‘KING PINNED’

Please feel free to comment on my review.

The first time I saw this episode was as a bonus episode on the ‘Daredevil vs. Spider-Man’ DVD. This was to provide more insight into the Kingpin as a villain for those who were probably going to see the 2003 ‘Daredevil’ movie at the time. Honestly, I don’t think ‘King Pinned’ was altogether inspiring.

In the episode, after the death of his Uncle Ben, Peter Parker decides to work for the Daily Bugle. It was nice to see that scene between Peter and Aunt May where he discusses to her about getting a job at the Daily Bugle. It might be one of the rare times where character interaction gets made here.

It’s also interesting how Peter Parker gets employed at the Daily Bugle. He’s employed not as a photographer, but as a copy boy. Hmm. He also meets J. Jonah Jameson and Betty Brant for the first time. How come the episodes in Season 2 weren’t shown before the Season 1 episodes in the series?

Very soon, Jameson gets into trouble when the villainous Kingpin tries to stop him from selling a newspaper story about a fake medicine being used, which Aunt May herself has been taking. I don’t think the Kingpin in this series is as good as others like the 1990s TV series and the ‘Daredevil’ movie.

Incidentally, the Season 2 and Season 3 episodes of the 1960s ‘Spider-Man’ series are directed by Ralph Bakshi. He would go on to direct the 1978 animated film adaptation of ‘The Lord of the Rings’. I actually prefer the animation style in Season 1 compared to Season 2, since the colours are very murky.

I also feel there are too many webslinging shots of Spider-Man across New York City when he’s chasing after the Kingpin who’s taken Jameson in his car. It’s like there’s not enough story being told in these later Spider-Man episodes whereas the Season 1 episodes were pacy and quicker to follow.

Spidey also doesn’t get to capture the Kingpin in this episode. He has to go off and stop an explosion going off at the Daily Bugle, which takes time through a lot of webslinging shots. My Mum got confused when the ‘Spider-Man’ theme song got played towards the end as she thought it was over.

But there was a little bit more, as there’s a final scene between Aunt May in bed with Peter coming in to check on her. I don’t find ‘King Pinned’ to be a great episode in the 1960s series. I preferred when it was the Season 1 episodes which had more pace and there weren’t too many webslinging shots. 🙂

‘King Pinned’ rating – 6/10