- Title: Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends – Along Came Spidey
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With a new Disney+ show exploring the origins of the latest version of Spider-Man, Spidey Sunday takes us back to my favorite animated version of Spider-Man‘s (Dan Gilvezan) origin story in the Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends episode “Along Came Spidey.” The episode, which premiered in Fall 1982, hits all the classic moments of the classic Spider-Man origin story while framing it in an extended flashback caused by current events. After Aunt May (June Foray) is injured during a fight between the Spidey Friends and the Shocker (John Stephenson), a guilty Peter considers giving up the mantle of Spider-Man and tells his friends how he got his powers and the important lesson he learned about power and responsibility.
The episode ties in Peter’s current guilt in seeing May in the hospital with the guilt of Uncle Ben‘s death which he couldn’t prevent. Although it doesn’t take his pals much to snap him out of his depression, the episode certainly has more dramatic weight than you would expect from a Saturday morning cartoon. Spurred on by Firestar (Kathy Garver) and Iceman (Frank Welker), Spidey suits back up and the Spider Friends take down the Shocker. The episode isn’t without one big headscratcher with Spidey “discovering” how the Shocker’s powers work despite having defeated him in the past and sent him to prison (which he breaks out of at the beginning of the episode).
NBC had asked for origin stories of all the main characters but were initially hesitant to include Uncle Ben’s death, but, as rumors go, Stan Lee insisted the episode wouldn’t be made if forced to leave out the crucial piece of Spider-Man’s origins. Memorable moments from the episode include the shots of Spider-Man holding an injured and unconscious Aunt May, Peter at Aunt May’s bed side, Angela and Bobby convincing Peter not to give up the good fight, and several flashback moments including Spidey’s flirt with fame, Peter sewing his suit and building his web-shooters, the fateful decision in the hallway and, of course, the consequences of his inaction revealed in the dark warehouse.
