TV Review : Ultimate Spider-man The Animated Series ep 1 & 2

Ultimate Spider-Man TAS is based loosely on the Ultimate Spider-Man comic book and said to be taking place in the Marvel Cinematic universe premiered this week. Here is the review of the first two episodes "Great Power" and "Great Responsibility".

Starring:

Drake Bell – Spider-Man/Peter Parker
Chi McBride – Nick Fury
Tom Kenny - Wizard/Bentley Wittman , Dr Otto Octavious
Clark Gregg - Agent/Principal Phil Coulson
J.K. Simmons – J. Jonah Jameson
Tara Strong - Mary Jane Watson, Thundra
Matt Lanter - Harry Osborn, Eugene "Flash" Thompson, Klaw/Ulysses Klaw
Stan Lee – Stan The Janitor

[EDITORS NOTE: There be spoilers here, ye have been warned!]

Plot Summary (via Wikipedia)

Episode 1, "Great Power": 

After being Spider-Man for one year, a teenaged Peter Parker is confronted by Nick Fury, director of S.H.I.E.L.D., who asks him if he'd like to train and become the Ultimate Spider-Man and join a team of superheroes that is being assembled. At first declining the offer, Peter soon realizes that he may need Fury's team of heroes to help fight the threats he faces when members of the Frightful Four (Wizard, Thundra, and Klaw) attack Midtown High on Doctor Octopus and Norman Osborn's orders after Spider-Man defeats their team-mate, Trapster.

Episode 2, "Great Responsibility": 

Spider-Man accepts Nick Fury's offer to become the Ultimate Spider-Man and meets his new allies who include Nova, White Tiger, Power Man and Iron Fist. Meanwhile, Norman Osborn orders Doctor Octopus to send the Frightful Four to target Spider-Man. Spider-Man ends up having to get help from his new allies to fight them all off.

[EDITORS NOTE: Spoilers over!!]

The early previews of Ultimate Spider-Man were very promising but anticipation slowly went down as the promos hit and people started speculating about this show being kind of kid-friendly. But after watching two episodes I can say the show is worth watching.

The show is constantly compared with Batman: The Brave and The Bold but this is different and in a way, better than the former. The first two episodes were really fun and enjoyable with a lot of goofiness involved which mature fans might well reject, but is genuinely funny all the same. Animation is better and very different from Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Hero and so is the style of the storyline.

The voice cast for the show is appropriate in the way characters are portrayed. Drake Bell does a good (but not fantastic) job in voicing Spider-Man/Peter Parker, not as good as our favourite animated shows from the 90s, but close. Doc Ock gets a makeover and J.K Simmons does a fantastic job voicing J. Jonah Jameson.

The first two episodes had quite an intact storyline. 

There is narration by Spidey and constant breaking of the 4^th wall occurs. 

During fight scenes Spidey’s punches and kicks comes up with POW and THWAK! words-effects.

When a major character is introduced by Spider-Man when he appears that means the show takes place with Spider-Man’s perspective. The first episode started with Spidey fighting an iconic Spider-Man villain, Trapster, and explaining what happened in past one year since he got his superpowers. 

The show has some clever action scenes showing his wit and intelligence sprinkled around well.

The first two episodes had very few flaws to be concerned about other than the goofiness like the cliché devil and angel appearing on Spidey’s shoulders. Mature audience would like the show to have in a bit more of a serious tone, also I didn’t like changing the majority of characters such as Iron Fist, Luke-l (a.k.a Power Man) and Nova being turned into teens, I don’t find turning well known grown-up heroes into teenagers a good thing.

The team of Paul Dini and Brian Michael Bendis makes this show interesting and will leave the audience wanting more in the future. The show in the end certainly remembers the roots of the original Spider-Man.

The final verdict would be for the audience to give the show a chance, who knows what’s in the store for the future. If you have been a loyal Spider-Man or Ultimate Spider-Man fan then certainly you will find the show worth watching. 

It’s a superhero action series with the best quality of animation around right now.

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Review By Anshul Kumar Akhoury

A comic book enthusiast who inherited his fathers legacy - today has more than 1500 comic books and a decent collection of Action Figures and stuff. Also a die hard Star Wars fan (still dreams of becoming a Jedi). Loves blogging (www.comicbookrants.wordpress.com), spends a lot of time on twitter and surfing comic related websites and trolling. Also loves traveling and horrible jokes. Can lecture people on how stupid the Wolverine movie was or how Michael Bay ruined Transformers.

Plans to become a film-maker and makes short films just for time-pass, also wants to write a graphic novel of his own someday. Can ruin a movie if watching with him, especially a Superhero Movie.