Marvel Studios has finally tackled the trickiest superhero ensemble withFantastic Four: First Steps. The long-awaited film brings the superhuman abilities of the Fantastic family into the Marvel Cinematic Universe—from Mr. Fantastic’s stretchy limbs to Johnny Storm’s fiery powers. But the comic book heroes haven’t had the best time in terms of movies, having attempted three different casts that ended up being a mess.
Thankfully, The Fantastic Four have had better luck in the realm of cartoons. Animation seems to be the prime medium for superheroes with abilities to turn invisible or become rock monsters. If you want more Fantastic Four afterFirst Steps, these are the four cartoons to add to your watchlists now.
1978
1
13
Status
Ended
The animation studio DePatie–Freleng Enterprises handled this secondFantastic Fourcartoon, which pales in comparison to the Hanna-Barbera series that preceded it. Despite the subpar animation (even by 1970s standards), the show did its best to adapt specific Fantastic Four comics. If the quality wasn’t there, most faithfulness remained for depicting the ensemble’s adventures, including Doctor Doom, Inhumans, Hulk, Magneto, and the Negative Zone.
The biggest problem withThe New Fantastic Fouris that Johnny Storm was replaced by the robot H.E.R.B.I.E. (Humanoid Experimental Robot, B-type, Integrated Electronics), a result of a rights issue. So, if you’re curious where the robot inFirst Stepscame from, he was a cartoon replacement for the Human Torch (and he doesn’t hold a candle to Storm). There are some decent episodes in this series, but it’s hard not to slam this one to the bottom of the ranking for not featuring all four of the Fantastic Four.
Unfortunately, though,The New Fantastic Fouris currently unavailable on any streaming service, and it’s even a little hard to come by to purchase, too. Your best bet is to attempt to find the DVDs on eBay or other shopping site, but if you don’t mind watching in a browser, check it out on theInternet Archive website.
1994-1996
2
26
During the 1990s, the Fantastic Four weren’t left out of the Saturday resurgence with the astute cartoon adaptations of X-Men and Spider-Man. Although debuting in the 1990s, most episodes were ripped from the pages of the 1960s comics, giving an entire generation a proper introduction. The multi-arc episodes of thisFantastic Fourseries of the 1990s gave more room for comedy, and the series could better interact with other Marvel Comics characters like Black Panther, Ghost Rider, Silver Surfer, and Hulk, among others.
Wang Film Productions and Kennedy Cartoons handled the animation for this series with some weird cost-cutting measures. The overly stretchy animation made the cartoon feel rougher than its Marvel contemporaries. While it was fun to see the various Marvel characters interacting with the foursome, it’s hard to appreciate all the cameos when everybody looks and acts as rubbery as Mr. Fantastic. The scene where Johnny Storm sings is just … surreal.
Disney+
Fantastic Fourplaces the superhero ensemble in a 1990s setting while embracing the classic stories of the comics with the superhero family.
1967-1968
20
There was a lot of pressure on the first cartoon adaptation of The Fantastic Four, but Hanna-Barbera Productions made it work for the era with strong character designs by Alex Toth (Space Ghost). There was a campy joy to the cartoon, willing to tell the stories of the absurd Mole Man and a moving-mouth Doctor Doom, but with an earnest voice cast that included Paul Frees delivering a strong Brooklyn accent for Ben “The Thing” Grimm.
I won’t lie; there’s some unintentional hilarity to the limitations of 1960s animation and the curbing of cartoon violence. But considering how fresh the comic was back then (debuting in 1961), it’s surprising how some episodes were pulled straight from the comics, and were willing to include characters ranging from Molecule Man to Galactus. It’s not as intricate as the comics by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, but it has its moments of odd charm for premiering during a time of Space Ghost and Birdman, fitting right in with Hanna-Barbera’s caped crusaders.
Again, with this 1960s series, it’s hard to come by and isn’t available on any traditional streaming services. I did manage to find it available to watch on theInternet Archive website, for your viewing pleasure.
2006-2010
World’s Greatest Heroesthankfully broke the cycle of constantly reintroducing the next generation to the superhero group, aided by Fox’s mid-2000sFantastic Fourfilms. With the Fantastic Four already established, the show could jump right into stories of Doctor Doom framing Mr. Fantastic and working alongside She-Hulk. The animation developed by many European companies also had a distinct style and was easily the most visually pleasing of the otherFantastic Fourcartoons.
Much like Roger Corman’sFantastic Fourmovie,World’s Greatest Heroeswasn’t given enough airtime to garner a crowd. The series debuted on Cartoon Network with sporadic debuts, only completing its run when it moved to Nicktoons years later. Thankfully, all the episodes can be watched on Disney+ to see the best Fantastic Four cartoon we’ve gotten thus far.
Fantastic Four: World’s Greatest Heroesis a spiffy 21st-century take on the Marvel Comics heroes, saving the day from villains like Doctor Doom.
The Fantastic Four have had a cartoon history as rocky as their movies. But if this ranking of these adaptations has proven anything, it’s that time heals all wounds, so much so that H.E.R.B.I.E. had a place inWorld’s Greatest Heroesand the latestFirst Stepsfilm. They’re the Marvel family that sticks together in the toughest times, after all, no matter the animation budget.
