This month’s installment of Spider-Man: Maximum Venom is a bit different from the season thus far. First of all, it doesn’t even feature Venom or any of his relatives. Instead the story revolves around a school board hearing. While I know that may not sound super enticing at first, there are plenty of reasons to tune in.
First, any hearing is plussed by the presence of Disney staple Yvette Nicole Brown who guest stars as the Head Administrator. She provides a balanced approach as Horizon High’s Max Modell is facing discipline due to his involvement with Venom research. Our spider-friends, Peter, Miles, Gwen, and Anya, are out to defend Max, and while doing so they face some gnarly monsters and unfortunately play into Curt Connors plans.
While trying to clear Max’s name, they come face-to-face with the return of the Rhino who is being manipulated by bee-themed villain Swarm. As they investigate the mystery, the heroes end up battling for their lives as part of a Underground Monster League broadcast. While villains across New York tune in to see Spider-Man face his doom, the clock continues to tick for the teenage heroes’ mentor and friend.
The title of the one-hour installment is titled “Spider-Man Unmasked,” which reveals another plot point that happens in a way that you may not expect. I don’t want to give too much away, but Peter is able to show the strength of his character several times throughout the experience.
There is no hiding that this episode does lower the scale of the threat compared to recent installments. Fighting for a principal is lower stakes than fighting to save the world. But by making the characters face a more personal threat, the series is able to key in to what makes Spider-Man so special. The character has always been about facing personal challenges with the guidance from special mentors. One can’t help but feel that Max Modell is Peter’s living surrogate for his beloved Uncle Ben. Through the episode you are able to see how Peter and company are able to care as much for an individual as they do for an entire planet.
With a little more space to breath, the show is able to show some evolution with his relationships with his friends as well as Mary Jane Watson who was introduced earlier this season. While epic storytelling is part of what makes comics-based media fun, I am glad that Marvel is able to show that they can also execute more personal stories with the same level of care.
Spider-Man: Maximum Venom “Spider-Man Unmasked” airs tonight on Disney XD and is available on the DisneyNOW app.