There are few science fiction adaptations that have been embraced by fans as much as Spider-Man 2 remains the single best comic book movie ever made.

While the modern MCU stands as the biggest and most profitable superhero movie universe as whole, the longest-serving fans know credit is owed to Spider-Man (2002) and X-Men (2000). That elite tier certainly includes The Expanse co-creator Ty Franck, who watched firsthand as the surprise success of such films created the market which Marvel Studios would somewday dominate. But no matter how many billions have been made, there's a reason Spider-Man 2 is still the best adaptation of the source comic to film.

What Makes Spider-Man 2 So Historic Among Superhero Movies

Adaptations were discussed on Franck and Wes Chatham's Amos-centered comic series The Expanse: A Little Death. Sharing his own experiences in adapting The Expanse and the Star Wars universe along with Diggle's, the question of "favorite comic-to-movie adaptations" prompted Franck to explain why Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire claim the top spot:

"For me, the greatest superhero movie ever is the second Spider-Man, with Doc Ock. I still think it is the greatest superhero movie ever made... For a movie that looks like a comic book, and nails the comic book aesthetic and the comic book tone? The second Spider-Man. Rewatch it, it's a perfect movie. It is beautifully made. They nail all of the elements. What and who Doctor Octopus is. Aunt May as the moral center for Peter Parker. Peter Parker's struggle with his identity.

"Is he Spider-Man? Is he Peter Parker? How can he be both? Those are things that the comic book constantly grappled with. And as a guy who grew up reading that comic, I was really familiar with the sort of moral center of the Spider-Man comic. That was the first movie I had seen where they nailed all of those elements. And it just looked and felt like a Spider-Man comic I would have read growing up."

The distinction of "the greatest superhero movie ever made" is ittedly a personal choice, but Frank highlights one of the most important aspects of Spider-Man 2's success, as not just the 'best' comic book movie, but the 'most' as well.

Sony's Spider-Man Embraced The Comics Like No Other

Franck's point that Raimi's sensibilities closely recreated the energy and feel of comic book action is often cited as one of the films' best aspects, with the pulse-pounding fight between Spidey and Doctor Octopus also cited among the genre's greatest of all time. Contrast that with Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy, for instance, which may be the best case of adapting a comic book superhero into a 'realistic' film incarnation (certainly the most successful). But the commitment to the source material, as Franck points out, goes deeper.

Whether fans love the modern Avengers of the MCU, or the comic-distant Dark Knight trilogy of Christpher Nolan, Franck's case that the original Raimi trilogy peaking Spider-Man 2 is the most heartfelt comic adaptation, while also being one of the most widely-recognized best of all time, is hard to dispute.