Spider-Man 2017 was nothing like what Marvel had promised after their Ultimate Spider-Man run.
After the four-season run of Ultimate Spider-Man from 2012 to 2017, fans expected nothing short of a ’90s-inspired next part for the web slinger’s animated series. Marvel, too, promised a classic Spider-Man series that will take audiences back to the times of The Spectacular Spider-Man. However, what fans got instead was a disappointing animated series titled Spider-Man, which ran for another three seasons from 2017 to 2020.
Marvel’s Spider-Man was the successor to Ultimate Spider-Man that premiered in 2017
Fans could never forgive Marvel for deceiving them, especially after the initial announcement and concept art gave a completely different picture of what 2017’s Spider-Man was going to be. The discussion once again popped up on social media recently.
Fans Haven’t Forgiven Marvel For The Disappointing Animated Series Spider-Man 2017
Fans were completely disappointed with Spider-Man 2017 after what Marvel promised for the series
One fan on X posted the official concept art of 2017’s animated series Spider-Man, calling it “the biggest bait and switch ever.” The series came after the end of Ultimate Spider-Man, a show that received generally mixed reviews from critics and audiences. Despite being a decent Spidey show, Ultimate Spider-Man couldn’t match up to the level of the original Spider-Man animated show of 1994 or The Spectacular Spider-Man, the critically acclaimed 2008 series.
Fans once again bashed the series and Marvel Studios under the post on X. One fan called the series an abomination and a disgrace to the iconic character itself. They couldn’t believe how the studio could mess up such a project when they could easily take ideas from its successful predecessors.
Another fan shared that they were super-hyped when they saw the concept art, but the final product was nothing like what they had depicted in the art. One fan pointed out how Marvel marketed the show as a return to classic Spidey.
Their promise was a series solely focused on the central character, unlike Ultimate Spider-Man, which saw an abundance of other Marvel characters come and go. But Spider-Man also ended up having a multitude of characters. Some fans also pointed out the extremely poor designs of the different characters. Some fan reactions read:
Spider-Man 2017 premiered on Disney XD as a replacement for Ultimate Spider-Man and ran for three seasons until April 2020. In the series, Peter Parker becomes a student at Horizon High after successfully solving Max Modell’s equation during a presentation. He juggles the competitive school work with his crime-fighting as Spider-Man.
Some Of The Critical Aspects Of The Show And Marvel’s Possible Future Of Animated Spider-Man Series
If Marvel plans another animated series after Spider-Man, it should take lessons from X-Men ’97
Marvel’s Spider-Man had good intentions, but it executed both its plot and character designs. Even if fans ignored the ridiculous looks of all the villains of the show (let’s not talk about the purple-colored Rhino), the central character itself failed the series. Peter Parker was designed as an annoying nerd who is just trying to be smart in every scene.
Fans’s biggest problem with Ultimate Spider-Man was that the show catered mostly to kids, but it still managed to be entertaining for its target audience. However, the 2017 show couldn’t even hook the audience with its plain entertainment factor. If Marvel plans to bring back another Spidey animated show, they should take inspiration from X-Men ’97 and continue with the successful ’90s or 2008 Spider-Man series.
Marvel’s Spider-Man and Ultimate Spider-Man are now available for streaming on Disney+. The Spectacular Spider-Man is now available for rent on AppleT+.
