The Ultimate Spider-Man was a popular topic of conversation at today's "MARVEL Television Presents: The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes and Marvel Anime" panel at C2E2 2011. And while a lot of old information was being regurgitated for a new audience (the "Man of Action" creative team is helping to develop the project, Paul Dini is writing the pilot, Brian Michael Bendis is writing the second episode), the attendees were treated to a real surprise.
Head of Marvel Television, Jeph Loeb, played an animation test for the series. And while he was quick to note that the reel was not necessarily indicative of the final product, it did provide a look at character designs as well as certain series motifs.
The reel kicks off with J. Jonah Jameson's angry mug on a giant screen in Times Square. He's blasting costumed vigilantes – especially Spider-Man – and asking that the public not tolerate their activities. Cut to webhead himself – sporting a very Ultimate Spider-Man comic book look – swinging through the city, right past the jumbotron. Next, he swings past a penthouse apartment, the child inside following the hero past the windows. He swings past another window where Mary Jane Watson works on a computer inside and fires a web-blast at the glass that forms the shape of a heart.
However, his stroll through the city is soon interrupted by an alarm triggered inside a jewelry store. But before he can "swing" into action, a watch materializes on the hero's wrist. Nick Fury (the Ultimate Sam Jackson version) appears on the tiny screen notifying Spider-Man that he's late for the rendezvous. Spidey tells him that he has to take care of a "great responsibility" first, capturing the escaping thief and hanging him via a web blast to the same jumbotron that's airing Jameson's rant. 'Ol webhead then takes off to meet with Fury.
While the reel as a whole looked extremely cool and displayed an overall premise that hasn't been seen in a Spider-Man animated series to date, perhaps the coolest part of the 'toon was the voice coming out of Jameson's mouth – that of live-action J. Jonah Jameson actor, J.K. Simmons.
A big thank you to IGN for the article.
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