DISNEY XD’S MARVEL UNIVERSE: Spider-Man & Avengers Renewed & Re-titled

Ultimate Spider-man & Avengers Assembled get new titles for new season. The two longest running animated series from Marvel – since the glory days of Fox Kids, anyway – have been renewed for a fourth & third season, respectively. It would seem that crossing the third season mark comes with a complimentary title change (Ultimate Spider-Man had the sub-title Web Warriors added, for its third season), as Avengers Assemble goes into season three as Avengers: Ultron Revolution, while Ultimate Spider-Man moves on to number four as Ultimate Spider-Man vs The Sinister 6.

Official Ultimate Spider-Man vs The Sinister 6 synopsis:

In season four of “Marvel’s Ultimate Spider-Man vs. The Sinister 6,” a confident Spider-Man feels like the ultimate hero after fighting alongside The Avengers and leading a team of heroes at S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy. However, when the wall-crawler discovers that his greatest enemies — Doctor Octopus, Hydra and the all-new Sinister 6 — are working together to destroy him and S.H.I.E.L.D., he teams up with a special new team of Spiders, including Miles Morales, Agent Venom, Iron Spider and the mysterious new Scarlet Spider. Spider-Man and his new friends will need to use all of their power to overcome their greatest challenge yet.

The mention of Miles Morales always pricks my ears up, some; but for the most part, Ultimate Spider-Man’s Sinister 6 arc seems like a promotional effort regarding Sony’s planned Spider Rogues film. Maybe the animation crew didn’t get the memo, regarding Sony’s re-evaluations of the franchise, or maybe they just decided to own their own, and went ahead anyway. Whichever the case, unless the showrunners decide to do something canonically bold with Miles, I expect more of the same from the series.

My personal distaste for Avengers Assemble, however, was mitigated to a greater extent by word on what to expect from Ultron Revolution.

Official Avengers: Ultron Revolution synopsis:

In season three of “Marvel’s Avengers: Ultron Revolution,” the Avengers are not only shocked by the return of a vengeful Ultron, but they also encounter new threats like Baron Zemo, the Masters of Evil, the Inhumans, and the futuristic Kang the Conqueror. It’s only with the help of heroes like Black Panther, Captain Marvel, Ant-Man and Ms. Marvel that they have a chance of surviving an all-out Marvel super hero Civil War.

Avengers Assemble was arguably the most blatant Marvel tie-in to a major big screen release – if only because an animated Avengers reboot seemed so unnecessary (R.I.P. Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes). Yes, there was a need for a Joint Animated Universe, to shadow the MCU, and the decision to model it on Ultimate Spider-Man (to consolidate Man of Action’s control of that universe) made a case for the reboot; but between its use of Thanos, in season two, and the upcoming Ultron focus, the whole affair has smacked of commercialism.

That said, I do find myself anticipating the animated debut of Kamala Khan, confirmed by Marvel Animation VP, Stephen Wacker, as the Ms. Marvel mentioned. As the title of Captain Marvel will be filled by her inspiration (and former Ms. Marvel), Carol Danvers, a great opportunity, to truly showcase one of Marvel’s recent comic success stories, presents itself.

Add to that picture the notion that the showrunners are putting the EMH band back together (Black Panther, Ant-Man, Baron Zemo, Kang the Conquerer), and my inner optimist cocks an eyebrow; but only when my inner cynic doesn’t harp on the arc riding the coat-tails of Age of Ultron , along with the upcoming Ant-Man, and Captain America films.

Disney XD’s Marvel Universe is expected to kick-off its updated Spider-Man/ Avengers block sometime in 2016.

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Source: CBR (1, 2)