ABC Family To Host Spiderman Marathon, Memorial Day Weekend
"Spider-Man Through the Years" 3-Day Marathon Swings Into the ABC Family Lineup Memorial Day Weekend May 25-27 2002-- 7:00-9:00 A.M., ET/PT
Best Episodes from Four Decades of Animated Spidey Series Featured Each Morning of Holiday Weekend
While the new Spider-Man movie "sticks" to the silver screen, an animated "Spider-Man Through the Years" marathon, featuring Marvel Comics' favorite wall crawler in first-ever episode plus classic and modern day episodes from the four Spider-Man series (from the '60s, '80s, '90s and new millennium), will be presented during the Memorial Day Weekend, Saturday, May 25, Sunday, May 26, and Monday, May 27 (7:00-9:00 a.m., ET/PT) on ABC Family.
Each block will showcase Spider-Man's biggest battles with the most infamous villains -- the Green Goblin, Doctor Octopus and Mysterio -- and terrific teaming with other heroes -- the X-Men and the Incredible Hulk -- from each version of the animated series. The marathon's interstitial moments will feature trivia about the Spider-Man character.
Based on the hugely popular Marvel comic book series "The Amazing Spider-Man," co-created by Stan Lee, the 1967-70 animated "Spider-Man" (with the catchy theme song) marked the web-slinging hero's foray into television. After appearing in about two dozen three-minute segments on "The Electric Company" in the 1970s, Spider-Man returned in a new animated series, again entitled "Spider-Man," then changed to "Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends" (1981-82, 1984-86), with two new compatriots -- Firestar, an original female character created for the show, and Iceman, a former X-Men member. The next animated version, which premiered in 1995 and ran for five seasons, pit Spider-Man against classic Marvel Universe villains, including Doctor Doom, the Vulture and Electro, and more modern bad-guys, including Venom and the Carnage Symbiote. Finally, in his most recent outing, "Spider-Man Unlimited," (1999-01) Spidey's in New York, but it's a different New York. Thanks to Venom and Carnage, he's stranded on the world known as "Counter-Earth," where humanoid animals rule and normal humans are the underclass. Though wanting nothing more than to get home, Spider-Man stays to fight for humanity.
Episodes from "Spider-Man" (1967), "Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends," "Spider-Man" (1995) and "Spider-Man Unlimited" will air during the Marathon as follows:
| Saturday, May 25 - X-Men Crossovers | |
| 7:00-7:30 a.m. | "The Power of Dr. Octopus" - 1967 - Episode 1 of this series, featuring the villain's first animated appearance |
| 7:30-8:00 a.m. | "A Firestar is Born" - "Amazing Friends" - Firestar explains her origin during an X-Men reunion (team's first animated appearance) |
| 8:00-8:30 a.m. | "The Mutant Agenda, Part 1" - 1995 - A cyborg seeks revenge on Firestar, her friends and the X-Men |
| 8:30-9:00 a.m. | "The Mutant Agenda, Part 2" - 1995 - Part two of the cyborg vs. Firestar, her friends and the X-Men |
| Sunday, May 26 - Green Goblin Attacks | |
| 7:00-7:30 a.m. | "To Catch A Spider" - 1967 - Features bad-guy group, The Sinister Six, including Green Goblin, Electro and Vulture |
| 7:30-8:00 a.m. | "Triumph of the Green Goblin" - "Amazing Friends" - The Green Goblin attacks as the gang attends a superhero costume party |
| 8:00-8:30 a.m. | "Turning Point" - 1995 - The Green Goblin kidnaps Spider-Man's girlfriend, Mary Jane, and flies her to the top of the Brooklyn Bridge |
| 8:30-9:00 a.m. | "World's Apart, Part 1" - "Unlimited" - Venom and Carnage stow away on John Jameson's space shuttle to Counter-Earth, Peter Parker designs a Nano-Tech costume with new features and hijacks a shuttle to go after them |
| Monday, May 27 - Mysterio Materializes | |
| 7:00-7:30 a.m. | "Return of the Flying Dutchman" - 1967 - Features all of Spider-Man's foes, including Mysterio |
| 7:30-8:00 a.m. | "Spidey Goes to Hollywood" - "Amazing Friends" - Mysterio cons Spidey into making a deadly movie; The Incredible Hulk guest stars |
| 8:00-8:30 a.m. | "The Haunting of Mary Jane Watson" - 1995 - After finally getting her big break in movies, Mary Jane comes to believe she's being haunted, or is it another one of Mysterio's tricks? |
| 8:30-9:00 a.m. | "World's Apart, Part 2" - "Unlimited" - When Venom and Carnage attack the revolutionaries' headquarters, Spidey helps drive them off. Jameson invites Spidey to join his cause, but he only wants to return to Earth |
ABC Family regularly airs two Spider-Man episodes Saturdays at 8:00 a.m. and 8:30 a.m.
--Posted April 15, 2002
Formatted: LaughingPlace.com
Source: ABC Family Press Release