Spider-Man

Lots of cartoon violence and weaponry, all with a fantasy element -- the guns are futuristic laser guns, the bombs mainly smoke and fire. Death is never shown and rarely mentioned, although it's implied. Characters are in constant peril.

Female characters are depicted with typical comic book-style breasts and waists; some female superheroes wear revealing outfits and pursue Spiderman in mildly suggestive ways.

Parents need to know that Spider-Man (also called Marvel Comics' Spider-Man or Spider-Man: The Animated Series) is the mid-'90s animated Spidey series. It's more like the movies than the earlier cartoons. It's dark: Villains aren't neatly trounced at the end of each episode -- in fact, nearly every episode continues into other episodes (which can be a problem, since they're not always aired in order). The action, while "comic book" in nature, is quick and explosive (sometimes literally). Characters often find themselves in moral quandaries, and their back stories -- which often involve the deaths of beloved figures like uncles and fathers -- are both described and shown. On the other hand, the difficulties of being a superhero (loneliness, fear) are also made clear, as are the characters' dilemmas ("I could save myself, but I might endanger others").