Spider-Woman (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Spider-Woman is an animated television series, based on the Marvel Comics
character Spider-Woman
. The series was produced by DePatie-Freleng Enterprises
and Marvel Comics Animation, and aired on September 22, 1979 to January 3, 1980, one season of sixteen episodes, on the ABC
-TV network. It was DePatie-Freleng's final series before its reincorporation as Marvel Productions
.
, Jessica Drew (voiced by Joan Van Ark
) was bitten by a poisonous spider as a child; her father saved her life by injecting her with an experimental "spider serum," which also granted her superhuman powers. As an adult, Jessica is editor of Justice Magazine, with two other employees featured; photographer Jeff and Jessica's teenage nephew Billy. When trouble arises, Jessica slips away to change into her secret identity of Spider-Woman.
The Spider-Woman cartoon should not be confused with Web Woman
, a Filmation
superheroine cartoon launched at around the same time, which reportedly prompted Marvel Comics into creating a Spider-Woman character to secure the copyright.
The animated Spider-Woman's powers are noticeably modified; her enhanced strength in particular seems entirely missing, as she is shown in several episodes being restrained by means (such as ordinary rope) that her super-strong comic-book counterpart could easily break. In addition to the ability to cling to walls:
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
character Spider-Woman
Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew)
Spider-Woman is a fictional character, a superheroine in the Marvel Comics Universe. The character first appeared in Marvel Spotlight #32 , and 50 issues of an ongoing series titled Spider-Woman followed...
. The series was produced by DePatie-Freleng Enterprises
DePatie-Freleng Enterprises
DePatie-Freleng Enterprises was a Hollywood-based animation production company, active from 1963 to 1981. They produced theatrical cartoons, animated series, commercials, title sequences and television specials. Notable among these is The Pink Panther film titles and cartoon shorts and the Dr....
and Marvel Comics Animation, and aired on September 22, 1979 to January 3, 1980, one season of sixteen episodes, on the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
-TV network. It was DePatie-Freleng's final series before its reincorporation as Marvel Productions
Marvel Productions
Marvel Productions Ltd. , last called New World Animation, was a television and film studio subsidiary of Marvel Entertainment Group , based in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, then New World Entertainment and News Corporation/Fox...
.
Introduction
According to the title sequenceTitle sequence
A Title Sequence is the method by which cinematic films or television programs present their title, key production and cast members, or both, utilizing conceptual visuals and sound...
, Jessica Drew (voiced by Joan Van Ark
Joan Van Ark
Joan Van Ark is an American actress, most notable for her role as Valene Ewing, which she originated on the CBS series Dallas and continued for thirteen seasons on its spin-off, Knots Landing...
) was bitten by a poisonous spider as a child; her father saved her life by injecting her with an experimental "spider serum," which also granted her superhuman powers. As an adult, Jessica is editor of Justice Magazine, with two other employees featured; photographer Jeff and Jessica's teenage nephew Billy. When trouble arises, Jessica slips away to change into her secret identity of Spider-Woman.
The Spider-Woman cartoon should not be confused with Web Woman
Web Woman
Web Woman is the alias of Kelly Webster, a fictional character and cartoon superheroine. She is featured on the 1978–1980 television series Tarzan and the Super 7 by Filmation. Her pending introduction prompted Marvel Comics to introduce a character called Spider-Woman to secure intellectual...
, a Filmation
Filmation
Filmation Associates was an American production company that produced animation and live action programming for television during the latter half of the 20th century. Located in Reseda, California, the animation studio was founded in 1963...
superheroine cartoon launched at around the same time, which reportedly prompted Marvel Comics into creating a Spider-Woman character to secure the copyright.
Differences between cartoon and comic book
The cartoon differs considerably from the comic book in its premise and supporting cast. Billy, Jeff, and Justice Magazine never appear in the comic book in any form. Nor do the darker elements of the comic book (the heavy use of Arthurian legend and the occult, Jessica's feelings of alienation) enter into the much brighter world of the cartoon. The origin of her powers is also altered somewhat; at the time of the series' production, the threat to her life in the comics was radiation poisoning (though her published origin has since been altered).The animated Spider-Woman's powers are noticeably modified; her enhanced strength in particular seems entirely missing, as she is shown in several episodes being restrained by means (such as ordinary rope) that her super-strong comic-book counterpart could easily break. In addition to the ability to cling to walls:
- Spider-Woman retains the ability to fire bursts of energy from her hands called "venom blasts", but they are white instead of green. The episode "Realm of Darkness" seems to imply that Venom Blasts can be fired as long Spider-woman has enough strength.
- Spider-Woman has powers vaguely similar to ones possessed by Spider-ManSpider-ManSpider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
that her comic book incarnation lacks:- A clairvoyantClairvoyanceThe term clairvoyance is used to refer to the ability to gain information about an object, person, location or physical event through means other than the known human senses, a form of extra-sensory perception...
"spider-sense" that allows her to see dangers as they happen; no matter where she is, she can close her eyes and see the event, shown to the viewers as an image outlined by a spider-web. - She can also project spider-like "weblines" from the palms of her hands or an individual finger. This appears to be naturally generated, as opposed to Spider-Man's mechanical web-shooters, but she is similarly prone to running out of "web fluid" ("The Ghost Vikings"). She is able to control the direction in which her weblines move; "The Kingpin Strikes Again" shows her casting a web in a descending spiral to disorient and then restrain a criminal.
- A clairvoyant
- The animated Spider-Woman also has the ability to change into costume merely by spinning around, an idea borrowed from the Wonder Woman television seriesWonder Woman (TV series)Wonder Woman is an American television series based on the DC Comics comic book superhero of the same name. Starring Lynda Carter as Wonder Woman/Diana Prince and Lyle Waggoner as Steve Trevor, the show originally aired from 1975 to 1979....
starring Lynda CarterLynda CarterLynda Jean Carter is an American actress and singer, best known for being Miss World USA and as the star of the 1970s television series The New Original Wonder Woman and The New Adventures of Wonder Woman ....
. On one occasion where Jessica had been stripped of her powers, her costume reverted back to the civilian clothes she wore for work.
- While Spider-Woman could (at the time) only glide on air currents in the comics, the animated version appears able to fly at will, though her costume's glider wings were apparent whenever she took flight. (The comic book incarnation has since gained the power of true flight as well.)
- The animated Spider-Woman would occasionally display previously unknown "spider"-powers, conveniently able to assist her in random situations, such as:
- "Spider-telepathyTelepathyTelepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...
", allowing her to mentally communicate with spiders and ask them for assistance ("Pyramids of Terror") - A sonic scream, dubbed her "spider-shriek" ("Realm of Darkness")
- A protective "spider-bubble" allowing her to function underwater without diving gear ("The Ghost Vikings")
- "Spider-telepathy
- Spider-Man in this series was again voiced by Paul Soles who previously voiced him in the 1960s Spider-Man seriesSpider-Man (1967 TV series)Spider-Man is an animated television series that ran from September 9, 1967 to June 14, 1970. It was jointly produced in Canada and the United States and was the first animated adaptation of the Spider-Man comic book series, created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko...
, some similarities in the two series still remained. Perhaps the most noticeable similarity is "animated stock footage", where - before any episodes were completed - an animated sequence was created. This sequence would be used with an appropriate background added, whenever the need would arise. One example is Spider-Woman turning around, from back to front. Another example is where Jessica Drew gets a "spider-sense", turns her head while she closes her eyes, and then the location of danger appears using an editing technique.
Episodes
| Episode Name | Airdate | Synopsis |
| Pyramids of Terror | September 22, 1979 | Guest stars Spider-Man Spider-Man Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15... . The Justice Magazine crew investigate an alien invasion in Egypt led by the Mummy Khufu. |
| Realm of Darkness | September 29, 1979 | The powerful demon Dormammu Dormammu Dormammu is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Strange Tales #126 Dormammu is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Strange Tales #126 Dormammu is a... emerges on a Pacific island, threatening to enslave mankind. |
| The Amazon Adventure | October 5, 1979 | Stolen gold from Fort Knox Fort Knox Fort Knox is a United States Army post in Kentucky south of Louisville and north of Elizabethtown. The base covers parts of Bullitt, Hardin, and Meade counties. It currently holds the Army Human Resources Center of Excellence to include the Army Human Resources Command, United States Army Cadet... leads the Justice Magazine team into the Amazon Amazon Basin The Amazon Basin is the part of South America drained by the Amazon River and its tributaries that drains an area of about , or roughly 40 percent of South America. The basin is located in the countries of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and Venezuela... , where they uncover a plot by Shanna to take over the world. |
| The Ghost Vikings | October 12, 1979 | A 'ghost' Viking Viking The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to... ship emerges off the coast of Norway Norway Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million... . The crew plan to steal the riches of the world, before returning to their own time. Spider-Woman travels back to 952 A.D. to defeat them. |
| The Kingpin Strikes Again | October 19, 1979 | Angered by a recent Justice Magazine article, the Kingpin steals an experimental invisibility ray and seeks revenge on its editor, Jessica Drew. However, while invisible, he witnesses her transform into Spider-Woman, and opts for a blackmail plot instead. |
| The Lost Continent | October 26, 1979 | After US Air Force planes vanish in the Bermuda Triangle Bermuda Triangle The Bermuda Triangle, also known as the Devil's Triangle, is a region in the western part of the North Atlantic Ocean where a number of aircraft and surface vessels allegedly disappeared under mysterious circumstances.... , the team from Justice Magazine investigate. They soon find themselves thrown into a hidden dimension, where dinosaur Dinosaur Dinosaurs are a diverse group of animals of the clade and superorder Dinosauria. They were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for over 160 million years, from the late Triassic period until the end of the Cretaceous , when the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event led to the extinction of... s roam the Earth. |
| The Kongo Spider | November 2, 1979 | Guest stars Spider-Man Spider-Man Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15... . While covering the filming of a movie, the Justice Magazine team encounter a giant spider (in a plot inspired by King Kong King Kong King Kong is a fictional character, a giant movie monster resembling a gorilla, that has appeared in several movies since 1933. These include the groundbreaking 1933 movie, the film remakes of 1976 and 2005, as well as various sequels of the first two films... ). |
| Games of Doom | November 9, 1979 | Athletes in the World Athletic Games in Moscow Moscow Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent... are being kidnapped and replaced by android doubles. Jessica Drew goes undercover as a Long Jump Long jump The long jump is a track and field event in which athletes combine speed, strength, and agility in an attempt to leap as far as possible from a take off point... er to investigate. |
| Shuttle to Disaster | November 16, 1979 | The Justice Magazine team find themselves on a hijacked space shuttle Space Shuttle The Space Shuttle was a manned orbital rocket and spacecraft system operated by NASA on 135 missions from 1981 to 2011. The system combined rocket launch, orbital spacecraft, and re-entry spaceplane with modular add-ons... , heading towards the moon, where the villain Steeljaw intends to enslave mankind and put it to work digging for valuable gems. |
| Dracula's Revenge | November 23, 1979 | The world's population are threatened with being turned into vampires, werewolves and Frankenstein's monster. |
| The Spider-Woman and the Fly | November 30, 1979 | Jessica confronts a former research assistant to her father, who has been mutated into a human fly after a lab accident. Deducing her secret identity, he creates a formula which will rob Jessica of her spider powers. |
| Invasion of the Black Hole | December 7, 1979 | A UFO attempts to swallow the Earth in a black hole Black hole A black hole is a region of spacetime from which nothing, not even light, can escape. The theory of general relativity predicts that a sufficiently compact mass will deform spacetime to form a black hole. Around a black hole there is a mathematically defined surface called an event horizon that... , in readiness for an invasion. |
| The Great Magini | December 14, 1979 | Magician, the Great Magini, attempts to steal the World's most famous landmarks. |
| A Crime In Time | December 21, 1979 | An experimental time machine unleashes an invasion of Wookiee Wookiee Wookiees are a species of bipeds in the Star Wars universe. The most notable Wookiee is Chewbacca, a companion to Han Solo.-Inspiration:... -like creatures. Jessica is forced to reveal her secret identity to her fellow magazine crew, in order to save mankind. |
| Return of the Spider-Queen | December 28, 1979 | Spider-Woman is brainwashed by an alien race of human spider creatures, who believe she is their long lost queen. |
| The Deadly Dream | January 3, 1980 | An alien threatens the World with her sleep inducing powers. |
Cast
- Joan Van ArkJoan Van ArkJoan Van Ark is an American actress, most notable for her role as Valene Ewing, which she originated on the CBS series Dallas and continued for thirteen seasons on its spin-off, Knots Landing...
… Jessica Drew/Spider-WomanSpider-WomanSpider-Woman is the codename of several fictional characters in comic books published by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:Marvel Comics' then-publisher Stan Lee, said in 1978, shortly after Spider-Woman's debut in Marvel Spotlight #32 Spider-Woman is the codename of several fictional characters...
(voice) - Bruce Miller … Jeff Hunt (voice)
- Bryan Scott … Billy Drew (voice)
- Lou Krugman … Police Chief (voice)
- Larry Carroll … Detective Miller (voice)
- John H. Mayer
- Vic PerrinVic PerrinVic Perrin was an American actor and voice artist. He is best remembered as the "Control Voice" in the original version of the TV series The Outer Limits ....
- Ilene Latter
- Tony Young
- Karen Machon
- John MilfordJohn MilfordJohn Milford was an American actor in theatre, television, and films, playing scores of roles, often as a western villain....
- Dick TufeldDick TufeldDick Tufeld is an American actor, announcer, narrator, and voice actor from the 1950s onward.He is perhaps best known as the voice of the Robot in the TV series Lost in Space, a role he reprised for the 1998 feature film...
DVD releases
In 2008, this series was planned for release on Region 2 DVD in the UK in by Liberation Entertainment as part of a release schedule of Marvel Animated series.http://www.libent.co.uk/ However the release never came to be due to Liberation going bankrupt. The complete series of Spider Woman was finally released on Region 2 DVD format on 20 July 2009. The series is released in a 2-disk set from Clear Vision Ltd. http://www.clearvision.co.uk/External links
- Spider-Woman @ Animated Superheroes
- Liberation Entertainment
- Marvel Originals Series at Amazon.co.uk