SpiderMan

Having previously tackled the DC Comics characters Superman and Batman, it was no
surprise when Dirk Maggs turned his attention to Marvel Comics' most popular
costumed hero. In bringing this one to the airwaves for another action-packed BBC
Radio 1 serial, Dirk opted to return to the webhead's earliest, teen-angst-ridden origins.

The action kicks off with that other Marvel Comics team, The Fantastic Four, rescuing
a prison warden who is held hostage during a prison break. Between the above events
we learn through character narration about teenage science major Peter Parker and the
bite from an irradiated spider that changes his life. The Fantastic Four (Reed Richards
- Mr Fantastic, who can stretch his body; Sue Storm - The Invisible Girl; Johnny
Storm - The Human Torch, who can set himself ablaze and fly; and Ben Grimm - The
Thing, a talking crazy-paving version of the Hulk) return to their headquarters to find
an answerphone message from a terrified youth who believes he is turning into a
spider.

Peter Parker has always been
treated as a weakling and a
nerd by Flash Thompson and
the others at school. Now,
with the proportional strength
of a spider, he decides to earn
himself and his unknowing
guardians some money by
going the distance with an
unbeaten heavyweight
wrestler. Accused of throwing
his punch after the bell, he
earns no money but soon
becomes a TV sensation as
the Amazing Spider-Man
("That's with a hyphen!").
When a thief makes off with
the takings the fledgling
Spider-Man refuses to
intervene; however, fate deals
a cruel blow when the thief
later kills his Uncle Ben.
Tracking and cornering the
man in a warehouse Spider-
Man gives him the beating of
his life, thankfully interrupted
by the arrival of the police.

These events teach Peter Parker valuable lessons in life, including that with great
power comes great responsibiltiy. He also learns that he is destined to work alone,
when his offer to join the Fantastic Four is met with his attempted incarceration by Mr
Fantastic.

His baptism of fire comes via a clash with Doctor Octopus, a former great scientist
whose engineered and mentally-controlled flexible arms become fused to his body in
an accident. Now a power-crazed maniac, Doc Ock has taken over an atomic plant
and is threatening to release a radioactive cloud over New York unless his demands
for all the gold in Fort Knox and his inauguration as president of the US are met.
Spider-Man slingshots himself beyond the police cordon and, more by luck than
judgement, saves the city, becoming a superhero for the first time.

nuclear warheads left over from
the Atlantean Wars. Meanwhile,
Flash Thompson, determined to
win back Spider-Man's good
name, fashions a costume but is
soon captured by Doom who
believes him to be the genuine
article. He tries to blackmail the
Fantastic Four into standing down
and handing themselves over to
him, but then the real Spider-Man
arrives. With the help of Flash
Thompson's faith in him as a
hero, Spider-Man defeats Doctor
Doom and saves the day on
national TV. When Namor returns
to New York harbour with his
Atlantean people, the army is on
full alert although they are greatly
outnumbered. But Namor
surpprises everyone by
announcing a peace treaty.

Whilst working on his Batman
and Superman adaptations, Dirk
had struck-up a good working

relationship with the people at DC Comics, but negotiating with Marvel proved slightly
more tricky. It isn't suprising that a huge comics company would be very protective
of, arguably it's most famous character, so it was never going to be easy. However,
Marvel were ultimately receptive when they realised Dirk and his team intended to do
the best job possible, and were pleased with the enthusiasm displayed.

Contrary to the dark, hard-hitting events of Batman - Knightfall, Dirk this time opted
for the generally lighthearted origins of Spider-Man. Although the artwork from later
years was impressive (Todd McFarlane in particular made quite a name for himself
with a very different style and twisted webbing which is still used today) the early
writing by creator Stan Lee struck an original but familiar note with youngsters. Before

Spider-Man superheroes had used their powers to solve all of
their normal problems, whereas now suddenly they were
causing as many problems as they solved. No superhero had
ever suffered from zits, a geeky demeanor and an ill elderly
aunt. All of this comes across strongly in a fun tapestry of
mini audio adventures.

Character-wise, Spider-Man is his normal wise-cracking self,
but it is the interaction between the member of the Fantastic
Four which proves rather more interesting. Reed Richards
and Sue Storm are engaged to be married, Johnny Storm is
her brother, but it is the love/hate banter between Johnny and
Ben Grimm (aka the Thing) which reveals the most natural
warmth. In fact, Gary Martin, with surely the lowest voice in
showbiz, makes the Thing sound so different to everyone else
that it simply demands you take notice.

William Dufris supplies the voice of the webbed wonder, with
versatile mainstay Lorelei King playing both Sue Storm and
J.Jonah Jameson's downtrodden secretary Betty Brant. Worth
a special mention is Buffy Davis who is wonderful as Aunt
May. Ex-EastEnders actress Anita Dobson plays unreachable
high-school girl Liz Allan.

With the two being long-time partners, this leaves a more than
convenient link to Queen guitarist and producer Brian May,
who was brought on board to handle the main music themes,
complemented once again by Mark Russell's orchestral score.
The driving guitar riffs and melodies enrich the action
sequences, producing a greater filmic atmosphere. Using his
music and a collection of edited audio snippets from the
series a single was recorded and released, called The Amazing
Spider-Man Mastermix by MC Spy-D and Friends. Hmm.

The multi-layered sound effects are excellent, most being
created by mixing and cutting stock effects. The web-shooter
is a particularly nice sound, created by triggering a servo
twice, followed by a bull-whip lash digitally looped several
times, with a 'squidgy' noise over the top.

The Amazing Spider-Man was produced for BBC light entertainment and broadcast
on daytime BBC Radio 1 in 50 three-minute segments. It was subsequently released in
1995 on tape and CD by the BBC Radio Collection (ZBBC 1717), edited together to
its full duration of two hours and thirty minutes. It was well-received, being nominated
by the American Booksellers Association for the 1995 Writers Guild Award for Best
Dramatisation, and winning the Talking Business Award 1995 over here for Best
Production. If you prefer the family-orientated feel of old style radio but with a
modern feel and cutting edge sound effects, then this is the one for you. I found this a
highly entertaining romp aimed at perhaps a slightly younger audience than Batman -
Knightfall. Although I preferred the later stories and artwork (Venom, Carnage, and the
Spider-Slayers, etc.), this version pays great homage to the original comics of the
sixties. It will put a smile on your face, and that's something that money can't buy!

"The decision to return this character back
to its earliest roots was not a conscious
effort to make the production noticeably
more light-hearted in contrast to Batman, as
some people have claimed. It was a
deliberate attempt to reflect the freewheeling,
enthusiastic spirit Stan Lee brought to comic
books. I loved that gung ho attitude and I felt
Spidey needed to hit the wall running, as it
were. The early Marvel titles in the 1960s
were bustling with flip jokes, sight gags and
irreverence for pomposity. Our version had
to reflect that.

like Michael Roberts (who Played Dr Doom), who are always improvising, always
'on'. Mike had us in stitches. One minute Dr Doom was threatening Spidey, the next
he's turned to the microphone and is plugging his own Home Shopping channel! There
IS pressure and the BBC and Copyright holders are breathing down your neck,
especially when you're having to knock out three-minute episodes that are full of
action and progress the story. As a result a lot of nervous energy gets translated into
laughter... thank goodness.

"The guys in the Marvel UK office were very pleased with our 'Movie Without
Pictures' version of The Amazing Spider-Man. In fact a really great guy called Tim
Quinn, who was the editor here for Marvel Comics at that time, was the person who
first came up with the idea, and indeed got Brian May aboard to write the music. A
copy was sent to Stan Lee, but we never heard back. I expect he was too busy to look
at it. Sadly, most audio stuff in the USA is so bad that he probably figured it was
another cut-price single voice reading. But it was a fan's tribute to him, in fact to
everyone in the Marvel bullpen in the early sixties."

Review by Ty Power

However, all is not well. Our hero's life becomes increasingly complicated when Peter
Parker uses his 'closeness' to Spider-Man to sell pictures of him to the Daily Bugle's
perpetually bad-tempered chief editor J.Jonah Jameson, only to have the man use them
to brand the webhead a public menace. Next, whilst being ridiculed at school as Peter
Parker, his alter ego goes up against the Sandman, who can harden, soften and
reshape his body at will. Then, during a Flash Thompson organised Spider-Man
Appreciation Society party at which the web-slinger feels obliged to make an
appearance, the Green Goblin crashes in and steals the limelight on his jet-glider.

Prince Namor, the submariner until now thought to be dead, arrives in New York to
declare war on mankind in retribution for the Atlantean Wars. But he is offered an
alliance by Doctor Doom, arch-nemesis of the Fantastic Four. Doom uses a
submarine to return Namor to his people so he can organise an attack on the city using