It took several
years of negotiation and bargaining before Toei and
Marvel Comics agreed on a mutual joint project utilizing
Marvel Comics’ Spider-Man character. Originally,
Toei planned on making a straight forward adaptation
of the Spider-Man comic character, keeping most of his
origin and other story aspects intact. However, as the
project developed further, it became clear that a straight
adaptation would not work and thus Toei decided to create
entirely an new origin and story for the character.
The same character/story reworking was
also applied to the Marvel Comics’ character Captain
America who was remodeled by Toei into Battle Japan,
part of the “Battle Fever J” series.
In exchange for the use of Spider-Man
by Toei, Marvel Comics agreed to create a comic book
series utilizing some of Toei’s popular “super
robot” characters. Combattler V (“Cho Denshi
Robo Combattler V”;1976), Raideen(“Yusha
Raideen”;1975) and Danguard Ace (“Wakusei
Robo Danguard A”; 1977) were adapted by Marvel
Comics and using the name “Shogun Warriors”
ran in a comic series from 1979 thru 1980 (20 issues
total).
“Shogun Warriors” was a
toy line from Mattel that featured 24-inch plastic dolls
and smaller metallic constructed dolls (adapted from
Popynica’s Chogokin toy line) that were distributed
during the late 70’s (Toei licensed the characters
to Mattel). This line included a number of other familiar
Super Robots including Mazinger Z (Mazinger Z; Toei,
1972), Great Mazinger (Great Mazinger; Toei, 1974);
Gaiking (Daiku Ma Ryu Gaiking; Toei, 1976), and Grandizer
(UFO Robo Grandizer;Toei, 1975). Due to increasing safety
concerns, the line was slowly discontinued in 1980.
Toudou Shinji later went on to play
the villainous Hedora Shogun in the Sentai series “Denshi
Sentai Denjiman” (Toei, 1980).
Nishizawa Toshiaki also portrayed another
stalwart alien, Komu Chokan (Chief Komu) in the Space
Sheriff series “Uchu Keiji Gavan” (Toei,
1982) and “Uchu Keiji Sharivan” (Toei, 1983).
He also portrayed Kubota in the Godzilla movie “Chikyu
Kogei Meirei – Godzilla Tai Gaigan” (AKA
Godzilla on Monster Island; Toho, 1972).
Veteran actor Murakami can also be seen
frequently in Toho monster movies. He has appeared in
the original “Godzilla” (Toho, 1954) and
was also in “Tomei Ningen” (The Transparent
Human; Toho, 1954), “Sora No Daikaiju Radon”
(Rodan; Toho, 1956), “Chikyu Boegun” (The
Mysterians; Toho, 1957), “Daikaiju Baran”
(Varan; Toho, 1958), “Gas Ningen Dai Ichigo”
(The Human Vapor, Toho, 1960), and “Kaiju Daizensou”
(Monster Zero, Toho, 1965).
Kagawa Yuki has made a career of portraying
evil women and other criminals. She portrayed the cunning
Amazon Killer in “Taiyo Sentai Sun Vulcan”
(Toei, 1975) and was frequently seen in Toei’s
“Sukeban” films such as “Zubeko Bancho:
Yume O Yoru Hiraku” (Dreams Open The Night; Toei,
1970), “Zubeko Bancho: Tokyo Nagare Mono”
(Tokyo Wanderers; Toei, 1970), “Onna Bancho <Sukeban>
Blues – Mesu Bachi No Kyakushu” (Sukeban
Blues – Revenge of the Queen Bee; Toei, 1971)
and “Jyoshu Sasori Dai 41 Zakkyobou” (Female
Prisoner Scorpion – Beast Cage 41; Toei, 1972).
While Ando Mitsuo is best known as wacky
Professor Gill in “Kikaider”, he also played
other villainous Tokusatsu characters such as Gaizelle
Soutou (Leader Gaizelle) in “Inazuman Flash”
and Raider in “Uchu Keiji Spielban”.
The character of Spiderman first appeared
in “Amazing Fantasy” #15 in 1962, as created
and written by Marvel Comics publisher Stan Lee and
drawn by Steve Ditko. The character only appeared in
one of several stories in that issue but response was
so overwhelming that within less than a year Spider-Man
appeared in his own comic-book, “Amazing Spider-Man”,
and went on to become the single most popular character
in the Marvel Comics canon.
Lee’s early “Spider-Man”
stories broke new ground by attempting to relate to
its readers. Young readers related to the Peter Parker
character who had to balance his personal struggles
with his heroic exploits. “Spider-Man” along
with Lee’s other creations such as “Fantastic
Four” and “Hulk” encouraged many comic
books to expand the personae of new or previously existing
characters.
Through the years, Spider-Man’s
popularity increased as he appeared in many media forms,
including several animated series, a daily and Sunday
comic strip, and two very successful films, with a third
set to debut in 2007. There have been two instances
of live-action adaptations of “Spider-Man”
on American TV.
During the 1970s Spiderman was one of
a package of Marvel characters, including the Hulk,
Dr Strange, the Human Torch and Submariner, that were
purchased for development for TV. While the “Incredible
Hulk” (1977-82) TV series was a moderate hit,
drawing mainly on the strength of its lead star Bill
Bixby, the remaining projects didn’t fair as well.
The “Doctor Strange” TV pilot was shown
in 1978 but was never committed to a series and both
the “Submariner” and “Human Torch”
projects never passed development phase.
Spider-Man, however became the basis
of a short-lived TV series, “The Amazing Spider-Man”
(CBS; 1977-1978), which only lasted for thirteen episodes.
The series starred Nicholas Hammond as college student
Peter Parker and featured a dumb-downed story, significantly
stripping it of most of its fantastical elements as
well as its teenage angst trappings. While keeping the
Spider-Man powers mostly intact, his origins were modified
(no death of Uncle Ben) and none of Spider-Man’s
fascinating Rouges Gallery of foes were introduced in
the series and instead revolved around battling normal
human criminals albeit of the James Bond variety.
The pilot was later re-edited and released
cinematically outside of the U.S. There were two further
Spiderman cinematic releases, both edited from episodes
of the TV series – “Spiderman Strikes Back”
(reediting the two hour TV episode “The Deadly
Dust”) and “Spiderman and the Dragon's Challenge”
(reediting the two hour TV episode “The Dragon's
Challenge” ).
In 1974, Marvel authorized the use of
its character Spider-Man in a recurring skit for the
popular PBS children's television series, “The
Electric Company”. "Spidey Super Stories"
featured Spider-Man (Danny Seagren), foiling mischievous
characters who were involved in petty criminal activities
(such as burglary or assault). The cast of The Electric
Company usually played the roles of the various characters
and villains in each story, with another serving as
narrator.
Marvel loaned the character to the Children's
Television Workshop (producers of the show) free of
charge.
The skits premiered during the “Electric
Company's” 1974-1975 season, with new installments
shown during the 1975-1976 season and in the series'
final season.
In an odd yet inspired gag, “The
Electric Company's” version of Spider-Man communicated
only in word balloons because he was drawn without a
mouth. He also never appeared out of his costume as
Peter Parker and rarely uses his web shooters (when
he did the webs would appear as drawings).
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