Peter Parker and his college science professor Dr. Curt Conners explore neogenics as a method of limb regeneration. But while experimenting on himself, Connors accidentally becomes the Lizard, a half-man, half-reptile monstrosity that terrorizes Manhattan and subsequently kidnaps his own wife. Spider-Man's task is doubly difficult because he doesn't want to hurt the good friend he knows is trapped inside...but he must stop the inhuman beast who is out of control.
With Spencer Smythe dead, his son Alistair turns to the Kingpin to help seek his revenge on Spider-Man and others he deems responsible for his father's death. He captures, Eddie Brock, J. Jonah Jameson, Norman Osborn, and Flash Thompson. He then turns his sights on Spidey and sends three slayers after him. Spidey only manages to hold his ground while fighting them individually. However, he is not so lucky when they combine into a super slayer and carry him off to Smythe.
J. Jonah Jameson hires Dr. Farley Stillwell who is a raining genius in genetic engineering, to make a new super hero that can match and defeat Spider-Man. With a willing participant, Mac Gargain, they engineer the DNA of a scorpion and him together to form a new hero, The Scorpion. However, when Mac thinks they have turned him into a freak, hero turns to monster and he goes on a rampage. Spider-Man is then forced to step in to stop creation from killing creator.
Robbie has set Peter up with a job interview with a researcher by the name of Dr. Mariah Crawford. However, when he gets to her lab, he finds her under attack by a monstrous man who deems himself Kraven the Hunter. Spider-Man leads Crawford away from Kraven to the roofs. There, Crawford tells Spider-Man that Kraven was not always that way, that in fact she loved him as Sergei Kravenoff. Crawford tells of an accident years back that would have killed Sergei had she not used a dangerous potion that saved his life and gave him the strength and instinct of an animal, but turned him mad. Meanwhile, while looking for Crawford at her apartment, Kraven learns of her connection to Robbie and kidnaps him. He then threatens to kill Robbie if Spider-Man does not come to him with Crawford.
A space shuttle piloted by J.J.'s son, John Jameson, crash lands on the Tri-Borough Bridge carrying two strange meteors -- One that could provide a new nuclear fuel and one that contains an alien substance. The first is stolen by the Kingpin's henchman, the Rhino, just as Spider-Man arrives to save Jameson and the co-pilots. When the Rhino sends the aircraft off the bridge, Spider-Man emerges from the water with a dark stain covering his costume. Exhausted, he heads for home, only to awaken hanging from a skyscraper, now clothed in a black version of his costume.
The Kingpin is furious at Spidey and sends the Shocker and later the Rhino out to finish him off with the aid of another new invention of Alistair Smythe. Meanwhile, Eddie Brock, as the symbiote creature Venom, is busy playing cat and mouse with Spider-Man, intruding on Peter's private life and making it clear he knows the web-slinger's secret identity. Peter soon realizes that the pumped-up Eddie as Venom is stronger than he is. Worse than that: Spidey's spider-sense doesn't work around him!
When Aunt May is slightly injured by one of the Hobgoblin's pumpkin bombs during the kidnapping of Harry, Spider-Man enters the fray with a vengeance. After several battles, the trail leads Peter to Oscorp and Harry's own father. For Peter, rescuing his friend is easy compared to explaining to Harry that his own father is involved.
An international spy and hitman known as the Chameleon plans to assassinate two major diplomats on the brink of signing the peace proposal of the century. S.H.I.E.L.D. director Nick Fury solicits J. Jonah Jameson's assistance in an effort to prevent the "human shape-shifter" from derailing the proposal signing. But only Spider-Man with his super keen "spider-sense" can discern who is really whom and stop the criminal before it's too late.
The Crime Lords, led by Silvermane, are holding The Kingpin accountable for his failure to eliminate Spider-Man. So six of the Wall-Crawler's greatest enemies are called together to do the job: Doctor Octopus, Mysterio, The Scorpion, The Rhino, The Shocker and The Chameleon. Unfortunately, Spidey's powers have been on the blink due to the changes in his blood chemistry.
The six supervillains can't believe their eyes when Spider-Man walks into their trap at the warehouse. But it's obvious why, when they easily overcome and unmask the fraud. Meanwhile, Silvermane and the Crime Lords grow more disenchanted with The Kingpin and want to put him out of business. Kingpin beats them to the punch, kidnapping Silvermane. Can Spider-Man save the day?
Mary Jane is being stalked by her former boyfriend, Morris Bench, who's undergone an accidental metamorphosis and become Hydro-Man. Sweeping Mary Jane off her feet in a wave of water he insists she will love him. Spider-Man is nearly beaten by the semi-liquid culprit but with a little help from Mary Jane puts a stop to this villain by causing him to evaporate once drawn away from the water that feeds him.
Spider-Man's progressing neogenic mutation is making him ill and he seeks the aid of a man known to help all mutants...Dr. Charles Xavier. In doing so he meets the X-Men but is disappointed to learn that Xavier does not 'cure' mutancy, only helps those born that way to accept and control their abilities. In the process of this endeavor though he becomes involved in a plot to destroy mutants everywhere. Will he be able to stop this hideous plan with the help of the X-Men?
Wolverine catches up with Spider-Man, hot on the trail of the missing Hank McCoy. Discovering his location and the plot to destroy all mutantkind the two team up and rescue Beast in the nick of time just as he was about to become the first test subject of Landon's horrendous plan. But when Landon accidentally falls victim to his own experiment he is changed into a giant monster that feeds on electrical energy. Can Spider-Man and the X-Men succeed in stopping this 50-foot tall, ohm-eating monster?
Dr. Mariah Crawford has developed a cure for Spidey's disease, but she's reluctant to give an untested serum to Spider-Man that may result in permanent loss of his powers or worse. But after an angry outburst from Spider-Man, she hands it over. Peter, at the ESU lab, is secretly observed by Michael Morbius, who then swipes the infected blood sample after Peter leaves for the night. Working alone in the campus bell tower with borrowed equipment, Morbius has an accident which will change him forever...
After Spider-Man mutates into the Man-Spider, Dr. Mariah Crawford summons Sergi Kravenoff, better known as Kraven The Hunter, to help her track down Spider-Man and cure him of his mutation with a newly developed antidote. Unfortunately, the Punisher is hot on Spidey's heels. Will the Punisher succeed in destroying Spider-Man in his new mutated form or will Kraven and Dr. Crawford reach him first?
Spider-Man seeks Curt Connors aid to help reverse the aging effects of the Vulture's talons. The Vulture meanwhile sporadically turns into the man-spider from the mutagenics he absorbed with Spidey's youth. At the same time, the Scorpion grabs Dr. Farley Stillwell to seek a cure for his own mutation. With Doc Connors in the middle, feeling the onset of his own his reptilian transformation, will everyone be cured in time for Peter to meet up with Mary Jane as she confronts her wayward father???
While a gang of jet-pack wearing thieves run by Jackson Weele, an ex-pilot in a rampaging gyro-wheel plunder the city, Peter tries to deal with his alter-ego giving him competition with Felicia. Meanwhile, a good kid with a criminal record, Robert Farrell, tries to help his ailing mother by using his science-savvy and the gang's technology to arm himself as The Rocket Racer. Will the Rocket Racer return to his criminal past, or will he be an ally to Spidey? While Spidey's fighting crime, the mysterious "Jason Phillips" starts to make moves on Felicia...
Spidey and Daredevil manage to recover the disk that can clear Peter Parker's name. However when Matt Murdock hands the disk over to the FBI, Det. Terry Lee discovers Agent Choi may not be working for the right side when she hands it over to Richard Fisk. After learning that Aunt May is in the hospital, Peter risks his life to go visit her, but he and Mary Jane are kidnapped when the Chameleon disguises himself as Anna Watson. With Peter and the disk in the hands of the Kingpin, Daredevil must stop the criminal mastermind and clear Peter's name.
Worried that Kingpin is going to eliminate him after the botched framing of Peter Parker, Alistair Smythe arranges a meeting with Spider-Man to give him information about Kingpin. However, when Spidey arrives, he discovers Smythe has been turned into a cyborg. Part man, part machine, he is now the ultimate spider-slayer! However, when his programming malfunctions, he goes after the man he feels responsible for his father's death...Norman Osborn! Peter must fight a crazed Smythe, as well as his feelings when he discovers Mary Jane, the woman he loves, and Harry, his best friend, are engaged!
Robbie Robertson is losing his son, Randy, to a gang of thugs lead by Tombstone. When this harder-than-stone hit man tries to use his history with Robbie to kill a story about his new boss, Alicia Silvermane, he runs afoul of Spider-Man. Both discover Robbie's bond with his child and his ethical resolve is mightier.
Ex-employee of Stark Industries, Dr. Jonathan Ohn, invents a portable interdimensional technology that accidentally makes him the living embodiment of a portal. Calling himself the Spot, he tries to steal money to fund his research. But his unstable invention has created a vortex that threatens to engulf New York. How can Spider-Man fight that?
Spider-Man captures a gang of thieves, and it looks like Robbie Robertson is their leader! Peter Parker and J. Jonah Jameson must team up to try to clear Robbie's name. But while Jameson returns to the skills he had as an Investigative Reporter, Peter must keep him safe from Tombstone. At the bottom of the whole plot is Richard Fisk, but can Spidey find the right clues to clear Robbie in time?
Doctor Octopus is blackmailing the mother of Felicia Hardy, and she begins to realize that her family has some dark secrets. Some snooping in the Daily Bugle files by Peter, and a confession by Anastasia Hardy, reveal that Felicia's father was really the Cat Burglar, a thief who got rich from the gains of an enormous heist. The Kingpin joins forces with Doc Ock to spring Hardy from jail, as Hardy holds the secret to the 1940s "Super Soldier" formula that created Captain America! To make sure the Cat Burglar cooperates, Kingpin kidnaps Felicia.
When a savage creature begins attacking people in New York, Black Cat tries to convince Spider-Man that he needs her help to stop it. All clues point to the creature being Kraven The Hunter, but sleuthing by Debra Whitman, Flash Thompson, and the Black Cat solves the case. The beast, Calypso, is related to Kraven, but the Hunter wants to capture and cure her.
Deborah Whitman has located Morbius, the Living Vampire, and brings him back to ESU to work on a cure. Just before leaving town, Felicia hears of this and uses the trip as an excuse to stay behind as the Black Cat. Together with Spidey and Whistler, she has to take on Herbert Landon and the Shocker in order to save Morbius from himself.
There's a new Vampire in town, but Morbius is getting all the blame. Just as Spidey, Black Cat, Whistler and Morbius have the Vampire Queen trapped, Blade bursts in and prevents her destruction. His revelation sets the others against him, while the queen attempts to create an army of vampires. Meanwhile, Harry Osborn discovers Peter's spare Spider-Man mask!
Mary Jane is back, and has got the lead role in a major film. But when filming starts, all hell breaks lose, and Mary Jane vanishes from the studio. Spidey must fight to ensure that he doesn't lose Mary Jane again, even if it means teaming up with Mysterio. And when it's all over, Peter has a secret to tell...
Peter and Mary Jane get engaged! The happy couple goes to ask Dr. Connors if he'll give away the bride, not knowing that he's been fighting against the return of the Lizard. While they are talking to him, three more humanoid lizards attack and kidnap Dr. Connors. With the Lizard taking over and Spider-Man captured, Margaret Connors, Mary Jane Watson, and Debra Whitman will have to save the day!
Peter and MJ's big day arrives, but things aren't going to go to plan if Harry Osborn gets his way. With guests including Flash Thompson, Liz, Aunt May, Anna Watson, Felicia Hardy, J. Jonah Jameson, Robbie Robertson and Wilson Fisk!? Along with gate crashers including the Green Goblin, the Kingpin, Alistair Smythe, the Scorpion, the Black Cat, Herbert Landon, the Mega-Slayer, Norman Osborn, and an army of robot Goblin Warriors, it'll certainly be a day to remember!
Peter is shocked by MJ's new powers so they seek Curt Conners' help in figuring everything out. MJ tells them about a dream she's been having, which may be a clue to her disappearance. But Hydro-Man finds them and kidnaps MJ again. Will Spidey be able to find her by following the clues from her dream?
Spider-Man summons the Black Cat from earth, who despite her anger at being kidnapped, decides to help him fight the villains on the alien planet. The heroes must defeat the Red Skull, Doctor Octopus, and Allistair Smythe's robots while protecting a group of rebels, who are trying to take their planet back.
This TV special contains interview with Yuko Ogura, introduction to the Spider-Man comics, and information on the Spider-Man 2 movie.
The producer and cast of "SPIDER-MAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES" appeared together in Los Angeles on 11/1/14 to discuss and celebrate the 20th anniversary of this iconic cartoon series.