Spider-Man (1981 TV series)

Spider-Man is a 1981–82 American animated TV series based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. It is the second Spider-Man cartoon, following the 1967 series.

Synopsis
The series featured Peter Parker having to balance his alter ego crimefighting with his responsibilities as a university student, a part-time photographer for the Daily Bugle and caring for his elderly Aunt May Parker.

While Spider-Man fights his usual enemies, six episodes have him contending with Doctor Doom.

Cast

 * Ted Schwartz - Spider-Man/Peter Parker
 * Jack Angel - Dr. Donald Blake (in "Wrath of the Sub-Mariner"), Man Mountain Marko (in "Wrath of the Sub-Mariner"), Moe (in "Triangle of Evil")
 * Lee Bailey - Robbie Robertson
 * William Boyett - Cat Burglar (in "Arsenic and Aunt May")
 * Wally Burr - Sandman (in "The Sandman is Coming"), Sam Block (in "The Doom Report"), Dean Stockton (in "Cannon of Doom")
 * Corey Burton - Lizard (in "Lizards, Lizards Everywhere")
 * Philip L. Clarke - Sidewinder/Wild Willie Wilson (in "The Sidewinder Strikes"), Waiter (in "The Sidewinder Strikes")
 * Regis Cordic - Ringmaster (in "Carnival of Crime")
 * Henry Corden - Man with Briefcase (in "The Return of the Kingpin"), Lead Henchman (in "The Return of the Kingpin"), Fosdic (in "The Return of the Kingpin")
 * Brad Crandall - Doctor Doom
 * Peter Cullen - Red Skull (in "The Capture of Captain America"), Stuntman/Jack Riven (in "Triangle of Evil")
 * Brian Cummings - Empire State University Principal (in "The Pied Piper of New York Town"), General (in "The Pied Piper of New York Town")
 * Jeff David - Akim (in "The Doom Report")
 * Jack DeLeon - Kraven the Hunter (in "The Hunter and the Hunted")
 * Ralph James - Uncle Ben (in "Arsenic and Aunt May")
 * Lynn Johnson - Hammerhead (in "Wrath of the Sub-Mariner")
 * Morgan Lofting - Aunt May, Black Cat (in "Curiosity Killed the Spider-Man"), Penny (in "The Web of Nephilia")
 * Mona Marshall - Betty Brant, Rodeo Girl (in "The Sidewinder Strikes"), Boy Victor Von Doom (in "Cannon of Doom")
 * George DiCenzo - Captain America (in "The Capture of Captain America"), Wizard (in "Under the Wizard's Spell")
 * Walker Edmiston - Magneto (in "When Magneto Speaks.... People Listen")
 * Ron Feinberg - Professor Gizmo (in "The Unfathomable Professor Gizmo")
 * Brian Fuld - Ka-Zar (in "The Hunter and the Hunted")
 * Linda Gary - Colleen (in "Arsenic and Aunt May")
 * Buster Jones - Acting Teacher (in "The Pied Piper of New York Town")
 * Stan Jones - Doctor Octopus (in "Bubble, Bubble, Oil and Trouble"), Kingpin (in "Wrath of the Sub-Mariner" and "The Return of the Kingpin")
 * Les Lampson - Dr. Lee (in "Countdown to Doom")
 * John H. Mayer - Chameleon (in "Arsenic and Aunt May"), Police Sergeant (in "Arsenic and Aunt May")
 * Don Messick - Vulture (in "The Vulture Has Landed"), Hank Edwards (in "The Vulture Has Landed")
 * Arlin Miller - Nephilia/Dr. Bradley Shaw (in "The Web of Nephilia")
 * Vic Perrin - Goron (in "The A-B-C's of D-O-O-M"), Sub-Mariner (in "Wrath of the Sub-Mariner"), Caesar Cicero (in "Wrath of the Sub-Mariner")
 * Tony Pope - Boris
 * Richard Ramos - Gadgeteer/Joshua (in "The Incredible Shrinking Spider-Man")
 * Gene Ross - Shlocker (in "Triangle of Evil"), Larry (in "Triangle of Evil")
 * Neil Ross - Green Goblin/Norman Osborn (in "Revenge of the Green Goblin"), Michael (in "Countdown to Doom")
 * Michael Rye - Mysterio (in "The Pied Piper of New York Town"), Additional characters (in "The Pied Piper of New York Town")
 * Marilyn Schreffler - Sally Ann Beaumont (in "The Sandman is Coming")
 * Gary Seger - Johnny Griffon (in "Curiosity Killed the Spider-Man"), Beyond Belief Host (in "Triangle of Evil")
 * Michael Sheehan - Mortimer, Johann Klemmle, Young Reed Richards (in "Cannon of Doom"), Young Victor Von Doom (in "Cannon of Doom")
 * John Stephenson - Dr. Norton (in "The Incredible Shrinking Spider-Man")
 * Andre Stojka - Nasa Worker (in "The Sandman is Coming"), Hal Hunter (in "The Return of the Kingpin")
 * B.J. Ward - Namorita (in "Wrath of the Sub-Mariner"), Medusa (in "Under the Wizard's Spell")
 * Paul Winchell - Silvermane (in "Wrath of the Sub-Mariner"), Additional characters (in "Wrath of the Sub-Mariner")
 * William Woodson - J. Jonah Jameson, Professor Donaldson (in "The Vulture Has Landed"), Dr. Everett (in "Wrath of the Sub-Mariner"), Dr. Niemann (in "The Capture of Captain America")

Note: Neil Ross would reprise his role as Norman Osborn/Green Goblin for the 1994 Spider-Man cartoon series.

Walter S. Burr was the Voice Director for the series.

Background
The series was created to launch Marvel Productions, successor of DePatie–Freleng Enterprises, who had previously produced the 1978 New Fantastic Four and 1979 Spider-Woman animated series (where Spider-Man made two appearances) and was syndicated by ARP Films Inc.

Character designs
The character design for Peter Parker (as well as other supporting characters including Aunt May and J. Jonah Jameson) was quite faithful to the comic books of the period and hearkened back to the illustrations by John Romita Sr. of the young hero in Spider-Man's newspaper strip adventures from the 1970s. Due to network constraints and demands from parents, characters such as Spider-Man were not allowed to make a fist to strike an opponent, but the show's creators managed to conceal these issues with a focus on action and relatively fluid animation.

Much like the Spider-Man newspaper strip of the late 1970s, Peter Parker's character design did away with the 1960s crew cut for a more modern hairstyle during this time, which the character continued to be portrayed with through the 1980s and early 1990s. Likewise, Parker abandoned the conservative suit and tie of the 1960s comics and previous animated series in favor of dark blue straight-legged linen pants.

Peter's mask was connected to his costume at the back of the neck, like a hood which he would pull over his head when he changed into Spider-Man.

Broadcast and home media release
As was the case with Amazing Friends, the series was later re-aired in the late 1980s as part of the 90-minute Marvel Action Universe, a syndicated series that was used as a platform for old and new Marvel-produced animated fare (the newer programming featured RoboCop: The Animated Series, Dino-Riders and on occasion, X-Men: Pryde of the X-Men, which was intended to serve as a pilot for a potential X-Men animated series). The show was last rerun in the US in 1998 as part of the UPN Kids Action Zone block alongside several other Marvel shows.

Region 1
Episodes of the series were included in Prism Entertainment's Marvel Comics Video Library VHS series in the 1980s.

In Canada, Morningstar Entertainment released the episode "The Vulture Has Landed" on DVD in the set entitled Spider-Man Vs. The Vulture. The set also contains "The Vulture's Prey" and "The Dark Terrors", both from the 1967 Spider-Man TV series. Morningstar also released "Canon of Doom" (on the Fantastic Four VS. Doctor Doom set, included in the Villains Showdown Gift Set that also includes "Spider-Man Vs. The Vulture"), although the episode is the Bonus episode on the disc. "Arsenic And Aunt May" was also released in the Heroes box set. All the Morningstar DVDs were mastered from VHS/Betamax copies that were released by Prism Video in 1985 as part of their Marvel Video Library series.

Region 2
In April 2008, Liberation Entertainment secured the home media rights to select Marvel shows from Jetix Europe in select European territories, including Spider-Man.

In 2009, Clear Vision took over home media rights, and released the series on DVD on four volumes in the United Kingdom, released on June 7, July 5, August 2, and September 6 of 2010 respectively, with a triple pack releasing in 2011, and a complete series release following on March 11, 2013. The company also released the show's four DVD volumes in Germany. To avoid confusion with other Spider-Man DVD titles, Clear Vision released the show on DVD under the name Spider-Man 5000.

Streaming
The series was available for streaming on Netflix from 2011 to 2013. The series became available on the Disney+ streaming service at its U.S. launch on November 12, 2019.