Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends Episode Twenty-One: Origin of the Spider-Friends

Origin of the Spider-Friends

First Aired: October 15th, 1983

Synopsis: Several years ago, J. Jonah Jameson tells Peter Parker to get photos of Firestar and secret government agent Iceman, since they're newsworthy. Shortly aferwards, Peter runs into them in both their civilian and heroic identities at an inventor's exhibit, when Beetle tries to steal a new crime computer Tony Stark is showing off. The heroes work together to chase off Beetle and save the computer. Shortly afterwards, they run into each other in their civilian identities once more at university, which they all attend. When there's a fire in a nearby building, they work together in their heroic alter egos once again to stop it, but the camera Spider-Man set up to photograph himself for the Bugle catches Firestar switching between her identities. As Spider-Man, Peter meets with them, tells them that he knows their identities, and reveals his own. The three heroes agree to become the Spider-Friends, and move into Aunt May's place.

Beetle attacks Tony Stark once more, unknowingly kidnapping him when he's got a power booster on him that can increase the power output of electronic devices. When the Spider-Friends hear about the kidnapping, they intervene and are able to save Tony, although Beetle gets away with the power booster. As thanks for saving him twice Tony offers the heroes a favour, and they ask for the crime computer he was showing off. It's installed at their home, and when Beetle attacks Stark International, not wanting anyone other than himself to have a power booster, the heroes find his location through a combination of the crime computer and some good guesses. Once there, they struggle against his suit, amplified by the power booster, until Firestar weakens the power booster with her powers. Spider-Man pulls it from his chest with his webs, leaving Iceman to destroy Beetle's armour. In the aftermath, the heroes declare it to be the start of a great friendship.

Miscellaneous Notes:

• This episode has fairly consistent Stan Lee narration throughout it. While this has been fairly consistent throughout this season, this is the first one where I really felt like it sounded like Stan - "You demanded this! We listen to our fans!"
• This version of Tony Stark has an incredible deep speaking voice. While I'm not saying that we need all versions of Iron Man to match Robert Downey Jr.'s portrayal (particularly given how much longer it will take for that to happen), I've got to say...it feels jarring.
• Tony Stark's chauffeur is not to Happy Hogan in this world, and therefore sucks
• While Firestar's looking for Beetle, she speculates that he might be trying to take over the world, and therefore be at the United Nations. She's onto something here.

Review: In spite of Stan Lee's insistence that we demanded this episode, I can't say that I was exactly dying for it. I don't know whether people were actually writing in and asking for the origin of the Spider-Friends, or whether a writer knew that this would be the last season and figured, "Hey, here's a plot," but it's what we got. Weirdly enough the supposed demand for it was because everyone wanted to know how the Spider-Friends got their crime computer, so there's that addressed, if that was really keeping you up at night.

Anyway, while I wasn't exactly dying for this episode, I can't say I had a bad time with it. There's something incredibly refreshing about Peter revealing his identity to Firestar and Iceman, and all of them becoming such fast and trusting friends. I could absolutely see the argument for having Peter keep his identity secret, or to show him agonising over revealing it, but his trust in his new friends really is quite heartwarming.

Beetle is a good choice for the episode's villain, too - he's tough enough that we can picture one of the heroes struggling against him but when they team up he doesn't stand much of a chance, at least not until he activates the power booster. Tony Stark is also the most natural choice for the person to give them the crime computer, and him giving it to them in gratitude (as opposed to, "hey, you're superheroes; you deserve it") is a good reasoning behind it. I can't say that this is the most fantastic episode of the show I've ever seen, but it's far from the worst.