Throughout the years, Marvel has introduced iconic characters like Captain America, Iron Man, and The Incredible Hulk, but there's no doubt that their most successful legacy character is the Amazing Spider-Man. A radioactive spider bit teenage Peter Parker and turned him into Spider-Man in the character's beloved origin story.

With this universal love for Spider-Man came video games, live-action movies, and, of course, animated shows for each generation to enjoy over the decades. In fact, there has been a Spider-Man cartoon almost every decade since the 1960s, each featuring different visual and writing styles.

Updated by Timothy Blake Donohoo on December 29, 2023: As Marvel's premiere hero, Spider-Man has had numerous animated adaptations that touched just as many generations of viewers. Now, there's set to be another one on the Disney+ streaming service, presenting a new version of the Web-Slinger. Thankfully, many of these shows are easy to find and watch, each of them bringing to life then-recent aspects of Spidey's comic books.

Why Spider-Man Has So Many Cartoons

Spider-Man has been Marvel's biggest hero ever since he debuted in the 1960s. This is mainly due to his unique combination of colorful, humorous heroics and relatable nature. Unlike some of Marvel Comics' other superheroes, Spider-Man is a normal young adult who has traditional life issues like paying rent on time and navigating complicated relationships. These elements have all found their way into his cartoon in one form or another.

Likewise, changes in animation styles and storytelling elements have allowed these core concepts of Spider-Man to be remixed and reimagined throughout the decades. Only the X-Men and the Incredible Hulk have able to rival Spider-Man when it comes to Marvel animated adaptations. It's no wonder these heroes have largely been considered the "Trinity" of Marvel Comics. In the case of Spider-Man, this animated popularity began all the way back in the decade that birthed the character, the 1960s, with the first Spider-Man cartoon.

Spider-Man (1967)

52 Episodes

The Webhead's first swing onto the screen came in a fun show for kids in the '60s. The first Spider-Man cartoon left its mark on history with cheesy adventures and animation that sparked the creation of a few different memes over the years. The series also featured an iconic theme song that nearly every Spider-Man live-action movie has referenced.

Without the first Spider-Man cartoon, fans possibly wouldn't have had the chance to enjoy the movies or other animated shows that followed. Spider-Man '67 is a bit dated, but it still holds a special place in the hearts of many fans. This version of Spider-Man even made a quick cameo in Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse's post-credits scene.

Spider-Man (1981)

26 Episodes

The 1980s Spider-Man cartoon seemed to fly under the radar since it only lasted twenty-two episodes before being canceled. Much like the original series, Spider-Man has many dated elements, including lackluster writing and animation rooted in the era that might remind fans of the original He-Man And The Masters Of The Universe cartoon.

However, Spider-Man was ahead of its time and featured a number of guest appearances by other Marvel heroes and villains, including Captain America, Namor, and Doctor Doom. Spider-Man set the stage for follow-ups like Spider-Woman and subsequent animated shows.

Spider-Man And His Amazing Friends

24 Episodes

The same production and animation team as 1981's Spider-Man cartoon also united the wall-crawler with a small team of heroes featuring Iceman and Firestar from the X-Men. Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends featured other Marvel heroes and villains, though it also created a few that never made it into the comics. Others eventually found their way on the printed page and in major moves (as cameos), namely the digitized Video Man.

Spider-Man And His Amazing Friends lasted three seasons with only twenty-four episodes. It was a success, and to this day, there are fans who go back and rewatch the series with a smile. It is now available for at-home streaming on Disney+ alongside many other Spider-Man shows.

Spider-Man: The Animated Series

65 Episodes

The original 1967 Spider-Man cartoon may have kicked off the character's animated legacy, but it was the '90s reboot that really developed a loyal fanbase. The long-running series featured impressive animation and treated each character with respect. Spider-Man featured more action and darker comic-based storyline (including the still-recent introductions of Venom and Carnage), making it yet another success for the Marvel Animated Universe that began with the X-Men cartoon.

1994's Spider-Man cartoon also helped the Marvel universe expand with new animated series like The Incredible Hulk and Iron Man. The series utilized almost all of Spidey's iconic rogues gallery, not to mention supporting cast members such as Harry Osborn, the enigmatic Madame Web and, of course, Mary Jane Watson, Peter Parker's one true love.

Spider-Man Unlimited

13 Episodes

Spider-Man Unlimited was a follow-up to the '94 series that took the character in a bold new direction. Peter Parker followed the Venom and Carnage symbiotes to the cyberpunk Counter-Earth to stop them and save J. Jonah Jameson's son. The unique Spider-Man cartoon only lasted one season, which was largely credited to the competition derived from multimedia children's anime franchises such as Pokemon and Digimon.

The design for Spider-Man's new cyberpunk suit was particularly unique, and this was strengthened by the unique animation and art style in the series. In many ways, Spider-Man Unlimited was an obvious attempt to capitalize on the success of Batman Beyond. In fact, it was originally envisioned as a potential adaptation of the futuristic Spider-Man 2099 comic books. Ironically, the version of Peter Parker from this show aided Spider-Man 2099/Miguel O'Hara in the animated movie Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.

Spider-Man: The New Animated Series

13 Episodes

The decision to air a superhero cartoon on MTV in the early 2000s might have restricted the fan base for the short-lived Spider-Man: The New Animated Series. Fans who did see the series were largely turned off by the controversial 3D animation style, which can come off as particularly dated nowadays.

Spider-Man: TNAS featured Neil Patrick Harris as Peter Parker and Michael Clarke Duncan as Kingpin in standout performances that continued stories from 2002's live-action Spider-Man film as well as 2003's Daredevil. Of course, the animated series didn't really match the continuity of these movies, especially since one was made by Sony while the other was produced by 20th Century Fox. It was largely overshadowed by the first Sam Raimi Spider-Man movie itself and its animated predecessors.

The Spectacular Spider-Man

26 Episodes

The 1994 Spider-Man cartoon is held in high regard, though fans also rank The Spectacular Spider-Man as one of, if not the character's best, animated adaptations. The Spectacular Spider-Man featured gorgeous animation and excellent performances from the voice actors. It also adapted several iconic storylines from the comics with a modern twist, showcasing a unique take on classic examples of Spidey living on the edge, fighting crime, and spinning webs.

There was extensive planning for the Spider-Man cartoon, aiming to follow Peter Parker all the way from high school into his adult marriage to Mary Jane. Unfortunately, due to ever-evolving rights issues, The WB canceled The Spectacular Spider-Man after only two seasons. Fans of the popular series got the chance to see this version of the character again in 2023's Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse​​​​​. Likewise, its showrunner is now leaping above fans' heads and writing the similarly titled comic book, Spectacular Spider-Men.

Ultimate Spider-Man

104 Episodes

While the title of the show might excite some fans of Miles Morales, Ultimate Spider-Man was not initially about that version of the hero. Instead, it followed Peter Parker after Nick Fury upgraded his tech and assigned him a new team of S.H.I.E.L.D. heroes-in-training that included Luke Cage, White Tiger, Iron Fist, and Nova. The Ultimate Spider-Man cartoon mixed action with a lot of fourth-wall breaking and jokes geared towards a younger audience, which led to a mixed reception among fans.

A big part of its lack of acclaim stemmed from the cancelation of the superior Spectacular Spider-Man, the overreliance on humor and the fact that Marvel included other characters (namely S.H.I.E.L.D. and Nick Fury), which felt like forced cohesion with other Marvel brands. Despite this reception, Ultimate Spider-Man still became the longest-running Spider-Man series ever. The series' third and fourth seasons featured other heroes and villains, including Miles Morales. Thus, they were re-titled as Web Warriors and Spider-Man vs. the Sinister Six, respectively.

Marvel's Spider-Man

58 Episodes

When the MCU's new take on Spider-Man appeared on the big screen, a new Spider-Man cartoon appeared soon after. 2017's Marvel's Spider-Man cartoon focused on Peter Parker as he balanced his life as Spider-Man with his time at a special high-tech school for genius kids that included Miles Morales and Gwen Stacy.

With many new and familiar aspects, Marvel's Spider-Man ran for three seasons, though the final season was re-titled as Spider-Man: Maximum Venom. Fans appreciated the inclusion of the various Spider-People as main characters, though the reimagined setting and sometimes simplistic animation failed to impress many viewers.

Spidey And His Amazing Friends

45 Episodes

Spidey and His Amazing Friends premiered on Disney Jr. in 2021 as the spiritual successor to the fan-favorite series from the '80s. The family-friendly series was geared toward younger ages and followed Peter Parker/Spider-Man alongside his modern team of Web Warriors like Miles Morales/Spin (who was renamed for the series) and Gwen Stacy/Ghost-Spider.

Spidey and His Amazing Friends launched with web episodes that introduced the new cast of heroes. Spider-Man's drone Trace-E and his supercomputer Web-ster joined the trio as they faced kid-friendly versions of iconic Spider-Man villains like Green Goblin and Doctor Octopus. The show's fourth season was green-lit in June 2023.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man

TBD

Marvel Studios previously announced the latest Spider-Man cartoon to star Peter Parker, which will stream on Disney+. This animated series was originally titled Spider-Man: Freshman Year, it was to be set in an alternate version of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and was going to explore the previously unrevealed origins of the wall-crawler. Likewise, the second season was also planned to be fittingly subtitled Sophomore Year.

The new animated series is executive produced by Jeff Trammell, who will also serve as the head writer. Trammell is best known for his work with other Disney animated series like Craig of the Creek and Amphibia, which has fans even more excited about the upcoming Spider-Man cartoon. Most recently, it was renamed, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, with ties to the MCU seemingly severed.