For a generation of fans, 1990's Spider-Man: The Animated Series stands as the quintessential take on the web-slinger. Premiering during the golden age of after-school cartoons, the show served as the gateway to the Marvel universe for many young viewers, often becoming their first real exposure to Spider-Man, even before the comic books.
However, the beloved '90s Spider-Man animated series wrapped up in 1998 after 65 episodes, with a dramatic cliffhanger that still lingers in fans’ minds decades later.
In the show's final episode, following the epic multiverse storyline known as “Spider Wars,” Madame Web promises to guide Peter Parker on a dimension-hopping mission to locate the real Mary Jane Watson, who had vanished into an alternate reality earlier in the series. The finale ends with Spider-Man swinging off into the unknown, leaving audiences without closure and wondering if he ever succeeded in reuniting with his lost love.
Now, nearly 30 years later, Marvel Comics is set to revisit the unfinished story with a newly announced miniseries titled Spider-Man '94. This continuation will pick up exactly where the animated series left off, promising to finally address the long-standing mystery of Mary Jane’s disappearance and deliver long-awaited closure to one of Spider-Man’s most iconic cliffhangers.
J.M. DeMatteis and Jim Towe are set to lead the series, creatively.
It seems the announcement of the comic book series has caught the attention of the show's former head writer, John Semper Jr., who seems unhappy that Marvel never reached out.
Taking to social media, he wrote, "NO, I am NOT involved with this comic book and no one approached me to be involved in any way. Matt [Dunford's] text message was the first I heard of it. "
On DeMatteis taking over as the lead writer, Semper shared, "I'm positive this new comic is in great hands. I hired him years ago to participate in writing one episode of my series (which ran for 65 episodes) and I thoroughly enjoyed working with him. Where he now chooses to take the series story-wise is entirely his decision. But for the record, they are NOT my creative choices, nor do they represent any oversight from me."
He went on to state, "Yes, it would have been nice (some might even say, respectful) if Marvel had reached out to me at some point as a courtesy. But I have long ago abandoned all expectation that Marvel would acknowledge any of my contributions to the Marvel Universe- like, for instance, my creation of what is now known as the "Spider-Verse."
Do John Semper Jr.’s comments change how you feel about Spider-Man '94? Should Marvel have extended the courtesy of informing or involving the original showrunner, given his pivotal role in shaping the beloved series?
Or is it fair game for Marvel to move forward without consulting past contributors, since they legally own the character and the show?
Share your thoughts in the comments below, we want to hear where you stand.