What got you into Spider-Man?

[Soubhagya]

Several others are mentioning that the cartoon helped. I wonder how important the long form storytelling was, since that is a big part of what makes the series work, but it requires steady access from the reader.

Not all shows need long form of storytelling. But Spider-man's really helped. Other shows say like Batman TAS was about what i want to see more Batman. Spider-man's long form means i was actually waiting to see what will happen next. That's an extra layer of investment. One honestly can't wait to see what is going to happen next. I really loved that. As a kid my diet of shows included the likes of Mickey Mouse and those Disney shows like Duck Tales. Occasionally there would be two part or three part episodes but a lot of them were one episode stories. I loved when the stories were to be continued. Spider-man was a step up from that. As you said its one of the reasons why the series works. I was totally into Spider-man when the first film arrived. I remember waiting to see those TV spots just to have a glimpse of Spider-man. All thanks to Spider-man animated. And i had nothing else for that. It really worked for me.

[sakuyamons]

Bendis' first Miles Morales run. Though I like Peter from...*whispers* the Ultimate Spider-Man movies.

[reinnemann2]

For me it was a combination of The Electric Company and Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends on TV. But comic wise I picked up a pack of 3 or 4 Transformers comics at my local Hy Vee and one of them was issue #3 I think that guest starred the old Web Head. My first real Spider-Man comic came a little bit later with an issue of Kraven's Last Hunt that had Vermin on the cover (not sure what issue). Man, I wish I could re-live those days.

[nitake92]

Third Grade December 1985

We were moving oversea and for some reason that I forgot, I wanted a comic...so my Mom said she'll buy me one and Spider-Man caught my eyes or at least I think it was him, I mean the title said it was Peter Parker the Spectacular Spider-Man but why is he wearing black, isn't Spider-Man supposed to be Red, Blue like Superman ...oh wait, here's another one called "Marvel Tales? why isn't it called Spider-Man but it has Spider-Man in his red& blue... so I bought it. (It was the Marvel Tales reprinting ASM42 anyway)

Later on oversea... where there were barely any comics around (it was the Middle East)... I lucked out and got the Marvel Tales reprinting ASM45... and then the TV... all 1 channel of it (that was airing things in English) broadcasted the 80's Spider-Man cartoon (not the one with the Amazing Friends)... the other one... and also the Electric Company and before I know it I was hooked on Spider-Man.

[xpyred]

X-men the animated series is what got me into spider-man.

I was a big XAS fan and wanted to try and get into the X-Men comics. Unfortunately for me, this was shortly after Claremont left and the books were sold out everywhere. I went to a video rental place that was on the corner of my block. They had recently started selling comic books. On the rack was Spectacular Spider-Man issue 199. I picked it up because the X-men were guest stars. What caught my eye was the final page where Harry Osborn, as the Green Goblin, tells MJ they need to talk. I picked up issue 200 a month later and was instantly a fan of the Green Goblin and of Spider-Man. Of course Harry died that issue but then Maximum Carnage started soon after and the game was released not long after that and i was hooked right on time for the second Clone Saga.

[Mister Mets]

Not all shows need long form of storytelling. But Spider-man's really helped. Other shows say like Batman TAS was about what i want to see more Batman. Spider-man's long form means i was actually waiting to see what will happen next. That's an extra layer of investment. One honestly can't wait to see what is going to happen next. I really loved that. As a kid my diet of shows included the likes of Mickey Mouse and those Disney shows like Duck Tales. Occasionally there would be two part or three part episodes but a lot of them were one episode stories. I loved when the stories were to be continued. Spider-man was a step up from that. As you said its one of the reasons why the series works. I was totally into Spider-man when the first film arrived. I remember waiting to see those TV spots just to have a glimpse of Spider-man. All thanks to Spider-man animated. And i had nothing else for that. It really worked for me.

There are plenty of series that don't need long form storytelling, but Spider-Man really benefits from it.

[phantom1592]

The Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends cartoon. I knew the DC heroes through Superfriends and merch. I knew Spider-Man, Hulk and Stan Lee were from another company. It seemed like DC had a hold on mass media and general brand recognition back then, it wasn't until years later that I became more familiar with the 'other' comics company.

This right here. Spider-man and his Amazing Friends/Incredible Hulk cartoons for Marvel (and an old mego Spider-man that I don't remember WHEN I got...) , and Superfriends/Adam West Batman for DC.

Comic wise... It was the first Secret Wars comic/toys that introduced to me to the greater Marvel universe and probably a bunch of old silver-age Superman comics from my uncle.

[phantom1592]

Several others are mentioning that the cartoon helped. I wonder how important the long form storytelling was, since that is a big part of what makes the series work, but it requires steady access from the reader.

Actually, I felt like the 'long form' really hurt that series. I loved the early seasons with episodes of lizard, octopus, mysterio, spider-slayers... with just a loose connecting thread that tied the series together... like a comic book. However each episode felt stand-alone and you could watch it when you watched... Even the 2-3 episode 'symbiote costume' or 'hobgoblin' storylines were fine since you didn't miss MUCH and there were a ton of other episodes to watch... The later seasons though? ONce the whole season was dedicated to secret wars or tablets of time or whatever... it wasn't 6 separate stories tied together... it was ONE story with 6 parts and in the era before DVR and Streaming and the competition with a VHS... missing one chapter felt like a LOT...

I much preferred the Amazing Friends concept of a dozen episodes without continuity that can be seen in any order when you get home from school. I loved the 90's use of ALL the marvel characters... but the 'long form' got on my nerves a LOT back then.

[Mister Mets]

Actually, I felt like the 'long form' really hurt that series. I loved the early seasons with episodes of lizard, octopus, mysterio, spider-slayers... with just a loose connecting thread that tied the series together... like a comic book. However each episode felt stand-alone and you could watch it when you watched... Even the 2-3 episode 'symbiote costume' or 'hobgoblin' storylines were fine since you didn't miss MUCH and there were a ton of other episodes to watch... The later seasons though? ONce the whole season was dedicated to secret wars or tablets of time or whatever... it wasn't 6 separate stories tied together... it was ONE story with 6 parts and in the era before DVR and Streaming and the competition with a VHS... missing one chapter felt like a LOT...

I much preferred the Amazing Friends concept of a dozen episodes without continuity that can be seen in any order when you get home from school. I loved the 90's use of ALL the marvel characters... but the 'long form' got on my nerves a LOT back then.

I wasn't focused as much on 14 episode sagas as I was on the idea that events in one episode had consequences for Peter's life in the next (IE- that Eddie Brock is introduced as a member of the supporting cast, or that Aunt May references Mary Jane before Peter meets her.)

[GMiller]

The Nicholas Hammond TV show from the 70's....I caught it on repeats when I was really young, and that got me into the character....Well, that and Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends...Loved Iceman and Firestar, too....

[Mistah K88]

Well it is a new year, so I wonder if we have any other Spider-Fans wanting to share the point where they got tangled in Spidey's web. I mean the man does have one of the coolest costumes in all superheroics.

[Comic Book Addict]

The Tobey Maguire movies. Such a huge part of my childhood.

[Spidercide]

[jeffgear]

Spider-Man was always around when I was young, 60's cartoon repeats, Electric Company, TV show, but none of it garnered my interest in reading Spidey. One day with the Sunday edition of the Columbus Dispatch came a free issue of Spider-Man where he took on the Hulk. Read it over and over. Shortly after a pharmacy opened in town with a comic spinner rack. I had to get Amazing Spider-Man # 198. That was the beginning of reading about my favorite comic book character.

[darthblinx]

The Animated Spider-Man series was my start (I was like, 6 or 7). I really enjoyed everything about him and wanted to read his comics, but even back then Marvel split one single story across 5 entirely separate comics. I get they're trying to make more money, but seriously that alone turned me off of comic books. Years later (around age 13), I still liked Spider-Man and X-Men and I had gotten more into reading when I discovered graphic novels. You mean I can read an entire story (all parts) in a single, published book?! Yuss!
So by the time I was finally really reading Spider-Man it was during Strazynksi's run. Honestly, until the Civil War parts came up, I loved it. And over the years I've just naturally read into all his other stories, past and modern and he's still my favorite super hero. Lol one of my earliest tattoos is a spider crawling on my wrist~