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Spectacular Spider-Man, The
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Peter writes...
Will 90's Spiderman Cartoon ever come out on DVD.
Greg responds...
I thought it was.
Paul writes...
Which week in March does “Final Curtain†take place?
Greg responds...
Mid-March.
Clark Cradic writes...
Will the couple that Spider-Man saved (and ended up marrying) make further appearances in the series? Do they have any established names and are they going to be Spider-Man's equivalent to the Yuppie Couple?
Greg responds...
No comment.
Greg Bishansky writes...
*** SPIDEY SPOILERS ***
Okay, so, I exist in the Spectacular Spider-Man Universe, and I was Norman Osborn's chauffeur at one point. Harry mentioned me as the worst chauffeur ever, and that he thought his dad was going to pop a vessel.
Okay, so later on, Norman went nuts, and became the Green Goblin. He went after the Big Man, tried to kill Otto, and just plain went nuts on people he doesn't like.
Am I still alive in the Spectacular Spider-Man Universe? I think that if I had that guy mad at me, it's okay for me to inquire to my present health.
Where am I now in the Spideyverse? ;)
*** SPIDEY SPOILERS ***
Greg responds...
SPIDEY SPOILERS!!!!!
Dude, could this question be any more self-aggrandizing if you tried?
But somehow I doubt that Goblin ran around avenging every petty annoyance. I mean, hell, I let you live.
Martin writes...
in a previous response, you stated about the Spectacular Spider-Man series, "We have been provided with a list of characters as per Sony's contractual agreement with Marvel." it's obvious that you cant reveal the characters, but can you at least tell how many they are? can you reveal the characters? :)
Greg responds...
I don't have the list with me. And even if I did, it's a legal document. It's not my place to go into detail about it.
Clark Cradic writes...
How do you decide what villains/characters to include in Spider-Man? Is it a matter of what they can provide to the story, personal preference, or is their a certain formula to balance out well known and not as well known characters?
Greg responds...
It's a very organic process. Basically what feels right, respecting the core of the characters.
Rafael writes...
We are going to see in the Spectacular Spider-man more science fiction elements that exist in the comicbooks like aliens and journeys through time and space. And supernatural elements like travel to other dimensions via magic, and the presence of supernatural creatures like Morbius the vampire and the transformation of Stan Carter into the Sin-eater.
Greg responds...
No comment.
Robert Lee writes...
Hey Greg, I'm a huge fan of The Spectacular Spiderman, and by far it is the best Spiderman series that I have seen. I was curious to see if there were any further developments on a season 3 for the show. So I guess my question is:
Will there be a season 3? If so when do u expect it to make its debut?
Greg responds...
Seriously? You didn't see the thirty plus times I've already answered this question or the thirty plus times this question was in the queue ahead of yours. I mean, dude, do you think I'm HIDING a pick-up from you guys?
<sigh> We won't know anything until sometime AFTER the SECOND season starts airing on Disney XD in late june. Figure July or August for news on a pick-up. If it comes, I'd guess ew episodes would probably be held for September 2010.
Bazell writes...
in a previous response, you stated about the Spectacular Spider-Man series, "We have been provided with a list of characters as per Sony's contractual agreement with Marvel."
When you were given the list, where there any surprises as to characters you wish/thought you had access to or wondered why he or she was being offered for a Spider-Man series?
Any chance you can divulge the list?
Greg responds...
Kingpin wasn't on the list, which semi-surprised me. Not like I'm unaware of how Miller turned him into Daredevil's arch-nemesis, but still, he was created as a Spidey opponent. There was no one on the list that surprised me. And, no, that's a Sony/Marvel legal document. I can't post it.
Paul writes...
A few questions about changes to and potential changes from the comics in The Spectacular Spiderman:
1) Are Kraven and Chameleon siblings or half-siblings in this series, as they are in the comics?
2) Is Chameleon's surname Kravinoff in this series?
3) Why was the decision made to make Liz Allan and Mark biological siblings in this series?
Greg responds...
1. No comment.
2. No comment.
3. We were combining Mark Raxton with Bennett Brant. Bennett was Betty's full sibling and it made the emotional context more intense. So that's the direction we followed.
Arthur Jr. writes...
Here's a bunch of things I have to ask you
* I got your Kingpin and Marvel Team-Up response. I'm just wondering that if you plan to break the record of seasons that the 90's series have should "The Spectacular Spider-Man" be popular, you might feature the said heroes then. Any chance you want to break the record if Sony will allow it?
* Though the rights and contracts to Kingpin aren't available is what a know now. Yet I didn't get your answer on the Beetle from the same question though. Of course it could be that he came when other heroes and villains were introduced over time. Right?
* When I first heard Hobie Brown in "Opening Night," I thought it was Greg Cipes voicing him. It turned out to be Charles Duckworth voicing him. Good thing the credits confirmed me on that.
* When Silvermane was featured, Silver Sable (who led the mercenary Wild Pack team in the comics) was featured as his daughter. I guess this was a creative part on your side since his son Joseph Manfredi (known in the comics as Daredevil villain Blackwing) wasn't introduced yet. I did like that you made Silvermane a bit younger than his comics counterpart.
* Doctor Octopus being an OsCorp scientist and the accident that caused his tentacles to be apart of him reminded me of the Ultimate Marvel version of Doctor Octopus (whose tentacles have ends that are made up of nanobots that enable the tentacles to have various lethal accessories transforming the three-pronged 'claws' into flamethrowers, tasers, and machine guns) at the time the Ultimate Marvel version of the Green Goblin came into view. In the Ultimate Marvel Comics, Doctor Octopus blamed the accident on the Ultimate Marvel version of Justin Hammer (who was responsible for creating the Ultimate Marvel versions of Electro and Sandman).
Greg responds...
1. It's not like there's some competition. That was a Spider-Man for it's time. I'm trying to do one for now. And exactly what record are you talking about anyway? How do you measure it? This is silliness, frankly. First of all, it's moot until we get a pick-up. Second of all, it's moot until I have legal access to these other characters. And third, my basic response hasn't changed. I'd like to use Kingpin, and I'd like to do the OCCASIONAL team-up. But I'm not going to change the game plan to break some record that we both know doesn't really -- and shouldn't -- exist.
2. Simply put, Beetle isn't on the approved list. If I had to guess, I'd say he's on the Fantastic Four's list. Or maybe Daredevil's. But he's not on Spidey's.
3. Yep.
4. Thanks.
5. Is there a question here? I was definitely influence at least in part by early issues of Ultimate. But the bigger influence was of course Lee/Ditko.
Paul writes...
Thanks for doing such an amazing job with The Spectacular Spiderman. Both seasons are really enjoyable. I've just got two questions:
1) Why is it that a lot of the background music in season 2 was stuff that had previously been used in season 1? Aside from character themes, nothing seemed to be repeated in season 1, but in season 2, lots of music from previous episodes kept popping up again and again. Was a smaller budget used for the music in the second season?
2) The animation in season 2 seemed to be weaker than season 1 as well. Some episodes looked beautiful, but others seemed a bit choppy and off-model at times, like "First Steps" and "Identity Crisis". Was there a smaller budget for the animation in season 2?
Greg responds...
1. Themes were reused intentionally -- and by the second season we had a LOT more themes to reuse -- but to my knowledge, no actual music was reused, and I attended EVERY music spotting session, muisc preview session and sound mix.
2. No. We've had inconsistent animation here and there both seasons. Both our seasons contain some of our most gorgeous stuff and some of our weakest stuff.
Bazell writes...
This Spider-Man question pertains to the show's relationship to the official "canon" of the long running comic book (now in the early 600s for issue numbers).
When Marvel comics first started getting more popular due to books like Amazing Spider-Man and Fantastic Four, the connections between the books began to take shape along the way, sometimes independant of the individual on-going arcs. In some history channel documentary on comics I saw, Stan Lee talked about the creation of the shared world of many super-hero characters, the "Marvel Universe," began in an issue of Fantastic Four in which Reed was giving some press conference. the artists decided to draw Peter Parker as one of the photographers, clearly representing the Bugle at the event. That was somewhat of a digretion, but an interesting tidbit nonetheless.
Anyway, The Spectacular Spider-Man has clearly not had any interaction with any other Marvel characters for all the obvious reasons, but has also not to my knowledge acknowledged - even peripherally - the existence of other Super-Heroes elsewhere. Is it still safe to assume that the action depicted in the show is in the context of the Marvel Universe's continuity of, say, the mid to late 60s, which comprises a good portion of the storylines from which you are drawing?
Greg responds...
In my mind, yes. But until we get legal permission, I can't acknowledge that in the series itself. I even had to fight to use the phrase "Amazing Spider-Man" in the first episode, as we're not allowed to use that either generally.
Bazell writes...
**SPIDER-MAN SPOILERS**
Spidey's original suspision of Norman as the goblin seemed justified when he saw Osborn come out of the disguised doorway at a time convenient to a quick goblin getaway. However, later Harry reveals that the door just led to a wine cellar. Seeing as how they already seem to reside on a top floor penthouse, how much extra room do the walls have? WAS there a goblin hideaway behind the hidden wine cellar?
Greg responds...
SPIDEY SPOILERS!!!!!
No comment.
Cartoonlover writes...
Do you know what Spectacular Spider-Man's ratings on Disney XD are like? There is no mention anywhere.
Greg responds...
I have a vague idea. Relative to the network's general ratings and given the fact that so far they've only aired reruns, they seem to be respectable, especially after being cumed. I'd like to see them higher, but frankly no matter high they get, it's hard to imagine me NOT feeling that way still.
Spidey writes...
Hey Greg. I love the Spectacular Spider-Man and wanted to know if you have anymore plans for Venom in future seasons.
Greg responds...
Yes.
And before anyone starts posting a shopping list of characters, let me state that, YES, I have future plans for EVERY SINGLE character already introduced or mentioned, including the dead ones, and for many that have not yet been introduced or mentioned. And NO, I'm not going to reveal them here anytime soon. So there's no need to ask.
Greg Bishansky writes...
Another Spidey question.
Is Midtown High a private school in "Spectacular Spider-Man?" I'm a bit puzzled that Peter and Flash both live in Queens and attend High School in Manhattan.
It's got to be top notch if they can get a major Broadway star like St. John Devereaux to direct the school play.
Obviously, Norman Osborn would send his son to a top notch school, and Liz's parents seem well off enough to do the same. Ditto with Robbie being the Editor-in-Chief of a major metropolitan paper. As well George Stacy as a police captain.
But, considering the Parkers' money problems, if Midtown is a private school, how did they afford to get Peter in there and keep him there?
Greg responds...
M-cubed: Midtown Manhattan Magnet Senior High School. It's a public "magnet" school, with a number of different magnets on campus, including a Science Magnet, a Drama Magnet and a Civics Magnet. Flash is in the latter, though one gets the sense that his football prowess may have had something to do with getting him in.
It is considered one of the best overall programs in the city.
Greg Bishansky writes...
*** MAJOR SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN SPOILERS ***
*** I'M SERIOUS ***
*** OKAY, DON'T BLAME ME ***
1. So, I'm curious. When did Norman Osborn start preparing for his stint as the Green Goblin? Before "Survival of the Fittest"? After?
2. I also noticed that on Osborn's laptop monitor when he calls Peter and Harry out onto the balcony, there's a pumpkin bomb.
It seems to me like he's been preparing for this for a while now. Granted, he stole the glider just after Hammerhead threatened him. But, since "Catalysts" and "The Invisible Hand" take place on the same day, and Norman had that Goblin mask, costume and weapons ready to go, it makes me wonder.
So, question 3. Was he always planning to take control of the Big Man's empire? Or did Hammerhead threatening him push him there?
*** OKAY, DON'T BLAME ME ***
*** I'M SERIOUS ***
*** MAJOR SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN SPOILERS ***
Greg responds...
SPIDEY SPOILERS!!!!!
1. Depends what you mean by "preparing". But the main impetus was being kidnapped and attacked by Vulture. He did not enjoy being that vulnerable. There was a line to that effect in "Final Curtain", but it was cut for time.
2. Was there a question here?
3. It wasn't just Hammerhead's single speech.
Dan writes...
Hi Greg.
Big fan of all your work and just wanted to ask some general questions, none of which involve the possible Season 3 of TSS. (We're all hoping the show gets picked up!)
1. I'm very much interested in a career in screen writing, comic writing, and/or video game story writing. What steps did you take or what steps do you recommend for those pursuing this career? I'm an English major with a writing minor and I wondered if college degree played a large role.
2. Can you elaborate on any of the possible restrictions you may face if you persue the death of the Stacy's storyline or the introduction of Carnage? I'm not asking "if" you will develop these storylines in later seasons, but more of what kind of restrictions were you presented with for TSS. We all know how strict FOX was for the mid-90s animated series.
Thanks Greg.
Greg responds...
1. It helped me -- a lot. Both in terms of the education I received making me a better writer and in terms of the resume thing helping me get my first jobs at both DC Comics (from Dick Giordano) and Disney (from Gary Krisel). So I'm big on education. Beyond that, I've gone into greater detail in the past, so check the ASK GREG archives. But my recommendation is to READ a lot. WRITE a lot. And PROOFREAD a lot.
2. I haven't had any significant restrictions to date. Standards & Practices is NOT the reason those stories you mentioned weren't part of the first two seasons.
anonymous writes...
Hi, can yu confirm yet if Doctor Octopus will be back in season three? I love what you've done with Doc Ock on this show.
Greg responds...
No comment.
ChickenChaser writes...
I know this has been asked alot and everytime you say you have answered it by i have searched through the archives again and again and cannot find your response apart from (im not calling you a liar maybe the question was kicked i dunno)
Confused Fan [Shocker Question] writes...
So, Montana was the Shocker.
Does this mean that Montana is Herman Schultz? :S
I think Montanas real name has never been told even in the comics?
Greg responds...
If it makes you happy...
So i have to know, why the combination of these characters, also as this is my sirst comment kudos on the show, i love it, and i discovered it by accident whilst watching the 90's series on youtube i saw a link and thought why not and was pleased to see what a great job you have done. I am very new to the comics and nearly all the stuff i know is from wiki (which i hope i can trust) anyway feel like i should ask some more questions:
2) Who is your fav villian, you probably have answered this but wasnt in first 100 question asked to you (i do have a life honest)
3) when (optimistic) season 3 comes out do you know the gap between release in US and uk (as i live in uk)
ok that will do for now, thanks again for an amazing show which appeals to all ages
Greg responds...
1. I'm just not getting into this again. I know it's in the archives. I'm not calling you a liar either, but look again.
2. I've answered this to. I don't have one. I like 'em all.
3. No idea.
ChickenChaser writes...
Just another wuick one, Is the thing about harry being framed as the goblin a new idea or has it appeared in comics, i thought this was so funny and was like wtf thats not right and then when it made it look like his mum in the return of the goblin i was so confused so good work.
Greg responds...
You don't know how hard it is to keep an audience guessing -- or at least off-balance -- when they already know the answer. We obviously added a few twists and turns.
Akif kahn writes...
hi Greg I wached all of taginghe spectacular spiderman episodes 1-26 it left me haning I hope you get a pick up of season 3 I hope so they can add Professor Miles Warren as jackal and Hobgoblin and Scorpion.
best spiderman show ever
Greg responds...
Thank you.
David B. Jacobs writes...
Okay, so, I'm not sure if this'll be approved or not but:
Do you have any plans for anything revolving around the Tablet of Time?
Thanks!
Greg responds...
AND AGAIN I'M NOT GOING TO COMMENT ON ANY FUTURE PLANS. I DO NOT WANT TO SPOIL SEASON THREE.
I thought I was being pretty cool by admitting/teasing that Hobgoblin and Scorpion would appear in Season Three, but it seems to only have encouraged people to demand still more spoilers. And I'm just NOT gonna do it.
Think of it this way. The fact that I'm still adamant about not talking is an indication of how much I still think we'll be back to do a Season Three. So it's good news, right?
David B. Jacobs writes...
Hey, Greg! I just wanted to say that I'm huge fan of your series, TSSM especially (being a huge fan of Spidey). Just a few questions about villains in Season 3. It's fine if you can't answer any.
*****SEASON 2 SPOILERS*****
1. Do you have plans for Tombstone and Hammerhead? They were kind of cut out of the Goblin Returns arc, after I was expecting huge roles.
2. Is Lizard set to return? Season 2 seemed to set up for this perfectly. Even if not in Season 3, will he ever return?
3. Do you think we'll see Green Goblin again in Season 3? Or will we have to wait a bit longer?
4. Is Molten Man coming back? Your idea of having GG control when he is or is not Molten Man seems to make it a bit harder to have him in there without Norman pulling the strings.
5. Will we be seeing Silvermane come back any time soon? I've got another question here, but it may be risky, so I'll ask separately.
6. Is Walter Hardy ever gonna come back into the spotlight?
7. One character in this show I have to love is Electro. You've simply pulled him off so well. It seems obvious that he'll at least appear, but I was wondering if he would have his own episode in Season 3?
Thanks!
Greg responds...
I'm not commenting on any of this. Sorry.
anonymous writes...
Hello. I had some questions regarding a possible third season for "The Spectacular Spider-Man". I read what you said and I know that you can't reveal much about Season Three. But hopefully, these kind of questions won't really go into spoiler territory.
Still, there are SPIDEY SPOILERS in this post for those who haven't seen Season Two yet.
**SERIOUSLY, MAJOR SPOILERS**
... Seriously.
#1.) Will Peter blame himself, be haunted by or feel guilty for Norman Osborn's "death" next season? He kind of was the one who damaged the Green Goblin's glider and sent him to his explosive demise at that water tower.
#2.) So the Connors are in Florida, huh? Does this mean it'll be harder to bring them back on the show, even though classic Stan Lee stories had Spidey fight the Lizard in Florida before?
#3.) I know you cannot comment on which villains you'll be using next season, new or otherwise. I know it's still questionable if there's a pick-up for a new season or not, but let's say that our prayers are answered and, praise Jeebus [thanks for that, Homer Simpson ;)], there's a new season! You said you cannot use the Owl and possibly not the Beetle either. Does this mean you can or cannot use characters like Boomerang, Jack O'Lantern and Swarm on your show at all, or is this "no comment" territory? I'm merely asking because the three villains I listed are essentially Spider-Man villains, but they were not first introduced in a Spider-Man comic and have fought other heroes as well.
#4.) I agree that Robbie and Mary Jane kind of got underused in season two, but I loved what you did with the Mary Jane/Mark Allan relationship. Is it likely we can see more of Robbie and M.J. next season, if possible? I don't know what you have planned or can reveal, but still...
On a side note, please do not introduce any of the "Clone Saga" or "One More Day"/"Brand New Day" stories on your show. I am still plagued by nightmares from reading those fiascos, and the whole clone mess they did on "Spider-Man: The Animated Series" didn't help me like the clone storys any better either.
Thanks so much for giving us two brilliant seasons of "The Spectacular Spider-Man" and I hope you get many more. This show can't end at just two seesons, Mr. Weisman.
**END OF MAJOR SPIDEY SPOILERS**
Greg responds...
SPIDEY SPOILERS!!!!!!
1. Guilt is one of Pete's go-to emotions.
2. No comment.
3. If and when I get back to Sony, I'd have to find out whether I had access to those characters.
4. I like 'em both too, you know.
Matthew Woodley writes...
Hello Mr. Weisman, it's a pleasure to ask you some questions. I've been a big fan of Gargoyles since I was a kid and I'm a big fan of the Spectacular Spider-Man in which I believe you're doing a great job at.
Now as for my questions...
1)Is the Green Goblins hatred for Spider-Man the same or at least close to his comic counterpart?
2) How much of Ultimate Spider-Man have you read?
3)Are you more of a supporter for the Gwen an Peter relationship? Or do you believe that a Mary-Jane and Peter relationship can work in some ways?
4) Has Marvel asked you to write for some of their other shows?
5) Is there a chance that you could (Theoretically) fit Brand New Day villains into new seasons?
6)If it comes to it, would you do the One More Day storyline if you got the chance to?
Greg responds...
SPIDEY SPOILERS!!
1. That's a value judgement. And it's a tough one to make because there have been so many different interpretations of GG in the comics by different creators. I think we're on a level with the way Stan Lee handled the character.
2. A goodly amount.
3. Things come in their proper time.
4. Nope. Though I'd love to.
5. If we get more episodes.
6. Probably not. There's not much point in REBOOTING a continuity that we've only just begun.
Sage Vega writes...
Hey Greg, it's me again. to tell you the truth, Venom is my #1 favorite Diabolical villain in the Spider-Man Legacy. Thanks for bringing him in. I was wondering will Venom return in season 2 for some fun revenge on the Web-Slinger?
Greg responds...
SPIDEY SPOILERS!!!
Absolutely!
Ming writes...
About the Spectacular Spider-man cartoon, are you going to incorporate some (if not all) of the characters and storylines from the Spider-man: Brand New Day era into the show?
Greg responds...
There's one that immediately appealed to me. As for the rest, it depends how many episodes we get in the future.
AJC writes...
Hi Greg!
Big fan of the The Spectacular Spider-man show! I love the animation and the designs (I was weary of the designs at first but I afterwards became accustomed to them. Now I LOVE Cheek's designs!). Your show has actually led me to read some key issues from amazing spider-man and maybe during the summer when I have more free time, I'll begin reading from issue number one. So thank you for that! Even after reading just 2 or 3 random issues, I was absolutely impressed with the characters and plots that you have taken from the comics and shaped it into a modern vision for the show.
(Spoilers SPOILERS spoilers from Season 2)
Questions:
1)Don't you think it would have been appropriate to show the reactions of the Connors and Gwen after Eddie was carted away for his insanity? Do they not care? :(
2) Wasn't it a little too coincidental for norman to assume his son would be passed out (Even if Norman knew Harry was drinking it) as soon as he got back from fighting spider-man? BTW, loved 'Final Curtain'... Very suspenseful and kept me on the edge of my seat (Even better than the season one finale)!
3)What was the point of flash and Sha Shan getting together? Other than developing Flash's character, it didn't seem to affect Spider-man/Peter's life?
4)Would you revisit the gang war? I was kinda hoping there would be huger scale of the gang war like accomplices and gangland (I really loved accomplices because of that).
5)When the full season sets come out, will they have the gun fire sounds or lasers? Extra scenes? Any plans for commentaries for the episodes?
6) If you do not get a season 3 (which would be complete blasphemy!!!!!), would you think about doing plans for Spider-man DTV's sooner?
As a fan, I hope that when you DO get a pickup for further seasons, I really hope you get more than 13 episodes per season. This show deserves it!
Greg responds...
SPIDEY SPOILERS!!!
1. Of course, they care. But AGAIN, I just don't have room in 19 and a half minutes to show every possible reaction from every relevant character. To put in a Connors and Gwen reaction SOMETHING ELSE would have had to get cut. I feel we showed the MOST important scenes.
2. He didn't assume that. He wasn't planning to frame Harry. But he found Harry passed out beside a vial of Globulin Green, so he took advantage of the opportunity.
3. Actually, it's already had an effect on Peter. Remember Flash slamming Pete against a locker to get his advice on how to win Sha Shan over? Pulling him under the table on Valentine's day to make sure he didn't say anything stupid? And that's just the start.
4. Nothing is over.
5. I don't know.
6. I'm not clear what you're asking. If we don't get a third season, we're not likely to get the opportunity to do Direct to DVDs instead.
Thomas writes...
Spectacular Spider-Man is an amazing show, and you've done what other spidey shows haven't by having some of the story-lines from the comics like Master Planner and Molten Man and such. Are there any other story-lines form the comics that you'd like to use? Or are there some that you've made up that you feel would make the show even more spectacular then it already is?
Greg responds...
Yes.
Mike writes...
I'm sorry if this question has already been asked before but when do you expect to get any news on Season 3? Also how is your "cause" to get Season 3 on production?
Greg responds...
My "cause"? I don't know what you mean.
We'd expect news on Season Three sometime after Season Two begins airing on Disney XD, i.e. NO SOONER than late June. Probably more like July.
Galax writes...
Hi Greg.
Can you tell me, which Animationstudio produced the episodes of the show?
Maybe a name of one or all?
thx a lot.
Greg responds...
Sony TV Animation produced the series. But if you mean what studios animated them, we used Dong Wu, Han Ho & Moi.
RTS writes...
*SPIDEY SPOILERS*
Hi Greg.
Great work on Season 2, I might not know exactly how the system works, but I see no reason why it shouldn't be renewed. Hopefully by the time you answer this you will have good news to tell about that, but for now, a few questions regarding what's been done so far.
1) In season 2 episode 8, "Accomplices", we see Black Cat spray something onto a window before going through it, we then see the window wobble around or something after she goes into the vent. What did she do to the window, exactly?
2) Was the lead into Hobie Brown first speaking in the role of Puck something you planned well ahead of time, or did Hobie's silence become a running joke before you made that decision?
3) On the subject, any chance that you tried to get Brent Spiner to do the role?
4) In "Growing Pains", I couldn't help noticing that a certain "Greg Weisman" is named on the cast list shown at the end. I was just wondering whether you have ever performed any role in "A Midsummer Night's Dream", since it is mentioned in one of the FAQs that you've taken acting classes in the past.
5) You're the best. (This isn't a question)
Greg responds...
SPIDEY SPOILERS!!!!!!
1. First she melted the real glass with acid. Then she replaced it with a reflective "paper" that mimicked the look of the glass. Sorry if that wasn't clear.
2. The former.
3. The role of Hobie? No.
4. Yes, I've been in "Midsummer" as Theseus and in another production as Philostrate.
5. Right back at ya.
Kyle Tonarella writes...
I just want to apologize for asking for the black cat question and say i won't bug you anymore about your season 3 plans. I'll just stop asking season 3 questions and support the show buying the season box set for starters and watching the show disney XD which I've been doing.
Greg responds...
Thanks!
Thomas writes...
Alright, you've had Venom in season 1 and 2 or 'The Spectacular Spider-Man, and you gave Cletus Kassidy a cameo in season 2. Does this mean your going to introduce Carnage into the fray, or would that be a bit much for the show?
Greg responds...
No comment.
Michael Byrne writes...
Hey, Greg! Just wanted to say that I loved every new episode of Season 2, all the way up to Goblin and Spidey's climactic battle! But...there is something I want to understand about [[spoiler]] Norman. Why did he go to such measures to take over the Big Man's empire after his identity was guessed by Spidey? I mean, Normie has it all: a great tech company, a loyal son, and a home people only dream of renting. Was he trying to protect all that from others by taking command, or was he simply an ungrateful tyrant obsessed with power and money? I mean, I know he cares about his son in little amounts...but I just can't fathom the reasons for why he did what he did.
Either way, it's been a great two seasons so far, and I encourage you to keep the dream of a season 3 alive. This series, simply put, is lightning in a bottle.
Greg responds...
SPIDEY SPOILERS!!!
Well, my gut reaction is to say if it isn't clear what kind of guy he is from the episodes themselves (let alone 40+ years of continuity) then nothing I say here is going to matter much. But basically, he wanted MORE.
Tom Daylight writes...
Hi Greg,
Congratulations on putting together the best screen adaptation of Spider-Man of all time. I was particularly impressed with your Green Goblin whodunnit. I wonder if you're going to take a similar approach to the Hobgoblin story?
As far as I can see, there are not only a ton of "red herring" candidates in the source material (in fact Roger Stern said it could have been absolutely anyone other than Peter Parker and Robbie - and indeed he invited his replacement Tom DeFalco to unmask Hobgoblin as anyone he liked, although ironically he'd left the book by the time that happened), there's at least four alternative candidates you could genuinely cast in the role (names and descriptions omitted for the sake of spoiler aversion; I hope you know which I'm referring to). The character who was unmasked and officially was the first Hobgoblin for nine years, the character who was revealed to actually be the original Hobgoblin after all that time (mainly due to some writer switches), the character who took on the Hobgoblin's mantle after believing he'd murdered the first one, and the character who became Hobgoblin in Ultimate Spider-Man.
So the way I see it, the casting of this character won't be as clear-cut as "the guy it technically was in the comics all along", because in reality it was a whole bunch of different characters depending on when you were reading it. And casting Montana as Shocker, Tombstone as the Big Man, etc, suggests to me that you're not afraid of playing against the diehards' expectations. So, presuming there is a season three... will this kind of thing play into your Hobgoblin story, or will you be introducing him more as a viewer-in-on-everything supervillain?
Hey, maybe you could even satisfy that Robbie fan by making him a suspect this time. :)
Greg responds...
No comment.
THE BIG CHEESE writes...
Hi Greg. I have always wondered why did you make the Big Man of Crime Tombstone? Because in the comics, Tombstone was a hitman. Thanks. Please write me back.
Greg responds...
As I've stated (many times) before, our original plan was to use Kingpin, but he turned out to be unavailable to us. Tombstone seemed like a character who would well-fit that roll, and I think that proved true. I'd still like to have a shot at Kingpin some day, but I can hardly regret how things turned out.
Anonymous writes...
"I did read "One More Day" and I read the first year or so of "Brand New Day" before my workload overwhelmed me. It would be pretty hypocritical of me to rant against the resetting of timelines, since in essence that's what I've done on this show. "
How would it be hypocritical? You are starting a new universe from scratch with the benefit of hindsight. Marvel reset an existing universe to a status quo that hadn't existed in two decades.
What are your thoughts on the marriage between Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson? Do you think it was a good idea? Marvel, and a lot of anti-marriage fans seem to be stuck on this Spider-Archie character. It's like they don't want their characters to grow and evolve.
Spider-Man has always seemed to be a story about coming of age and growing up. That seems to be the theme of your show also.
Did Marvel drop the ball and lose sight of who this character is? Because it seems that way to me.
I would have loved to see him as a dad, raising Baby May with Mary Jane, but Marvel chose to have Norman Osborn kidnap or kill that child (they never said what happened) because they felt it would age him.
But what sucks the most is that Stan Lee was the one who married them. It's what he wanted for his characters. What Marvel did to them would be like some future writer of "Gargoyles" deciding that it's boring if Goliath and Elisa get together because the tension there was the core of the relationship and resets their entire relationship back to what it was in the first episode.
Greg responds...
SIMPSONS SPOILERS!!!!
Personally, I like characters who grow and change. My all time favorite episode of The Simpsons, is the one where Lisa is having her fortune told and we flash-forward to her in college, falling in love and NOT getting married.
But when you're working on a commercial property that fundamentally has to work commercially, it can be tough when your series has evolved beyond its original premise, especially when you have MULTIPLE authors who have pushed and pulled the thing in multiple (well-intentioned) directions over the course of 40+ years. (Stan wasn't REALLY the guy who married Pete & M.J., no matter how much he participated in the decision and execution of the wedding itself. His run on the book had long since ended.)
Ttake the argument to it's natural extreme. Let's say, to be generous, that Pete was 15 in 1962. So now in 2009, he's 62-years-old. By all rights, if we really wanted to see him change and grow over time, we wouldn't be reading about Pete and M.J. raising baby May. We'd be reading about Pete and M.J. attending May's wedding and the birth of HER kids. (Or whatever.) And we'd be seeing a 62-year-old Spidey swinging around the city... or seriously considering retirement (or whatever).
Now, me? Yeah, actually, that REALLY interests me. It totally does. But I get why it's a commercial nightmare -- and you must also.
You ask how would it be hypocritical of me to rant against resetting timelines, but the answer is pretty obvious. Sony and Marvel approach me about doing a new Spidey show, and I pitch them a sixteen-year-old Pete in high school in 2008. I'm resetting. (You call it "starting a new universe from scratch", but really, what's the difference?) I could have pitched them: I'd like to see Spider-Man as a grandpa. They wouldn't have bought it and frankly, as much as it interests me, I'm not sure I'd have wanted to do it as a Saturday morning cartoon even if they had said yes.
And bringing up an ensemble show like Gargoyles with (more or less) a single guiding hand is really apples and oranges. I can evolve the premise and the relationships and even age the characters, because I can constantly add younger characters at the other end to maintain commerciality. Best of both worlds.
But with a single character property like Spider-Man, what happens when you've aged him beyond his premise. Do you live with it? Do you try to make it work commercially anyway? Can the premise evolve? Or do you find a way to reset. There's no one right answer, but folks have to bite the bullet and decide. Once a decision is made, then it becomes about execution.
STAR TREK SPOILERS!!!
Look at the recent Star Trek movie. They took the continuity and reset it using time travel. The Spidey staff used Mephisto. The concept of the reset/clean slate was surprisingly similar. What remains is execution. Some folks may buy into the Trek reset because of the execution. Some may not. Same with Spidey. And then there are some folks who just don't like the idea of doing a reset AT ALL. That's legit too.
I had the advantage of doing an adaptation for another medium. So I could reset without any continuity excuse. And still, at the end of the day, whether people liked what I did had a lot more to do with execution than themere FACT that I did or didn't reset. Same, I'd guess, goes for One More Day/Brand New Day.
Clark Cradic writes...
Are there any particular Sagas you're hoping to intergrate with the Spectacular Universe? Like the Clone Saga, Six Arm Saga, Indentity Crisis Saga, or some combination?
Greg responds...
Yes.
Anonymous writes...
why is Peter not trying to be with Mary Jane? Why is it Gwen? He married Mary Jane in the comics. He was in love with Mary Jane in all the other cartoons. He was with Mary Jane in the movies. Why is she not important here?
And why this stuff with Liz? Gwen/Peter/MJ should be the triangle. Not Liz.
And Mary Jane should be who he loves, not Gwen.
Greg responds...
Well, if you read the original comics, Gwen was his first real love, and his (much later) relationship with Mary Jane was a DIRECT result of their shared grief over her death. Betty was his first girlfriend, and Liz was someone else he was into as well for a considerable period of time. M.J. was always hot, but early on, she was never interested in being a one-man woman. That's just who she was. We're trying to be true to all that, and more. So have a little patience.
Brad writes...
You answered my question about Morbius by saying that you could only confirm plans for Hobgoblin and Scorpion, but I guess what I really wanted to know was if you could actually use him at all? I've heard the 90's show had many problems clearing him for the network, not allowing him to use his fangs or say the word 'blood' (opting instead for suction cups in his hands and a desire for 'plasma'.)
Loved the first two seasons and particularly the framing devices used in the second (nice touch with the Opera), anxiously awaiting a season 3.
Greg responds...
No comment on Morbius. Thanks for the kind words.
Bazell writes...
Glad this site is back up and running. I hope you got everything done that you needed during the hiatus.
Spectacular Spider-Man has been, well, freakin' spactacular. As a life long Spider-Man fan and current comic book reader, it is with an air of nerdy sophistication that I lend my compliments to all involved in the process.
Now that my nose is sufficiently brown:
I know that translations from one established medium to another require changes and adaptation, not only in terms of style but content as well. I don't pretend to know much about the official process of adapting a story into a new format, but watching many of these television shows and movies that are based on comic book (or novel) storylines that I am intimatly framiliar with often can leave me... wanting. Even in this current show, clearly many alterations of the original storyline have been made. Certainly some of the changes are for the purposes of pacing, keeping episode count down, updating things for modern audiences, etc. But other changes seem unneceassary in terms of such thing to the casual, yet involved, viewer like me. Now understand, I am in no way asking you to justify changes that have been made to a story I already know. If it was the EXACT same story, then I would know what's going to happen at all times. I am confident that changes you and your team have made have been for the purposes of telling the best Spider-Man story you could, so my question is this: what can dictate the changes you make? Also, I assume you must seek some sort of approval from Marvel or Lee/Ditko or someone... is that oversight strict, or are you given certain measures of freedom? Are there any changes you made that you regret? What aspects of the Spider-Man mythos did you consider sacrosanct beyond the obvious necessities about his origin story?
Thank you, as always, for the time you give us fans.
Greg responds...
SPIDEY SPOILERS!!!!!
Marvel approves everything. But I have to say, they've been great partners -- which of course to me means they seem to love what we're doing! ;)
Changes are dictated by all the things you mentioned above, but in adapting the property, we tried to follow what we came to call "The Five Cs": Make it Contemporary, Cohesive, Coherent, Classic and iConic.
When you lay eyes on any character for the first time, especially the villains, you want the viewer to say, "Wow, yes! That IS Doctor Octopus [or whomever]!" He has to be that iconic, that classic. But at the same time we want to make his look contemporary.
The same notion applies to storytelling. Over forty plus years of continuity (with ideas coming from Lee/Ditko, Lee/Romita and everyone since including Bendis' Ultimate Spider-Man and the Raimi movies, etc.), there's going to be a ton of interesting characters and story ideas, but there's also going to be considerable duplication, a false start here and there, conflicting interpretations, etc. Having the advantage of hindsight when looking at this wealth of material, we strived to make the show more coherent and cohesive than the original.
This in turn helps it feel more contemporary. Storytelling has changed over the last set of decades, and a modern audience is more sophisticated with more stringent expectations. For example, just having every villain (and your hero) created from random exposures to radiation is a bit tough to swallow... on many levels. So -- as arrogant as I know it sounds -- we try to improve on the origins, by weaving characters and plotlines together, by limiting the sources of where someone can get super-powers, etc. Likewise, we may combine two characters that overlap so much that they fulfill the same function. For example, Bennett Brant + Mark Raxton/Molten Man = Mark Allan/Molten Man, or it did for us, anyway. Doing this made things more coherent and more personal to Spider-Man/Peter.
Having said all that, it was EXTREMELY important to us that the characters remained Classic and Iconic in the writing as well as the visuals. I STUDIED these characters and all the source material intensely. I tried to get down to the core essence of each character, i.e. what made him or her who he or she was to the reader. Flash is a bully, who deep down is actually an honorable guy. He's a guy who starts out as Pete's nemesis (and ironically Spidey's biggest fan) and eventually becomes both a decorated war veteran and one of the few people that Pete can count on. We knew we were starting with High School Flash, but we wanted to plant seeds of the guy we knew he'd become.
On the other hand, I studied Shocker. Great powers. Fun battles. Iconic costume. Secret i.d. = a cypher. Yes, we know his name, but there's nothing about Herman that makes him special. So in an attempt to make our universe more cohesive and coherent, I combined Montana with Shocker. I don't make that decision likely, and I do get that this bothers some folks, but it really felt like it worked in the context of our series, and Marvel agreed.
Another example: The Green Goblin was introduced as a mystery. Stan and Steve kept us guessing as to who was the man behind the mask for years. That mystery seemed FUNDAMENTAL to the character. And yet we knew that the audience knew that Norman Osborn was the Goblin. So how do you create a fundamentally necessary mystery when the audience already knows the answer? The solution was misdirection. Many people still guessed or assumed that Norman was the Goblin, but some people were fooled (at least briefly) and because I was NOT above making Montana into Shocker, seeds of doubt were planted. There's been (thankfully) a lot of positive feedback on our second season finale. And many people said something along the lines of, "Even though I knew it was Norman Osborn, you still kept me guessing." That's exactly what we hoped would happen.
This, of course, is just the tip of the iceberg. There are many other examples. But it should give you something of a window into our very exacting process.
Anonymous writes...
Hi...
Can we see th Chameleon in season three?
Can we see the Lizard in season three, too?
Will Sandman be back in season three?
Will Rhino return for a third season?
Do you have plans for Doc Ock be in more than one episode for season three?
Is Venom going to be back for season three?
Can Mysterio be back in season three?
~ Thanx
Greg responds...
And again, no comment. NO COMMENT on what's planned for Season Three, beyond the arrival of Hobgoblin and Scorpion. Those are two BIG spoilers. And I'm not giving out any others.
BackLash writes...
Hello sir,
1. In episode 9 "The Uncertainty Principle, who was that "cheerleader" in the ping wig and green jacket, hanging out with Flash and the "girls"?
2. How come Montana is the Shocker in the show?
3. If there is later seasons, will Bluebird or Prowler make appearances?
Greg responds...
1. Uh... honestly, it's been so long since I saw that episode, it's hard to remember which guy was wearing the pink wig. Was it Rand? Kenny? Hobie? Tiny?
2. I've addressed this. Check the archives.
3. No comment.
Branden Harvey writes...
The show is great. I LOVED both seasons (especally Final Curtain). I have a few questions:
1. SPIDEY SPOILERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If Norman framed Hary in The Uncertainty Principle, how come Harry was switching back and forth between himself and the Goblin persona?
2. SPIDEY SPOILERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
In First Steps, how was Eddie able to make a web when he didn't have the symbiote on?
3. How long will it take after you get the ok for a third season to produce the season and make it available for television?
Thanks.
Greg responds...
SPIDEY SPOILERS!!!!!
1. Huh?
2. He created a web-shooter, since he had all of Peter's memories.
3. About ten months, give or take.
Anonymous writes...
Hello Mr.Greg Weisman i want to give some compliments about Spectacular Spider-Man.
1.DOCTOR OCTOPUS.
Doctor Octopus is one of my favorite Spider-Man Villains(others are Venom,Green Goblin,Lizard And Carnage).I like him very much in your show.In 90's animated series he was good,but later was just henchmen for Kingpin like much villain in 90's show.In your show he is very cool and evil character.In all of his episodes best were Reaction And Shear Strenght(that's my opinion)and there he was 100 percent EVIL(Like he should be).I also liked how in Group Therapy he showed interested in Symbiote,and in Gangland he said that criminal empire should be run like a science.You should make storyline where Dock Ock wants to test Symbionte or Become Monster-Ock(Like one of Spider-Man Games) in Season 3 or 4.Also for some reason i think that he employed Chameleon to steal Symbiote in Persona.
2.EPISODE ARCS
Idea to make episode arcs In Spectacular Spider-Man was brilliant,and Big Three(Venom,Doctor Octopus,Green Goblin)has 2 their own arcs.Venom has Symbiote and Venom arcs.Green Goblin Got First Green Goblin Arc and Return of Goblin Arcs.Doctor Octopus has Master Planner Arc And Gang War Arc.And they are like Main Villains in your show and they done worse things than any other villain.I don't like that some fans are saying that some episodes are fillers,but i don't think that way.Good luck developing storylines in future.
And i have one question.Do you plan to add another crime lord to Spectacular Spider-Man?
Greg responds...
To me, none of our episodes are filler. Certainly, none were INTENDED as filler All serve multiple purposes and hopefully tell a great story. But I'm biased, obviously.
Sage Vega writes...
Hey Greg, I'm Sage. Here are my questions, I'm a huge fan of thh new spider-man show and I've watched the first season 5 times. I haven't seen the second season yet, but I was wondering... On season 3, could you add the Spot into the frey. Because He's my favorite funny bad guy, Besides he might give Spidey a big headache by goofing around with him a lot.
Greg responds...
I know this must sound obnoxious, but I'm NOT taking requests. Doesn't mean Spot won't appear; doesn't mean he will. (I'm not going to reveal that at this point.) It just means I have an overall plan already, that's been constructed with some intricacy. I can neither pull nor replace a thread without the whole thing unravelling. Sorry.
anonmous writes...
**SEASON TWO SPOILERS OF "THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN"**
**BIG SPOILERS -- SERIOUSLY**
**Fine, don't blame me if you get spoiled.**
...Or maybe you can. It's your call.
[EDIT; WHOOPS!! Somehow part 2 got approved before part 1. That was most certainly not my intention. Sorry about that.]
Anyway, hello, sir. Nice to see you're taking questions again.
I've seen all the episodes for season two. It was an excellent season, but to be honest, it was also a disappointing one. I'd like to share my thoughts on this season's episodes, if I may, and tell you what I loved, what I didn't care for, and what episodes I thought were the best/worst of the new season...
Part 1 of reviews
"Blueprints":
This was one great episode. I loved how this was an introduction to Mysterio that didn't just adapt "The Amazing Spider-Man", vol. 1, #13, which was Mysterio's comic debut. It was good to see the Connors back and that Peter gets a second chance working with them, and thanks to Norman Osborn of all people! Loved Stan Lee's cameo, it was great to see everyone back, and the look of Mysterio was awesome. Also, loved, loved, LOVED the saloon fight with Spider-Man and the army of Mysterio robots. It's good to see that Mysterio is actually a hand-to-hand fighter against Spidey in addition to being the master of illusion. Mysterio never fought Spidey on the Fox Kids Spider-Man series, which I always hated, but here, Mysterio is just great. The gargoyle Homunculi robots that Mysterio used were also great. Can't go wrong with those little critters. The ending with Spidey not recognizing Quentin Beck had me laughing and the Tinkerer appearance was also nice. Great to see Beck escaped going to jail by using a robot double. And Master Planner makes himself known when he talks with Tinkerer on the phone. Very nice. As for Osborn's final scene, never thought I'd think seeing a guy picking the pieces off a cracked egg could be so dang creepy in all my life. So, Osborn's mentoring Peter now, huh? Does Osborn suspect something about Peter and wants to keep a closer eye on him? Hmm...
My only major complaint with "Blueprints" is the voice of Mysterio. We all know Beck is a better sfx maestro than an actor, but come on! His voice is too over the top and way too hammy, even for Mysterio. I was expecting Xander Berkeley to have a voice for Mysterio that was gruffer, kind of like the voice he used for the evil sheriff he played in "Shanghai Noon" or something like that. I hope in season three that Beck takes acting lessons and gives Mysterio a better voice. Just because Mysterio looks a bit silly, wearing a fishbowl helmet and all, it doesn't mean he has to SOUND silly too. This isn't a complaint against you personally, but I think someone should fix this and tell Mr. Berkeley to change Mysterio's voice to make it less cheesy.
"Destructive Testing":
This was a great, GREAT intro for Kraven. This is my favorite version of Kraven to date. The addition of Calypso was also wonderful, as I hated the Mariah Crawford version we got on the 90s series. Debra Whitman pops up, Miles Warren gets some more focus, and Kraven gets an upgrade. Uh...okay, I didn't like the latter being in this episode. It was simply too quick to change Kraven. It's not that I didn't like the idea of it, but I thought this should have been done later in the season or the next season, but still, it was nice to see Miles Warren give Kraven his new powers and lion-like look. I just wish we saw Kraven look human a bit more first. I mean, we barely got a chance to get used to normal-looking Kraven, and then he looks like an animal with his next bout with Spider-Man. And the part where Calypso and Kraven are together at the end just felt...wrong. Granted, it's nice to see Calypso is still with Kraven given his new appearance, but it looks a bit cartoony and is the supervillain version of Beauty and the Beast. I swear, I was expecting Cogsworth and Lumiere to pop up and break into a kiddie song. Still, it was a great episode overall, and another great tease for the Master Planner.
"Reinforcement":
This is my fourth favorite episode of the season. Everyone's wondering whether or not the inmate Cletus with the red hair and Santa hat is really Cletus Kasady/future Carnage, or maybe a relative of Beavis. Regardless, the cameo is nice and this episode is simply wonderful. I didn't buy, though, that Electro was suddenly liking being a villain, but then I didn't get that part of "group Therapy" in season one. In "Group Therapy", Electro wants a cure from Doc Ock when at the dinner table but throughout the episode, he insists people call him Electro? Weird. The reforming Doc Ock was nice and I liked how Dr. Kafka stood up for him, even if she did get zapped down by Electro by intervening. I thought the Sinister Six would attack all at once again, but alas, no such luck. It's also bizarre that Shocker is not included to join the team, but perhaps it's due to Shocker working for Hammerhead/Tombstone. Remember, in "Group Therapy", Montana tells Ock that Mr. H says they're available. Also, I like Mysterio's voice when he talks normal, like when Mysterio talks to Rhino about why Tinkerer couldn't be a member of the Sinister Seven that Master Planner mentions. Once he's fighting AS Mysterio, though, he still hams it up. Oy. Despite this, I especially love the introduction of Blackie Gaxton here. It's nice to see classic Spidey characters introduced, especially for the first time on an animated series. I really hope we have a Doctor Octopus/Gaxton meeting in the future. I loved seeing Peter and everyone from his school ice skating and the team-of-two Sinister Six pairings. Seeing Peter burn his tongue on his hot drink and have him try to quip as Spidey was just priceless. Spidey has some of the funniest lines ever in this episode, and my favorite is when he sees Jameson with the Santa cap on ("Lock your chimneys, folks."). The Rhino and Sandman pairing was my favorite, and Rhino's reaction when he realizes Spidey's tricked him had me rolling ("I hate you...so much."). It was neat to see that Master Planner had Tinkerer free five out of the Six members, though I wished Rhino was arrested rather than Mysterio so we'd see Doc Ock lead the original Sinister Six. The best part was with Tinkerer breaking out Doc Ock with his own tentacles, and Doc Ock screaming "NOOOOOOOO!!" in horror just gave me goosebumps. Finally, the ending was very nice when Peter gave Aunt May her present. Great work.
"Shear Strength":
Another brilliant episode, and we even get a cameo by Morris Bench/future Hydro-Man. Best of all, we learn the voice of Bench is Patrick Star himself, Bill Fagerbakke! PLEASE say he returns to voice Hydr-Man next season!
So Doc Ock is the Master Planner? Wonderful! I don't care how he managed to keep in touch with everyone from Ravencroft, especially since that place needs MUCH better security anyway. This was Doc Ock at his best and much, MUCH better than how he's been portrayed in the comic books in years. Mysterio, you need Doc Ock as your acting coach after his convincing performance in the previous episode. THIS is how you fool people. So Ock wants to gain control over the internet and he's got no problem with abducting Gwen Stacy so that he can force her father into getting him what he wants. I also love the new chip you gave Ock that grants him new control over his arms, though I still feel to this day he should have had complete mental control over his arms anyway once his harness was fused to his skin in "Reaction". Anyway, we get Tinkerer, Vulture, and Electro thrown in for good measure. The fights between Electro and Spider-Man and then Ock's fight with Spider-Man were very well done and exciting. You guys know how to keep a guy hooked with good fight sequences. Best of all, we get to see Spider-Man to reenact the same famous scene where he lifts the debris off of him from "The Amazing Spider-Man", vol. 1, #33. You guys actually improve upon that iconic image when Spidey's own might tears part of his outfit when he's lifting the machinery off of him. My only complaint in the episode is that Doc Ock didn't take Electro with him when he escaped. They have a bit of a mentor/pupil relationship, and Electro himself even says he worshipped Ock in "Reinforcement". Did Doc Ock leave Electro behind because he was upset with him for trashing his lab after he ordered him to stand down, or did he merely not want to risk being caught by Spider-Man by not picking Electro up when he was making his escape? Or maybe he was just so eager to ditch Spider-Man in his ruined lab and leave him to die that he forgot? Whatever the reason, it kind of gave me pause. Thankfully, Spidey took him out when he left with Gwen so we know we'll see more of Electro in the series. In all, it's one of the best episodes of the season -- and the series. It's my third favorite for season two.
"First Steps":
At first I thought, "A solo Sandman story? Why? We could be seeing a new villain introduced instead and we just saw him in 'Reinforcement'." Of course, that was BEFORE I saw this episode, and man, it was a gem. I was pleasantly surprised with this one, with Spider-Man mocking Sandman for still comitting the same petty thefts he did as Flint Marko when he could be using his powers for so much more. It also gives us a great line, where Spidey quotes "With great power comes great..." and Sandman adds "Gullibility!!" before punching him. We also get more out of Hammerhead, which is cool because I love Mr. DiMaggio's scenes where he voices Sandman and Hammerhead together. We also get Sha Shan, and on this series, Sha Shan's voice actress is none other than "X2" co-star Kelly Hu! Sweet! The video segment moments for Flash's birthday party were nice, though I'll never think of the nickname "Flash" Thompson the same ever again. I'm a bit surprised this one got through the censors. Anyway, the best moment at the party, to me, was Rand's reaction with Sally when they were filming. I know you guys mean well, but MAN, I dislike Sally. How this girl will eventually become Bluebird is beyond me at this point. Sandman has some great moments of his own, especially the moment on the beach with the little girl and her sand castle. The ending was nice, though I still cringe at the memories of the sand-giant Sandman from the terrible, terrible "Spider-Man 3" film. However, Sandman's return at the episode's end and Eddie Brock's re-appearance in this episode made it all worth it. And now that Eddie has his symbiote back, we're gonna have a heck of a good time with Venom...
"Growing Pains":
I thought the transformation of John Jameson was kind of quick here, but who cares? This episode is brilliant. Not only do we get John Jameson playing hero (and later villain to Spidey) as Colonel Jupiter, we get Venom! The Venom moments were some of the best I've ever seen, with Venom's framing Spidey while in the black costume were nicely done. I'm a bit surprised that electricity is what stops John Jameson and that he's still a bit insane after what happened to him, but heck, we get a real reason for Jameson to genuinely hate Spider-Man. I assume he'll be bringing in Mac Gargan in the future to get revenge on Spider-Man for what he did to his son. I feel bad for John Jameson and hope he changes back to his own, sane self...even if we all want him to go through the misfortune of becoming Man-Wolf at some point in the future. To top it all off, we get quite possibly the best cliffhanger ending of all, where Venom breaks into the Bugle and announces that Peter is Spider-Man in front of his shocked co-workers!
"Identity Crisis"
Okay, seriously...great, great, GREAT work here, guys. This episode made me wish that this, THIS, was the Venom we got for "Spider-Man 3": ruthless, persistent, vile, and wanting nothing more than Spider-Man dead. I loved everyone's reaction to Ned Lee's question that Peter Parker could be Spider-Man. To me, the Connors and Aunt May had the best reactions, though Norman's simple "No." comment was effective and creepy. Maybe he already knows and won't tell anyone? Anyway, we even get a Quentin Beck cameo in prison during Ned's interview that foreshadows a later episode! Sweet! We also get Flash Thompson helping Spider-Man out and the return of Dr. Connors' gene cleanser. That's the only part of this story I don't buy. THAT is how Venom gets defeated? Granted, I know that Venom's vulnerability to sonic vibrations is how Spidey got rid of the symbiote and that it's unlikely we'll see Venom's weakness to fire animated. But really, what does this do to the symbiote? Does it mean it can't bond to Brock anymore? Does it change it so that it becomes a red symbiote for Carnage? Sigh. Season Three can't come fast enough to show us what the future holds for Eddie Brock and the symbiote. Although, I love how Eddie wanted the symbiote back and it's a bit heartbreaking that he has to hold onto his hatred in order to get the symbiote back because, otherwise, it wouldn't return to him and Eddie would feel that he'd have nothing left. Poor Eddie. Poor, INSANE Eddie, but poor Eddie nonetheless. However, I'm quite sure we haven't seen the last of Eddie Brock as Venom. He's too popular to keep away for long and the "Spectacular" version of Venom is my favorite of all time. Here, he's truly showcased as to why he's one of Spider-Man's most popular, deadliest and greatest enemies that the hero has to face off with. In the end, Peter's secret is safe and Captain Stacy makes his first hint he may know Peter's secret. Oh, man, that was just wonderful! I'm going to bet that, as of now, the only ones who know for sure that Peter is Spider-Man are Captain Stacy and Mary Jane Watson. I'm pretty sure M.J. knows already, like how she knew from nearly the beginning in the comics.
I'll mention the other episodes shortly...
**BIG SPOILERS OVER
**END OF "SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN" SEASON TWO SPOILERS**
Greg responds...
Again, no new chip in Ock. This is the same chip that fused to his spine from the beginning. It's always given him complete control over his arms. But that doesn't explain what POWERS the arms.
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