FANTASTIC FOUR 1978 cartoon series

[goldenryan]

The series replaced Johnny Storm with Herbie the robot because the Human Torch rights were tied to the never devleoped live-action series.

episode list

• Monster Among Us
  The Menace of Magneto
  The Phantom of Film City
  Medusa and the Inhumans
  The Diamond of Doom
  The Mole Man
  The Olympics of Space
  The Fantastic Four Meet Doctor Doom
  The Frightful Four
  Calamity on the Campus
  The Final Victory of Doctor Doom
  Blastaar, the Living Bomb Burs

[Brazoo]

Years ago Cartoon Network ran a marathon of this show and I recorded a chunk of it on my VCR - good stuff. I also have some tapes of random episodes that I bought in bargain bins. Is any of this on DVD?

The old rumor about HERBIE was that the network was afraid of kids playing with fire - Marvel basically lied to save face as well.

The 70s Fantastic Four radio plays (starring a young Bill Murry!) can easily be found online. If you work in front of a computer like me it's a great way to pass some time!

[jds1911a1]

The series has not been commercially released on DVD BUT if you go to sell.com I'm sure you can find it there

[palitoy]

I watched this series religiously as a kid but watching it as an adult proved troublesome.

[The Toyroom]

I could never get on board with this series because of H.E.R.B.I.E.

[goldenryan]

I watched this series religiously as a kid but watching it as an adult proved troublesome.

"fooled by a wooden gun." *magneto gets taken into handcuffs and put into a patrol car*

i know what you mean i picked up a copy of the series and the stories and animation leave much to be desired.
best episodes imo
-impossible man
-calamity on campus
- the mole man

[palitoy]

"fooled by a wooden gun." *magneto gets taken into handcuffs and put into a patrol car*

That one bugged me even when i was eight.

[HardyGirl]

I remember watching this as a kid, though I don't remember the plots. Same w/ the 60s cartoon. I've never been much of a FF fan. I can take it or leave it.

[Brazoo]

I think it's only good because it's campy and insane - if the same crappy animation and voice-work was used for a version that took itself seriously it would be unwatchable.

"fooled by a wooden gun." *magneto gets taken into handcuffs and put into a patrol car* - as a kid I would have hated this show but now I think that's hilarious.

[kingdom warrior]

I hated this as a Kid!! I thought the animation was crud and was furious that there was no Johnny Storm.....The 60's version was sooooooo much better

[goldenryan]

one thing the show did get right was the voice playing reed richards (mike road), exactly how mr. fantastic is supposed to sound.

[palitoy]

Road had an awesome, other worldly, kind of voice. I shouldn't say "had", Race Bannon is still alive.

[goldenryan]

as bad as the show was, spiderwoman was worse.

[Earth 2 Chris]

I haven't seen this version since I was a kid, so I really can't judge it. It was my first exposure to the FF, my Marvel exposure being mostly just Spidey, Cap and Hulk up to that point.

Chris

[samurainoir]

Even sans-Human Torch, as a kid I loved this series much more than the Thing series that followed later ("Thing Ring Do your Thing")

I thought it was cool that they even introduced HERBIE into the Comics at the time. Drawn by John Byrne no less! (just before he took on the writing chores IIRC. I remembering specifically buying this issue because it had HERBIE in it. One of the rare instances where the cartoon seemed to match the comic.


And HERBIE was a Stan Lee/Jack Kirby creation for the TV Show wasn't he? Between this animated series and Super Powers, Kirby was finally getting at least a small cut of the action for his creations.

I also tickled that he's become Franklin Richard's sidekick.

Great little series for kids and grown-ups.