Spider-Woman

Spider-Woman is one of those older Marvel cartoons that aired in the 1970's and 1980's, and is the final production.

In this series, Jessica Drew is a reporter for Justice Magazine, who has the secret identity of Spider-Woman. As the intro reveals, Jessica was bitten by a venomous spider while visiting her father's lab, which results in him using an untested spider serum, which cures her, and gives her spider powers. Now, she becomes Spider-Woman to stop evil while saving her nephew Billy and photographer Jeff Hunt, the two always getting captured.

A cartoon based on the comic series by Marvel comics, Spider-Woman is a cartoon that differs a lot from its comic book source material. As the comic was said to be a lot darker (especially since the heroine started out as a villain, as she was a member of HYDRA), this show tones down the dark elements and adds in lighter elements, like Jeff and Billy, who are basically there to be the characters Spider-Woman has to save every episode (similar to how Superman has to save Lois Lane). In the show's sixteen episodes, Spider-Woman goes on adventures around the world, facing mostly supernatural danger, from vikings who found a way to travel to the present day, to an alien mummy leading an army, and even android athletes. Yeah, these are mostly original villains, with a few episodes involving actual Marvel Comics supervillains, like The Kingpin, Dormanmu, and even Marvel's version of Dracula. In two episodes, Spider-Woman even teams up with Spider-Man.

Yeah, this does have some problems, like some of the sillier storylines and the cheesy plots, but I got to used to them as this was a product of a time where such things were common in cartoons. The last Marvel cartoon made by DePatie-Frelend Enterprises, who afterward was reincorperated into Marvel Productions (which two years later, would release the 1980's Spider-Man cartoon, and would go on to make a some of the decade's most-remembered cartoons, like G. I. Joe, The Transformers, and Muppet Babies), Spider-Woman only lasted sixteen episodes, but they are a neat example of how a cartoon with the main protagonist being female can be done, even if it is cheesy and silly.

The Spider-Woman animated series (ABC) lasted from 1979 until 1980, with 13 episodes produced.

In the 1970s, Marvel Comics created a handful of female versions of some of Marvel's popular male characters (allegedly, just so no one else could lay claim to the names): Spider-Woman, the She-Hulk, and Ms. Marvel. Of those three, Spider-Woman quickly became a prominent marketing co-mascot (along with Spider-Man, the Hulk, and Captain America), appearing on various Marvel-branded licensed merchandise, and serving as their de facto representative for lady superheroes (rival DC Comics owned longtime icon Wonder Woman).

Marvel's first animation production house (in cooperation with the DePatie/Freling, firm, who pioneered the "Pink Panther" toons) developed this show.

The show alters the backstory for Jessica Drew, aka Spider-Woman. The comics had an arguably complicated origin story, which posited her as being born in the 1920's, struck by radiation poisoning, then placed in suspended animation where she slowly grew to adulthood over several decades (while periodically being injected with life-preserving drugs based on spider-proteins)..

The producers wisely jettisoned this origin, and simply state that a pre-teen Jessica was bitten by a spider when fooling around in her father's research laboratory. A hasty antidote is created, based on the spider's venom, which ends up giving Jessica her trademark powers. As an adult, Spider-Woman can crawl on walls, has super-strength, can mentally communicate with spiders, has a spider-sense that borders on true clairvoyance, can cast webbing from her fingertips, and can glide on air currents with her web-wings (the webcasting, spider-sense and spider-telepathy were not from the comics). Curiously, she transforms into her Spider-Woman costume simply by spinning around in place (and weaving a thin web around herself)-- this was seemingly taken directly from the "Wonder Woman" TV show.

The adult Jessica is now a magazine publisher (Justice Magazine), though apparently she often serves as her own reporter, along with pilot/photographer Jeff (a dead ringer for Peter Parker) by her side, as well as her nephew Billy (Billy's parents, including a presumed Drew sibling, are never seen).

The Kingpin and Dormammu are among the Marvel comics villains used here, though the portrayals are not exactly as the comics origins.

Spider-Man is a guest in two episodes-- though in both, Spider-Woman is clearly the main star, and viewers never see Spider-Man out of costume.

The animation was about par for the time (late 70's). Not pioneering, but not "Rocky & Bullwinkle" cheap, either.

Joan Van Ark ("Falcon Crest") did the voice of Jessica/Spider-Woman.

It would be great to have this series on DVD. Disney acquired Marvel Comics in 2009, including the back catalog video rights to all animated TV shows based their characters. Spider-Woman has been released on DVD in Europe, but not the USA yet.

Her spider-like powers include flying and shooting lasers from her hands and she works for a magazine. It's funny that they thought her origin had to be different than Spider-Man's but then she works at a magazine. The first episode had Spider-Man in it for no apparent reason, he had nothing to do with the story. Of course there's the random little boy who has full access to the magazine offices and goes on adventures with her and the photographer. In almost every episode they think she died because she just jumps out of vehicles. This is bad but Marvel has done worse.

This show was lame with a capital 'L', Jessica Drew has super spider powers because as a young kid she was dying and her father, damning modern science, injects his kid with an experimental spider serum. Teaming up with Spider-man in the first episode (to draw in the audience that he had), this cartoon shouldn't have even bothered. It had insipid dialog, corny villains (exept the Kingpin" in one episode, but he was wasted in this craptoon as well), a laughable horrendous allusion to "Super-friends" in the way it sequeways between scenes. Thank god it only lasted 16 episodes (though I'm surprised it lasted that long) Oh and by the way, the episode "Games of Doom" had nothing to do with Dr. Doom in the least.(wishful thinking on the part of one of the previous reviewers) The villain of the piece was a crappy Frenchman.

My Grade: F

This show was actually not that bad. For an animated superhero show in the late seventies, the story lines are well developed, the hero plays well with the situations, and the dialogue is full of quips. The only downfall of this show are the supporting characters. Not only are Billy and Jeff cringe stereotypical characters, but we as an audience have to endure their endless anti-woman empowerment jokes. These ceaseless put-downs make me question why Jessica Drew, a self made business woman, secret superhero, and altogether independent woman, hangs out with these losers. This show would never be able to air in today's world due to its portrayal of male superiority. Frankly, I enjoyed this show. I would like to see a reboot or remake with a more supportive supporting cast of characters.