YOUR FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN Episode 1 "Amazing Fantasy" Spoiler Recap: A New Take On HOMECOMING

YOUR FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN Episode 1 "Amazing Fantasy" Spoiler Recap: A New Take On HOMECOMING

The first two episodes of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man are now streaming on Disney+ and, in our breakdown of "Amazing Fantasy," the events of Spider-Man: Homecoming play out very differently...

By JoshWilding - Jan 29, 2025 05:01 AM EST
Filed Under: Spider-Man (Animated)

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man opens in the familiar setting of Queens; the New York City skyline can be seen in the distance, with Avengers Tower among the many skyscrapers.

At home, Peter Parker is getting ready for his first day at Midtown High. He misses his train but hitches a ride from Aunt May; after expressing his gratitude for her and acknowledging Uncle Ben's passing, Peter hugs May and sets off for his first day at school.

However, it's then that a "Marvel Sparkle Circle" opens and out comes Doctor Strange in the midst of a battle with a Symbiote-like alien creature. Peter wastes no time trying to help those around him and saves Nico Minoru as the school is laid waste to. As they exchange pleasantries, a spider drops out of the portal and, when it closes, the web snaps and it lands on Peter's back.

It bites the back of his neck and the teenager passes out as the spider makes its escape on an unseen student's backpack.

Months later, Peter is now Spider-Man. Wearing a homemade suit and using rudimentary web-shooters, he swings to school - Rockford Bales High seeing as Midtown is still being rebuilt - after missing his train and beats up some muggers on the way, saving Harry Osborn's life in the process.

At school, we learn that Peter has feelings for his old babysitter Pearl Pangan and is now best friends with Nico (who also appears to be attracted to Pearl). Daydreaming in class, we watch as Peter sketches the classic Spider-Man suit before he's forced to make his excuses so he can leave and stop a high-speed chase. He defeats the bad guys and it seems people love their neighborhood hero.

Back at school, it's revealed that Pearl is dating Lonnie Lincoln, a high school jock who just so happens to be much smarter than Peter expects. They become lab partners and it's clear Lonnie is a good dude who wants to befriend Peter.

However, despite his happy-go-lucky exterior, Lonnie has a long way to travel home back to Harlem and puts up with microaggressions like a woman not wanting to sit near him on the subway and the cops following him as he walks back to his family's apartment.

Spidey, meanwhile, catches a robber who stole from a pizzeria. He convinces the owner to give her a break as she's recently lost her job and is having a tough time; the wall-crawler is given a pizza as a reward and heads home.

On the way, he finds a DVD player in the trash and notices a very nice car - the type of car that might belong to, say, Tony Stark - outside his apartment building. At home, May is there but she's not alone: Norman Osborn is sitting next to her and wants to talk to Peter!

The first two episodes of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man are now streaming on Disney+. You can read our episode 2 recap here.

YOUR FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN Trailer Released As Showrunner Weighs In On Hudson Thames Woke Remarks
Related:

YOUR FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN Trailer Released As Showrunner Weighs In On Hudson Thames "Woke" Remarks

YOUR FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN Showrunner Details Scrapped Jessica Jones Plans And Cutting MCU Ties
Recommended For You:

YOUR FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN Showrunner Details Scrapped Jessica Jones Plans And Cutting MCU Ties

DISCLAIMER: As a user generated site and platform, ComicBookMovie.com is protected under the DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act) and "Safe Harbor" provisions.

This post was submitted by a user who has agreed to our Terms of Service and Community Guidelines. ComicBookMovie.com will disable users who knowingly commit plagiarism, piracy, trademark or copyright infringement. Please CONTACT US for expeditious removal of copyrighted/trademarked content. CLICK HERE to learn more about our copyright and trademark policies.

Note that ComicBookMovie.com, and/or the user who contributed this post, may earn commissions or revenue through clicks or purchases made through any third-party links contained within the content above.

HOTSHOT
HOTSHOT - 1/29/2025, 5:39 AM
So in this alternate dimension, Ben died of natural causes (what the comic alludes) and Peter wanted to help people from the get go?

Not sure how I feel about this.
Clintthahamster
Clintthahamster - 1/29/2025, 8:47 AM
@HOTSHOT - It's fine. Just telling the story from a new angle. Raimi's Spider-Man had little spider buttholes on Peter's wrists, and every loved it. Just little tweaks here and there to keep things fresh.
HOTSHOT
HOTSHOT - 1/29/2025, 1:09 PM
@Clintthahamster - I guess, it's just that Peter going from selfish jerk to hero is such a big part of his origin and what makes him compelling. He's a redemption story.

But I saw the first two eps and they're pretty solid.
Clintthahamster
Clintthahamster - 1/29/2025, 1:45 PM
@HOTSHOT - I never really saw Peter as being a selfish jerk, just a teenager high on super-puberty. Holland's Peter has gotten along fine without the anguish of Ben's death.

But I get it, if this were the main continuity, I'd have concerns.
HOTSHOT
HOTSHOT - 1/29/2025, 2:10 PM
@Clintthahamster - Lee/Ditko era Peter pretty much said he's gonna look out for numero uno and that the rest of the world "can go hang for all I care."

I mean I get it. It stemmed from him being bitter over the mistreatment he received from his classmates. But he was a jerk, until he realized the consequences of that decision. Great story.

I'm pretty sure the main timeline of the MCU did something similar because Peter's introduction scene had him go "when you can do the things that I can, but you don't. And then the bad things happen...they happen because of you."
Clintthahamster
Clintthahamster - 1/29/2025, 2:20 PM
@HOTSHOT - Ah, yeah, I'd forgotten about that bit. Yeah, IDK. I definitely thought the same thing about that and the spider coming through Strange's portal, but I looked at it more as, "Okay, this is a whole-ass different universe, anything goes."
HOTSHOT
HOTSHOT - 1/29/2025, 2:27 PM
@Clintthahamster - Yeah fair enough

I just hope the main timeline Peter did consider Ben's murder his motivation. They've already taken a few liberties with his stories so might as well keep the base the same (I love MCU Spidey btw).
Malatrova15
Malatrova15 - 1/29/2025, 6:36 AM
So in this version Norman reaaaaally likes fent
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 1/29/2025, 6:44 AM
I thought it was a good first episode honestly…

This Peter and his cast of characters are likable , especially Lonnie who I’m already rooting for though I think it will end in tragedy with him becoming his alter ego from the comics “Tombstone”.

Some nice character moments aswell such as Peter helping out the robber of the pizzeria etc.

I do find the initial Strange fight interesting since Peter doesn’t seem to be familiar with him and he says something like “we aren’t suppose to be here” so is this one from a different reality or the future and how is the Spider that bit Peter involved?.
Antitrollpatrol
Antitrollpatrol - 1/29/2025, 10:30 AM
@TheVisionary25 - I liked the episodes too. It felt like this is how episodes of what if should have been. The little tweaks that make such a huge difference and then having massive departures like combining characters. This show is 10x better than what if was to me. Excited for the next 8 episodes.
Antitrollpatrol
Antitrollpatrol - 1/29/2025, 10:31 AM
@TheVisionary25 - also doc strange seems like it would be another reality strange possibly. Maybe that's the nexus event.
Gambito
Gambito - 1/29/2025, 6:46 AM
Mid
kg8817
kg8817 - 1/29/2025, 7:09 AM
I thought I was going crazy with people hating this animation.

It’s legitimately the Steve Ditko drawings come to life. If everything is a still image.

Once the animation starts flowing, I said to myself “ah, this is why people hate it”.

It’s awful and I have no idea why it looks the way it does.

Also story wise…just why? What in the hell is the purpose of the spider bite coming from a marvel sparkle circle? There’s no story reason for it. Bendis Ultimate Spider-Man’s origin - there was a story reason for it (Oz). New ultimate spider-man? Also a story reason (the maker). This? There’s no reason for it except to shove Doctor Strange into the story.

Overall I see what they were trying to do, but yeah this was a swing and a miss.
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 1/29/2025, 8:46 AM
@kg8817 - "We're inspired by the Lee/Ditko classic '60s comics"

Opens with a Venom-symbiote-extra-dimensional alien attacking a member of the Runaways.
KennKathleen
KennKathleen - 1/29/2025, 8:59 AM
@ObserverIO - I'm guessing he's comparing the artwork to the 60s era, not the story itself....
fanboy03191
fanboy03191 - 1/29/2025, 9:07 AM
@KennKathleen - and that’s why I’m not into it. I’ll admit Lonnie’s story intrigues me but the gender swapping and completely different high school cast just take me out of it.
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 1/29/2025, 9:19 AM
@KennKathleen - Ah so it just wants the appearance of being based on the '60s comics. Gotcha.
KennKathleen
KennKathleen - 1/29/2025, 9:27 AM
@ObserverIO - it's an assumption. Perhaps I'll watch it soon. I'll come back with a personal... Observation.




User Comment Image





KennKathleen
KennKathleen - 1/29/2025, 9:28 AM
@fanboy03191 - when was the last time gender swapping WAS a good idea?
fanboy03191
fanboy03191 - 1/29/2025, 9:30 AM
@KennKathleen - it never has been. Oh I’m sure someone’s gonna come at me, accusing me of sexism and/or bringing up that Doc Ock was gender swapped in Spider-Verse but that was a multi verse movie. This? It felt so [frick]ing forced and literally made me cringe. Can’t even tell ya what happened the rest of the episode as I lost interest after that.
newhire13
newhire13 - 1/29/2025, 10:01 AM
@kg8817 - 😂 Clearly there’s a story behind the spider, highly doubtful they’re gonna reveal everything in the first episode. Come on now!
Deklipz
Deklipz - 1/29/2025, 10:47 AM
@kg8817 - I have the same issue here as I do with the Spider verse movies. The skip-frame animation style triggers seizures.
KennKathleen
KennKathleen - 1/29/2025, 12:24 PM
@fanboy03191 - User Comment Image
HOTSHOT
HOTSHOT - 1/29/2025, 1:11 PM
@fanboy03191 - "but that was a multiverse movie"

How does that change anything? The main and only Doc Ock in that got focus in that film's main universe was gender-swapped. It's no different here.

Feels hypocritical to hate one and not the other based solely on that. Which is why it's generally better to look at how the character is written. So far, I don't have any issue with the gender-swapped or race-swapped characters in this story set in the MCU multiverse.
fanboy03191
fanboy03191 - 1/29/2025, 2:22 PM
@HOTSHOT - there’s precedent for a female Doc Ock- happened in the comics and video games. Lizard? He’s always been Curt Connors. A man who lose his arm and wanted to regrow it.
HOTSHOT
HOTSHOT - 1/29/2025, 3:59 PM
@fanboy03191 - But when the comics did it, there was no precedent for it back then. So they made a change that was different from how the character was done before. And it wasn't Olivia Octavius so far as I know.

So yeah. If we followed your rationale, I should hate black Nick Fury in the Ultimate Universe. Or do we just accept that in the vast multiverse, there can be variations of a character and what matters is how they're written?
fanboy03191
fanboy03191 - 1/29/2025, 7:38 PM
@HOTSHOT - You bring up fair points. Maybe it’s because Lizard is one of my favorite villains so I get finicky. Like I said I felt it was unnecessary and I’m sticking with that.
HOTSHOT
HOTSHOT - 1/30/2025, 1:47 AM
@fanboy03191 - He's one of my favorites too. So was Doc Ock.

Which is why I want them to do a well-written take on these characters, regardless of what other liberties they take. Which is why when people complain that the show/movie sucks because a character is a different race/sexuality/gender than they were in the source material; I disagree.

What matters is the story they tell with these characters. The only instances where I have an issue with it is if the trait being changed is key to the stories and themes these characters represented. Connors being male or white isn't really that. Same with Ock.
Comicmoviejunki
Comicmoviejunki - 1/29/2025, 8:09 AM
Boring
NOID
NOID - 1/29/2025, 10:03 AM
Yeah, wasnt impressed with the first episode… just not for me I guess
ComicPundit
ComicPundit - 1/29/2025, 11:15 AM
"Peter has feelings for his old babysitter Pearl Pangan and is now best friends with Nico (who also appears to be attracted to Pearl)."

It didn't take long at all to insert unwanted tokenism into the show.

At this point, it really borders on insanity or deliberate propaganda at this - especially since this is a program geared towards children.
ComicPundit
ComicPundit - 1/29/2025, 11:16 AM
@ComicPundit - *at this point*
HOTSHOT
HOTSHOT - 1/29/2025, 1:13 PM
@ComicPundit - By that rationale, any show that hints at a straight relationship is also deliberate propogranda. Either kids can see both relationships or none.
ComicPundit
ComicPundit - 1/29/2025, 2:17 PM
@HOTSHOT - I am actually against tokenism. Who cares if Nico is a fictional lesbian??? It's a Spider-Man show...

It's the first episode and you barely have established world-building and his origin story, BUT, you immediately make a character's sexual orientation their core feature and origin story - it's a tired troupe that we have seen over and over.

The MCU literally made Korg gay!!!!????

So are the straight relationship and teenage angst that is commonly associated with Spider-Man.

You literally have a hero who often considers not saving the world or not continuing to be a hero because of a.....girlfriend (Invincible too). It also is a tired troupe.
HOTSHOT
HOTSHOT - 1/29/2025, 2:26 PM
@ComicPundit - "who cares if Inco is a fictional lesbian"-person talking about Nico's sexuality.

"make their sexual orientation their core feature and origin story" no they didn't. Nico is shown to be snarky, supportive, cautious about Norman (meaning she's got a good gust instinct), shy (she leaves the party), and a great friend overall to Peter. Her making a few flirty comments doesn't make her sexuality her core characteristic anymore than Peter being into the same girl makes him being straight his core characteristic.

"The MCU made Korg gay" but Nico is canonically gay/bi soooo that's unrelated as hell.

So I ask again, how is it propoganda for Nico to happen to be gay? And why is not propoganda if it's straight and why is only one allowed for children to view according to you?
ComicPundit
ComicPundit - 1/29/2025, 3:55 PM
@HOTSHOT - It is propaganda when you repeatedly insert an overused troupe into nearly every MCU and Disney project?

I hate overused troupes rather centered around gay or straight sexual orientations.

This is why Marvel and DC are being outclassed by manga and anime in terms of pure story telling and world-building while American comics offer no story progression and gender/palette swapped characters in the comics and an obsession with sexual orientation in the MCU.



HOTSHOT
HOTSHOT - 1/29/2025, 3:57 PM
@ComicPundit - What is the trope? Gay people exist?


Also bro, anime and manga are the most LGBT-focused content out there lmao

ComicPundit
ComicPundit - 1/29/2025, 4:16 PM
@HOTSHOT - A protagonist, antagonist, conflict, climax, etc. are the essential elements of any great story and when relating to comics, being as accurate to the canon is best.

Sony, Marvel, Disney, etc. just can't seem to digest that concept.

Most importantly, I think most comic fans are not going to watch a CBM for the relationships. I think most of us want awesome battles.

That's all I'm saying.

HOTSHOT
HOTSHOT - 1/30/2025, 1:44 AM
@ComicPundit - Being accurate to which canon though? The Raimi and Webbverse were more accurate to the Ultimate comics than Earth-616. The ultimate universe was an elseworlds reality, which by definition, was not fully accurate to the canon.

Yet people decided they don't care about that as long as they enjoy the story being told (which is subjective). People are enjoying what the MCU has done with Spidey in both the sacred timeline as well as this new show.

"most of us want awesome battles" which this show also has. One doesn't exclude the other. I feel like we're getting away from your original statement.

You did not say you wanted less romance and more action. Your exact words were: "it really borders on insanity or deliberate propaganda at this - especially since this is a program geared towards children."

That last part: geared towards children. That shows your main argument is that it's not appropriate for kids to watch it.

You stated this in response to the part of the article that mentions a lesbian crush. Thus my question: why is that not okay for children to see but straight relationships are?

Please log in to post comments.

Don't have an account?
Please Register.

View Recorder