Onscreen History of Spider-Man

 

Making his first appearanace in 1962's Amazing Fantasy #15, Spider-Man needs no real introduction. Basically, he is awesome and has had quite a prolific onscreen career. 

Spidey first swung onto the small screen in 1967 on his own Spider-Man animated series which ran for 52 episodes and introduced most of the Web-Head's classic foes to enamored audiences. The series may be best known for its catchy theme song though it is also notorious for its recycling of animation from other series in order to cut costs.

From 1974 until 1977, a live-action Spider-Man made frequent appearances on a segment of The Electric Company dubbed Spidey Super Stories.

Spider-Man appeared in about a dozen such segments.

In 1977 The Amazing Spider-Man gave Spidey his own short lived series which began as a TV movie like the failed attempts for Dr. Strange and Captain America. Spidey mustered just 14 episodes.

In 1978, Spider-Man found much greater success as a licensed heroes for 41 episodes on in Japanese TV. This version of Spider-Man piloted a giant robot named Leopardon

In 1979, Spidey made a pair of appearances on the Spider-Woman animated series.

In 1981, Spider-Man nabbed not one, but TWO new animated series. The first ran just 26 episodes and was simply titled Spider-Man.

The second Spidey series in 1981 ran just 24 episodes but has proven much more long lasting. Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends teamed Spidey with Firestar and Iceman.

In 1987, Spider-Man managed to get a lot of publicity for his live-action stunt wedding to M.J.





The event was televised from Shea Stadium and even Stan Lee made a showing.

 Although Spider-Man did not really appear on the X-Men Animated Series, his hand made a quick appearance during the Phoenix Saga arc in 1994.

In 1994, Spider-Man landed another animated series which turned out to be his longest running for 65 episodes and ambitiously adapting many season long story arcs.

 A reinvention was attempted for Spider-Man in 1999's Spider-Man Unlimited which launched the hero (along with Venom and Carnage) into an alternate universe. The series lasted just 13 episodes.

In 2002, Spider-Man made his big screen debut facing off against the Green Goblin while smashing box office records.

After the movie's success, MTV produced a 13 episodes computer animated series, Spider-Man: The New Animated Series in 2003.

Just two short years after his first film foray, Spider-Man faced off against Doc Ock in the 2004 sequel, Spider-Man 2.

In 2007, photographer Peter Parker made a brief cameo on Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Heroes.

The third time was not the charm in 2007's Spider-Man 3 in which Spider-Man at east looked cool wearing the black alien costume.

The Spectacular Spider-Man in 2008, although not the longest running Spidey series with just 26 episodes, was perhaps the best series so far. Tragically, the merger of Disney and Marvel put an early end to this brilliant series.

Ultimate Spider-Man arrived in 2012. This most recent animated Spider-Man series took a more silly approach to the character as he trained with SHIELD to maximize his abilities.

Also in 2012 a Spider-Man appearance has been teased on Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes as the team expands its ranks.

In July of 2012, The Amazing Spider-Man will reboot the Spider-Man movie franchise as the hero goes back to his beginning and faces the Lizard. Even before the movie has debuted, a sequel is already scheduled for 2014.