Spider-Man: Homecoming stars the third live-action Spider-Man since 2002, and that barely even
begins to scratch the surface of how many Spider-Men have appeared onscreen over the
years.
"(speaking Japanese)"
So how do they stack up?
Here's a look at the major versions of Spider-Man from TV and movies—and the actors who played
them—ranked from worst to best.
'70s Live Action Spider-Man
It isn't actor Nicholas Hammond's fault that nobody remembers the short-lived Amazing Spider-Man
TV show from the late 1970s.
He just didn't have much to work with: there were no supervillains, no supporting cast
from the comics except J. Jonah Jameson and a single appearance by Aunt May, and Hammond
never looked, talked, or moved like anything other than a random guy you'd run into at
ComicCon.
Spider-Man Unlimited
Spider-Man Unlimited was basically an effort to extend the '90s animated series past its
sell-by date by sending Spider-Man to an alternate Earth.
Voice actor Rino Romano just did his best impression of Christopher Daniel Barnes, who
preceded him in the role.
"Great, if only carting around is my worst nightmare.
It's leaking!"
The costume, derived from the Spider-Man 2099 comics, is memorable, but it probably would
have worked even better if they'd just made a Spider-Man 2099 cartoon.
'60s Animated Spider-Man
Considering Spider-Man had only existed for four years when this show started, relatively
few viewers had a clear idea of just what Spider-Man should be like.
Paul Soles as Spider-Man sounds the way 1960s cartoon viewers expected a superhero to sound—which
means he sounds exactly like Superman.
"I once swore to never turn my back on anyone, and I'm not starting now."
This Spider-Man is best remembered today as the star of many animated GIFs and memes.
And of course for its awesome theme song.
"Spider-Man, Spider-Man, does whatever a spider can."
1981 Animated Spider-Man
The 1981 Spider-Man animated series wasn't bad by any means.
The animation was solid for the time, and it brought in a lot of Spider-villains from
the comics who'd never gotten TV time before.
The weirdest thing about this show is that it was immediately overshadowed by another
Spider-Man cartoon, Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, which premiered the same day.
The two series also used the same character designs, which kind of made this series feel
like a run of Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends in which he has no friends and talks a little
funny, thanks to the vocal talents of Ted Schwartz.
"Oh no, I'm gonna miss my lunch date with Betty."
The Electric Company
Spider-Man's first live-action appearance, interestingly enough, was on The Electric
Company, a 1970s educational series that ran on PBS.
This Spider-Man, played by Danny Seagren, didn't talk, but his simple adventures were
the perfect vehicle for teaching kids basic language and math skills.
But the highlight of the show?
The narration, which was provided by a pre-fame Morgan Freeman.
"And he's found it – a rubber glove sandwich."
Spider-Man: The New Animated Series
Two things are distracting about 2003's Spider-Man: The New Animated Series.
The first is the combo 2D and 3D animation.
The second is that every time Spider-Man talks, you can't help but hear Neil Patrick Harris.
"This is so not spandex!"
Not that Harris is a bad choice for Spider-Man, but come on, isn't he more suited for villainy?
Japanese Spider-Man
The 1978 Japanese Spider Man live action TV series has a cult following in the U.S., even
though it's never been officially released there.
In this version, Spider-Man is a motorcycle driver who gets his spider-powers from a super-bracelet
from the planet Spider.
The show's a lot of fun, and the actors do a great job, but it just feels wrong to rank
them any higher when they're not playing the same Spider-Man as everybody else.
"(speaking Japanese)"
2000s Spider-Man Movies
In the early days of 21st-century superhero movies, Tobey Maguire got the job done.
He got in great physical shape for Spider-Man, but he still had the softness to play nerdy
Peter Parker.
"Punch me, I bleed."
While he never quite seemed like a kid in the way an origin-story Spider-Man should,
he was still young enough be believable as a teenager, making him a solid version of
the web-slinger.
Ultimate Spider-Man
Disney's first animated Spider-Man series after it purchased Marvel, some of the production
decisions for Ultimate Spider-Man didn't sit well with longtime fans – especially the
decision to hire Drake Bell of Drake and Josh to voice the title character.
"You don't know how that feels."
"I do, actually.
Someone important was taken from me, too."
But if you look past the bad buzz, Bell is actually a pretty great animated Spider-Man,
and he also comes through in the darker moments that require a more emotional Peter Parker.
Amazing Spider-Man
The biggest problem with Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker is that he was already too old
for the part when he starred in The Amazing Spider-Man.
He never seems like an awkward teen, and yet the rebooted franchise offered another origin
story set in high school.
Still, his slim build looked good in the suit, and his comic timing made him a natural fit
for the rhythms of the character's constant wisecracks.
"Knock it off man!"
"no NO!"
'90s Animated Spider-Man
For a lot of millennials, Christopher Daniel Barnes was the definitive voice of Spider-Man
throughout their childhood.
While this Spider-Man has aged a little awkwardly, it was the first TV version of the character
to really draw on the comics' storylines in a nuanced way, introducing concepts like the
Venom suit, the Secret Wars crossover, and even Daredevil.
This series skipped the origin and began with Peter Parker already in college.
Within that context, Barnes is perfect in the part, balancing the jokes and the emotional
baggage that are both so central to Spider-Man.
"Spider sense - danger!"
Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends
For those a little older, Dan Gilvezan was the Saturday morning Spider-Man of choice.
He voiced the central hero on Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends from 1981 until 1986.
His Spider-Man had the lightness that earlier versions of the character had been missing,
while still seeming more grounded than the goofier Iceman.
"Oh, no."
"Oh, yes!"
This cartoon seems pretty silly by today's standards, but this was the first time Spider-Man
really seemed like Spider-Man, and that's worth something.
The Spectacular Spider-Man
Spectacular Spider-Man was basically the perfect Spider-Man cartoon, and one that ended too
soon.
It ran for two seasons in 2008 and 2009, and was being considered for a third when Disney
bought Marvel and reacquired the television rights to Spider-Man, leaving this Sony-produced
series unable to continue.
Voice actor Josh Keaton played the youthful Spider-Man with the earnestness of a kid trying
to do his best, and it really worked.
It's just a shame there couldn't be more of it.
"Uh, yoo-hoo!
Excuse me, can I come in this way or do I have to break my own window?"
"Spider-Man."
MCU Spider-Man
As the third live-action Spidey in under a decade, Tom Holland may finally be the perfect
choice.
He comes across like a young teenager with a surprising amount of power, and his youthfulness
stands out perfectly in contrast with all the adult heroes running around in the MCU.
"Are you an Avenger?"
"Yeah, basically."
Spider-Man: Homecoming presents him as a nerdy high school student who might be in way over
his head—and that's exactly what Spider-Man should be, especially within the context of
a larger Avengers-centric setting.
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