Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Spider-Man: Brand New DaySpider-Man: Brand New Day is finally here, and the new film is the most that the big-screen hero has ever felt like the 1990s animated iteration of the character, leaving many wanting more. Some of the best Spider-Man: The Animated Series episodes have some surprising parallels with the new film and deserve to be revisited.
There have been many different iterations of Spider-Man through the years. The best Spider-Man movies have had a strong and consistent focus on character, with a dynamic and charismatic Peter Parker at their core. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse did a great job reframing the cultural idea of who and what exactly Spider-Man is, including his deep connection with global audiences.
The hero remains Marvel’s crown jewel, and is set to be explored in all kinds of animated stories moving forward. Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse will finish Miles Morales’ story, while Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man is working on building a compelling multiversal tale of the familiar hero, leaning into some familiar elements and giving them a fresh and exciting twist.
Still, to many, Spider-Man: The Animated Series remains the best animated version of the character that has yet been seen. And the energy and vibe of the series, with its enormous, colorful world and its tremendous cast of familiar and beloved characters, has seemingly served as an inspiration for Brand New Day. For one reason or another, many episodes of its run are worth checking out after Brand New Day.
Secret Wars
Avengers: Secret Wars will not be out until next year, but preparations for the film have already begun, especially after the post-credit scene for Brand New Day. This “Secret Wars” episode is a much smaller, albeit still strong endeavor that sees the Beyonder and Madame Web preparing for a multiversal Spider-War.
Several iconic heroes are brought along on this adventure, leading to a conflict with Doctor Doom. Captain America, Iron Man, Storm, and the Fantastic Four are featured memorably in the episode, tying into various other Marvel television series of the era.
This three-part saga was a fantastic hint of what has since become so popular in superhero storytelling, combining elements of both the Spider-Verse and the Avengers films. This comprised the season six episodes “Arrival,” “The Gauntlet of the Red Skull,” and “Doom.”
The Sting Of The Scorpion
Michael Mando’s return as Scorpion in Brand New Day is excellent. More than this, it delivers on the promise of Spider-Man: Homecoming, finally giving the iconic villain his live-action, big-screen debut in costume. The character has an enormous legacy in the comics, dating back to 1964.
Fortunately, Scorpion previously had the chance to be an excellent recurring villain in the animated series, beginning with the sixth episode of season one, “The Sting of the Scorpion.” In addition to providing a great version of the iconic villain, this strong episode also gives a great focus to J. Jonah Jameson.
Examining Jameson’s hatred of masked heroes and giving him and Spider-Man a unique moment of connection, the show uses Gargan adeptly as a memorable villain who would later go on to become part of the Insidious Six team.
Enter The Punisher
Jon Bernthal’s Punisher character has been one of the best parts of the MCU, and it is so exciting that the Punisher and Spider-Man relationship has finally been given a focus in the universe. Punisher first debuted in The Amazing Spider-Man #129, and despite strong differences, the two have shared links ever since.
Season two, episode seven of The Animated Series introduces Frank Castle to the show’s continuity. The episode follows Spider-Man in the midst of a transformation as he attempts to locate Dr. Michael Morbius. Punisher, meanwhile, attempts to hunt the wall-crawling hero down.
The episode ends on a shocking note. Punisher faces a fully mutated Peter Parker, who has become a terrifying Man-Spider. The episode closes with a close-up on his terrifyingly transformed face, and immediately leads into another important entry on this list.
Duel Of The Hunters
Season two, episode eight of Spider-Man covers some of the same ground as the new film, addressing much of Peter’s transformation and tackling elements of body horror. This episode sees Peter Parker after he has been fully transformed into a Man-Spider.
A beastly form that is not quite seen in full in the new film, Peter’s transformation is still an important part of Brand New Day, and the potential culmination of that journey is well reflected here. Peter’s new body is a terrifying thing, and he searches for Dr. Morbius in an attempt to find a cure.
The end of the episode sees Spider-Man returned to a human state, but he is not fully cured. Contending with the body in such a complex way makes for such a great addition to this episode, and helps to make season two arguably the show’s best.
Farewell, Spider-Man
Spider-Man: The Animated Series culminates with this fantastic episode at the end of season five. With a clashing of multiverses, including one with a terrifying Spider-Carnage combination, the series ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, with Mary Jane having disappeared, and Spider-Man journeying to save her.
On the way, however, the show features several fun moments that point toward Spider-Man’s history. It is the only episode of the series that actually features Gwen Stacy, and the story ends with Spider-Man being told he is a fictional character and going to meet Stan Lee in an animated cameo.
With so much Spider-Man media having become so self-aware about the character’s origins and legacy, it is fun to see this 1990s iteration of the hero slinging through the sky with his own creator on his back.
The Alien Costume
“The Alien Costume” is a fantastic three-episode story in Spider-Man: The Animated Series that tells one of the best iterations of the Symbiote story in the Spider-Man mythos. While Tom Holland’s own Symbiote story is yet to be told, it feels likely to happen soon.
In the meantime, this sequence of episodes is the best way to see the story unfold. From Spider-Man getting the black costume and finding himself transformed by it to their separation and the creation of Venom, this three-part saga is one of the most memorable in the entire show.
The animated Venom would go on to be a major character in the animated series, as well as in Spider-Man: Unlimited. Seeing how that was set up so successfully in these episodes could be a great inspiration for future Spider-Man films.
Tombstone
Tombstone is an excellent Spider-Man villain, and it’s so exciting to finally see the character appear on the big screen in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Audiences looking for a deeper dive into Lonnie Lincoln, however, could find a great deal to enjoy in the character’s animated portrayal.
This episode does a great job in examining Robbie Robertson’s past, including his childhood relationship with Lonnie Lincoln. The villain’s backstory is by Robbie, providing great complexity to his character.
In addition to strong character drama, it is also simply exciting to see the villainous force that Tombstone has become throughout the episode. With a fantastic look at the larger world of Spider-Man characters, “Tombstone” is one of the best episodes of season 3.
The Mutant Agenda
One of the most important parts of the new Spider-Man film is how it opens up the world of the Marvel Cinematic Universe to finally introduce the X-Men with Sadie Sink’s Jean Grey. While the movie holds only tenuous links to that new world, which will certainly be explored soon, it has left many audiences wanting more.
Just like in the new film, Spider-Man is experiencing some genetic mutations in this season 2 episode. He embarks to visit Professor Xavier at the X-Mansion, introducing an exciting crossover with the 1990s X-Men series. Characters including Wolverine, Rogue, and even Jean Grey herself appear in the episode.
Examining themes similar to the new film, this excellent episode provides the perfect texture of a crossover between Spider-Man and the larger Marvel canon of mutants. Seeing these rich interactions, especially after the release of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, gives a fantastic look at where the Marvel Cinematic Universe seems to be going.
- Release Date
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July 31, 2026
- Runtime
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145 Minutes
- Producers
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Amy Pascal, Kevin Feige, Rachel O’Connor, Avi Arad