Dredd Reviews Ultimate Spider-man ep 10 “Freaky”

Marvel fan and professional writer, Alex Widen, also known as Dredd, posted a detailed, well written, review of last week’s episode of Ultimate Spider-man: “Freaky”.

Below is a part from the review:

“This episode is an adaptation of an actual 2 issue USM story written by Brian M. Bendis and drawn by Mark Bagley called “JUMP THE SHARK”, which was as crude as it was silly; Spider-Man and Wolverine get their minds swapped. It’s a formula episode about as old as formula TV and at the time I was appalled that Bendis and Marvel felt the need to make fans pay $5.00 (at the time USM was still about $2.50 an issue) for a storyline they knew was rubbish and was intentionally rubbish for a cheap laugh. Seeing that story animated didn’t make me feel any better about it, although at least this time it didn’t cost me anything. Both Spider-Man and Wolverine team up to thwart a mind-control robbery spree in Time’s Square by Mesmero, and while they wind up capturing the villain, he spites them by swapping their minds. So we thus get Logan-as-Peter snarling his way through high school, pounding Flash Thompson and making sleazy passes at MJ, and we have Peter-as-Wolvie spazzing his way through a fight with Sabretooth. Can they swap back to normal and will absolutely nothing they did have any ramifications on Peter’s life? Is mud wet?

We have Steven J. Blum reprising his role as Wolverine from “WOLVERINE & THE X-MEN”, “HULK VS. WOLVERINE”, “MARVEL SUPER HERO SQUAD”, “X-MEN ANIME” and no end of other appearances. As usual he does an excellent job, and this role in fairness allows him to showcase his range when Peter is within Logan’s body. Naturally “Peterine” isn’t as gruff so Blum has some fun with a very different Wolverine. Drake Bell also gets his chance to snarl a bit as “Logan”, in a rare case where his awkwardness in the role works for him. Peter Lurie also reprises his role as Sabretooth from “W&TXM” and naturally has far more generic stuff to say. Dwight Schultz – someone who has voiced a character on “BEN 10″, what a shock – plays Mesmero as a cheap, over-the-top 1980′s cardboard cut out villain, and in fairness that is likely how he was written.

Naturally, you could pick this episode apart as easily as Wolverine could slice through a dumpster. The caveat was that “JUMP THE SHARK” in the comics was itself a stupid story, so there’s really only so much that MAN OF ACTION could do here. It’s like digging up an old dog turd and making a fresh turd atop it; all you’ll get is a smelly mess. Why doesn’t Mesmero simply attempt to “mesmerize” either Spider-Man or Wolverine at the start? Why does Spider-Man chastise Wolverine for attacking brainwashed civilians, when he HIMSELF threw a pile of them aside climbing a bus (much less those two he shoved aside when he was being chased by Sabretooth). Why does that “technical difficulties” banner keep popping up at least 4-5 times when it wasn’t even funny the first time? Why has this show gone through the trouble of putting Wolverine in his brown costume and making jokes about his body hair while COVERING UP HIS ARMS so you don’t SEE any body hair!? Why does Mesmero’s “spell” kick in maybe 12 hours later and not immediately? How can Wolverine pop his claws when his wrists are bent if they come from his forearms? How can Peter’s life not be messed up after Logan-as-Peter clearly beat up Flash Thompson (and likely wouldn’t have held back with his strength), hit on MJ, made a scene in class and started fighting Sabretooth in broad daylight? Why does Logan give a lame moral at the end about Peter appreciating his life when Logan-as-Peter made no ATTEMPT to appreciate it or do more than growl at it!? What about Sabretooth and Mesmero more than likely knowing who Spider-Man is? ”

You can read the full review by going here

While i agree with Dread on pretty much everything, i still think that “Freaky” along with “Exclusive” are the best episodes of this, less than stellar, show. Hopefully thing will pick up as the show goes on.