he popular Marvel comics
character that redefined the superhero came swinging into
TV with this 1967 debut.
Created by Stan Lee, Peter Parker was a young college
student who made extra money as a photographer for the The
Daily Bugle. While working on a school science experiment,
Peter was accidentally bitten by an irradiated spider and
soon began developing superhuman talents that resembled
those of a spider’s. Not only could he climb walls and
ceilings, but he had also developed a “spider-sense,”
which warned him of danger well in advance of his more
human contemporaries.
Peter initially used his abilities to make a profit,
deliberately staying away from any crime fighting. But
when a burglar, whom he had failed to stop while en route
to a TV appearance, murdered his gentle Uncle Ben, Peter
finally grasped what his uncle meant when he told him,
“with great power comes great responsibility.”
After this epiphany, Peter decided to use his powers
almost solely to make the city safe for its citizens. He
developed a “web fluid,” capable of immobilizing any
target, which also provided him with a brilliant mode of
transportation. Shooting the fluid from devices on his
wrist, he was able to swing around the city uninterrupted
and toll-free.
Unlike many superheroes before him, Spider-Man was not
loved by all. Daily Bugle editor J. Jonah Jameson
frequently criticized him for his anonymous vigilantism,
often printing scathing editorials demanding that the hero
reveal his secret identity.
Peter, whose parents were dead, lived with his doting
Aunt May, who never seemed to notice the strange hours he
kept, and never questioned him about the weird items in
his room.
This particular incarnation of Spider-Man was
supervised by animation pioneer Ralph Bakshi. These
episodes were very stylized and featured swingin’ music,
as well as dark, shadowy settings. Comic carryovers like
Electro, Doctor Octopus, Mysterio, and The Rhino all put
in appearances as the supervillain of the week.
Perhaps the most memorable part of the show was its
groovy theme song, which has been remade by such bands as
The Ramones and can be sung by nine out of every ten
people in America.
