Friday, December 11, 2009


This is a character sheet for The Spectacular Spider-Man, a currently airing animated TV series about the titular web-slinger. Although the show's writing is almost universally regarded as excellent by superhero fans, myself included, one aspect of the show where Spidey fans don't quite see eye-to-eye is the unorthodox animation style. Spectacular sports very simple, streamlined character designs. Lead character designer Sean Galloway did this "to ensure Spider-Man would move as he should and replicate the fluidity from Sam Raimi's movie incarnation."

Although some may object to this and deride the animation as "too kiddy", I personally think the animation is terrific. The cartoonish, big-eyed characters give the show its own look and feel that helps to distinguish it from other superhero cartoons. The simplicity of the style strips the characters down to their most basic physical attributes, making them distinguishable from each other, and then some thanks to the show's excellent characterization.

Overall, even if some Internet fanboys may disagree, I would strongly argue that The Spectacular Spider-Man is a great-looking show. The unique style gives the series a "shtick" to set it apart, and the characters' streamlined designs allow them to stand out from one another.

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