Spider-Friends - Who Was Missing?

[Stu]

Hey,

One of the things that is most fondly remembered about Spider-Man And His Amazing Friends is how fun everything was. The networks didn't want dark or angsty shows and violence was a no-go back in those days, so the producers wisely decided to have as much fun as they could in the show. Sometimes it worked (7 Little Superheroes) and othertimes it didn't (The Fantastic Mr. Frump) but the show did have a greatly enjoyable tone.

The series didn't really last very long compared to a lot of 80's shows, especially considering how popular it was. If the show had continued, who would've you have liked to see appear? A new villain, or perhaps a guest star that never quite made it onto the show? Hell, even one of Spider-Man's supporting characters - who was missing, in your opinion?


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[S.C.B]

Human Torch would have been a nice addition, but his powers are basically the same as Firestar's, so maybe not. I suppose a Fantastic Four crossover wouldn't go amiss.

Although this is a bit out of character for an 80s show, maybe they could have introduced Mary Jane or Gwen Stacy as a love interest for Peter, which would in turn bring out Firestar's attraction for the web-slinger. But as I said, that's more 90s Spidey than 80s.

[Kid Eternity]

In no particular order

1. Luke Cage
2. Iron Fist
3. White Tiger (Hector Ayala)
4. Black Panther
5. The Falcon
6. Daredevil
7. The Avengers
8. Black Cat
9. The Puma
10. The Defenders

[Spider-Friends]

Although this is a bit out of character for an 80s show, maybe they could have introduced Mary Jane or Gwen Stacy as a love interest for Peter, which would in turn bring out Firestar's attraction for the web-slinger. But as I said, that's more 90s Spidey than 80s.

That's a nail on the head concerning SMAHAF but there's really no reason they couldn't have used MJ or Gwen in the '81 solo show. The ONLY reason I can even think of for them not having used Mary Jane in the solo show is because people might have confused her with Angelica. But that doesn't really make sense because the solo show was mostly finished in production when they started SMAHAF. (Gwen, I'm sure, wasn't used in the solo show because she was dead in the comics. Sure "so was the Goblin", but he was too rich of a villain to NOT use.)

As far as who was missing in SMAHAF, in the context of the show, I'd say my list goes like this:

1. Fantastic Four guest appearance with obligatory Firestar/Human Torch romance.

2. Black costume in one episode (with Firestar drooling over Spidey in it like the Black Cat use to in the comics). The Hulk cartoon used the comic concept of Hulk with Banner's brain in one ep. As a kid, I fully expected SMAHAF to do the same with the black costume.

3. The Avengers

I could go on ALL DAY but I'll stop there.

To throw the show on a bit of a tangent, I'd like to have seen some interaction between Bobby and Jameson. Bobby would have handled JJJ's abrupt personality COMPLETELY different than Peter.

[Spider-Friends]

5. The Falcon

GOOD one!!

[Antiyonder]

1. Since the Human Torch was originally the planned 3rd Spider-Friend, they could have made him an honorary member. Heck, She-Hulk was an Avenger and Fantastic Four member.

2. Spider-Woman, to return the favor for Spider-Man guest starring in her toon.


As for hero versus villain bits that would have been good to see:

1. Spider-Friends VS Molecule Man: Maybe with a sideplot where an accident during the fight separates Iceman and Firestar from their human counterparts Bobby Drake and Angelica Jones (Similiar to the Danny Phantom episode Identity Crisis).

2. Spider-Friends/Spider-Woman VS The Frightful Four (Wizard, Klaw, Trapster, Sandman)

3. Spider-Friends/Human Torch VS Vulture and Owl

4. Spider-Friends/Fantastic Four VS The Sinister Six (Doctor Octopus, The Vulture, Electro, Mysterio, Sandman, Kraven The Hunter)

[Mister Intensity]

When I was a kid I was looking forward to the 1984-85 season because I was hoping that they would incorporate Spidey's black costume into Amazing Friends. Imagine my disappointment when the season started and all they aired were reruns from previous seasons.

Mister Intensity

[Spider-Friends]

1. Spider-Friends VS Molecule Man: Maybe with a sideplot where an accident during the fight separates Iceman and Firestar from their human counterparts Bobby Drake and Angelica Jones (Similiar to the Danny Phantom episode Identity Crisis).

GAH! I absolutely love that idea! That really sounds like it could have been an episode. Seeing Iceman and Bobby pal-ing around would be hilarious. They probably wouldn't want to be put back together! :D

[Jon T]

The ONLY reason I can even think of for them not having used Mary Jane in the solo show is because people might have confused her with Angelica. But that doesn't really make sense because the solo show was mostly finished in production when they started SMAHAF.

My guess is that her omission my have simply been because MJ wasn't a regular player in the comics at the time, having been more-or-less written out in 1979. For the most part, the makers were obviously following the lead of the existing comics (with of course, one very notable but understandable exception being the Green Goblin).

Onto the topic at hand, I can only repeat what I've mentioned in a similar thread before. I'd have liked to have seen:

1. The Fantastic Four - would have been a bit crowded, but we got another nice episode with 7 super-heroes in it, so this might have turned out pretty nicely.

2. The 1982 Hulk - we really needed to see the refined and perfected version of Marvel Productions' Hulk on the series; it would have done wonders in helping to create a small Marvel animated universe, only subtly hinted at with Michael Bell's prior performances as Doc Ock in both series.

3. The Black Costume - if only this series hadn't stopped in 1983! It's a foregone conclusion that the black costume would have, in some capacity, shown up in subsequent episodes, if not an entire season.

4. The Silver Surfer - an odd choice to be sure, as it could be hard to do justice to him without the FF. However, a more 'space opera' style plot, perhaps taking place on another planet would be ideal fodder for the Silver Surfer. Just as long as no one confuses him yet again with Iceman!

5. The Hobgoblin - again, if the show had just managed one more season, this guy would probably have shown up. The story may have even mentioned the fact that no one knew his true identity was since it was such a big deal in the comics. He could have been played a bit more down to Earth than GG was, perhaps most similar to Kingpin, except with a fright-mask and goblin glider!

[Hypestyle]

... I wouldn't have minded seeing some of Bobby & Angelica's relatives.. besides the origin stories, we never saw them.. bobby's parents were presumably alive, as well as angelica's dad.. and since they knew that their kids were mutants, did they also know about their heroic careers? It would have been interesting to contrast that against Aunt May's distrust of Spider-Man..

[Mister Intensity]

After seeing "A Firestar is Born" this morning, I wouldn't minded seeing an adult Bonnie appear (and I admit, considering all that's happened to the character over the years, it was great seeing Wolverine getting punked).

Mister Intensity