Man suit and infects it.  Spider-Man wakes up in Manhattan in the alien costume and discovers it is augmenting all of his Spider powers. Peter Parker and Flash Thompson get into an argument over Felica Hardy and Peter leaves saying his life is going to be interesting with these new powers. Smythe tells Kingpin they need access to a special type of lithium 90 rod that is locked in a government repository. Kingpin calls on Rhino again to undertake this bob of breaking in and stealing the rods. Spider-Man beats the shit out of Rhino (picks him up with one hand and sticks his horn in the ground and spins him like a top) and says he’s through being the friendly, neighborhood Spiderman. Spider-Man grapples with what he is becoming. 7/10

Episode Nine (The Alien Costume Part 2): Spider-Man is still in the mysterious black suit from the previous episode. Jameson’s bounty is still active. A group of para-military thugs are attacking Spider-man in the hopes of claiming the bounty. One of the thugs uses a sonic weapon that seems to make the suit weaker. The Kingpin’s buyers for the promethium X come to see a demonstration of its power. Smyth reveals that Promethium X only becomes radioactive when it’s heated. Jameson’s astronaut son reveals that Rhino, not Spider-Man, was the one that came to the crash site and stole the Promethium X. Jameson rescinds the bounty on Spiderman until further investigation can be conducted. Jameson is furious with Eddy Brock for lying to him about what transpired at the crash site and fires him from the Daily Bugle. The Shocker is sent by Kingpin to recover the photographic evidence Brock took during the crash site. Spider-Man intervenes and battles the Shocker. Spider-Man also took the suit to Dr Connors (Lizardo) to determine what they could learn. The suit is a symbiotic and improves and adapts with its host. Spider-Man and the Shocker have a cool battle in a bell tower. Spider-Man is becoming increasingly angry and out of control during this fight and realizes he needs to get rid of the suit. A church bell drives the suit off Spider-man and he’s able to escape. Promethium X is recovered by Kingpin but the element has become ineffective. Eddy Brock is trapped in the bell tower in Spider-Man’s webbing and is consumed by alien suit and becomes Venom. 8/10  

Episode 10 (The Alien Costume Part 3): Eddie Brock is determined to get revenge on Spider-Man. Spider-Man is thrilled to be in his original suit and is excited for a date with MJ. Rhino and Shocker intercept Spider-Man on a rooftop and battle with him. Venom enters the battle and fights Shocker and Rhino. Venom battles with Spider-Man and tell him that the costume has gathered knowledge from the universe. Venom leaves the fight and says he knows what nightmares Spider-Man has. Spider-Man tracks Eddie down by tracking gym weights that Eddie Brock purchased. Jameson’s son is recovering from the crash. Venom vows to attack Spider-Man’s close family like Aunt May and MJ. Venom rips Spider-Man’s mask off and tries exposing his identity to the city. Venom and Spider-Man continue to battle ending up in a subway. They then take their battle to a rocket launch. The sound of the rocket drives the suit off of Venom. 7/10

Episode Eleven (The Hobgoblin Part One): Peter Parker is covering the opening of the Fisk School of Criminology. Wilson Fisk is about to break ground at the ceremony when the Hobgoblin flies by on a glider and throws a grenade. Peter Parker knocks Fisk out of the way before the explosion. Peter Parker changes into his Spider suit and battles with the Hobgoblin. The hobgoblin flies away. Norman Osborn’s son, Harry Osborn, has invited Peter to be his new roommate at a fancy apartment. During a conversation with Aunt May she says she knows this is hard but thinks it will be good decision for Peter to live with a peer his age. Peter accepts Harry’s offer. It is revealed that the Hobgoblin was created by Norman Osborn. Norman Osborn is angry about the Hobgoblin’s failure to assassinate the Kingpin and tells him that he is fired and demands the gear back. Hobgoblin leaves to try to find Fisk. Hobgoblin and Fisk have a meeting. Kingpin agrees to employ Hobgoblin as an enforcer in his criminal empire. The Hobgoblin attacks Peter and Aunt May with smoke bombs in the hopes of capturing them. Hobgoblin captures Harry Osborn instead and takes him to Kingpin so he can ransom him to Norman. Kingpin contacts Norman and tells him he has his son. The Kingpin refuses to pay The Hobgoblin which infuriates him so he goes back to Norman Osborn in the hopes they can work together to take out the Kingpin. Norman Osborn gives the Hobgoblin an upgraded glider to battle Spider-Man. Spider-Man and the Hobgoblin have a spectacular battle in the skies and Spiderman slings into a building that is blown up by the Hobgoblin’s smart bombs. I thought Hobgoblin was a great villain and I loved the actor. 8/10

Episode Twelve (The Hobgoblin Part Two): Spider-Man and Hobgoblin’s battle escalates in the city. Spider-Man is clearly on the defensive as Hobgoblin rains smart bombs and missiles on him from the glider. Spider-Man escapes into the sewers to recover. Spider-Man goes to Norman Osborn and demands to know what information he has on the Hobgoblin or the whereabouts of his kidnapped son Harry Osborn. The Hobgoblin returns to the Kingpin’s hideout and demands his payment. Kingpin shows him a recording he has of Hobgoblin and Norman Osborn. In the recording it is clear Hobgoblin is trying to convince Norman to help him betray the Kingpin. The Kingpin tells Hobgoblin that loyalty is too important to him, and they will no longer work together. The Hobgoblin uses the weapons on his Glider to take control of the Kingpin’s hideout. The Kingpin and Smythe use a secret tunnel to escape to Oscorp where they ask Norman to help them defeat the Hobgoblin. Norman Osborn tips off Spider-Man that The Hobgoblin is in Kingpin’s hideout. Spider-Man uses the secret sewer tunnel to get to the Hobgoblin and attack him. The Hobgoblin crashes his glider into the river. Harry Osborn is rescued, and Norman reflects on how not every choice he made was being a good father to Harry. Aunt May wakes up from the coma and says that it was the filthy state of the apartment, after the party. That shocked her and that she didn’t think Peter was ready to live independently. 8/10 

Episode Thirteen (Day of the Chameleon): Peter Parker battles with the Chameleon. A villain who can shapeshift to look like other people. The villain does this multiple times in the episode. Jonah Jamesson is recruited by Nick Fury of Shield to help try to capture the Chameleon. The chameleon manages to infiltrate the Daily Bugle and get pictures of several staff members. Posing as Peter parker, The Chameleon accepts an invite from MJ to see her in a play and gives her a kiss. Shield uses lots of high-tech rifles in their pursuit of the Chameleon. Spider-Man foils the Chameleon’s plan to disrupt an international peace keeping treaty. MJ is upset with Peter for missing the play and Peter tries to explain what happened. 6/10

~Jolly~