Not as easy as you might think…
One of the most charming aspects of the beloved 1967 Spider-Man cartoon — which has been getting a lot of attention lately — is its wonky, low-budget animation. But that doesn’t mean it was easy to produce.
Dig this piece by reader Joe Otis Costello, who re-created an animation cel of one of the show’s most famous images, and did a video of his process.
Thwip!
— Dan
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By JOE OTIS COSTELLO
I recreated a cel for one frame from the opening of Spider-Man ’67 and this video I made highlights just how laborious it was to make animation back then, on the budgets and time frames that constrained the show’s artists.
There were a lot of very talented illustrators and animators who worked on the program, and you can see it in the endlessly repeated segments they used. I hope this provides a little insight to anyone curious about the process of animating in the 1960s.
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The image is so well known, Hasbro riffed on it for its announcement of the upcoming Spider-Man ’67 action figure 3-pack.
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If you’re interested in getting your hands on a re-created cel, Costello has posted an eBay listing.
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MORE
— FINALLY! HASBRO to Release 1967 SPIDER-MAN CARTOON Action Figure Set. Click here.
— The SPIDER-MAN ’67 CARTOON Comic Book We All Want. Click here.
