I’m a little late to the party, but I finally caught up on the Disney Plus series Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, which recently wrapped up its first season. Let me just say — it was definitely worth the watch.
The show offers a fresh take on Peter Parker’s origin story and his early days as a crime-fighter, introducing creative changes that keep things feeling new. Whether you’re a long-time Spider-Man fan or just hopping on the web-slinger bandwagon, there’s a lot to unpack here.
Nostalgic Aesthetic with a Modern Twist
The series kicks off by retelling Peter Parker’s origin story — how he got his powers and began his career as Spider-Man. What sets Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man apart is its clear inspiration from the aesthetic of the early Spider-Man comics, blended seamlessly with a modern-day setting.
From the character designs to the costumes and even the subtle Easter eggs, the show feels like it pulled elements straight from the pages of the comics. The creative team clearly aimed to capture the classic Spider-Man vibe while still making it fresh for a new generation of viewers.
The Animation Style
I’ll be honest — the animation style was a hard sell for me initially. I’m a huge fan of traditional 2D animation like we saw in Spider-Man: The Animated Series (1994) or The Spectacular Spider-Man (2008). So adjusting to this new, more modern style took some time.
But that hurdle didn’t last long. As the episodes progressed, the animation style started to grow on me. It’s well-suited for the fast-paced action scenes and has quite a bit of charm to it after a while. If you were hesitant about the animation like I was, give it a few episodes — you might be surprised.
A Different Take on Familiar Characters
One of the most notable changes in Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man is the creative liberties taken with character backgrounds and ethnicities. For example, Norman and Harry Osborn are depicted as African American in this version, which immediately stood out.
This kind of change often sparks the “race-swapping” conversation. Is it unnecessary “Black-washing,” or does it add something meaningful to the story? In this case, I think it works. The design choices and character dynamics felt natural, not forced. It also opened the door to fresh storytelling opportunities.
But I’m curious — how did you feel about these changes? Did it enhance the story for you, or did it feel out of place?
Storytelling and Creative Twists (Light Spoilers Ahead)
The heart of any Spider-Man story is, of course, the plot. The writers took some bold creative liberties with familiar Spider-Man lore — and I’m here for it.
For example, Norman Osborn (aka the Green Goblin) has taken on a mentor role to Peter in this series. It immediately reminded me of the Tony Stark/Peter Parker dynamic from the MCU. It adds an interesting layer to their relationship. There are hints that Norman may eventually take a darker turn — but we’ll have to wait and see.
Another interesting change was exposure to unfamiliar characters – like Peter’s friendship with Nico Minoru, a lesser-known Marvel character from Runaways. Introducing her into the Spider-Man universe is really cool to see. The show hints at a mysterious magical backstory for her, which I’m hoping gets explored more in season 2.
The series also sets up several plotlines for future seasons. One of the most intriguing is the transformation of Lonnie Lincoln into Tombstone – at the end of the season, he is poised to become the head of the 110th Street Gang. Given how close Peter and Lonnie became this season, it’s safe to assume their friendship will face major challenges if and when Lonnie steps into his villain role.
Season 1 Overall Thoughts
Overall, season 1 of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man was memorable and a ton of fun! The characters felt fresh, well-developed, and full of potential for future storylines. The creative team behind the series, led by Jeffrey Trammell (best known for Craig of the Creek), clearly put a lot of thought into making this show stand out — and it shows.
As a lifelong Spider-Man fan, it’s always exciting to see a new and thoughtful take on the character’s story. And despite my initial hesitation about the animation style and character changes, I walked away genuinely impressed.
What Did You Think?
But that’s just my take — what about you? Did you enjoy season 1 of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man? How do you feel about the character redesigns and the creative liberties taken with the story? And most importantly — are you hyped for season 2?
Drop your thoughts in the comments! I’d love to hear what you think.
