‘Spider-Man: The Animated Series’ Head Writer Discusses Possible Revival
If you were a Marvel fan in the 1990s, there were two animated series that dominated your Saturday mornings.
The first, of course, was X-Men: The Animated Series. The definitive X-Men series helped make a star out of Wolverine and would eventually lay the groundwork for the live-action films.
The second definitive Marvel cartoon was Spider-Man: The Animated Series written by John Semper. The series followed the adventures of Peter Parker who was a college student at Empire Sate University.
With its unforgettable theme song, complex characters, and multi-episode arcs, Spider-Man: The Animated Series was a dream come true for Marvel fans. The series would not only help Spider-Man remain one of Marvel’s premiere characters, but it would also lay the foundation for future Spider-Men to come.
In fact, it was in Spider-Man: The Animated Series that the concept of the Spider-Verse was first developed.
Will Spider-Man Follow in the X-Men’s Footsteps
With X-Men: The Animated Series returning to pick up where it left off 30 years ago, many have wondered if Disney could also revive Spider-Man: The Animated Series.
If Marvel were to bring back Spider-Man: The Animated Series, John Semper Jr. would be on board. In response to a fan question on X, Semper Jr. said he would “certainly consider it.”
All they have to do is call me. I’m here, and I’d certainly consider doing it.
— John Semper Jr. (@johnsemper) February 28, 2024
“All they have to do is call me. I’m here, and I’d certainly consider doing it,” he wrote.
Roadblocks to Revival
Semper Jr.’s recent post echoes comments he has made in the past about a possible revival of Spider-Man: The Animated Series. In 2022, he told Comicbookmovie.com that Marvel’s other Spider-Man animated series and studio politics would be the biggest roadblock to a revival.
“I think, right now, they’re doing an updated Spider-Man. They’ve done a number of [television] shows since mine and they’re doing [Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man] right now, I don’t think that the politics of the situation will allow for [Spider-Man: The Animated Series] to be revived. If they did revive it, I don’t know if I’d get to be involved. I was in a very good position because I was really able to have a lot of creative control over that show after [season one],” he said.
“I don’t know if I’d ever have that situation again, so it would really make it a different kind of thing. And I don’t know if I’d get that on a Spider-Man revival given it’s now a property that’s owned by [Disney and Sony] and there’s a lot of politics involved, but hey, if someone wants to call me and say, ‘Hey, we’re gonna do more episodes and we’re going to leave you alone’, I’d be there in a heartbeat.”
While it sounds like Semper Jr. would not be on board for a revival of Your Friendly Neighborhood, it seems unlikely Disney would want to create a second Spider-Man animated series.