“Spider-Man, Spider-Man

Does whatever a spider can.”

The big-band theme from 1967’s “Spider-Man” cartoon ranks right up there with “Batman” and “Underdog” as the catchiest superhero tune to ever hit the tube.

This song and the first episode that featured it are included in “Spider-Man: The Ultimate Villain Showdown.” It serves two functions: as pure nostalgia, and to display how far animated tales have advanced in 35 years.

The bulk of this video collection is dedicated to four episodes from the 1995 cartoon series “Spider-Man,” which encapsulate the Fox program’s strengths and minor weaknesses.

Although the visual element is fairly pedestrian by today’s standards, the stories are strong. Three of the coolest villains (The Green Goblin, Kingpin, Doctor Octopus) and one of the silliest (Big Wheel) do battle with the wallcrawler. And it’s no surprise that the best episode is the one that involves the Goblin  the same rival to be selected for the feature film.

The plots are more intricate than typical Saturday morning fare, with continued storylines, multiple intersecting characters and even a dose of surreality. Most of the internal conflict comes from Peter Parker/Spidey’s “self pity that threatens to end (his) career,” as one accomplice puts it.

Some familiar voices  Roscoe Lee Browne (Kingpin) and Ed Asner (J. Jonah Jameson)  bring depth to the proceedings. And aside from the jarringly obvious spots where commercial breaks are supposed to be inserted, the DVD format is befitting.

But it’s really the bonus material such as “The Origins of Spider-Man” from the groovy ’60s show that make the DVD a keeper.

Marvel Comics icon and Spider-Man co-creator Stan Lee is given plenty of face time under a section called “Soapbox.” The 79-year-old speaks with the enthusiasm of a preteen fan, and his commentary is invaluable.

His ruminations on the everyman quality of his signature character are eye-opening  Spider-Man was the first superhero to be completely covered in a costume, thus children from any race could envision themselves inside the blue and red suit. So are his memories of attempting to ground the series in reality. (“I didn’t want to set it in some mythical Metropolis; I wanted it to be in New York where I lived.”)

Other DVD extras on this Buena Vista (that’s Disney, folks) video release include an interactive Rogues Gallery that’s informative and entertaining. Here, action clips involving other baddies like Carnage, Mysterio, Kraven the Hunter, Venom and The Scorpion are exhibited, while Lee details the pedigree of each nemesis.

“Spider-Man: The Ultimate Villain Showdown” is now available on DVD for $19.99 or VHS for $14.99.