Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man: Spidey swings again in spectacular fashion

Look out. Here comes the Spider-Man again… for the first time.

In Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, we meet Peter Parker (Hudson Thames) as a freshman in high school. But his life changes forever when he’s bitten by a mysterious spider on his first day of school. Now, as he tries to balance family, friends and a part-time internship, Peter is also on the journey towards becoming a hero. With a new mentor and amazing friends, Peter works hard to keep the streets of New York safe as the amazing Spider-Man.

You may feel like you’ve heard that set-up before. (After all, how many times have we seen Spidey get his powers?) But don’t let the familiar opening dissuade you. Simply put, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Manis nothing short of spectacular. From the animation to some beautiful storytelling, this is arguably one of the best animated Spidey series ever told. 

Stylistically, the series is utterly stunning. Featuring the vibrancy of a Marvel comic book, Spider-Manabsolutely pops. Featuring 3D cel-shaded animation, each scene feels true to the original Amazing Spider-Man comics. Colours are bright and… well… friendly, the character movements are smooth and the framing even makes you want to turn the page in moments. This artistry becomes a blend of styles that feels both nostalgic and fresh. (And, it’s worth noting that the remixed theme song is an absolute banger.)

While the series was originally designed to be an origin story for Tom Holland’s incarnation of the Wall Crawler, the series wisely pivoted from those expectations. In doing so, these stories are neither trapped nor burdened by the vast MCU lore, allowing the series to swing freely in its own directions. 

And does it ever.

Not unlike Marvel’s What If…? series, this Neighborhood plays with our expectations of Spidey stories and spins its own vision of them. (In fact, there are several moments that play as alternate versions of beloved scenes from the MCU.) Along with his new friends, this Peter Parker has relationships with allies that haven’t been explored in the same way before. Characters such as Norman Osborn, Lonnie Lincoln and Nico Minoru are given stories that feel fresh, even in a world that has been retread countless times over the years.

But this Spider-Man might be at its best when it focuses on the Neighborhood itself. Unlike other animated series, this incarnation of Spidey feels truly rooted in the city of New York. This isn’t merely a question of setting for superhero fare. This is the story of everyday people in their struggles. 

And the best example of this is Lonnie. Without giving any spoilers, Lonnie’s story is easily given as much time as Peter’s. Lonnie isn’t only the all-star quarterback of the football team. He’s also smart, caring and genuine. This is a young man with a bright future who has the potential to do amazing things.

But New York has a dark side. 

Without saying too much, Lonnie’s journey is told with incredible care and compassion. We sit with him in his family struggles and we watch him try to fight the pressures that exist in the city. This isn’t necessarily a story of ‘inner demons’ but rather a look at the ways that young people can be dragged down by a broken system (and city). In this way, Lonnie’s journey feels genuine, even in the midst of a super-world. 

Of course, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man also has all the tropes that one would expect from a super-show in the Marvel Universe. Appearances by famous villains and MCU characters are frequent. (In some cases, characters are even voiced by their cinematic counterparts.) Even so, for the first time in a long time, that’s not what makes this series special. While fans of the Marvel universe will be happy to see characters that they know and love make an appearance, the true joy of the series lies in its differences. After all, we’ve had the chance to get to know Spider-Man many times before. 

Now, we finally get to know the Neighborhood.

Your Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man begins streaming on Disney+ on January 29^th, 2025.