10 Mind-Blowing Facts You Didn't Know About The '90s Spider-Man Cartoon
2. The Show Made Big Changes From The Comics
In terms of merchandise, Spider-Man is the most lucrative Marvel superhero. The reason why is simple: Kids love him.
This posed a problem for the writers. When the show was green-lit, the comics were not depicting Spidey as a wise-cracking, fun hero. Instead, he was a mopey, moody teenager who was riddled with grief after seeing so many of his loved ones die.
The show's creators focused on making Spider-Man more optimistic and funny to draw in younger viewers. When the comics became more popular, the writers made Spider-Man funnier and less depressing since that was the version of the character that fans were most familiar with.
His partner, Mary Jane Watson was also heavily revised. In the comics, MJ's character seemed to change drastically every time the writers swapped around.
Depending on who was writing, she came across as an airhead, a control-freak, or a damsel-in-distress. The show's creators decided to solidify her character so she was funny, light-hearted but strong and could take care of herself. Although she played the role of the damsel, she took initiative and assisted Spidey on several adventures.