History YMMV / SpiderManTheAnimatedSeries

** Wilson Fisk is a wealthy philanthropist, but is known amongst the criminal underworld as ComicBook/TheKingpin of crime. [[FromNobodyToNightmare Crawling out of life of impoverishment and constant abuse]], Fisk became the head of a worldwide criminal empire using the skills he honed in prison. From his headquarters within the Empire State Building, Fisk has the various gangs and supervillains in New York [[TheManBehindTheMan under his thumb]]. He supplies those under his employ with weapons in exchange for their complete loyalty, while taking great care to ensure they remain utterly dependent on him. Despite the constant interference of superheroes like Spider-Man, it's never enough to loosen the Kingpin's grip over Manhattan. His wealth and [[VillainWithGoodPublicity public image]] allow him to avoid the consequences of his actions, even if it means sacrificing the ones he loves the most. With schemes such as forming the Insidious Six, to framing others for his crimes, to even attacking the SHIELD Helicarrier; Fisk isn't afraid to get his hands dirty in his pursuit for absolute power.

** Spider-Man teaming up with various alternate versions of him from different realities? Forget ''Spiderverse''. Forget even ''[[VideoGame/SpiderManShatteredDimensions Shattered Dimensions]]''. This show did it first.

* TheProblemWithLicensedGames: There was a licensed game based on the cartoon that was released on the UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis and UsefulNotes/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem. It was criticized for its overly complicated gameplay, subpar sound effects, an overused storyline, and subpar graphics. The game was a CreatorKiller for publisher Creator/{{LJN}}, as poor sales and critical reception helped kill the publisher.

** ComicBook/TheKingpin for a time became better known as a Spider-Man villain, which is fitting since he made his first appearance in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #50 and was chiefly a Spider-Man villain before [[RoguesGalleryTransplant being associated]] with the ''ComicBook/Daredevil'' franchise.

** ComicBook/TheKingpin for a time became better known as a Spider-Man villain, which is fitting since he made his first appearance in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #50 and was chiefly a Spider-Man villain before being associated with the Daredevil franchise.

** Spidey's "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8l3Bo1MK9_Q This is starting to sound like a bad comic book plot!]]" in the two-part finale was already a TakeThat to the ''ComicBook/TheCloneSaga'' in the comics, but has been used often by fans to express dissatisfaction with any bad storytelling in comics, particularly after its usage as a running gag in WebVideo/AtopTheFourthWall.

** Spidey's "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8l3Bo1MK9_Q This is starting to sound like a bad comic book plot!]]" in the two-part finale was already a TakeThat to the Clone Saga in the comics, but has been used often by fans to express dissatisfaction with any bad storytelling in comics, particularly after its usage as a running gag in WebVideo/AtopTheFourthWall.

** Venom. Sure he went off the deep end in his first appearance, but it was motivated by the loss of his job, apartment, and reputation thanks to Peter's unintended actions as a reporter. In his second appearance, it's established he's cooled down quite a bit without the Symbiote. Even when he merges with it again, it's purely out of protection for his girlfriend, and later implied to be from the shared knowledge he gained from Peter. As a result, he gets a very tragic DisneyVillainDeath.

** It's generally agreed by fans and casual viewers that the actor Spider-man from the Clone saga arc is Creator/TobeyMaguire. It's highly unlikely the creators had this in mind, as the character debuted in 1998 while ''Film/SpiderMan1'' wouldn't come out until 2002.

** Ditto for Creator/MarkHamill as Hobgoblin (it helps that he has the same voice as [[ComicBook/TheJoker Hamill's OTHER famous role]] from [[WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries another superhero cartoon that aired around the same time]].)

!YMMV tropes for the ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManTheAnimatedSeries'' series

* HilariousInHindsight: When meeting the Kingpin for the first time, Dr. Octopus refuses to join the Insidious Six, as he proudly says that he's a scientist, not a criminal. A few seasons later, [[VillainDecay Dr. Octopus has become just that]]: a thug working for the Kingpin while doing little to no scientific research, as that's been covered by Landon.

** Dr. Doom appears, see his entry on ''YMMV/FantasticFour'' for details.

** Spidey's "This is starting to sound like a bad comic book plot!" in the two-part finale was already a TakeThat to the Clone Saga in the comics, but has been used often by fans to express dissatisfaction with any bad storytelling in comics, particularly after its usage as a running gag in WebVideo/AtopTheFourthWall.

** This show's version of the Black Marvel is an African-American man who kept his true identity a secret due to the potential racist backlash he would have received during the 40s. These days, [[AffirmativeActionLegacy non-white legacy characters]] and [[RaceLift non-white interpretations of traditionally white characters]] have often been met with a great deal of hostility from certain segments of superhero fandom. In Marvel Canon, the same concept was used for the [[ComicBook/AdamLegendOfTheBlueMarvel Blue Marvel]], who kept his identity a secret due to racial tension of 1960s except his identity was revealed after his mask was damaged, resulting in him being forced into retirement.

** [[LargeHam J. Jonah Jameson]] has always been a key figure in Spidey mythos, but the more sympathetic FreudianExcuse he had here for his dislike of Spidey also managed to net him fans. Creator/EdwardAsner's performance as Jonah is particularly a fan-favorite, which likely played a big part in him also getting cast in [[WesternAnimation/SpiderManTheNewAnimatedSeries future]] [[WesternAnimation/TheSpectacularSpiderMan cartoons]] starring Spidey.

* AccidentalAesop: Don't skip classes like Peter do or your grades will suffer.

-->'''Rhino:''' Let's get this over with! I gotta [[ADateWithRosiePalms polish my horn!]]

* HeartwarmingInHindsight: In the fifth season we discover how Uncle Ben came up with "great power comes great responsibility" creed, [[spoiler:as it turned his best friend, Keene Marlow was also a superhero himself, and now his own nephew ended up being a superhero too.]]

* HilariousInHindsight:
** In the first episode, Spidey complains that he has to crawl around sewers and can't land an easier superhero gig with the Avengers, which he eventually did in the comics. He also complains about not being "a galaxy-hopping superhero," which he essentially becomes in the final episodes.
** This show's version of the Spot was DrivenToVillainy as a result of [[ComicBook/IronMan Tony Stark]] shutting down his research into interdimensional portal creation. Two decades later, the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse would also have Tony be the catalyst for a Spider-Man villain turning to crime [[Film/SpiderManHomecoming not once]] [[Film/SpiderManFarFromHome but twice]].
** Among the Spider-Men from alternate universes in the ''Secret Wars'' arc, there is one in particular that claims to have taken Doc Ock's CombatTentacles after defeating him. Almost 20 years later, the ''ComicBook/SuperiorSpiderMan'' debuts.
** The Spider Wars arc as a whole is this in light of ''ComicBook/SpiderVerse''
** In the "Six Forgotten Warriors" arc, the Black Marvel (who in this universe is an African-American man) has been safekeeping Captain America's shield and even uses it a few times in battle until Captain America returns. 17 years later, ComicBook/TheFalcon would take over as Captain America.
** Morbius looked and sounded a lot like a certain Mr. Creator/TommyWiseau. [[Film/TheRoom Oh Hai, Spidah-Man!]]
** When Morbius introduces himself to Felicia, she excuses herself and Peter before making a crack to the latter about Morbius looking as though he came from a B-Movie. [[Film/Morbius2022 Several years later, she would be proven right.]]
** Spider-Man teaming up with Doctor Strange becomes a bit more popular by the time of ''Film/SpiderManNoWayHome''.
** The SNES game based on the series has a green-clad PaletteSwap of a generic enemy that looks a lot like [[Franchise/{{Halo}} Master Chief]].
** Creator/RobPaulsen plays Hydro-Man, who has an unhealthy interest in the redheaded Mary Jane. Less than two decades later, [[WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2012 another cartoon based on a popular comic book franchise]] would have him play another character, a heroic one in this case, also with an unhealthy interest in a redhead.
** This show's Dr. Octopus was established as an AdaptationalWimp who played second fiddle as TheDragon to Kingpin. Decades later, Marvel's ''ComicBook/DevilsReign'' had Octavius working under Fisk in the comics. Ironically, even though Dr. Octopus considerably TookALevelInBadass himself by commanding the Superior Four and even killing an alternate Dr. Doom/Sorcerer Supreme version of himself, Fisk still ends up upstaging and getting the better of Dr. Octopus.

* HeartwarmingInHindsight: In the fifth season we discover how Uncle Ben is with "great power comes great responsibility" creed, [[spoiler:as it turned his best friend, Keene Marlow was also a superhero himself, and now his own nephew ended up being a superhero too.]]

** Kingpin's telling of his origin story, where as a child he was "lonely, ostracised, because of my weight". Leading to many viewers making bafflingly ''diminishing'' jokes at Kingpin's backstory since he only really became a crime lord because he was too fat to climb a ladder.

** Kingpin's telling of his origin story, where as a child he was "lonely, ostracised, because of of my weight".

* WhatAnIdiot: In "Day of the Chameleon," none of the SHIELD agents present noticed that "ComicBook/NickFury"'s eye-patch was on the wrong eye, despite being right in front of them. Spidey was briefly fooled, too, but he noticed after mere seconds and despite being farther away.