Marvel Dubs 'Spectacular' Keaton's "AEMH" Spidey Stint with 'Ultimate' Bell

[W.C.Reaf]

No spoilers for the Avengers: EMH episode 'Along Came a Spider,' just making it known that Josh Keaton was recorded the voice of Spider-Man in that episode but was dubbed over by Drake Bell. This was done by Jeph Loeb, not by Josh Fine and Chris Yost, so it's in direct opposition to what they'd envisioned, especially as it was the last episode they'd worked on in the show.

And here’s a message from a good friend on what we can do about it:

Tweet Joe Quesada with #JoshKeatonIsSpiderMan, and #DrakeBellIsNotSpiderMan ... the episode won't air in the US for at least two months. If we can't have it corrected for that, let's have it corrected for the home video release. We can do this, people.

 

[ShadowStar]

If I didn't have a reason to dislike Jeph Loeb before, then I do now. It was rude and spiteful of him to have this done.

 

[Medinnus]

If I didn't have a reason to dislike Jeph Loeb before, then I do now. It was rude and spiteful of him to have this done.

It was business, and clearly driven by their efforts to re-brand Spider-Man for USM. I doubt that spite or a desire to insult the fans of SSM was intended. Personally, I don't like the decision either - but I understand it.

 

[Mek]

It was business, and clearly driven by their efforts to re-brand Spider-Man for USM. I doubt that spite or a desire to insult the fans of SSM was intended. Personally, I don't like the decision either - but I understand it.

What Medinnus said. It's pure business.

I mean, I like USM, but even I think this was a disappointing move. An understandable one from a business perspective, but it still sucks none the less.

 

[jasonhill]

It was business, and clearly driven by their efforts to re-brand Spider-Man for USM. I doubt that spite or a desire to insult the fans of SSM was intended. Personally, I don't like the decision either - but I understand it.

Agreed but still. Very disappointing move still. Josh is clearly a better choice then Drake, although the series doesnt completely suck...it has grown on me but i sure do miss Spect Spider-Man.

 

[King_of_doom]

YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING ME!!! Jeph Loeb you just made a powerful enemy today.....you're now on THE LIST!!!

But seriously he had to do that? In a way i was worried that they will use Drake Bell because of Ultimate but still hoping Josh Keaton would voice Spidey especially in the Avengers.......i do wonder if Australia does get the original dub unless Loeb erase it and add Drake bell......

 

[BigEclipse]

This is almost as horrible as hearing about the show's cancellation, but it's not at all surprising. Marvel has done all it can to erase the memory of SSM, from removing it from Disney XD and Netflix to presumingly preventing Sony from releasing a proper Season 2 set. They obviously realize it was a superior show and don't want to confuse the potential new viewers to the Marvel block with having two fairly recent Spidey shows out there. But yeah, Loeb is a prick in every sense of the word.

 

[Sonic_Eclipse]

Wow, thats just wrong. I would understand why they did it if the characters that have appeared in Ultimate Spider-Man had the same voice actor they had in EMH, but they don't... So I'm not really seeing the point.

Not only that, but thats just disrespect to Josh Keaton. In the world of voice acting, actors get replaced all the time without ever being told only to find out from someone else or whatever project they were working on gets released. It shouldn't happen but it does.

My opinion, Drake Bell sucks as Spider-Man.

 

[Pepperidge]

Man, this is really, legitimately awful. It may be business, but it may be the worst case of fan diplomacy with the new regime at Marvel Animation yet.

If you've got Twitter, let it be known that #JoshKeatonIsSpiderMan

 

[Spideyzilla]

Why do this? They're already ending EMH in favour of a show in USM's universe. Why not let Josh Keaton do it one last time? There will be plenty of time to have Drake Bell in an Avengers cartoon. Horrible move Marvel. I hate to be a radical, but a better tweet might be #FireJephLoeb!

 

[TheSkeletonMan93]

Man, this is really, legitimately awful. It may be business, but it may be the worst case of fan diplomacy with the new regime at Marvel Animation yet.

Right now, the only fans Marvel Animation acknowledges are the ones with money.

It's really too bad. Drake Bell has his own Spider-Man show right now, and Josh had his. But I'm almost certain Drake will be in the next Avengers series (since they're in the same universe), so it's only fair that Josh get do this one episode (or two, seeing as there's that picture of all the supers together).

 

[Dsneybuf]

I actually predicted this on TV Tropes' Wild Mass Guessing page for The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes ​a few weeks ago!
I wonder if any of the positive/neutral predictions I made for this show will ever come true...

 

[spartanx54]

Jeph Loeb and Marvel Animation clearly have no respect for TSSM. They seem to forget how much of a great show TSSM was...disappointing. .

 

[jph139]

Ugh, that doesn't even make logical business sense - do they really think kids will notice that Spider-Man is being voiced by a different guy, but not that EVERY SINGLE CHARACTER is voiced by someone else, uses a different design, and exists in a completely different continuity? DC's never had a problem with that sort of thing... neither has Marvel, for that matter.

Why would they waste money redubbing an entire episode? I don't get it.

 

[TheSkeletonMan93]

Jeph Loeb and Marvel Animation clearly have no respect for TSSM. They seem to forget how much of a great show TSSM was...disappointing. .

I think Marvel DOES remember what a great show SSM was, and they don't want anyone else remembering. Then people will think about how awful USM is.

 

[macattack]

Those who think this isn't personal is fooling themselves. You don't pull moves like this and waste money dubbing over already-recorded lines unless you want to erase something. And in this case it is erasing SSM from everyone's minds. This was clearly supposed to be Norris' and Keaton's last hurrahs as their respective characters and Marvel couldn't have that. Not at all. The only reason why they didn't replace Grey DeLisle as Betty Brant too is because Brant is a minor character, probably too minor to bother. Plus Brant has been absent from USM thus far.

It may not be Loeb, though. Joe Q may have more control over Marvel Animation than Loeb does and he is infinitely more petty about things. Remember his reaction to people complaining about Spidey's marriage. I wouldn't be surprised if Joe Q responds to anything resembling a campaign for either Daran Norris or Josh Keaton by saying "These two will NEVER work at Marvel again now. Congratulations fanboys, good job!" Don't laugh, he'd do it.

However, I won't use the hashtag of #DrakeBellIsNotSpiderMan. It's not Bell's fault, he's only going for a paycheck and following instructions.

 

[LanceUppercut]

This is crap. I was looking forward to hearing a non-Drake Bell Spider-Man again. It may be business but why deal with Internet fan rage if it can be easily avoided?

 

[Bat-Fan Beyond]

It's a crappy move, but I understand it as a business decision; At the same time it doesn't make sense or matter much either way, because neither The Spectacular Spider-Man nor Ultimate Spider-Man are in the same continuity as Avengers: EMH.

Regardless, I couldn't care less because Avengers: EMH, despite the occasional enjoyment I get from it, can't hold a candle to how great The Spectacular Spider-Man was and having Josh Keaton cameo as Spidey again can't make up for the loss.

If anything, this makes Josh Keaton's voice spot as the Black Spider on the great Young Justice that much more special.

 

[veemonjosh]

is

It's a crappy move, but I understand it as a business decision; At the same time it doesn't make sense or matter much either way, because neither The Spectacular Spider-Man nor Ultimate Spider-Man are in the same continuity as Avengers: EMH.

I think part of the reason for having the Spectacular cast in this to start with was to put Spectacular in pseudo-continuity with Avengers: EMH, like how Wolverine & the X-Men is in the same pseudo-continuity, as well as Hulk Vs.

 

[Webbed-Wonder]

This irks me so much. The great people working on Avengers EMH brought back the voice fans love to voice him in animation one more time (possibly the last, because presumably shortly after Loeb takes over) and they replace him with Drake Bell to pimp their own show without letting anyone know. I heard, Chris Yost, Josh Fine, even the voice director was not aware of this change. It came from the higher ups and it's really a low blow that hits home.