Every generation has what they’d consider to be the definitiveSpider-Mananimated series.
Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man(YFNSM) is the latest contender for the wallcrawler’s best TV show crown.
Marvel Studios' first animated Spider-Man offering, though, is far better than I expected it to be.
Spider-Man’s latest animated adventure puts a different spin on the superhero’s origin story
YFNSM, though, puts a somewhat unique spin on Spider-Man’s creation.
Indeed, it arrives in this universe i.e.
Even then, it’s a semi-original plot twist that some viewers might work out ahead of time.
Long-time Spider-Man villain Norman Osborn (right) is actually Peter Parker’s mentor in YFNSM
And, honestly, it’s all the better for it.
But back to Peter and Norman.
Is he using Peter to achieve his own goals, or does he actually want to mentor him?
YFNSM does a great job of exploring what it’s like to be a teen – and all the problems that come along with it
There’s an abundance of teen-based melodrama where the series' supporting cast is concerned, too.
LikeX-Men 97, there’s a real soap opera vibe toYFNSM, whose storylines play out across multiple episodes.
Episode 7 is a particularly sinister chapter that suggestsYFNSMisn’t as family-friendly as it initially looks.
Sections of Marvel’s fanbase have reacted negatively to YFNSM’s animation style
That said,YFNSMdoesn’t lose sight of being fun.
Animation angst
But now to address the elephant in the room:YFNSM’s animation style.
A perfect example of how ungainly it can be is during a gang-based fight sequence in episode 5.
Occasionally, YFNSM’s animation is as fluid as its eponymous hero swinging through New York
The sad reality is thatYFNSMjust isn’t visually appealing from an animation standpoint.
It’s not the only issue I had withYFNSM’s aesthetic.
By design or not, a higher-than-expected number of scenes and sequences feel devoid of life.
Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’s first two episodes are out today (January 29).
