World Famous Comics: Spider-Man - The Venom Saga (Animated Series)
Spider-Man - The Venom Saga (Animated Series)
Directed By: Bob Richardson Average Rating: Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated) Binding: DVD Format: Animated, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD-Video, NTSC Label: Buena Vista Home Entertainment / Disney Number of Items: 1 Region Code: 1 Release Date: June 07, 2005 Running Time: 95 minutes Theatrical Release Date: November 19, 1994
Description: The Spider-Man(TM) legend continues with an epic battle against one of Spidey's greatest foes. When an alien element falls into the wrong hands, a lethal new criminal is unleashed. Experience all the high-flying animated action and spine-tingling excitement of this spectacular clash in SPIDER-MAN: THE VENOM(TM) SAGA. After rescuing the pilot of a space shuttle carrying two strange meteors, Spider-Man notices a black stain on his costume and a disturbing change in his behavior. Soon, the evil stain consumes his entire costume, and America's favorite Super Hero(TM) awakens to find himself on the run from both the authorities and his arch-enemies. Will Venom(TM) be the one to finally ground the Webslinger, or will Spider-Man be able to defeat this powerful new force?
Amazon.com: Venom, the scariest and most memorable villain from Spider-Man's post-Stan Lee era, takes center stage in this collection of five episodes ("The Alien Costume" parts 1-3, "Venom Returns," and "Carnage") from the Spider-Man animated series from the mid-'90s. The action begins when astronaut John Jameson discovers a strange new substance on the moon. The substance ends up becoming a new black costume for Spider-Man, and he's thrilled with the way it enhances his natural powers (such as spinning webs without mechanical web shooters) and can change into a different outfit merely upon a thought. Spidey soon discovers, however, that the apparent costume is actually an alien symbiote that is gradually taking control of his thoughts. Spidey is able to overcome the symbiote, but it finds a new host in Daily Bugle washout Eddie Brock, and their mutual hatred of Spider-Man creates a deadly new villain, Venom, whose natural powers exceed Spidey's. Things get even more complicated when Venom's "offspring" finds a host and becomes the even deadlier Carnage. Also making appearances in these episodes are the Kingpin, the Shocker, the Rhino, Dormammu, Iron Man, and War Machine. DVD features include some interesting comments by David Michelinie, who with artist Todd MacFarlane, created Venom in the comic books. Among other topics in the unnecessarily complicated feature, he discusses differences between the show and the comics. Stan Lee also boards his soap box to dish about Venom (11 minutes) and has optional introductions for each episode. --David Horiuchi
WE NEED BOXSETS This is exactly why Amazon needs to make a deal with Buena Vista Home Entertainment. This is one of my favorite cartoons as a child, and this dvd only has a handfull of episodes. WE NEED FULL SEASON BOXSETS OF THIS SHOW AMAZON, PLEASE! Buena Vista Home Entertainment has the rights to this show, and they simply refuse to release it on Season boxsets. You did a good job by getting Nickelodeon shows, please try to make a deal with them. I know that it would sell.
Better in Season Long Releases, Best as a Whole Series I recently watched through this entire series from episode one to the end on old tapes with my kids. I hadn't watched the show since it's original airing in the nineties, and I've gotta say, taken as a whole, it is a fantastic show.
The true strength of this version of Spiderman is the way the story builds, the way episodes that came before are not forgotten, and the way each epsidode leads into the next. The story doesn't stagnate, the status quo doesn't have to be maintained, and something that happens in season two is still relevant in season four, etc.
The first season wasn't quite as strong (the writers seemed determined to get JJ a big role in most episodes,) but it was still quite good. The second season (with it's fourteen part Mutagenic Nightmare) was probably the best season of any animated show I've ever seen. Even better, the events of season two are not forgetten, and Season four has a five part sequal where all of the guest stars from season two return. Seasons two, four and five were the best (five started slow, but turned fantastic about half way through and stayed that way through the end.)
The series had some real surprises in it -- a revelation about Mary Jane in season five shocked both my kids (and shocked me, too, the first time I saw it,) -- and it also (when taken as a whole) packed some emotional punch. The last six or so episodes really showed the growth of the Spiderman/Peter character over the course of the series, and provided a touching, fitting, hopefull finale for the series.
Of course being a superhero show, there was a lot of action, and most of it was actually quite good. When I first saw the show I didn't realize all the restrictions that had been put on the producers by the network. Knowing the restrictions now makes me realize what an amazing job the writers and producers did. The fact that they were able to create such entertaining action sequences without violating the networks rules is actually pretty amazing.
The show included quite a few intersting guest apearances -- the Punisher, Daredevil, Morbius the Living Vampire, Captain America, the Fantastic Four, Iron Man, the X-Men, the Black Cat, etc -- most of whom made multiple apearances and were more than just "guests of the week." The series also featured a majority of Spiderman's most famous villains and supporting characters. Even minor charactors like Flash Thompson got repeated attention and a chance to grow (again, when the series was taken as a whole.)
Honestly, it's a shame this complete series has not been released in season long box sets for new and old fans alike. The individual DVD releases do not do the series justice, and it's a shame fans have not been given a chance to see how good of a series this truly is when taken as a whole. I would love to have the opportunity to buy both this series and the original X-Men 90's animated series in complete season box sets with high quality DVD transfers. I would certainly buy all five seasons of each, were they available, and think many fans would greatly appreciate having the chance to watch both series the way they were intended.
That said, this is probably the best of the individual DVD releases. This, and the Secret Wars DVD which I used to have (but which no longer seems to exist even on Ebay) were the best of the stand alones, but even still, the series is best as a whole.
Forgot how good this series was... I use to watch this animated series as a kid but I didn't appreciate the writing or plot development as much as just watching Spidey fight the bad guys. Watching it is an adult gives me a better appreciation for the writing and creativity. This DVD is a must buy for fans and an easy watch for people new to Spider Man. The DVD is well-made and the bonus material with Stan Lee is entertaining to watch. Would have given 5 stars but I was hoping for more bonus material and interviews.
Excellent rapidity and seriousness, I recommend to this salesman in a 100% product is excellent
Before "Spider-Man 3", there was the animated Venom saga! Astronaut John Jameson whom is the son of Jonah Jameson was doing an exploration on the moon as he bring backs a space rock with a black alien slime inside of it. When it attacks John as they approach Earth the ship crash lands by the river of New York, a large muscular man in a Rhino outfit named The Rhino steals the space rock from the ship with Peter Parker's rival Eddie Brock taking pictures of the robbery and telling Jonah Jameson that Spider-Man was the one that robbed the shuttle. Spidy has been framed and a mysterious alien goo consumes his costume making it into a special black Spider-Man costume with super jumping speed, can change his clothes for him and can make unlimited webbing thus making him a super Spider-Man as he thinks it's swell. Unfortunately it's a deadly living organism that is trying to take over his personality and his body as he soon discovers and must try to get rid of it, once he does it consumes Eddie Brock turning him into the sharp-toothed big eyed black Spider-Man doppleganger named Venom so he can reek his revenge on Spider-Man.
Another great DVD set of the great 1994 Spider-Man animated series but this time with every fanboy's favorite Spider-Man villain, these episodes also guest star Kingpin, Shocker, Rhino, Iron-Man, War Machine and Carnage. Featuring the voices of Hank Azaria and Ed Asner and good animation with some CGI, this is the perfect appetizer for fans before they see "Spider-Man 3" to see Venom on the big screen.
The DVD has only a few extras like introductions by Stan Lee, a multi-featurette on Venom's origins by the creators and Stan Lee's Soapbox.
Anything Goes Trivia
Megaton Man
Tailipoe
Trevor
