Spider-Man: The Animated Series
Series, 1994, The mid '90s, Set in New York
Spider-Man: The Animated Series is #11 of 22 in release order and #11 of 22 in chronological order in the Fox Kids Classics.
The story
Bitten by a neogenetic spider, Peter Parker develops spider-like superpowers. He uses these to fight crime while trying to balance it with the struggles of his personal life.
Spider-Man: The Animated Series recap
Peter Parker, a college student, balances his life as Spider-Man with his science studies, his job selling photos to J. Jonah Jameson at the Daily Bugle, his Aunt May and his relationship with Mary Jane Watson. The series adapts many classic comics: the alien symbiote that becomes Venom and later Carnage; the Hobgoblin and Green Goblin; Kraven, the Lizard, Doctor Octopus; and the Kingpin, the crime boss behind many plots. Peter's blood mutation threatens to turn him into a giant spider-creature. Madame Web, a mysterious psychic, tests and guides him. The series ran on Fox Kids from 1994 to 1998 for five seasons, built around multi-episode arcs and the Secret Wars, where Spider-Man leads a team of heroes on an alien world. Mary Jane disappears into another dimension at the end of season 3, and the woman who returns turns out to be a clone. The final arc, Spider Wars, brings in Spider-Men from other universes.
Spider-Man: The Animated Series ending explained
The finale, "Farewell, Spider-Man", ends the Spider Wars, in which several Spider-Men from parallel universes stop an evil, rampaging version of Spider-Man. Madame Web promises to help Peter find the real Mary Jane, and he leaves with her to search, meeting Stan Lee along the way. The show was cancelled without showing the rescue. Marvel's 2025 comic series Spider-Man '94 picked up the story and reunited them.
Where to watch Spider-Man: The Animated Series
Spider-Man: The Animated Series is streaming on Disney+ in the US. You can rent or buy it on Amazon, Apple TV, and Google Play.
Ratings
IMDb 8.4/10
Where it fits
- Release order: after Animaniacs, before The Tick.
- Chronological order: after Animaniacs, before The Tick.
Cast
- Christopher Daniel Barnes as Peter Parker / Spider-Man (voice)
- Sara Ballantine as Mary Jane Watson (voice)
- Jennifer Hale as Felicia Hardy (voice)
- Ed Asner as J. Jonah Jameson (voice)
- Rodney Saulsberry as Joe 'Robbie' Robertson (voice)
- Roscoe Lee Browne as Kingpin (voice)
- Gary Imhoff as Harry Osborn (voice)
- Linda Gary as Aunt May Parker (voice)
- Nick Jameson as Morbius (voice)
- Majel Barrett as Anna Watson (voice)
- Maxwell Caulfield as Alistair Smythe (voice)
- Joseph Campanella as Lizard (voice)