Spider-Man has taken to the skies and the theaters once again with his appearance in a multitude of Marvel and SONY films over the years and most recently in SONY’s Spider-Man: No Way Home that has broken box office records and stunned audience worldwide. While fans are diving into the backstories of our friendly neighborhood superhero, there’s another Spidey that takes us back to simpler times when solving crimes and neighborhood trouble meant teaming up with your friends and enjoying milk and cookies afterwards with Aunt May.
In Disney Jr.’s Spidey and His Amazing Friends, this series is a computer-animated children’s television series that premiered on Disney Junior on August 6th filled with entertainment for the kids and the perfect escapism for adults. Featuring a diverse cast of Marvel’s finest from Peter Parker / Spidey, Miles Morales (Jakari Fraser) / Spin, and Gwen Stacy (Lily Sanfelippo) / Ghost-Spider as they fight villains such as Green Goblin (JP Karliak), Doc Ock (Kelly Ohanian), and Rhino (Justin Shenkarow); each episode is packed with surprises and made with love.
With assistance from Spidey’s comical but loyal Spider-bot, TRACE-E. If Spidey finds himself in a sticky situation that needs even more super-hero power, rest assured an Avenger pal will race in to help out. Whether it’s just The Spidey Team or adding an Avenger for the assist, these superheroes will work together to save the day.
Teaching viewers the importance of working together, friendship, communication and respect; Peter Parker (voiced by Benjamin Valic) is used to working alone but must understand and discover that working well with others is the defining factor to becoming an amazing hero.
With great power, comes with great responsibility… and as would-be superheroes and children navigating life, they have a responsibility to do the right thing, help out neighbors, and look after one another, Which is exactly what Spider-Man stands for and is an excellent message for all of us despite or age or a world tries to divide.
The underlining message of the show is understanding no one should face their battles alone and with every obstacle to overcome the show features an array of Marvel characters even adults would find joy in; whether it’s Avenger members Hulk (Armen Taylor), Black Panther (Tru Valentino), and Ms. Marvel (Sandra Saad) taking down the bad guy teaches them their strengths are greater than their weaknesses.
In the short “Web-ster,” despite Miles and Peter having the same Spider-Man name, they learn what makes them different helps them to stand out and be their best version.
Yes, this is a show for preschoolers which a great way to introduce them to the world of Spider-Man, but Disney Jr.’s Spidey and His Amazing Friends is perfect for any age, teaching us valuable lessons life’s daily struggles could easily erase. The seamless writing, catchy music and refreshing bright and bold animation style (which is also perfect for an adults’ aging eye) resulted in me binge watching out of pleasure and sheer delight. At the end of the season, my heart was simply happy.
Inspired by the comics but with original modern stories, the season 1 DVD features 12 episodes (roughly 20 minutes each) and 11 Spidey Shorts with each episode featuring the team tackling a new adventure from finding a missing scooter to stopping Doc Ock from stealing space crystals from the Space Museum.
My favorite was “Pecking Pranksters Pigeons / Green Thumb” where Green Goblin used a remote to control the city’s pigeons and invents a wicked weather machine to wreak havoc on the city. Then there’s “Test Your Super Strength,” where Peter teaches Hulk about the importance of staying calm, breathing and assessing a situation before getting angry. Hence, perfect for all ages.
When you’re not learning about Peter’s new inventions or Miles’ ability to go invisible, the show features catchy upbeat new songs from Fall Out Boy singer Patrick Stump all written and performed by Stump as the series’ songwriter and composer.
The song “Super Hero,” perfectly sums up the series, reminding us that Spider-Man isn’t the only hero on the block: “Everybody here is a superhero/ This whole town, this whole town/ No matter who you are, you’re a superhero/ This whole town, this whole town/ All we have to do is to work together/ We can’t do it without you.”
Renewed for a second season, Disney Jr.’s Spidey and His Amazing Friends is a wonderful expansion into the Spider-Verse that further solidifies the positive impact of Disney Jr. shows.
Episode Titles:
Spidey to the Power of Three
Panther Pateince
Super Hero Hiccups
Lost and Found
Doc Ock’s Super Octopus
Attack of the Green Giggles
Mother’s Day Mayhem
Not-So-Fun House
Trick or TRACE-E
Bug in the System
Test Your Super Strength
Bonus Shorts:
Web-Ster
S.O.S. Kitty!
Spidey Mystery
A Helping Hulk
Spidey Surprise
Rock-A-Bye Rhino
Stop Doc Ock
The Spidey Team
Monkeying Around
Power Practive
Road Raging Rhino
