Yeah in a comment made by Brian Michael Bendis about Ultimate Spider-Man, he said the latest cartoon was for children. In a comment which I'm sure is not going to really set some people off and make them a bit upset and agitated. No sir, not at the very least, no one will be upset about that fact that such a comment was made. With the subtle read between the lines of message of, "we don't care what adults on the Internet think about this show, so STFU, you basement dwelling dork." Albeit done in a much nicer way than some have in the entertainment industry.
The thing is, the Ultimate Spider-Man cartoon is made for kids, in a roundabout way when you really think about it. Granted, there is the oh so unfortunately perception of what "appeals to children" that is going on the entertainment industry. Sadly, you see it in the animation world more than anything. Where the characters are crass, loud, and quite frankly rather obnoxious. Where the attempts of "humor" don't really register as that funny to anyone and quite frankly you are embarrassed to be watching.
The entire "this cartoon is made for children" really kind of rubs me the wrong way. It just pretty much just sweeps some rather valid complaints about the presentation and characterization under the rug, with the excuse "well you're not part of the target audience, so your opinion is quite frankly irrelevant."
The best cartoons are the ones that strictly speaking are made for children but can also appeal to adults. The best animated shows can appeal to both demographics. Granted, it takes a rather capable hand to make a show watch that fine line from being not too mature but not being immature either. There are certain tricks where you can get things in which will fly right over the heads of children. When I sit down and watch episodes of old cartoons from youth, there are things that I didn't appreciate as a child but I enjoyed as an adult on an entirely different.
That is the difference between standing the test of time as a cartoon that will be loved for generations, rather than being a show that has just disappeared through the cracks, like the thousands upon thousands of observe shows that are only brought up in passing. For every instant classic there are ten or twelve more that have become forgotten.
There are times where I think that Marvel is ashamed by a lot of their own fan base. They want to become something that appeals to a wider audience, but they can't shake the hardcore comic book fanboys and fangirls who demand a certain standard for the works that are presented.
Ultimate Spider-Man, with nine episodes, soon to be ten, it is hard to really judge where this cartoon will fall once the book is closed on it. It has its share of critics, a few fans, perhaps some potential to improve later on based on several things. We'll see for sure before too long.
Yet we seem to have taken three or four steps back with the way cartoons are perceived these days and that is a dirty shame.
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