Spider-Man: TAS "The Alien Costume, Parts 1 - 3" Talkback (Spoilers)

[James Harvey]

Discuss this fan-favorite Spider-Man: The Animated Series three-part episode!

Episode #7 - The Alien Costume, Part 1
Original Airdate - April 29, 1995
Spider-Man comes across an alien symbiote that attaches itself to him and forms a new black costume. Meanwhile, Eddie Brock accuses Spider-Man of stealing a valuable rock which was really stolen by the Rhino. Now Spider-Man faces a $1,000,000 bounty for his capture.

Episode #8 - The Alien Costume, Part 2
Original Airdate - May 6, 1995
When Spider-Man discovers that his black costume is a living organism, he decides to use it to get back the Prometheum X. Meanwhile, Eddie Brock's lies eventually leads to his firing when Jameson realizes that he's been duped. Spider-Man eventually removes the symbiote after fighting the Shocker, only for it to find a new host, Eddie Brock.

Episode #9 - The Alien Costume, Part 3
Original Airdate - May 13, 1995
Eddie Brock, now bonded with the symbiote costume and calling himself Venom, sets out to destroy Spider-Man. Now faced with a stronger foe that possesses the same abilities as him, Spider-Man must find a way to outwit and outmatch this menacing new villain and send the alien symbiote back to outer space.

Comments?

Related Threads:
-"Spider-Man: The Venom Saga" DVD Talkback (Spoilers)

[Christopher N. Denner]

See... I liked the first episode because it showed us a different side of Parker... a darker side and his reluctance to be the calm and cool person he had been. Then the second part, where he finds out that the costume is alive and is infecting him... and he's got to partner himself with JJJ. Both episodes had a great scene at each end... the first involving Spidey almost killing Rhino and questioning what was happening to him. And the second with Parker's confrontation of the symbiote and the whole "Stay away from me, I'm not like you!" dialogue that I loved. The 3rd episode... well, the 3rd episode always felt like one big chase scene from beginning to end. Only, no one was chasing anyone. It was just a streamlined idea, beginning to end: Venom tries to destroy Parker. And that was really it.

Decent episode in its own, but I prefered the other two.

[God_of_Death]

What channel is this on, ABC Family??

[czyznyck99]

Yep, Saturadys and Sundays at 8:30 a.m. and Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. Not necessairly in the right episode order, though.

As for the Alien Costume story, I really enjoyed Part 3, because I like big long chase scenes. Spidey had no way of beating Venom physically, so he had to outsmart him. The first time I watched it I had no idea that he was going to the rocket launch to stop Venom, it was rather innovative. I I did like Part 1 the most, though. Spider-man on the edge was very cool when he almost killed Rhino, but got a little carried away when he went after Shocker.

Later.

[zarius]

I think it criminal that Venom was only used in both this trilogy and in the Carnage 2-parter two years after Alien Coustume

[Christopher N. Denner]

Wasn't there a mutated Venom/Carnage in the last 2 episodes... or am I thinking of something else?

[czyznyck99]

Sort of. It was only Carnage, bonding with an alternate dimension's Spider-man, who had gone psychotic at the introduction of the Scarlet Spider. Venom wasn't in the last two episodes.

Venom played a pretty big role in Spidey Unlimited, though. If my numbers are correct, he was in five of the episodes.

Later.

[Christopher N. Denner]

And was supposed to be in more. There were at least 6 scripts from season 2 written when SMU was abruptly canned after 3 airings. Spidey was supposed to go solo and more like his prior incarnation as the season went too.

Oh well.

[Stu]

Absoloutly awesome. This story arc might very well have been the best the series had to offer. It introduced The Shocker villian (who IMO is better than the one in comic continuanity) as well as The Rhino and that Symbiote Spider-man suit looked and was animated awesomely. Its a shame the red and blue threads never looked as good. The way they brought the symbiote to earth was genious, but the way it left was a bit of a dissapointment. The symbiote split into 2 one was attached to the shuttle and the other went somewhere but was never explained. Its a shame Venom was only used twice, it did a massive injustice to Spideys best enemy. Hopefully we'll have some more Spidey talkbacks soon.

[welty69]

I agree. I think it was a better idea for the new fans to have him come in this way s opposed to the whole beyonder thing...

I am waiting on pins and needles for the ultimate venom to be explained in the ultimate spiderman series(comics)

One thing I did not like was the whole carnage arc. They did not explain iut enough for me, and he could have been a bit more evil. I understand that they had to tone it down for family channel.

[Zebi]

I thought I'd post the writing credits for these episodes:

Part One
Story by Avi Arad & Stan Lee
Teleplay by Len Wein, Meg McLaughlin, Stan Berkowitz, and John Semper

Part Two
Story by John Semper & Brynne Stephens
Teleplay by Brynne Stephens

Part Three
Story by John Semper & Mark Hoffmeier
Teleplay by Mark Hoffmeier

I'll post my thoughts on the episodes later.

[Spider-Man]

Probably one of the highlights of the series! What I like was how Semper made the Venom alien connection a bit more easier to swallow than the convoluted explaination from the comics. I liked the myterious aspect of the goo when we first see it. The following sequence, where it jumps to life in the shuttle, is amazing. The first two episodes had great animation, but I noticed a drop off in quality in the third part.

I'd like to discuss this more indepth if anyone is up to it!

[Stu]

I'm always up for deep Spidey discussions, er, Spider-man. Its a shame only a few people respond to these talkbacks.

[Spider-Man]

Yeah. I am really hoping some fans start talking here. I know there are alot of Spider-Man fans here, so why aren't they talkin'? Come on everyone - let's make this a great thread!

[Antiyonder]

One of my favorite lines...
Peter: (Talking to Flash) Not this time
bonehead.

Flash: Now Felicia, (then talks to
Peter) what did you say?

Peter: I believe I was refering to the
contents of your skull.

Nuff said.

[Stu]

When the BBC first aired this episode the first part had a line edited

"I felt like I was losing my mind"

Why the hell would someone edit that line out? Spidey just has no luck with editors. The film got a controversial rating and a new one had to be made up because the parents wanted thier kids to see it.

I wonder why I pay the BBC my TV lisence.

[Anarky]

if Spidey were on a real cable channel, then i'd watch more often and post more often
but since it's buried on abc family i don't watch. i hardly use the box.

[Paradox]

Venom is my favorite Marvel villain (I think). Venom and Spiderman is like the Joker and Batman. I think this arc portrays him the best. What does everyone else think.

[Jon T]

Venom was handled with remarkable restraint by the makers of the 1990s Spidey show, appearing only in five episodes (compared to the glut of pretty poor comics that were published by Marvel at the time), and then appeared in five episodes of and was instrumental to the set-up of Spider-Man Unlimited, which carried on the 90s series continuity.

As for his best appearances, the 90s show handled him closest to the comics, so check out the first three-parter that introduced him in the first season of the 90s show ("The Alien Costume Parts 1-3"), and to a lesser extent the third season two part story that introduced Carnage ("Carnage" & "Venom Returns").

With Spider-Man Unlimited, things became a little strange, with Venom and Carnage gaining new powers such as seemingly wholly absorbing their human hosts into the symbiotes, allowing them to become a puddle of ooze. This was all due something to something called the Synaptic, which apparently the symbiotes were connected to. Anyway, the best episode for Venom in this series was an episode called "One Is The Loneliest Number", where the symbiote is separated from Eddie Brock.

Jon

[Stu]

The first 2 parts air on ABC Family tomorrow morning. Part 3 will air next Saturday.

And, as a little note, it is rumoured that part 3, the one with Venom, was originally supposed to be the season finale. I believe it changed due to them wanting to win an award for 'The Day Of The Chameleon' episode.

Talk away Spidey fans! This was one of the highlights of the show!