Spider-Man: Ranking the 8 best TV and film iterations of Peter Parker

7. 1960s Cartoon

This was the first cartoon in the long line Spider-Man cartoons. It gave us all the “Spider-Manisms” we’ve come to love, including the comedy, web-slinging, villains, and J. Jonah Jameson being his normal annoying yet entertaining self. The show may not hold up as well after all these years, but it has produced a couple of things since then that remain relevant in pop culture. First, there’s the memes. The Spider-Man pointing at Spider-Man and a smiling J. Jonah Jameson are just a few. The theme song is also one of the most recognized intros in television history. The lyrics and beat may be as well known as the DuckTales intro.

Despite the show not really holding up, the 1960’s Spider-Man cartoon has to be on here. Its effect on pop culture and being the first Spidey cartoon is enough to put it on any Peter Parker list. Plus, it got the character right, especially for its time. Since the character was created only five years prior, to have a cartoon so soon and last three years is an achievement. The writers had to make a series about a character that was barely out of its infancy. Anyone looking into making a cartoon about Spidey can look back at this series and see how to keep the essence of the character and still be creative. You have to know where you’re from in order to know where you’re going.