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It was this episode that first introduced me to the X-men and made me first fall in love with them. That scene with Storm using her powers was just jaw dropping as a kid. Also, as a big Firestar fan, this episode was such a joy to watch.
Storm was an incredible character growing up - I even loved her mohawk look when she led the X-Men in the mid-to-late eighties - But her original look in this episode is still my favorite! :)
Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends was my “Jam” , it was the one show where I could always be surprised by the guest appearances of other Marvel Illuminaries/ the story and the locations.
The Toei eps of Amazing Friends are still a treat to watch, and it's great to see that you wasted no time getting around to one! The hyper-dynamic styling made so many small moments seem like magic. That "original 5" X-Men training sequence in the Iceman origin ep is still one of my favorite Marvel animation moments. It's a shame we didn't get more of the late Mr. Marshall in the show and a a full Iron Man episode would've given us that (he was great as Stark). You were right about G.I. JOE using Bob Holt roars, right in the original "MASS Device" mini-series for Ramar from the Arena of Sport. Keep up the great work!
13:00 Honestly I interpret this scene as him assuming that it was a male in that suit is because due to the VERY baggy Construction suit and mask, it'd be difficult to tell who'd be in the suit let alone the male or female presenting rescuer being in said suit. Thus making his assumption even more believable
Love this series and the music is fantastic. Spider-Man certainly had some amazing friends. Another informative episode commentary here my friend. Keep up the good work! Mr Eatock Jinx sounds good!
Love this series and particularly this episode as a kid in the 80s. Thinking back, there was something about Firestar’s origin that reminded me of Stephen King’s Carrie. Both characters were relentlessly bullied by their high school classmates; both were ridiculed at a formal dance; both came from poor single parent families; both were supernatural freaks.
Another fantastic video! Thank You for these amazing commentaries, James ;-) Amazing Friends is EASILY one of my all-time favourite 80s cartoons. It still retains it's charm.
I agree mate Spiderman looked the best in this episode. Ive been watching this cartoon since i was young..im 48 now, ive noticed the art fluctuating throughout the series. Their origins stories were my favourite 👍🏻
Yes! Thank you. Not only is this my favorite episode from the series, but this was the series that turned me into a lifelong Spidey fan when I was little. I didn’t know who the X-Men were at the time, but revisiting this episode a decade later after reading X-men comics was a blast! (I actually bought the vhs copies of this episode and Pryde of the X-Men in the mid 90s). Great to have you back doing commentaries! Keep up the great work.
Correct - Though, truth be told, I've never seen the Blacula movies - The first time I remember clocking he and his voice (and putting two and two together) was when I saw Amazon Women on the Moon! :)
Yeah, I only watched the original Star Trek series for the first time about five or so years ago...and was more than overjoyed when he showed up on screen! :)
This is the episode I always watched of this show when it was on Jetix/Toon Disney. And it’s even better today. But still…Bonnie’s Grudge all started…because a “poor” girl melted her snowman & her dollhouse. You know you are beyond the point of no return…when even your friends in Middle & High School are telling you to let it go! My personal headcanon is that in 13:48 The Chubby Girl with Glasses is that cheerleader here. And even she’s basically telling her to let it go, but again…how are you going to calm a friend down who has an ax to grind. All and all great video.
@@cerealgeekTV I wish I was wrong more often, things would be far better for many of us. There is an elder saying: Do you want to be right or do you want to be happy 😊. I prefer happy than being right, although that is no mean feat, it is my preference. Happy>Right
That was amazing, for some reason i remember this episode - particularly the part where shes grabbing for papers, it is one of my earliest memories and i remember playing it for years after - jumping and thinking i would float. I remembered her being in a cheerleader uniform when she did it tho - but clearly my memory blended the whole episode together. Thanks so much, i have not seen this in 40 years xx
I loved this show as a kid. Especially the origin stories of Peter, Bobby and Angelica. Hers was the first time I saw both the X-Men and Juggernaut. I’ve been a fan of Spider-Man since The Electric Company and his live action show starring Nicholas Hammond. I’ve been hooked on these Marvel characters ever since. Excelsior!😊👍🏾
I mean, we had Avatar the last airbender, gravity falls, owlhouse, castlevania, amphibia, some ok star wars cartoons. The new x men show came out recently. I d say we are getting some solid cartoons these deays too. Not to mention a couple of great movies like spider verse...
Thank you, Chris - Yeah, I edited that together over the space of a week (originally to a completely different piece of music) - Luckily one of my super talented friends was able to compose something very similar in order to match the original edit! :)
Do you realize that Firestar appears on the cartoon first and the comic books later. Firestar was designed as a replacement for the Human Torch. Torch wasn't used mostly because someone wanted to use the Torch because someone wanted him to do a project with him. Untill recently, comic book Firestar was never an X-Man.
Trust me, I know the history of Firestar all too well (I even have access to a lot of her "Heatwave" development artwork by John Romita and Rick Hoberg)! :)
I really remember the episode well as it must have been one of the first TV episodes. That I remember having a backstory to a character. Also this episode really hit close to home on a personal level. With the bullying that the character of Firestar had to endure. That part still swells up the emotions.
@@cerealgeekTV LOL! Brotha, I grew up and Love this Cartoon series! This episode was the 1st one I saw And I remember The Juggernaut Saying it on his way to the X'mex!! I just love these cartoons!!!🕷🕸
I remember a few years back my friend showing me the mass comic book event in which a villain went around killing every Spider-Man from every continuity - He murdered all three Amazing Friends, and claimed something like their energy was like a "child's confection" - It was not edgy...it was just a cynical attack...:(
@@cerealgeekTV As 90s show producer John Semper, Jr. takes every opportunity to remind everyone, the 90s Spider-Man was the first multi-universe Spider-Man team-up adventure. Marvel and DC comic books have been terrible for around 20 years now. All they ever do now is make previously straight characters gay, ignore existing characters that were already gay like Northstar, and pretend they're stunning and brave and the first ones to have a gay character in their comics. These modern writers can't ever create anything new themselves and just ruin previously established characters The X-Men are basically villains now, whether the writers intended them to be or not. They are isolationists that live on a mutants-only country, and if they're killed they can a backup copy of them can be created with plants or something. Cyclops is now a "bi-clops", as he Jean Gray, and Wolverine are now a "thruple". Iceman is gay now, too, and has a completely different personality, 100% revolving around his gayness.
That line was banded around in our house all tge time "miss angelica jinx" Im gonna send this to my older brother!!! You're so informative in all these episodes
I understand how you feel about it seeming to be unnecessary to show Juggernaut's back story (even as a small snippet), though, I feel it is helpful for those who are fans of the show, but not the comic books to have that information. Also, I like that the writers think to include fans of the show who may not know the back stories of some characters and, maybe, pique their interest enough to get into comic books (which I wouldn't be surprised if this was one of their intentions). I would have similar discussions with a former co-worker who is an X-Men fan, and wished that the Bryan Singer movies had more content from the X-Men animated series (which drew a lot from the comics), but I told them that it would alienate the movie-goers that weren't fans of the comic books or the animated series. I just think it's a thoughtful move the writers make to not make those unaware of the characters in the comics feel left out (which a lot of people have done to me), so I can relate. I agree on Toei Animation, it's one of the finest.
Yeah, the irony of my point on the episode commentary is that when I was watching the episode as a kid, I wasn't aware of the Juggernaut's origin - So it served the very purpose you mention...for ME! :)
Aside from He-Man & She-Ra, this incarnation of Ice-Man still has, in my mind, the best transformation sequence of all time! In the school playground, while every other boy fought over who would be Spidey and every girl fought over who would be Fire-Star (each one desperate to avoid the role of Aunt May) I'd manage to dodge the arguments by encasing myself in my ice block before bursting forth as Ice-Man (or at least that's how it happened in my mind)!! The only downside of playground ownership of the role of Ice-Man was the bollocking I used to get from my Mother for wearing out the soles of my school shoes so quickly (all of that skidding and sliding)! Happy days! Happy memories!! Excellent episode, James - you have a real talent for tapping into my childhood shenanigans!!!
It's always amazing to hear you talk so fondly about my favourite animation studio. I guess that Toei were just as pleased as Marvel were as they too were such big fans of Spider-Man as well. ;) Like studios like Sunrise, it's most likely that Toei had various departments at work on different projects and that certain shots were possibly re-done at Toei, but by different departments/artists. ;) Speaking of, I guess if you'll ever do a commentary on a Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors or a Centurions episode animated by Sunrise, you'll keep calling them "Nippon Sunrise" as they were known by that name at the time, the same as Toei Animation was known as Toei Doga at the time. It makes you think that maybe the same group of artists who were working on say Dairugger XV may have also worked on this episode. It was a shame to hear about Marilyn Schreffler passing away as young as she did. Indeed, another great talent that we lost far too soon. From what may have transpired, Patrick Pinney who played Wolverine in the Pryde of the X-Men pilot, may have used this episode of Amazing Friends as inspiration for his role. At least that would have made some sense. But then that wouldn't be the only nationality mistake done by the X-Men as we had a British Pyro in the 90's X-Men series, where he's supposed to be Australian, which ironically, he was in the Pryde of the X-Men pilot. :D Oh and of course once again hearing more music from the Bermondsey boy Johnny Douglas is always great. :) If you also want to check out the full unedited Pryde of the X-Men episode (the one that was likely aired on TV, before being trimmed down for its VHS release or having a trimmed down release put onto video by mistake?) then I've uploaded that (with and without the intro theme and end credits) on my channel. :) Keep up the good work as always James. :)
@@cerealgeekTV I made sure to add UNCUT so people know that's the version with the deleted scenes in it. Said scenes were also uploaded separately. :) I was glad to have stumbled upon it on TH-cam years ago and preserved it. You're very welcome. :)
They at least remembered it on DISNEY+, which is where I've been rediscovering it. SM&HAF was my first experience of seeing Spiderman (my sisters' favorite superhero). I still don't get why they rarely use Fire-Star at all in any Marvel asset (she was AWESOME!!)
@@van8ryan She was made a part of the X-Men in the comics, and I guess because of that she's now fallen into obscurity, which is a shame if that's true, but easy to see why as there were many X-Men over the years.
@@van8ryan Yeah, but using same shoddy master that Liberation Films. 8[ Even though there exists a much superior master for it... Hopefully Marvel shows start getting HD remasters. It's long overdue.
It is shocking that Amazing Friends (and other Marvel Productions shows produced during this time) have yet to be released on DVD in so many places - We were lucky in the UK to have a company that seemed to want to release EVERYTHING Marvel related! :)
Much of the Spidey vs. Juggernaut fight In this episode is taken from Amazing spiderman #300 where it was more of a 1x1 retaliation by Spidey for Juggy pulling Madame Web off her chair. Spidey gets destroyed but wins in the end. Stopping/delaying Juggernaut for a few hours is considered a win.
You had me confused for a second, as I remember issue 300 being a notable Todd McFarlane issue, which happened years after the cartoon - I double-checked the story and I believe you're referring to issue 229 - And YES, I see the similarities with regards to a few of the action beats! :)
@@cerealgeekTV With the exception of Deadpool 2, I didn't like the live versions of The Juggernaut, but Juggy's been my favorite villain. I suppose he could have escaped prison if he really wanted to, but I'm sure he ran that prison anyways. Maybe that's the only reason he was still in there.
I just want to watch it!!!! I’ve been looking for this thing for years I thought I dreamt it. I had JUST THIS EPISODE on cassette at one point I thought it was a movie. I just wanna watch it
Put it this way: they might have been overjoyed with Toei Doga's work... until the bill came.There's evidence out there of a preference to go cheap, probably a big reason AKOM was financed and established by them in the first place.
Well, the biggest piece of evidence of American studios wanting to go cheaper was the fact they were outsourcing in the first place - But yeah, AKOM were definitely FAR cheaper! :)
I have this collection as I told you before, this is a great episode, and wish they had done more like this. By the way, I have all the Secret Wars comic book collections 1-12 in mint condition.
They would eventually bring Firestar into the Marvel comic books...first with a limited series...and then she turned up as part of the New Warriors! :)
These Spidey commentaries are great. It’s inspired me watch these again. I have very little memory of it as a kid. Which would you recommend I watch first, Spider-Man 81, or His Amazing Friends 81?
This series is easily one of my fojdest childhood memories, eagerly waiting for each saturday and resisting the temptaion to get spoilers from the TV guide. Great animation, characterization and stories (with some wonkt voices but usually spot on with the leads). The X-Men episodes (this, the later Thunderbird one and the Iceman origin) were awesome when they each came out. And best of all were their choices of who to have; Angel had been my favorite since his Champion days (just wish they'd given more red in his costume in this one). I was so sure we'd end up with an X-Men cartoon (not eventually but actually that year, the year of the Thunderbird one). These rank at the top even above the Doctor Strange and Namor one (which Cap was in but for some reason Cap always sounds off to me here, in his solo episodes here and in the Amazing Spidrr-Man show--even later in his 90s Spidrr-Man appearances). But I am surprised we didn't get an Avengers appearance considering so many of its member showed up through the series.
The closest we got to an appearance from The Avengers was in the solo Spider-Man series from 1981 when we see that cameo for all of a few seconds on TV! :)
It's funny to think that this episode took place during a time before Wolverine became a character you could put on a comic cover and it would instantly sell! :)
I think that's the message of SO many of these cartoons from the 1980s - Outside of the PSAs, the writers would do their best to weave in stories dealing with certain prejudices - Nine times out of ten, they did a rather superb job! :)
The only two X-Men cartoon that properly portrayed Wolverine were 1992 X-Men and X-Men Evolution. Wolverine was voiced by actual Canadians in those shows lol
Yeah, the 1992 X-Men cartoon...that was at the PEAK of X-Men craziness on the comic book stands! :) - I should revisit that series on this channel...because I DO recall liking it a great deal! :)
I won't profess to having watched many episodes of Super Friends...but I can see/hear how that voice would also work for Lex Luthor! :) - And before you ask, at some point I WILL be making a lengthy video all about Super Friends...:)
Yeah, I did like his Scourge voice...and if memory serves me correctly he was also Zarak in the three part finale to the original series - Actually, doesn't he get the last line of dialogue in the original series?! :) - I'm not including the Powermaster Optimus Prime retrospective of the animated movie for TV...
I loved 😍 the commentary on this video 📹 of the episode A Firestar is Born from the Spider-Man and his amazing friends cartoon series, however I'm very sad 😔 at the fact that while I have a copy of the entire series of Spider-Man and his amazing friends on DVD 📀 some of the episodes including A Firestar is born have cut scenes from them which I find very unfair & embarrassing to the show!
Thank you for the kind words with regards to my commentary! :) - The DVDs I have are the UK-released Clear Vision ones...and (to my knowledge) they're complete - Though, sadly, as with other Marvel Productions shows, some of the Stan Lee narrations are missing...:(
Only the intro (+ transition and the outro) was done inhouse. The non-Toei eps were done by South Korean studio "Dong Seo Animation". Whilst their stuff is by no means quite mindblowing... it's still lot better than Akom though.
I will admit that I kind of used to feel the same way - I found all non-Toei episodes of the series to be a bit flat - But watching the series over and over again I've learned to appreciate that the animation, whilst not the best, was focused on adhering to the designs and staging of what Marvel Productions had in place! :)
@@cerealgeekTV I appreciate it too, still flat and stiff though! Watching Spider-Woman, Spiderman etc of Marvel animations, they all had this aesthetics to them and even though flat and stiff for the most part, but they had the classic comics charm about them, which I still like. Plus it's good to see where we have got to now and the progression down the years.
Yes and no - That information in my brain over the last twenty years has blessed me with a pretty cool career working on many of these properties on an official capacity! :) - And thankfully, I've always had a rather eventful social life...although THAT can be too much of a distraction at times...
As the title of this video says, it is an episode commentary, in which I talk about the story, those associated with the making of it, and my own personal memories - I think it's fair to say that an episode commentary in which I don't talk would be...rather bizarre! :)
Geez, they took a lot from 'Carrie' for this episode, did they drop a barrel of 'tomato sauce' on her at the prom too?! 😅😂 Lol. F.Y.I Simpsons' Bongo Comics did a Halloween themed story were Lisa is likened to 'Dark Phoenix' though you know it,s a nod to 'Carrie' , Lisa becomes a super powered eight year old kid 'Dark Phoenix' at a grade school Halloween dance or something & runs amuck,like in 'Carrie' .Lol.Maybe 😮😅😂. Though thankfully no 'tomato sauce'. Lol 😂.
@@walterszewczyk9024 - Actually, I never did read that limited series - It was probably a year or so before I started going in comic book shops - Before then, local shops only carried the bigger titles! :)
I remember watching a few episodes of the Ultimate Spider-Man cartoon...visually it looked nice, but it was even more lighthearted than Amazing Friends! :)
If you want to see episodes of cereal:geek TV and He-Man/She-Ra Friday Night Trivia MANY months in advance (and be able to vote on the channel's Clip of the Week) please consider supporting me on Patreon! :) - www.patreon.com/jameseatock
It was this episode that first introduced me to the X-men and made me first fall in love with them. That scene with Storm using her powers was just jaw dropping as a kid. Also, as a big Firestar fan, this episode was such a joy to watch.
Storm was an incredible character growing up - I even loved her mohawk look when she led the X-Men in the mid-to-late eighties - But her original look in this episode is still my favorite! :)
Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends was my “Jam” , it was the one show where I could always be surprised by the guest appearances of other Marvel Illuminaries/ the story and the locations.
Of course I enjoyed this video 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
As a kid I LOVED The Mighty Thor comics...and so when he popped up in this series, I was MORE than happy! :)
The Toei eps of Amazing Friends are still a treat to watch, and it's great to see that you wasted no time getting around to one! The hyper-dynamic styling made so many small moments seem like magic. That "original 5" X-Men training sequence in the Iceman origin ep is still one of my favorite Marvel animation moments. It's a shame we didn't get more of the late Mr. Marshall in the show and a a full Iron Man episode would've given us that (he was great as Stark). You were right about G.I. JOE using Bob Holt roars, right in the original "MASS Device" mini-series for Ramar from the Arena of Sport. Keep up the great work!
I always just love the static character poses in Toei episodes...they always look SO damn heroic! :)
13:00 Honestly I interpret this scene as him assuming that it was a male in that suit is because due to the VERY baggy Construction suit and mask, it'd be difficult to tell who'd be in the suit let alone the male or female presenting rescuer being in said suit.
Thus making his assumption even more believable
Also, her father was probably under the assumption that only a man could lift his body-weight! :)
@@cerealgeekTV I see.
Angelina, my dudette! How much do you lift bro?! 😎💪
Love this series and the music is fantastic. Spider-Man certainly had some amazing friends. Another informative episode commentary here my friend. Keep up the good work! Mr Eatock Jinx sounds good!
Glad you enjoyed it, C to the V! :)
Love this series and particularly this episode as a kid in the 80s. Thinking back, there was something about Firestar’s origin that reminded me of Stephen King’s Carrie. Both characters were relentlessly bullied by their high school classmates; both were ridiculed at a formal dance; both came from poor single parent families; both were supernatural freaks.
LOVE the comparison to Carrie! :)
At least Firestar’s dad wasn’t an abusive zealot.
The difference is Firestar had a loving father and that prevented her from falling into the dark path like Carrie.
Another fantastic video! Thank You for these amazing commentaries, James ;-) Amazing Friends is EASILY one of my all-time favourite 80s cartoons. It still retains it's charm.
I love recording the episode commentaries - And yes, these shows often have a LOT of charm...and HEART! :)
What a memorable episode from my childhood! I wonder if they sell these on VHS still I’m going to look right now!
You can most definitely pick up episodes from the show on VHS via good ol' eBay! :)
I agree mate Spiderman looked the best in this episode. Ive been watching this cartoon since i was young..im 48 now, ive noticed the art fluctuating throughout the series. Their origins stories were my favourite 👍🏻
Yeah, the episodes had good animation for the most part...but the episodes (like this one) animated by Toei-Doga kicked much ass! :)
Yes! Thank you. Not only is this my favorite episode from the series, but this was the series that turned me into a lifelong Spidey fan when I was little. I didn’t know who the X-Men were at the time, but revisiting this episode a decade later after reading X-men comics was a blast! (I actually bought the vhs copies of this episode and Pryde of the X-Men in the mid 90s). Great to have you back doing commentaries! Keep up the great work.
Many more commentaries (and Spider-Man related videos) in the works! :)
The one who voiced the Juggernaut, William Marshall, was best known as Blacula.
Correct - Though, truth be told, I've never seen the Blacula movies - The first time I remember clocking he and his voice (and putting two and two together) was when I saw Amazon Women on the Moon! :)
@@cerealgeekTV his other best known role was as Dr. Daystrom in the Star Trek original series episode, the Ultimate Computer
Yeah, I only watched the original Star Trek series for the first time about five or so years ago...and was more than overjoyed when he showed up on screen! :)
@@cerealgeekTV in fact, that episode came on last night on the H&I network. Which led me to look at this video.
First time seeing the Juggernaut. He had the The Hulks roar and it was too bad both didn’t fight in the Hulks cartoon.
This is the episode I always watched of this show when it was on Jetix/Toon Disney. And it’s even better today.
But still…Bonnie’s Grudge all started…because a “poor” girl melted her snowman & her dollhouse.
You know you are beyond the point of no return…when even your friends in Middle & High School are telling you to let it go!
My personal headcanon is that in 13:48 The Chubby Girl with Glasses is that cheerleader here. And even she’s basically telling her to let it go, but again…how are you going to calm a friend down who has an ax to grind.
All and all great video.
Yeah, Bonnie REALLY did carry that grudge for a goodly (and rather unhealthy) while - Glad you enjoyed the commentary! :)
Bonnie: You'll pay for this Mutant. Someday, I'll find out your secret identity and then I'll get my revenge!!!
Is this a Bonnie origin story that you're plotting? :)
@@cerealgeekTVMaybe do you like 👍 it
Her parents will cut her off of her allowance for her behavior.
Like she'll have an origin of what Angelica did to her snowman ⛄️ and Dollhouse.
Bonnie to the dean: Bonnie:This so unfair!
Kathy Garver who played Sissy in Family Affair was the Voice of Angelica Jones/Firestar☄️. R.I.P. Kathy Garver.
She was indeed...BUT...Kathy Garver is still very much with us, isn't she?! :)
@@cerealgeekTV I stand corrected Kathy Garver is still with us in the finite realm.
Thank goodness! :)
@@cerealgeekTV I wish I was wrong more often, things would be far better for many of us. There is an elder saying: Do you want to be right or do you want to be happy 😊. I prefer happy than being right, although that is no mean feat, it is my preference. Happy>Right
That was amazing, for some reason i remember this episode - particularly the part where shes grabbing for papers, it is one of my earliest memories and i remember playing it for years after - jumping and thinking i would float. I remembered her being in a cheerleader uniform when she did it tho - but clearly my memory blended the whole episode together. Thanks so much, i have not seen this in 40 years xx
I'm glad you enjoyed the commentary! :)
I loved this show as a kid. Especially the origin stories of Peter, Bobby and Angelica. Hers was the first time I saw both the X-Men and Juggernaut. I’ve been a fan of Spider-Man since The Electric Company and his live action show starring Nicholas Hammond. I’ve been hooked on these Marvel characters ever since. Excelsior!😊👍🏾
To this day I've never properly sat down and watched those shows by The Electric Company... - One day I shall! :)
I loved the animation on this episode.
Toei-Doga did great work on this series...I only wish they had animated more than four episodes...:)
This is why I feel bad for kids today. No good toons.
Good mythos empowers good ethos.
Maybe one day we'll see another generation of cartoons that aren't scared to be action adventure-based with heroes and villains! :)
I mean, we had Avatar the last airbender, gravity falls, owlhouse, castlevania, amphibia, some ok star wars cartoons. The new x men show came out recently. I d say we are getting some solid cartoons these deays too. Not to mention a couple of great movies like spider verse...
@@lvo9197True, but it's just not the same. Saturday mornings back then couldn't be beat.
@@TeranIcer I mean yeah, it s different nowadays in that sense.
I love your intro, so cool!
Thank you, Chris - Yeah, I edited that together over the space of a week (originally to a completely different piece of music) - Luckily one of my super talented friends was able to compose something very similar in order to match the original edit! :)
Do you realize that Firestar appears on the cartoon first and the comic books later.
Firestar was designed as a replacement for the Human Torch. Torch wasn't used mostly because someone wanted to use the Torch because someone wanted him to do a project with him.
Untill recently, comic book Firestar was never an X-Man.
Trust me, I know the history of Firestar all too well (I even have access to a lot of her "Heatwave" development artwork by John Romita and Rick Hoberg)! :)
I really remember the episode well as it must have been one of the first TV episodes. That I remember having a backstory to a character. Also this episode really hit close to home on a personal level. With the bullying that the character of Firestar had to endure. That part still swells up the emotions.
Incredible episode still remember watching it for the first time. "7 little Superheroes" was great too
The series had SO much love put into it, resulting in numerous great episodes! :)
*_"I'm coming for you CerealGeekTV!! You and your Band of Subscribers are DOOMED!"_*
If you deliver the line with the same booming voice that William Marshall had, I don't mind! :)
@@cerealgeekTV LOL! Brotha, I grew up and Love this Cartoon series! This episode was the 1st one I saw And I remember The Juggernaut Saying it on his way to the X'mex!! I just love these cartoons!!!🕷🕸
At some point, given my love of Marvel Productions, I'll be diving deep into Pryde of the X-Men! :)
@@cerealgeekTV BTW, Is that the same William Marshall who Played in Star Trek TOS Episode "The Ultimate Computer"?
It certainly is - An actor that brought great GRAVITAS to any role he was hired to play - He even played Tony Stark in Amazing Friends! :)
Besides the 90s cartoon, my favourite version of Spider-Man ever, insane how little there is of Spider-Friends content in the regular Marvel comics.
I remember a few years back my friend showing me the mass comic book event in which a villain went around killing every Spider-Man from every continuity - He murdered all three Amazing Friends, and claimed something like their energy was like a "child's confection" - It was not edgy...it was just a cynical attack...:(
@@cerealgeekTV Ooof, yes, the original Spider-Verse comic book. Safe to say the recent animated movie was a marked improvement over that event.
That was it! :) - Yeah, Into the Spider-Verse...easily one of the most refreshing takes on the original Spider-Man with old man Peter Parker! :)
@@cerealgeekTV As 90s show producer John Semper, Jr. takes every opportunity to remind everyone, the 90s Spider-Man was the first multi-universe Spider-Man team-up adventure.
Marvel and DC comic books have been terrible for around 20 years now. All they ever do now is make previously straight characters gay, ignore existing characters that were already gay like Northstar, and pretend they're stunning and brave and the first ones to have a gay character in their comics. These modern writers can't ever create anything new themselves and just ruin previously established characters
The X-Men are basically villains now, whether the writers intended them to be or not. They are isolationists that live on a mutants-only country, and if they're killed they can a backup copy of them can be created with plants or something. Cyclops is now a "bi-clops", as he Jean Gray, and Wolverine are now a "thruple". Iceman is gay now, too, and has a completely different personality, 100% revolving around his gayness.
Yeah, from what I've seen, Marvel and DC comics are so desperate to attract readers that they're not bothering to tell engaging stories...
That line was banded around in our house all tge time "miss angelica jinx"
Im gonna send this to my older brother!!!
You're so informative in all these episodes
I'm glad you enjoy my commentaries...because I love recording them! :)
I understand how you feel about it seeming to be unnecessary to show Juggernaut's back story (even as a small snippet), though, I feel it is helpful for those who are fans of the show, but not the comic books to have that information. Also, I like that the writers think to include fans of the show who may not know the back stories of some characters and, maybe, pique their interest enough to get into comic books (which I wouldn't be surprised if this was one of their intentions). I would have similar discussions with a former co-worker who is an X-Men fan, and wished that the Bryan Singer movies had more content from the X-Men animated series (which drew a lot from the comics), but I told them that it would alienate the movie-goers that weren't fans of the comic books or the animated series. I just think it's a thoughtful move the writers make to not make those unaware of the characters in the comics feel left out (which a lot of people have done to me), so I can relate. I agree on Toei Animation, it's one of the finest.
Yeah, the irony of my point on the episode commentary is that when I was watching the episode as a kid, I wasn't aware of the Juggernaut's origin - So it served the very purpose you mention...for ME! :)
I was always disappointed that Iceman didn't transform in the comics like he does in this show.
Likewise! :)
Aside from He-Man & She-Ra, this incarnation of Ice-Man still has, in my mind, the best transformation sequence of all time! In the school playground, while every other boy fought over who would be Spidey and every girl fought over who would be Fire-Star (each one desperate to avoid the role of Aunt May) I'd manage to dodge the arguments by encasing myself in my ice block before bursting forth as Ice-Man (or at least that's how it happened in my mind)!! The only downside of playground ownership of the role of Ice-Man was the bollocking I used to get from my Mother for wearing out the soles of my school shoes so quickly (all of that skidding and sliding)! Happy days! Happy memories!! Excellent episode, James - you have a real talent for tapping into my childhood shenanigans!!!
Yeah, that Iceman transformation was just SO damn creative - I loved it! :)
It's always amazing to hear you talk so fondly about my favourite animation studio. I guess that Toei were just as pleased as Marvel were as they too were such big fans of Spider-Man as well. ;) Like studios like Sunrise, it's most likely that Toei had various departments at work on different projects and that certain shots were possibly re-done at Toei, but by different departments/artists. ;) Speaking of, I guess if you'll ever do a commentary on a Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors or a Centurions episode animated by Sunrise, you'll keep calling them "Nippon Sunrise" as they were known by that name at the time, the same as Toei Animation was known as Toei Doga at the time. It makes you think that maybe the same group of artists who were working on say Dairugger XV may have also worked on this episode. It was a shame to hear about Marilyn Schreffler passing away as young as she did. Indeed, another great talent that we lost far too soon. From what may have transpired, Patrick Pinney who played Wolverine in the Pryde of the X-Men pilot, may have used this episode of Amazing Friends as inspiration for his role. At least that would have made some sense. But then that wouldn't be the only nationality mistake done by the X-Men as we had a British Pyro in the 90's X-Men series, where he's supposed to be Australian, which ironically, he was in the Pryde of the X-Men pilot. :D Oh and of course once again hearing more music from the Bermondsey boy Johnny Douglas is always great. :) If you also want to check out the full unedited Pryde of the X-Men episode (the one that was likely aired on TV, before being trimmed down for its VHS release or having a trimmed down release put onto video by mistake?) then I've uploaded that (with and without the intro theme and end credits) on my channel. :) Keep up the good work as always James. :)
Thanks for your comment as always, sir - And I shall be sure to check out the Pryde of the X-Men video on your channel! :)
@@cerealgeekTV I made sure to add UNCUT so people know that's the version with the deleted scenes in it. Said scenes were also uploaded separately. :) I was glad to have stumbled upon it on TH-cam years ago and preserved it. You're very welcome. :)
When they get in to Fire Star's background, it's like they're doing a rendition of the movie Carrie.
VERY good point - I'm sure that the writer, Christy Marx, was somewhat inspired by the movie! :)
Why this (my favorite cartoon as a child) never officially come to DVD?
It did. In the UK, Amazing Friends was released in full on DVD by Liberation Films, then later on by Clear Vision.
They at least remembered it on DISNEY+, which is where I've been rediscovering it.
SM&HAF was my first experience of seeing Spiderman (my sisters' favorite superhero). I still don't get why they rarely use Fire-Star at all in any Marvel asset (she was AWESOME!!)
@@van8ryan She was made a part of the X-Men in the comics, and I guess because of that she's now fallen into obscurity, which is a shame if that's true, but easy to see why as there were many X-Men over the years.
@@van8ryan Yeah, but using same shoddy master that Liberation Films. 8[
Even though there exists a much superior master for it... Hopefully Marvel shows start getting HD remasters. It's long overdue.
It is shocking that Amazing Friends (and other Marvel Productions shows produced during this time) have yet to be released on DVD in so many places - We were lucky in the UK to have a company that seemed to want to release EVERYTHING Marvel related! :)
Much of the Spidey vs. Juggernaut fight In this episode is taken from Amazing spiderman #300 where it was more of a 1x1 retaliation by Spidey for Juggy pulling Madame Web off her chair. Spidey gets destroyed but wins in the end. Stopping/delaying Juggernaut for a few hours is considered a win.
You had me confused for a second, as I remember issue 300 being a notable Todd McFarlane issue, which happened years after the cartoon - I double-checked the story and I believe you're referring to issue 229 - And YES, I see the similarities with regards to a few of the action beats! :)
This was my favorite Spidey & A.F. episode, not because of Firestar , but because of The Juggernaut!
I think, when I first saw this episode, it was my introduction to the Juggernaut - And he's absolutely unforgettable! :)
@@cerealgeekTV With the exception of Deadpool 2, I didn't like the live versions of The Juggernaut, but Juggy's been my favorite villain. I suppose he could have escaped prison if he really wanted to, but I'm sure he ran that prison anyways. Maybe that's the only reason he was still in there.
Yeah Bob Holt voiced-roared that gladiator giant Duke fought against in the Mass Device miniseries
Yup - I need to make that video at some point! :)
I just want to watch it!!!! I’ve been looking for this thing for years I thought I dreamt it. I had JUST THIS EPISODE on cassette at one point I thought it was a movie. I just wanna watch it
Pretty sure you can find the series on many a streaming service! :)
The way that Bonnie ran from Firestar as she dropped her pompoms!
She HAD to! :)
@@cerealgeekTV But, she wasn't fast enough to run from her!
Put it this way: they might have been overjoyed with Toei Doga's work... until the bill came.There's evidence out there of a preference to go cheap, probably a big reason AKOM was financed and established by them in the first place.
Well, the biggest piece of evidence of American studios wanting to go cheaper was the fact they were outsourcing in the first place - But yeah, AKOM were definitely FAR cheaper! :)
And I thought Fred Jones had developed super powers. No, just Frank Welker voicing another blond teen using his actual voice.
I'm guessing he was saving himself for the plethora of other voices he was doing throughout the eighties! :)
“Actually it’s not armor it’s ice.” - Ice Man to the Ice Giantesses in Jotunheim.
I love their interactions in that episode..."CONSORT?!" :)
I have this collection as I told you before, this is a great episode, and wish they had done more like this. By the way, I have all the Secret Wars comic book collections 1-12 in mint condition.
NICE - Secret Wars is still my all-time favorite crossover - It felt SO bloody EPIC at the time! :)
Completely remember this..Iceman came from X-Men. Fire star was new..never really took off...but these cartoons are classics
They would eventually bring Firestar into the Marvel comic books...first with a limited series...and then she turned up as part of the New Warriors! :)
These Spidey commentaries are great. It’s inspired me watch these again. I have very little memory of it as a kid. Which would you recommend I watch first, Spider-Man 81, or His Amazing Friends 81?
I think I'd suggest watching Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends first...THEN checking out the solo series! :)
@@cerealgeekTV awesome thanks!
Let me know how you get on, sir! :)
@@cerealgeekTV I definitely will! Thanks for the great vids and information. Please keep it coming.
This series is easily one of my fojdest childhood memories, eagerly waiting for each saturday and resisting the temptaion to get spoilers from the TV guide. Great animation, characterization and stories (with some wonkt voices but usually spot on with the leads). The X-Men episodes (this, the later Thunderbird one and the Iceman origin) were awesome when they each came out. And best of all were their choices of who to have; Angel had been my favorite since his Champion days (just wish they'd given more red in his costume in this one). I was so sure we'd end up with an X-Men cartoon (not eventually but actually that year, the year of the Thunderbird one). These rank at the top even above the Doctor Strange and Namor one (which Cap was in but for some reason Cap always sounds off to me here, in his solo episodes here and in the Amazing Spidrr-Man show--even later in his 90s Spidrr-Man appearances). But I am surprised we didn't get an Avengers appearance considering so many of its member showed up through the series.
The closest we got to an appearance from The Avengers was in the solo Spider-Man series from 1981 when we see that cameo for all of a few seconds on TV! :)
This was my first time seeing the X-men as a kid. Blew me away.
It's funny to think that this episode took place during a time before Wolverine became a character you could put on a comic cover and it would instantly sell! :)
Awesome video 👍
Thank you - Glad you enjoyed it! :)
Makes u look at the different people we know growing up. We know who is different and is being different a bad thing?
I think that's the message of SO many of these cartoons from the 1980s - Outside of the PSAs, the writers would do their best to weave in stories dealing with certain prejudices - Nine times out of ten, they did a rather superb job! :)
@@cerealgeekTV exactly.
The only two X-Men cartoon that properly portrayed Wolverine were 1992 X-Men and X-Men Evolution. Wolverine was voiced by actual Canadians in those shows lol
Yeah, the 1992 X-Men cartoon...that was at the PEAK of X-Men craziness on the comic book stands! :) - I should revisit that series on this channel...because I DO recall liking it a great deal! :)
So now I'm better informed about past cast, so Xavier was the late Stan Jones of Lex Luthor of Superfriends
I won't profess to having watched many episodes of Super Friends...but I can see/hear how that voice would also work for Lex Luthor! :) - And before you ask, at some point I WILL be making a lengthy video all about Super Friends...:)
Stan Jones was also Scourge on the Transformers.
Yeah, I did like his Scourge voice...and if memory serves me correctly he was also Zarak in the three part finale to the original series - Actually, doesn't he get the last line of dialogue in the original series?! :) - I'm not including the Powermaster Optimus Prime retrospective of the animated movie for TV...
@@cerealgeekTV yes he does. He used his Lex Luthor voice to play Lord Zarak.
I really do need to check out Super Friends at some point! :)
I loved 😍 the commentary on this video 📹 of the episode A Firestar is Born from the Spider-Man and his amazing friends cartoon series, however I'm very sad 😔 at the fact that while I have a copy of the entire series of Spider-Man and his amazing friends on DVD 📀 some of the episodes including A Firestar is born have cut scenes from them which I find very unfair & embarrassing to the show!
Thank you for the kind words with regards to my commentary! :) - The DVDs I have are the UK-released Clear Vision ones...and (to my knowledge) they're complete - Though, sadly, as with other Marvel Productions shows, some of the Stan Lee narrations are missing...:(
These were my fave episodes of the show, the inhouse stuff felt very flat and stiff.
Only the intro (+ transition and the outro) was done inhouse. The non-Toei eps were done by South Korean studio "Dong Seo Animation". Whilst their stuff is by no means quite mindblowing... it's still lot better than Akom though.
I will admit that I kind of used to feel the same way - I found all non-Toei episodes of the series to be a bit flat - But watching the series over and over again I've learned to appreciate that the animation, whilst not the best, was focused on adhering to the designs and staging of what Marvel Productions had in place! :)
Wasn't it Mihan that worked on all other episodes of Amazing Friends? :)
@@cerealgeekTV I appreciate it too, still flat and stiff though! Watching Spider-Woman, Spiderman etc of Marvel animations, they all had this aesthetics to them and even though flat and stiff for the most part, but they had the classic comics charm about them, which I still like. Plus it's good to see where we have got to now and the progression down the years.
Harold Lloyd would not need Firestar☄️ to save him, although that would be Amazing-Coolness ❄️
You just mentioned my FAVORITE actor of the silent era of movies! :)
Do you get weighed down with cartoon intro information often?
Yes and no - That information in my brain over the last twenty years has blessed me with a pretty cool career working on many of these properties on an official capacity! :) - And thankfully, I've always had a rather eventful social life...although THAT can be too much of a distraction at times...
Now you mention it I think one of the stock recording roars was used for Unicron! th-cam.com/video/SFh1nwyctoI/w-d-xo.html
Yup, that's probably the most famous one! :)
Why not just let the video play without the commentary??
As the title of this video says, it is an episode commentary, in which I talk about the story, those associated with the making of it, and my own personal memories - I think it's fair to say that an episode commentary in which I don't talk would be...rather bizarre! :)
Geez, they took a lot from 'Carrie' for this episode, did they drop a barrel of 'tomato sauce' on her at the prom too?! 😅😂 Lol. F.Y.I Simpsons' Bongo Comics did a Halloween themed story were Lisa is likened to 'Dark Phoenix' though you know it,s a nod to 'Carrie' , Lisa becomes a super powered eight year old kid 'Dark Phoenix' at a grade school Halloween dance or something & runs amuck,like in 'Carrie' .Lol.Maybe 😮😅😂. Though thankfully no 'tomato sauce'. Lol 😂.
Yeah, the Carrie influences are strong in Firestar's origin story! :)
@@cerealgeekTV Yes, did you ever read the Firestar limited series in '86? That one iconic cover were she,s blasting away a robot 'Wolverine' ?? 😂 Lol.
@@walterszewczyk9024 - Actually, I never did read that limited series - It was probably a year or so before I started going in comic book shops - Before then, local shops only carried the bigger titles! :)
@@cerealgeekTV Thanks, no worries. 😂 Lol.
Bonnie was so mean to Angelica she is nothing but trouble 👿
VERY true...Angelica got her revenge though! :)
@@cerealgeekTV And Bonnie will have her Revenge
Bonnie was expelled from school for lying about Angelica stealing the trophy 🏆.
Sadly this I'd still better then the Ultimate Spider-Man cartoon.
I remember watching a few episodes of the Ultimate Spider-Man cartoon...visually it looked nice, but it was even more lighthearted than Amazing Friends! :)
Much appreciated! :)