Spider-Man: The Animated Series fans, get ready to celebrate: a new comic book titled Spider-Man ’94 is on the way, continuing the story from the iconic animated series.
But here’s a surprising twist: the original writer, John Semper Jr., wasn’t involved in this new project at all.
Semper, who was the head writer for the beloved series from 1994 to 1998, took to social media on June 18 to clarify his position. In a post on X / Twitter, he shared, “I got a text this morning from my good friend Matt Dunford, telling me that Marvel is ‘continuing’ my Spider-Man animated series in comic book form in a four-issue limited series called Spider-Man ’94. Since I will no doubt be asked about it by fans of the series: NO, I am NOT involved with this comic book and no one at Marvel approached me to be involved in any way. Matt’s text message was the first I heard of it.”
While Semper was left out of the creative process, he expressed his respect for the comic’s writer, J.M. DeMatteis, who has a longstanding career in both animation and comics. Semper wrote, “DeMatteis’ amazing body of work speaks for itself, and I’m positive this new comic is in great hands. Where he now chooses to take the series story-wise is entirely his decision. But, for the record, they are NOT my creative choices, nor do they represent any oversight by me.”
For those unfamiliar with the show’s legendary cliffhanger, it was a pivotal moment where Spider-Man is transported into a new dimension by Madame Web in search of Mary Jane. This unresolved ending has remained a part of the show’s legacy, despite Marvel not reaching out to Semper for the comic continuation.
Semper admitted that while it would have been nice for Marvel to reach out to him, he has long since stopped expecting recognition for his contributions to the Marvel Universe, including the creation of the Spider-Verse concept. “Yes, it would have been nice (some might even say, respectful) if Marvel had reached out to me at some point as a courtesy,” Semper said. “But I have long ago abandoned all expectation that Marvel would acknowledge any of my contributions to the Marvel universe – like, for instance, my creation of what is now known as the ‘Spider-Verse.’”
He ended his post on a positive note, expressing his well-wishes for the upcoming comic series, which is set to be released on September 3, 2025. “I wish them well and encourage us all to celebrate with good cheer this 30th anniversary year of SPIDER-MAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES,” Semper wrote, before teasing his own upcoming celebration of the show on his social media platforms.
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