After the release of “Spider-Man: No Way Home” with its bombastic ending, no one was sure what direction the franchise was going to take. Spider-Man, or Peter Parker to be exact, had already progressed into a fully-functioning adult capable of juggling priorities, as shown through many of his present iterations. For many longtime fans of the series, the only plausible course of action would be to tread back on his origins, a story in which many people are familiar with at this point.
With the help of the multiverse trope, the early days of the web-slinging hero can be told in a way that doesn’t interfere with the consistency of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) version of Spider-Man while at the same time presenting something new. The television series, “Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man,” presents an updated look into Peter Parker’s early years as a bumbling teenage wallflower trying his best to keep up in school while fighting crime as a novice Spider-Man.
Even though the prospect of taking a glimpse into the salad days of Spider-Man already seems enticing to fans, the show now has to stand on its own without treading on familiar ground on previous Spider-Man interpretations.
The show follows Peter Parker as a freshman in high school as he attempts to maintain a normal social and academic life in spite of his role as a superhuman crime-fighter. Given that he’s just received his superpowers, Peter also has to contend with learning how to become an effective hero; he often makes evident mistakes when saving the day. Alongside his journey are familiar faces and names such as Aunt May, Doctor Strange and even Norman Osborn. The show also introduces characters never-before-seen in Spider-Man media such as Nico Minoru, a fellow classmate and best friend of Peter akin to the MCU’s Ned Leeds. Another new character is Pearl Pangan, Peter’s long-time crush.
Right off the bat, “Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man” strives to distance itself from many of the previous iterations. Just like the MCU’s Spider-Man films, the show trusts the audience when it comes to knowing basic Spider-Man lore. To many well-versed aficionados of the superhero, this can be a sigh of relief.
Additionally, the show does a superb job creating a vibrant world of its own that mixes the colorful pastiche of 1960’s Silver age comic books with present day references such as current social issues and the mainstream use of social media. Even though many fans are more familiar with a more mature Peter Parker as Spider-Man nowadays, it is still a welcome surprise to witness the rise of Peter as he tries to find his way in the world.. Even with all these changes, Spider-Man still retains his usual loudmouth demeanor heavily contrasted with Peter’s high school timidness.
Another favorable contrast the show has to offer is how the show doesn’t only focus on Peter’s struggle with becoming Spider-Man, but also hones in on the supporting characters’ conflicts as well. The show is almost on par to other superhero dramas like “Invincible,” in which the consequences of Peter becoming a wall-crawling vigilante not only takes a toll on him, but on the people he cares about as well.
Many of the villains that Spider-Man has to face aren’t necessarily over-the-top evil masterminds, but small-time crooks having a hard time getting by in life. The motivations and groundedness of these criminals further add moral and emotional weight that Spider-Man has to deal with on top of stopping them.
All in all, “Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-man” follows the chain of other critically acclaimed Spider-man related films, books and novels in which it is able to balance out both soap opera-esque drama with breathtaking action sequences.
Despite the show’s creative direction being its greatest strength, some of the liberties that “Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man” has taken, especially in regards with its lore and characters, can be a bit off-putting to long-time fans of the series. While the show is set in an obviously different universe, much of the established canon of Spider-Man has been tampered with to the point of looking like fanfiction. Many familiar characters with established ties to Spider-Man have been placed in the back seat for newer characters to shine.
The show has a slight problem when it comes to addressing the social issues that it presents, especially regarding gentrification. Although there’s a lot of time for these societal problems to be thoroughly touched upon, the show seems to be more interested in showing the daily life of Peter as both a high school student and as Spider-Man.
All things considered, “Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man” succeeds in portraying a grounded, humble beginning of the famous web-slinging hero in a way that’s invigorating for both fans and newcomers alike. Besides a few key details, the show refuses to regurgitate material that can already be seen from the franchise.
Through it’s glamorous art style and alterations to the mythos, the show makes itself distinguishable from any other Spider-Man related media anyone has ever seen. Even with the egregious changes in its presentation, the show never loses sight of the principles that make Spider-Man a universally beloved character. If that isn’t enough, there’s always some cool action sequences in the show to indulge in.
Verdict: “Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man” is a colorfully fresh take on the Web-Head that doesn’t skimp out on heart nor action.