Non-Stop Spider-Man #2 Variant

illustrated by Takashi Okazaki

Uncanny Spiderman ft Wall-crawler, cover and variants. Tony Daniel #1 cover Skottie Young [variant chibi style] Dave Wachter [variant window-shades] Sam De La Rosa [variant city roofs] Lee Garbett [variant smoke] Tony Daniel #2 cover Lee Garbett [variant romance]

Spider-man: The Animated Series, 107 (Apr. 1, 1995) - “Kraven the Hunter”

The Breakdown

Peter Parker is up for an interview as a research assistant to one Mariah Crawford. Of course, as per his typical Parker luck, Pete arrives to find her under attack by a guy wearing a slutty little lion-themed outfit (which means the interview is understandably cancelled).  So what’s the deal with this fur-clad-alpha anyway?

The Lion-dude goes by the name “Kraven the Hunter” (aka Sergei Kravinoff) and he’s an ex-big game hunter, who met Mariah when she hired him to track down an old colleague that gave himself super-feral powers with a wonder drug he discovered (So just a normal meet-cute). During their months-long journey, the two hit it off and got horny for each other, but this is a kid’s show so we’ll call it “falling in love”.  Eventually Mariah and Sergei were successful in finding the good doctor, who entrusted her with the last vial of his drug in the hope that she’d develop a cure, along with a warning never to use the drug on anyone else (because living as the adonis king of a mixed species-predator-pack is too awesome for any one man to bear).  Shortly thereafter Mariah is attacked by Hyenas, and barely rescued by Sergei who sustains critical injuries, leaving her with no choice but to use the super-drug to save his life.  Of course it works, but eventually his new powers to turn him into a control freak with an obsession for hunting, along with a new macho nick-name (coincidentally, listening to Joe Rogan has a similar effect).  Newly incentivised, Mariah to flees to New York in search of a cure.

So anyways, now Kraven is trying to romantically kidnap Mariah so that they can be together again, instead of wasting her time on a cure he doesn’t really want.  Naturally, Peter intervenes as Spider-man, and takes Mariah to hide at Robbie Robertson’s apartment since he’s out of town.  Predictably, Robbie arrives home earlier than expected, and Kraven kidnaps him after tracking his girlfriend’s scent there (she’d already run off, believing Robbie to Kraven).  In hopes of expediting his end goal, Kraven issues a simple ultimatum to Spider-man; bring Mariah to his secret hide-out in exchange for Robbie’s life.  Spider-man quickly figures out Kraven is hiding at the zoo, since it’s the only place he’d fit in (and evidently has zero night time security, or maintenance staff), and zips off to save his friend.

Meanwhile, Mariah has been making good use of her time, and manages to finalize Kraven’s antidote. Conveniently, she arrives at the zoo midway through Kraven’s battle with Spider-man, accidentally shifting the fight in our hero’s favour, although not without incident.  Once again Kraven is left with critical injuries after saving her life (this time from lions, but she really needs to watch where she’s going).  Apparently Mariah had the foresight to make the antidote capable of curing Kraven’s mutation AND injuries, so it all works out and the two love birds can go back to “being in love”.  *wink*

The Verdict

I’ve never been a huge Kraven stan, but the character has decidedly earned his place in Spidey’s rogue gallery.  The real problem for this show is that his comic book counterpart is tied to some of Spider-man’s darker stories; even his original concept is that he just wants to hunt and kill Spider-man because no other animal offers enough of a challenge.  Given the show’s harsh censorship restrictions (the writers weren’t allowed to have the characters say the words “kill” or “murder”), Kraven was inevitably up for an overhaul. 

The end result is a Kraven who’s… a bit watered down compare to the original, but it works for this show, leaving him less the villain, and more a dangerous victim of circumstance.  Tying his origin to a love story with Mariah at least incorporates her into his backstory from the get-go (in the comics she was introduced as Kraven’s voodoo-priestess-ally know as ‘Calypso’), even if it does completely change his motivations.  The biggest aspect to this shift would come about in future episodes (which I’ll discuss more if/when I get there), suffice to say that his return would result in becoming more of an uneasy ally of Spidey’s as opposed to an adversary.

So how does the Episode stack up overall?  Well, it’s about as ridiculous as the rest of this series, but I’ll be damned if it’s not a lot of fun.  Why was Mariah holding interviews for an assistant position if the only reason she was in New York was to find Kraven’s cure?  Considering how quickly she whipped it up at the last second, she couldn’t have been THAT far off from finding it on her own.  Maybe she just works well under pressure.  Also, if Kraven could track Mariah’s scent across an entire city to Robbie’s apartment (and later Peter’s to a fashion show), why not just keep following her to wherever she ended up?  Oh, and what about Mariah’s colleague who invented the ‘wonder drug’ that mutated Kraven to the begin with?  You know, the one who GAVE her the serum in hopes of finding a cure? Remember him? Because the writers sure didn’t seem to.  Honestly though, having a friend bail on you because of their hot new boyfriend/girlfriend is probably the most realistic thing about this episode.  At the end of the day these questions aren’t really of consequence, because this isn’t that kind of show.  I know I sure didn’t give these matters any consideration when I was a kid (well, maybe the scent-tracking thing).

Obviously if this were intended for an older audience I’d be a lot more critical, but I genuinely enjoyed this more than the last couple episodes.  ‘Kraven the Hunter’ at least succeeds at being fun, and that’s enough.

3 stars (out of 5)

Additional Observations

This is the second research job Peter has applied for, that subsequently ended up being directly tied to a villain-of the-week (first time was the Lizard).  The poor guy is bound to get a complex.  Although I gotta say I’m feeling a little short changed.  My Dad has been a scientist for as long as I’ve been alive, and not a single member of my family has ever come close to gaining super powers.  Then again, he also refuses to experiment on any of us (don’t even get me started).

Peter attends a fashion show where MJ is performing as a runway model.  She’s so excited to see him that she asks him out for dinner after the show.  Unfortunately, Felicia Hardy is also present (her mom is the host), and she TOO wants to hang out with Peter afterwards.  Luckily Kraven shows up looking for Spider-man so Pete has to abandon ship to go fight him, pissing off both women in the process.  He really dodged a bullet there!  Although, this just goes to show that Polyamory isn’t for everyone.

Kraven reveals to Robbie that as someone who was born to Russian nobility, he’s observed that the laws of the Jungle (like high society, apparently) DEMAND retribution when something of yours has been taken.  Shaky logic aside, this questionable code of conduct does leave me wondering if Sergei was really that great of a guy, even before he became Kraven.  Bear in mind that he only stopped big game hunting because it was outlawed, and not because of any moral convictions.  I’m just saying…

Spider-Man

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based on the box art of "Spider-man Miles Morales"

From Nightcrawlers #001, “Voices of Fire”

Art by Paco Medina and Jay David Ramos

Written by Si Spurrier

Ultima commission realizzata.

Una repro di una cover fantastica di Amazing Spider Man.....Spider Man no more, del grandissimo John "Jazzy" Romita sr.

A lui dobbiamo la classica iconografia del personaggio.

Cosa ve ne pare?!

#amazingspiderman #spiderman #spectacularspiderman #peterparkerspiderman #marvelcomics

A Dr Pepper from Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man!

Spider-Man by Olivier Coipel

SpiderMan No way Home | all spider

Webhead

illustrated by Kael Ngu

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2: The Definitive Spidey Experience Hits PS5

On October 20, 2023, the highly awaited Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 swung onto the gaming scene as a PlayStation 5 exclusive. Crafted by the talented team at Insomniac Games, this sequel brings together the iconic Spider-Men, Peter Parker and Miles Morales, for an epic adventure through the lively streets of New York City.

Plot Twists and Formidable Foes

The game’s dynamic plot unfolds about 9 to 10 months after the events of Spider-Man: Miles Morales. Primary antagonists, Venom and Kraven The Hunter, take center stage, presenting formidable challenges to both Spider-Men. The narrative introduces a darker, symbiote-infused Peter Parker, adding complexity to the beloved character.

Marvel’s New York on a Grand Scale

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 reveals an expanded Marvel’s New York, showcasing iconic locations like Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn. The map in the new game is twice as large as the original, offering players a vast and diverse playground to swing through and explore.

Gameplay Excitement

Key gameplay innovations include seamless character switching between Peter and Miles, each armed with unique combat abilities. The addition of wing-suit gliding enhances traversal, offering a more dynamic and thrilling web-swinging experience. Peter Parker’s symbiote suit introduces an element of aggression and intrigue to the gameplay.

Exclusivity to PS5

Despite the desires of PC and PS4 players, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 stays exclusive to PS5, amplifying the anticipation among console users. Insomniac Games has fashioned a visually striking and immersive journey that truly highlights the capabilities of the next-gen console.

Unlockable Suits and Compelling Storyline

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 features a vast array of unlockable suits, captivating side missions, and an engaging storyline. This amazing game lets you step into the shoes of the iconic Spider-Man in all his different versions. Get ready to face some exciting challenges in this much-anticipated sequel.

As the virtual curtain lifts on Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, fans globally now have the opportunity to dive into an unforgettable gaming experience. The web-slinger’s success on the PlayStation 5 establishes a fresh standard in superhero gaming, leaving players excited to swing into action and discover the meticulously crafted, immersive world by Insomniac Games.

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FERNANDO ORTIZ | Writer

POP-COOLEDTURED SPECIALIST

cooledtured.com | GROW YOUR COLLECTION

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😎🤙

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Based on the cover of Ultimate Spider-man issue 2