Spider-Man vs. Doc Ock
Scientist turned supervillain Dr. Octopus is one of Spider-Man's longest-running foes, and the pair face off in four action-packed animated episodes on this DVD. All four episodes are taken fromSpider-Man: The Animated Series(1994-98), though Doc Ock is only front-and-center for the first episode (culled from the debut season), which does a fine job of re-imagining his origins. The episode also features Felicia Hardy, a.k.a. the Black Cat; she figures prominently in the other three episodes, while Ock takes a supporting role before disappearing altogether in the final one. His absence is disconcerting, given the prominence of his name in the DVD title, and the three episodes, pulled from season 4's lengthy story arc, seem disjointed when viewed outside of the full storyline. But the action is plentiful, the stories are mostly true to the Spidey universe, and true believers will appreciate the parade of Marvel characters on display, including the Kingpin, the Lizard, the Vulture, and even a cameo from Captain America. Supplemental features include two episodes from the 1967-70 animatedSpider-Manseries, one featuring Doc Ock; Spidey co-creator Stan Lee introduces each episode and sounds off on a variety of related subjects in the interview featurette "Stan Lee's Soapbox"; and there's a wealth of previews for future Marvel/Buena Vista DVD titles, includingThe Venom Saga.--Paul Gaita