Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man is only three episodes in, and fans are head-over-heels for this new version of Marvel's golden boy. In retrospect, it's pretty hard to ruin such a classic character like Spidey, but this new vision has given him a fresh new look with some classic features.
The comic-book-inspired art style, the references to both the movies and the original source material, and a different take on the character's origins all come together to give longtime fans and newbies alike something to enjoy. So where did they go right?
Spider-Man: Friendly and certified fresh
As of yesterday afternoon, the new series has been ranked "Certified Fresh" on RottenTomatoes with a current rating of 97%. As comments on the show's social media continue to pour in, this writer can't help but wonder what about this Peter Parker variant has people so stoked.
The tale of Spider-Man has become something of a modern-day myth. Nerdy Peter Parker is bitten by a radioactive spider, gets super powers, watches his Uncle Ben die in front of him, fights some bad guys, saves MJ, and roll the credits. However, this iteration takes things in a much different direction.
This series takes a few creative liberties with Spidey's origin story, but there's so much connecting him to his comic-book counterpart that it generates a steady stream of interested viewers. His powers are much more supernatural than science-fiction, his relationships with certain characters have changed, and viewers get to see a pre-Civil-War version of the character.
Is it the definitive Spider-Man cartoon? Absolutely not. However, this animated series could very well serve as a prequel to the MCU character we know now, largely thanks to the obvious Tom-Holland-inspired design choices and story beats.
In this writer's opinion, what we are seeing is a way to both tide fans over until the release of the next MCU Spider-Man film and introduce other characters and elements from the comics. We might not see characters like Tombstone or the Chameleon on the silver screen, but we might see them on Disney+.
The secret to the show's success, however, is the blend of elements that satisfy both types of fan. The comic book purist will certainly appreciate the animation, as well as the inclusion of some lesser-known Marvel characters; and the modern fans will appreciate the obvious ties to the MCU like the presence of Captain America and an obvious nod to Marisa Tomei as Aunt May.
It's this surprise blend that has audiences hooked, and Marvel is using it to a major advantage. After all, this isn't the only comic-inspired project they've got going on.
Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man drops new episodes every Wednesday on Disney+.