I had one of the happiest shocks of my soundtrack-fan life yesterday morning to see on Facebook an announcement from Dulcima Records (Johnny Douglas’ family label) that they had released a digital album of Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends. I wrote about my adoration for this a year ago. WOW!!!
Here it is streaming at Spotify. And you can buy a lossless download here.
Be forewarned...it’s only 17 minutes long: 15 cues that appear to have been uniquely created for the Spidey Friends. There is a ton more music in the show itself that I assume originated in the 1981 Spider-Man syndicated cartoon.
But I’m thrilled to say that one of my all-time “Grail tracks” is included. It’s called “Three Heroes Prepare to Go” and is a super groovy combination of big-band horns, chocka-wocka rhythm section and the all-around tunefulness that made Douglas’ music so indelible for pre-teens like myself in the early 1980s.
It plays here in the series’ best episode, “A Firestar Is Born,” guest-starring the X-Men:
Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends was pretty much my introduction to the Marvel Universe. I spent so much time with these characters later in their comic books, but this was where I first encountered them.
Spidey Friends was produced for three years, but not all seasons were alike: The second season was only three episodes, an origin story for each hero, and unlike the rest of the show (animated in Korea), Marvel apparently splurged to have superior work done by Toei Animation in Japan. I definitely noticed how much more heroic, dynamic and sophisticated the figures were drawn in these three episodes. The best of the bunch was the Firestar origin, because it guest-starred the X-Men: Professor X, Cyclops, Storm and Wolverine made lasting impressions (Wolverine speaking, for some reason, with an Australian accent).
So this cue, “Three Heroes Prepare to Go,” appeared in the action climax and boy did it capture my imagination.
I hope there are plans to release more of Johnny Douglas’ fantastic music!