Spider-Man: 'The Party'

November 15, 3:41 PMClassic TV ExaminerDoug Krentzlin

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Spider-Man & Electro in "The Party"
(MTV)

It’s a pity MTV’s computer animated Spider-Man series isn’t better known because, all in all, it was by far the best rendition of the comic book super hero. Running for only thirteen episodes from July to August in the summer of 2003, this was meant to bridge the gap between the first two live-action Spider-Man films as well as drum up publicity for Spider-Man 2.

Produced by Spider-Man creator Stan Lee, the series used the same process as The Iron Giant that gives computer animation the illusion of cell animation. And in a stroke of genius, comic book illustrator Tim Sale was commissioned to provide the original art work.

The pilot episode The Party (originally broadcast on July 11, 2003) is a reimagining of the origin of villain Electro. When first introduced in the comic book in the early 1960s, Electro was a petty crook whose body accidentally absorbed a charge of electricity giving him super powers. In The Party, Electro starts out as hapless, nerdy college student Max Dillon (Ethan Embry) who yearns to be accepted by one of the campus fraternities.

Max’s friends Peter Parker (Neil Patrick Harris), Mary Jane Watson (Lisa Loeb) and Harry Osborn (Ian Ziering) try to warn Max that Doug Reisman (Jeff Fischer), who’s in charge of hazing would-be frat brothers, is nothing but a heartless bully, but Max is determined to be one of the “cool kids.”

One night, the fraternity throws a party to which the whole gang is invited, but Peter begs off because he has studying to catch up on. Actually, it’s his duties as super hero Spider-Man that takes up his time much to his regret. (“I bet the X-Men go to parties,” he grouses to himself.)

At the party, Max is waylaid by Doug and the frat boys so that they can publicly humiliate him by shooting paint balls at him. Max runs out of the fraternity house into the night despite a raging thunderstorm. As he angrily throws rocks at a huge rooftop neon sign, a bolt of lightning hits the sign and bathes Max in electricity transforming him into a supernatural being made entirely of electrical energy. Rechristening himself Electro, Max sets out for revenge against Doug and his cohorts…

Spider-Man: The Party can be viewed on-line for free at Hulu and is also available from Amazon.