Fantastic Four (1978 TV series)

Fantastic Four
Also known as The New Fantastic Four
Genre animated television series
Created by Stan Lee (characters / created for television)
Jack Kirby (characters)
Theme music composer Dean Elliott, Eric Rogers
Country of origin United States
No. of seasons 1
No. of episodes 13
Production
Executive producer(s) Lee Gunther
Producer(s) David H. DePatie, Friz Freleng
Editor(s) David H. DePatie, Richard Cannon, Richard Corwin
Production company(s) DePatie-Freleng Enterprises
Marvel Comics Animation
Broadcast
Original channel NBC
Original run September 9, 1978 – December 16, 1978
Chronology
Preceded by Fantastic Four (1967 TV series)
Followed by Fantastic Four (1994 TV series)

Fantastic Four is an animated series produced by DePatie-Freleng Enterprises and Marvel Comics Animation in the late 1970s.[1]

Contents

Premise

It is the second animated series based on Marvel's comic book series Fantastic Four. The 1978 series replaced the character of the Human Torch with a robot named H.E.R.B.I.E., (Humanoid Experimental Robot, B-type, Integrated Electronics). A long-lasting rumor stated that this change was made by the TV network (NBC) because executives did not want young viewers to imitate the Human Torch by setting themselves on fire. This rumor proved to be untrue, as the 1978 television rights to use that character were tied up by a proposed television pilot movie in development by Universal Studios (now a sister company to NBC) that ended up never being produced.[2]

Episode list

  1. A Monster Among Us
  2. The Menace Of Magneto
  3. The Phantom Of Film City
  4. Medusa And The Inhumans
  5. The Diamond Of Doom
  6. The Mole Man
  7. The Olympics Of Space
  8. The Fantastic Four Meet Doctor Doom
  9. The Frightful Four
  10. Calamity On The Campus
  11. The Impossible Man
  12. The Final Victory Of Doctor Doom
  13. Blastaar, the Living Bomb Burst

Cast

Additional voices

Character guide

DVD release

The company Liberation Films was going to release this series on DVD in the UK in November 2008, but due to the company going into bankruptcy, that never happened. However the company Clear Vision which had acquired the rights to the Marvel shows will release the series on DVD in February, 2010. [3]

Morningstar Entertainment has released 2 episodes on Region 1 DVD in Canada, however both The Impossible Man and Meet Dr. Doom are reissues of Volumes 2 and 7 of the 1980s Prism Video Marvel Comics Video Library. Both DVDs were mastered from VHS copies of those old releases, and therefore contain the Spider-Man episodes that were added on as bonus episodes to the VHS releases. [4] Meet Doctor Doom is only available in the Villains Gift Set by Morningstar.

References

  1. ^ "Fantastic Four on TV". IGN. http://uk.tv.ign.com/articles/797/797130p1.html. Retrieved 2010-09-09. 
  2. ^ "Is it true that the Human Torch was replaced in the 1978 Fantastic Four cartoon show because the network was afraid that kids would imitate him and set themselves on fire?" -- POVOnline.com. Retrieved on 7 December 2007.
  3. ^ http://dvdsuperheroes.co.uk/schedule_en.php
  4. ^ "The New Fantastic Four DVD news: DVDs Planned in Canada for 1978's The New Fantastic Four Cartoons". TVShowsOnDVD.com. http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/New-Fantastic-DVDs-Planned/9426. Retrieved 2011-04-20. 

External links

Creators
Main characters
Supporting characters
Villains
Locations
Publications
Current
Previous
Limited
Other continuities
Storylines
Television series
Films
Related articles
Video games
Other versions
Related articles
Animated productions based on Marvel Comics properties
Television
1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s
2010s
Animated Features
Series Groups
Related topics
Founders
Theatrical shorts (Original)
The Pink Panther (1964–1980) • The Inspector (1965–1969)   • Roland and Rattfink (1968–1971) • The Ant and the Aardvark (1969–1971) • Tijuana Toads (1969–1972) • The Blue Racer (1972–1974) • Hoot Kloot (1973–1974) • The Dogfather (1974–1976) •
Theatrical shorts and Television specials
commissioned for Warner Bros.
Merrie Melodies/Looney Tunes (theatrical, 1964-1967) Bugs Bunny's Easter Special (CBS/TV special, 1977) Bugs Bunny's Looney Christmas Tales (CBS/TV special, 1979) Daffy Duck's Easter Show (NBC/TV special, 1980)
Television shorts
Texas Toads (1976) • Misterjaw (1976) • Crazylegs Crane (1978)
Television shows
The Super 6 (NBC, 1966–1969) • Super President (NBC, 1967–1968) • Here Comes The Grump (NBC, 1969–1970) • The Pink Panther Show (NBC, 1969–1971) • The Pink Panther Meets The Ant and the Aardvark (NBC, 1970–1971) • Doctor Dolittle (NBC, 1970–1971) • The New Pink Panther Show (NBC, 1971–1976) • The Barkleys (NBC, 1972–1973) • The Houndcats (NBC, 1972–1973) • Bailey's Comets (CBS, 1973–1975) • The Oddball Couple (ABC, 1975–1977) • Return to the Planet of the Apes (NBC, 1975–1976) The Pink Panther Laugh and a Half-Hour and a Half Show (NBC, 1976–1977) Baggy Pants and the Nitwits (NBC, 1977–1978) What's New Mr. Magoo? (CBS, 1977–1979) Think! Pink Panther (NBC, 1978) The All New Pink Panther Show (ABC, 1978–1979) The Fantastic Four (NBC, 1978–1979) Spider-Woman (ABC, 1979–1980)
Television specials
Clerow Wilson and the Miracle of P.S. 14 (CBS/TV special, 1972) Luvcast U.S.A. (ABC/TV special) The Incredible, Indelible, Magical Physical, Mystery Trip (ABC/TV special, 1973) The Bear Who Slept Through Christmas (NBC/TV special, 1973) Clerow Wilson's Great Escape (NBC/TV special, 1974) The Magical Mystery Trip Through Little Red's Head (ABC/TV special, 1974) The Tiny Tree (NBC/TV special, 1975) My Mom's Having a Baby (ABC/TV special, 1977) Where Do Teenagers Come From? (ABC/TV special, 1980)
Dr. Seuss
Television specials
The Cat in the Hat (CBS/TV special, 1971) • The Lorax (CBS/TV special, 1972) • Dr. Seuss on the Loose (CBS/TV special, 1973) • The Hoober-Bloob Highway (CBS/TV special, 1975) • Halloween Is Grinch Night (ABC/TV special, 1977) • Pontoffel Pock, Where Are You? (ABC/TV special, 1980)
See also
First-run animated series
Here Comes the Grump • The Pink Panther Show (1969–1978) • The Underdog Show • The Further Adventures of Dr. Dolittle • The Houndcats • The Roman Holidays • The Barkleys • Sealab 2020 • Around the World in 80 Days • Inch High, Private Eye • The Addams Family • Emergency +4 • Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kids • Star Trek: The Animated Series (1973–1975) • Wheelie and the Chopper Bunch • The Secret Lives of Waldo Kitty • Return to the Planet of the Apes (1975–1976) • CB Bears • The Young Sentinels • The New Archie and Sabrina Hour (1977) • I Am the Greatest: The Adventures of Muhammad Ali • Baggy Pants and the Nitwits • Yogi's Space Race • The Godzilla Power Hour • Fantastic Four • Fabulous Funnies • The New Fred and Barney Show • Buford and the Galloping Ghost • Casper and the Angels • Fred and Barney Meet the Thing • The Super Globetrotters • The New Shmoo • The New Adventures of Flash Gordon (1979–1980)
First-run live-action series
Rebroadcasts
Schedules
Related programming and topics
First-run series
Rebroadcasts
Defenders of the Earth • Dungeons & Dragons • Fantastic Four (1978 TV series) • The Incredible Hulk (1982 TV series) • Spider-Man (1981 TV series) • Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends • Spider-Woman
Production companies
Related topics