Throughout the years, Marvel has introduced iconic characters like Captain America, Iron Man, and The Incredible Hulk, but there’s no doubt that their most successful legacy character is the Amazing Spider-Man. A radioactive spider bit teenage Peter Parker and turned him into Spider-Man in the character’s beloved origin story.
With this love for Spider-Man came video games, live-action movies, and, of course, animated shows for each generation to enjoy over the decades. There has been a Spider-Man cartoon almost every decade since the 1960s with many different styles and writing.
Updated on June 1, 2023, by Scoot Allan:2023’s highly-anticipated Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Versesequelteased a few fan-favorite versions of the wall-crawler from animated series like TheSpectacular Spider-Man and Spider-Man Unlimited, bringing fans back to the classic Spider-Man cartoons they enjoyed over the years.
11 Spider-Man (1967)
52 Episodes
The webhead’s first swing onto the screen came in a fun show for kids in the ’60s. The first Spider-Man cartoon left its mark on history with cheesy adventures and animation that sparked the creation of a few different memes over the years. The series also featured an iconic theme song that almost every Spider-Man live-action movie has referenced.
Without the first Spider-Man cartoon, fans possibly wouldn’t have had the chance to enjoy the movies or other animated shows that followed. Spider-Man ’67 is a bit dated but it still holds a special place in the hearts of many fans. This version of Spider-Man even made a quick cameo in Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse‘s post-credit scene.
10 Spider-Man (1981)
26 Episodes
The ’80s Spider-Man cartoon seemed to fly under the radar since it only lasted twenty-two episodes before being canceled. Much like the original series, Spider-Man has many dated elements which included lackluster writing and animation rooted in the era that might remind fans of the original He-Man And The Masters Of The Universe cartoon.
However, Spider-Man was ahead of its time and featured a number of guest appearances by other Marvel heroes and villains including Captain America, Namor, and Doctor Doom. Spider-Man set the stage for follow-ups like Spider-Woman and the web-crawlers’ next animated series.
9 Spider-Man And His Amazing Friends
24 Episodes
The same production and animation team as 1981’s Spider-Man also united the wall-crawler with a small team of heroes featuring Iceman from Firestar from the X-Men. Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends featured other Marvel heroes and villains, though it also created a few that never made it into the comics as well.
Spider-Man And His Amazing Friends lasted three seasons with only twenty-four episodes. It was a success and even to this day, there are fans who go back and rewatch the series with a smile. It is now available for at-home streaming on Disney+ alongside many other Spider-Man shows.
8 Spider-Man: The Animated Series
65 Episodes
The original 1967 Spider-Man cartoon may have kicked off the character’s animated legacy, but it was the ’90s reboot that really developed a loyal fanbase. The long-running series featured impressive animation and treated each character with respect.
Spider-Man featured more action and darker comic-based storylines and was yet another success for the Marvel animated universe that began with the X-Men cartoon. 1994’s Spider-Man cartoon also helped the Marvel universe expand with new animated series like The Incredible Hulk and Iron Man.
7 Spider-Man Unlimited
13 Episodes
Spider-Man Unlimited was a follow-up to the ’94 series that took the character in a bold new direction. Peter Parker followed the Venom and Carnage symbiotes to the cyberpunk Counter-Earth to stop them and save J. Jonah Jameson’s son. The unique Spider-Man cartoon only lasted one season, which was largely credited to the poor animation and unique shift in the story.
The design for Spider-Man’s new cyberpunk suit was also not well received by fans, making the whole series feel underwhelming. Spider-Man Unlimited was an obvious attempt to capitalize on the success of Batman Beyond, though it might have worked better if the series focused on Miguel O’Hara’s popular Spider-Man 2099variant instead.
6 Spider-Man: The New Animated Series
13 Episodes
The decision to air a superhero cartoon on MTV in the early ’00s might have restricted the fan base for the short-lived Spider-Man: The New Animated Series. Fans that did see the series were largely turned off by the controversial 3D animation style that doesn’t hold up well for modern fans.
Spider-Man: TNAS featured Neil Patrick Harris as Peter Parker and Michael Clarke Duncan as Kingpin in stand-out performances that continued stories from 2002’s’s live-action Spider-Man film as well as 2003’s Daredevil. The experimental series’ disappointing performance led to its cancelation after one season.
5 The Spectacular Spider-Man
26 Episodes
The 1994 Spider-Man cartoon is held in high regard, though fans also rank The Spectacular Spider-Man as one of the character’s best animated adaptations. The Spectacular Spider-Man featured gorgeous animation and great performances from the voice actors. It also adapted quite a few iconic storylines from the comics with a modern twist.
Unfortunately, due to ever-evolving rights issues, The WB canceled The Spectacular Spider-Man after only two seasons. Fans of the popular series got the chance to see this version of the character again alongside a number of other variants in 2023’s Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.
4 Ultimate Spider-Man
104 Episodes
While the title of the show might excite some fans of Miles Morales, the series was not initially about Miles Morales. Instead, it followed Peter Parker after Nick Fury upgraded his tech and assigned him a new team of S.H.I.E.L.D. heroes in training that included Luke Cage, White Tiger, Iron Fist, and Nova.
Ultimate Spider-Man mixed action with a lot of fourth-wall breaking and jokes geared towards a younger audience, which led to a mixed reception among fans. However, Ultimate Spider-Man still became the longest-running Spider-Man series ever. The series’ third and fourth seasons were retitled as Web Warriors and Spider-Man vs. the Sinister Six, respectively.
3 Marvel’s Spider-Man
58 Episodes
When the MCU’s new take on Spider-Man appeared on the big screen, a new Spider-Man cartoon appeared soon after. 2017’s Marvel’s Spider-Man focused on Peter Parker as he balanced his life as Spider-Man with his time at a special high-tech school for genius kids that included Miles Morales and Gwen Stacy.
With many new and familiar aspects, Marvel’s Spider-Man ran for three seasons, though the final season was retitled as Spider-Man: Maximum Venom. Fans appreciated the inclusion of the various Spider-People as main characters, though the reimagined setting and sometimes simplistic animation failed to impress some fans.
2 Spidey And His Amazing Friends
45 Episodes
Spidey and His Amazing Friends premiered on Disney Jr. in 2021 as the spiritual successor to the fan-favorite series from the ’80s. The family-friendly series was geared toward younger ages and followed Peter Parker/Spider-Man alongside his modern team of Web Warriors like Miles Morales/Spin (who was renamed for the series) and Gwen Stacy/Ghost-Spider.
Spidey and His Amazing Friends launched with web episodes that introduced the new cast of heroes. Spider-Man’s drone Trace-E and his super-computer Web-ster joined the trio as they faced kid-friendly versions of iconic Spider-Man villains like Green Goblin and Doctor Octopus.
1 Spider-Man: Freshman Year
TBD
Marvel Studios recently announced the latest Spider-Man cartoon to star Peter Parker, which will stream on Disney+. Spider-Man: Freshman Year is set in an alternate version of the MCU and will explore the previously unrevealed origins of the wall-crawler.
The new animated series is executive produced by Jeff Trammell, who will also serve as the head writer. Trammell is best known for his work with other Disney animated series like Craig of the Creek and Amphibia, which has fans even more excited about the upcoming Freshman Year.
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