Sunfire

Sunfire

October 3, 1981 (estimated) TV Episode Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends

Studio
Marvel Productions, Ltd.

Synopsis

Firestar meets a very attractive man at the local fair, Shiro Yashida. But Peter Parker knows him as Sunfire, a Japanese mutant with powers like Firestar. Sunfire enlists Firestar's help in a project for his uncle, believing it to be a way to help humanity. Shiro's uncle has other plans for the project, however.

Characters

Spider-Man/Peter Parker, Firestar/Angelica Jones, Iceman, J. Jonah Jameson, Doctor Octopus, the Chameleon, Hulk/Bruce Banner, Sunfire/Shiro Yoshida, Captain America/Steve Rogers, Aunt May, Professor X, Mona Osborne, Sandman, Green Goblin, The Juggernaut, Videoman, Dr. Doom, Kraven, Cyclops, Norman Osborn, Magneto, Colossus, Thunderbird, Uncle Ben, Mr. Frump, Flash Thompson, Ms. Lion, Shiro's Uncle Genju

Credits

Directing

Director
Donald L. Jurwich

Producing

Producer
Dennis Marks
Executive Producers
David H. DePatie, Lee Gunther

Writing

Writer
Christy Marx

Voices

Voice
Dan Gilvezan (Spider-Man/Peter Parker), Kathy Garver (Firestar/Angelica Jones), Frank Welker (Iceman, Flash Thompson, Ms. Lion), William Woodson (J. Jonah Jameson), Michael Bell (Doctor Octopus), Hans Conried (Chameleon), Peter Cullen (Hulk/Bruce Banner), Jerry Dexter (Sunfire/Shiro Yoshida), George Dicenzo (Captain America), June Foray (Aunt May), Stanley Jones (Professor X), Sally Julian (Mona Osborne), Chris Latta (Sandman), William Marshall (The Juggernaut), Alan Melvin (Videoman), Shepard Menkin (Dr. Doom), Robert Rigley (Kraven), Neil Ross (Cyclops, Norman Osborn), Michael Rye (Magneto), John Stephenson (Colossus, Thunderbird, Uncle Ben), Alan Young (Mr. Frump), Keye Luke (Shiro's Uncle Genju)

Music

Music
John Douglas

Editing

Editor
Robert T. Gillis

Companies and other credits

  • Voice: ANR (Green Goblin)
  • Produced in association with
  • Inc

Production notes

While Marvel Productions was developing Spider-Man for syndication in 1981, they also had a Spider-Man project in the works for NBC. However, the network wanted a show that had a wider audience appeal. So the show was reworked to be much lighter and Spider-Man was given a few friends that would help him fight crime: Firestar and Iceman.

Although the Human Torch was the original choice, the legal rights to his character were tied up elsewhere leaving Marvel Productions to create a whole new character, Angelica Jones AKA Firestar. The popularity of Firestar grew quickly and it wasn't long before she made her comic book debut in the mainstream Marvel Universe.

Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends debuted on September 12, 1981, the same day as the syndicated Spider-Man series. Many have disputed whether or not Amazing Friends is a sequel to Spidey's solo series. The episode Origin of the Spider-Friends appears to fill in the gaps between the two series and The Prison Plot features a flashback from the Spider-Man episode When Magneto Speaks... People Listen. And although some of the voices are different, the same characters designs are used for both shows.

For the show's second season, it was paired with a new Incredible Hulk series and the show was renamed The Incredible Hulk and the Amazing Spider-Man. The following year the names were reversed as the Hulk was rerun but Amazing Friends got more new episodes.