A SNEAK PEEK at RetroFan #38…
In the early ’80s, I watched Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends on Saturday mornings not so much because I loved it but because it was on. It’s not a knock on the show: It’s just that I was 14 when it premiered in 1981 and it was aimed at an audience younger than me.
But I was certainly charmed by it and understand how beloved it is by fans. Well, after a hiatus forced by Diamond’s bankruptcy, TwoMorrows is back this week with RetroFan #38, and the centerpiece coverage is a thorough history of the show by Andy Mangels:
Andy really gets into the nitty-gritty of the show’s production — it’s an excellent exploration — and, typically, I’d excerpt a part of his article. But I’d rather present something complete, so dig editor Ed Catto’s sidebar interview with Will Meugniot. It gives a real taste of what it was like to work on the show:
RetroFan #39 is scheduled to be in comics shops June 11 but is shipping already to those who pre-ordered through TwoMorrows. I urge you to get it from your comics shop to support TwoMorrows’ new deal with Lunar Distribution, but you can still get it directly from the publisher.
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MORE
— SPIDER-MAN AND HIS AMAZING FRIENDS to Get Long Overdue Salute. Click here.
— 13 REASONS to Watch the 1981 SPIDER-MAN Cartoon Series. Click here.
May 24, 2025
I loved that show. Recently found it on Disney+ and watched it with my son. It still holds up.
May 24, 2025
I think shows like it and Super Friends get a bad rap from older fans because they aren’t as faithful to the comics and take a more juvenile approach. But often they were children’s first exposure to the comics and may have drawn them to the comics.
May 24, 2025
It was my favorite superhero show at the time. If you look at the Super Friends cartoon and compare, you will see that Amazing Friends had better writing and just seemed a little more sophisticated. It also has the best voice actor for Spidey IMO.