Episode Title: Spidey Meets the Girl from Tomorrow
We’re nearing the end of the line for Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends. We’ve seen several iconic Spidey villains show up along the way…The Green Goblin, Sandman, Electro and others. But today’s episode fills in the biggest hole in the rogues gallery. Get ready for the none other than Doctor Octopus. But that’s not all, we also get a love story…in Spidey Meets the Girl from Tomorrow.
The adventure begins when an intergalactic, time-traveling brother and sister team, Barto and Ariel, are zooming around in their spaceship. Unfortunately for them, their little joyride is interrupted by a Nebu-crab…which is a big blue glowing crab monster floating around in space (Roger Corman would’ve loved it). They end up having to crash-land on Earth. Of course, science geek Peter Parker sees this and goes to investigate. Also monitoring the situation, however, is the evil Doctor Octopus and he also plans to get the otherworldly technology for himself.
When Peter lays eyes on Ariel it’s love at first sight. As it turns out, she’s got the hots for him as well. When Doc Ock tries to attack, Firestar and Iceman show up just in time to help Spidey fend him off. Now the three heroes have to help Barto get the missing elements he needs to repower the spaceship. Animal rights folks won’t appreciate that one of the elements is Ivory (though our space travelers know it by another name). The team has to act fast to get their space friends ready for liftoff as the evil 8-legged one is preparing to strike again. Plus, the two siblings begin to fall victim to Earth illnesses which they have no immunity to. This could spoil Spidey’s chance for love once and for all.
Ok, I like the outer space/ time travel elements of this episode. Nebu-crabs are a little out there, but so are radioactive spiders. Ultimately, though, this episode really lays it on thick with the love story. A bit too mushy for my taste. It really feels a bit too much like a weak attempt at an episode that will appeal to little girls…as if girls could never just like superheros without kissy kissy stuff. At the end of this episode, Spidey is ready to leave Earth for good to go live with space chick. He doesn’t even go and say goodbye to Aunt May. What’s weird is, most episodes up until this point have suggested that Peter/Spidey is sweet on Anjelica/Firestar. I always figured she was the fill in for Mary Jane…she even looks a bit like her. But she has no problem with the fact that the web head has just dumped her for an alien.
It was good to see Doc Ock in this episode…it was about time. Sadly, though, he’s reduced to a somewhat minor role. The love story soooooo takes over that Dock Ock isn’t left with much to do. They don’t even let him kidnap the girl so Spidey can rescue her! Any villain could’ve been stuck in this role, but given how iconic Doctor Octopus is in the Spider-Man story, he should’ve been put into a stronger story that would’ve highlighted him better.
Don’t get me wrong, even your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man deserves to have a lady in his life. With this episode, however, I found myself regressing a bit into the 9-year-old mindset. Spider-Man is kissing…gross!!!
Next time it’s mutants galore in The X-Men Adventure.
Channel: Superhero 