Norm Spencer, 'X-Men: The Animated Series' Voice Actor, Has Died

Norm Spencer, the voice actor who played Cyclops in the X-Men animated series, has reportedly [...]

By Michael Hein

Norm Spencer, the voice actor who played Cyclops in the X-Men animated series, has reportedly passed away. His death was announced to fans on Twitter by his frequent collaborator Cal Dodd — who played Wolverine on the cartoon. Fans everywhere are sharing tributes to Spencer and the mark he left on the entertainment industry.

The cause and circumstances of Spencer's death have not yet been publicly revealed. Spencer was a Canadian-born performer who was prolific in the 1990s, portraying Cyclops in X-Men: The Animated Series and later in the Marvel vs. Capcom video games. He also had a long career in radio — particularly in Toronto.

"Lost my dear friend and cohort Norm Spencer. What a sad day," Dodd tweeted on Monday, Aug. 31. "Norm was the voice of Cyclops on X-Men the animated series. He was a genuine Character and sweetheart. I will miss her you Cyc. sorry about the 'convertible' Bub. See ya later my friend."

Spencer and Dodd often butted heads in the series as Scott "Cyclops" Summers and Logan "Wolverine," respectively, but Dodd made it clear that they were close in real life. For many fans, X-Men: The Animated Series remained the definitive version of that superhero mythos, even after it ended in 1997 and was quickly replaced with other versions.

Spencer appeared in other Marvel projects as well, including the 1995 Spider-Man animated series, where he played Cyclops in a crossover episode, and in several video games. Throughout the decade, he brought Cyclops' voice to X-Men: Children of the Atom, X-Men vs. Street Fighter, Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter and Marvel vs. Capcop 2: New Age of Heroes. Spencer also provided the voice of Drax the Destroyer in the 1998 Silver Surfer cartoon, long before Drax was portrayed by Dave Bautista.

Dodd's announcement drew anguish from fans on Twitter, many of whom shared their favorite moments from Spencer's work in response. Some posted bits of dialogue, screenshots from the show or just descriptions of how his voice brought the comic book pages to life. "Had no idea Norm Spencer passed away last week," one fan tweeted. "The man was the voice of leadership as Cyclops... Rest in power, Mr. Spencer. Thanks for the memories."

Fans looking for a nostalgia trip can hear Spencer's performances as Cyclops on Disney+, where X-Men: The Animated Series, Silver Surfer and Spider-Man are all streaming now.

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