Spidey Super Stories (1974)
TV SeriesOptional
A silent Spider-Man, talking only in word balloons, foils petty villains in short live-action skits made to help kids read. This 1974 Marvel series sits outside the MCU timeline, so you can watch it on its own without any homework. It has 29 episodes, about 2h 25m in all.
| Release date | October 1974 |
|---|---|
| Episodes | 29 × ~5 min |
Why it’s worth knowing about
It's the first recorded live-action Spider-Man, three years before the 1977 TV film, and a clever use of comic-style word balloons to teach reading.
About Spidey Super Stories
Spidey Super Stories is a recurring live-action segment on PBS's The Electric Company, made by the Children's Television Workshop with Marvel Comics. It ran from October 1974 to 1977, with 29 numbered segments of about five minutes each. It's the first recorded live-action Spider-Man, predating the 1977 Spider-Man TV film by three years.
Danny Seagren, a puppeteer and dancer, played Spider-Man and always performed in costume. Spidey never speaks aloud: his lines appear in word balloons so young viewers have to read them, and comic panels stand in for special effects the budget couldn't cover. The villains are mostly small-time, including the Spoiler, Dr. Fly, the Can Crusher and the Birthday Bandit. Marvel also published a companion Spidey Super Stories comic for ages 6 to 10, which ran for 57 issues from 1974 to 1982.
Good to know
- 29 segments, each about five minutes.
- Danny Seagren plays Spider-Man, who talks only in word balloons.
- Marvel provided the character free of charge.
- A companion comic ran for 57 issues from 1974 to 1982.
- The first recorded live-action Spider-Man.
How to watch it
Treat it as a piece of history rather than a show to binge. The segments were built for young readers, so it suits kids learning to read or fans curious about Spider-Man's screen history. In release order it comes before the 1977 Spider-Man TV film. Availability is patchy: a 2006 DVD set included several segments, while later sets cut some for rights reasons.
Related guides
Spidey Super Stories FAQ
Who played Spider-Man on The Electric Company?
Danny Seagren, a puppeteer and dancer, who always performed in costume.
Why doesn't Spider-Man talk in Spidey Super Stories?
His dialogue appears in word balloons so young viewers practice reading, which was the point of The Electric Company.
Was Spidey Super Stories the first live-action Spider-Man?
Yes. It's the first recorded live-action Spider-Man, arriving three years before the 1977 Spider-Man TV film.
Can you skip Spidey Super Stories?
Yes. It isn’t part of the MCU timeline.
How many episodes does Spidey Super Stories have?
Spidey Super Stories has 29 episodes, around 5 minutes each.
Is Spidey Super Stories part of the MCU?
No. It’s Marvel, but it was made outside the Marvel Cinematic Universe.