Spider-Man The Original Animated Series Season 2 - Volume 1   Starring (voice): Paul Soles, Peg Dixon and Paul Kligman Clear Vision RRP: £14.99 MAR1027 Certificate: U Available 09 November 2009

Everyone's friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man returns for another round of animated adventures from the original 1960s series. This time it's Volume 1 of Season 2, incorporating six 20-minute episodes:

The Origin of Spider-Man is a self-explanatory episode showing, very briefly, how the shy student obtained his powers. King Pinned has our webbed wonder up against Fisk, the Kingpin of crime. Swing City has the Master Technician take over a energy plant and use it to lift Manhattan Island into the air, and threaten to drop it (like you do). Criminals in the Clouds pitches Spider-Man against the Sky Master, who has kidnapped an American football prodigy. Menace From the Bottom of the World has the webhead follow a disappearing bank to a subterranean city. And in Diamond Dust, SM goes up against a master jewel thief. There is a definite tendency towards more conventional super-villains here, rather than costumed super-powered rogues.

I thoroughly enjoyed the nostalgia of Season 1, after fondly remembering the reruns from my youth. However, these episodes are not split in two like before, and consequentially they are far too long for the content. Far, far too long. Because the stories are still written for a ten minute segment, a huge amount of padding is necessary to make up the episode running times. As a result there are tedious extended sequences featuring our hero swinging his way across town, accompanied by loud jazzy music. The same animated short scenes are repeated, so that our web-shooter appears to pass the same landmarks or even go back the way he has just come, in an attempt to 'rush' to a crime scene. Did I mention that he swings a lot?!

This sudden lack of attention to detail reduces this release to standard fair. Take my advice, go and buy Season 1 instead.

5

Ty Power