Spider-Man Did Turn Off Some of the Dark – Part 2

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Spidey and the Goblin fought in the same weird pantomime style as version 1.0., discussing Goblin’s plan to super-evolve humanity until it is revealed that M.J. is a hostage and hanging off a building. This is still, as it was the first time, a spectacular (no pun intended) visual. Spider-Man riding the back of Green Goblin and grappling with him over the audience is just plain cool.

After the final battle, we finally get the iconic Spider-Man, swinging in with M.J. wrapped around him. He unmasks in front of her and, as he is called off to duty, we get our “Go get ’em, Tiger” moment.

In media now-a-days, things either have to be the Disaster of the Century or the perfect Cinderella Story. Right now, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark is neither. It is a valiant struggle uphill, with some successes but still some challenges to face.

It was a much better show. While fans of the comic will never be happy with it (I include my critical self in this category) it was leaps and bounds better than the first “genocide of a childhood icon” version that was put onstage in November. As it stands, it is watchable. Kids alternately liked it and were scared of Goblin. Pre-teen and teenage girls absolutely swooned for Reeve Carney. On the other hand, there were also some visibly confused people, and the couple next to me had no idea what was going on. I had to keep explaining things to them. The tone was overall positive, but reactions were still a little mixed.

I am pleased that the choices and changes they did implement were clearly dictated by what they knew comic fans needed: the lead actor actually swinging

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around, Stan Lee being associated with the project (in some way), back story and character development of the characters that matter. I just wish they had gone just a bit further and kept more original comic story, rather than reinventing the wheel.

Alas, I will never be entirely at peace with this show, but as it stands now, I can call a truce. Again, I commend the hard work and more importantly the perseverance of the cast and crew. I will let my guard down and admit to the one genuine moment of sheer pleasure I experienced: Reeve Carney’s bow. He dropped down from the center of the ceiling, upside-down, the soles of his feet pressed together in the full lotus/iconic Spidey pose, and kissed M.J.

All I could hear in my head was Weird Al’s “Ode to a Superhero lyrics,” “But to his great surprise it seems she prefers guys who can kiss upside down in the rain.” And it was at that moment, amid all of my cranky, picky, geek-purist and bitchy commentary, that the smile (not smirk) on my face came from my heart.

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