Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Heroes
Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Heroes | |
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Genre |
Action Adventure Sci-Fi |
Based on | Fantastic Four (created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby) |
Directed by | Franck Michel |
Voices of |
Hiro Kanagawa Lara Gilchrist Christopher Jacot Brian Dobson Sam Vincent |
Composer(s) | Noam Kaniel |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language(s) | English |
No. of seasons | 1 |
No. of episodes | 26 (list of episodes) |
Production | |
Executive producer(s) |
Christophe Di Sabatino Benoit Di Sabatino Nicolas Atlan Avi Arad Craig Kyle Eric S. Rollman Stan Lee (co-executive producer) Suzanne Berman and Daniel Lennard (for Cartoon Network Europe) |
Editor(s) |
Bertrand Martineu Benoit Tricot Valerie Chappellet Sandrine Mercier |
Running time | 21–24 minutes |
Production company(s) |
MoonScoop Group Taffy Entertainment Marvel Studios Marvel Animation M6 Cartoon Network Europe |
Distributor |
MoonScoop Group Cartoon Network |
Release | |
Original network | Cartoon Network |
Original release | September 2, 2006 – October 20, 2007 |
Chronology | |
Preceded by | Fantastic Four (1994 TV series) |
Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Heroes is an animated television series based on the Marvel Comics' Fantastic Four comic book series. This is the team's fourth foray into animation. The show combines two-dimensional art as well as three-dimensional computer animation that was produced by the France-based animation company MoonScoop Group. The series is produced by the MoonScoop division of Taffy Entertainment in collaboration with M6 and Cartoon Network Europe.
Airing
In the United States, the show had an erratic airing schedule on Cartoon Network, having premiered as part of Toonami on September 2, 2006. It ran for only eight of the season's 26 episodes before being pulled. It subsequently returned to the network starting June 9, 2007, shortly before the release of the film Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. The second launch of the show aired only nine episodes, leaving nine installments not televised in the USA. The show aired on Boomerang for a brief time before moving to Nicktoons in 2009 for the final episodes.[1]
Plot
World's Greatest Heroes is not directly connected to any of the previous iterations of the Fantastic Four, telling its own version of the team's origin and their encounters with their rogues gallery. Unlike its 1990's predecessor, which consisted almost entirely of straight or modified reinterpretations of classic FF comic book stories, World's Greatest Heroes features mostly original stories. Nonetheless, elements from various iterations of the Fantastic Four, such as the Stan Lee/Jack Kirby, John Byrne and Mark Waid runs in the original Fantastic Four comic book, the Ultimate Fantastic Four comic, and the 2005 live action film, were used as the basis for the series' look and feel.
Cast
Guest stars
- Michael Adamthwaite - Namor
- Don Brown - Henry Peter Gyrich
- Trevor Devall - Diablo
- Michael Dobson - Ronan the Accuser, Mr. Bonner-Davis
- Paul Dobson - Mole Man
- Brian Drummond - Agent Pratt
- Laura Drummond - Courtney Bonner-Davis
- Andrew Kavadas - Dr. Bruce Banner
- Mark Gibbon - The Hulk
- Jonathan Holmes - The Wizard
- David Kaye - Tony Stark/Iron Man
- Terry Klassen - Impossible Man
- Scott McNeil - Annihilus
- Colin Murdock - Willie Lumpkin
- Peter New - Rupert the Geek
- John Novak - Supreme Intelligence
- Mark Oliver - Cmd. Kl'rt/Super-Skrull
- John Payne - Henry Pym/Ant-Man
- Alvin Sanders - Puppet Master
- Rebecca Shoichet - Jennifer Walters/She-Hulk
- Venus Terzo - Lucia von Bardas
- Lee Tockar - Terminus
- Samuel Vincent - Trapster
Episodes
No. | Title | Written by | Storyboarded by | Original air date | Production code |
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1 | "Doomsday" | Christopher Yost | Olivier Poirette and Franck Michel | September 16, 2006 | 101 |
Reed is accused of intentionally exposing the Fantastic Four to the cosmic rays that gave them their powers. It turns out to be a plot by Dr. Doom, and Ben forgives Reed after they save the world from Doom's plan of opening a dimensional portal which will allow monsters to attack New York and destroy all human life. Introducing Characters: The Fantastic Four (Mister Fantastic / Reed Richards, Invisible Woman / Susan Storm, The Human Torch / Johnny Storm and The Thing / Ben Grimm), H.E.R.B.I.E., Doctor Doom / Victor von Doom, Courtney Bonner-Davis, Mr. Bonner-Davis and Negative Zone Bugs | |||||
2 | "Molehattan" | Avi Arad (story) Chris Hicks and Francis Lombard | Olivier Poirette | September 4, 2009 | 102 |
After kidnapping Ben, Mole Man attempts to get the Thing to join forces with him to create an underground paradise where appearances don't matter. Introducing Characters: Mole Man / Harvey Elder, The Moloids, Mrs. Monet and Mr. Bartleby | |||||
3 | "Trial by Fire" | Bob Forward | Yacine Elghorri and Laurent Delion | [lower-alpha 1] September 2, 2006 | 103 |
After destroying a robot, Johnny inexplicably disappears. He finds himself in a stadium filled with aliens, where he has been put on trial for crimes against the Kree Empire, with Ronan the Accuser acting as judge. Meanwhile, Ben attempts to entertain the guests at a charity event. Reed is summoned to act as Johnny's lawyer while Ben and Sue are summoned as witnesses. Unfortunately, Ben and Sue's testimonies fail to help Johnny's case. Johnny is sentenced to immediate execution by robotic creatures. Ben, Sue, and Reed fight the robot executioners, one of which is accidentally thrown into the crowd. Johnny protects a Kree child in the audience from the errant robot, which inspires the crowd to demand that Johnny be exonerated and released. Feeling humiliated at having to appease the crowd, Ronan releases Johnny. The Kree return to their home world whereupon Ronan is banished from the Kree Empire, while the Supreme Intelligence notes that the Fantastic Four may be useful against the Skrull. Introducing Characters: Ronan the Accuser, Supreme Intelligence, The Kree and Kree Robots Note: In this episode, the opening theme music has been pitch-shifted to a noticeably lower key. Trivia: When Johnny first sees the Kree, he says "The Smurfs got big" and calls Ronan an "angry smurf". | |||||
4 | "Doomed" | Rob Loos and George Taweel | Christophe Pittet | September 9, 2006 | 104 |
The four return from extinguishing a fire that Johnny started, with Ben and Sue upset with him. Johnny apologizes, saying that he'll do anything to make it up to them. Doctor Doom switches bodies with Reed by injecting him with something. With Reed stuck in Doom's body, he slowly escapes the confines of Doom's lair. The next day, Johnny wakes up and finds a camera crew in his room. Sue explains that, as payback for yesterday, Johnny must be followed around by 'A Day in the Life' so viewers can find out what a day in the life of the Fantastic Four is like. When Doom, as Reed, tells Sue to cancel his lectures, the three figure out something's up. Reed, as Doom, shows up at the Baxter Building and is greeted by the four. Believing him to be Doom, they trap him. Reed eventually convinces Sue to trust him and together they stop Doom from turning the Baxter Building into a weapon while also switching their bodies back. Introducing Characters: Doombots | |||||
5 | "Puppet Master" | Joseph Kelly (story) Rob Loos and George Taweel | Luc Blanchard | June 16, 2007 | 105 |
Alicia's stepfather acquires a supply of clay irradiated from a fallen piece of Reed's ill-fated space station that allows him to control others as the Puppet Master. Introducing Characters: Alicia Masters, Puppet Master / Phillip Masters and Ricky Carter | |||||
6 | "Zoned Out" | Bob Forward Craig Kyle and Christopher Yost (story) | Luis Ruiz | October 28, 2006 | 106 |
Things take a turn for the worse when Johnny gives his friend Frankie an unauthorized tour of Reed's lab. When Frankie is sucked into another dimension, Johnny goes in after her to prevent anyone from finding out. But as he does so, a small bug comes through the dimensional portal. Susan, Ben, and Reed now have to deal with the bug as it multiplies and slowly destroys the Baxter Building while Frankie and Johnny are trapped in the other dimension and look like they will be killed by worse versions of the bugs. In the end, Johnny and Frankie get back to Earth and the bugs are all put back to where they belong – except for one who remains in an old lady's fridge. Introducing Characters: Frankie Raye and Mr. Wilson | |||||
7 | "Hard Knocks" | Joshua Fine | Roland Boschi | September 23, 2006 | 107 |
Bruce Banner visits Reed at the Baxter Building. Banner changes into the Hulk and now the Fantastic Four must stop his rampage in NYC and keep him from being captured by Agent Pratt who wants to use the Hulk for his own agenda. In the end, Pratt fails to stop Hulk and the Hulk is loose in the badlands. Otherwise, the Fantastic Four have saved the day again. Introducing Characters: The Hulk / Bruce Banner, Agent Pratt and General "Thunderbolt" Ross Trivia: This episode marks the only appearances of The Hulk, Agent Pratt and General "Thunderbolt" Ross. | |||||
8 | "My Neighbor Was a Skrull" | Joseph Kelly Craig Kyle and Christopher Yost (story) | Christophe Pittet | September 30, 2006 | 108 |
Skrulls impersonate the Fantastic Four's neighbors in order to collect tissue samples from the Fantastic Four. In the end, Skrull commander Kl'rt tells Ronan the Accuser all samples have been collected for him to begin making the greatest warrior the universe has ever known. Introducing Characters: Commander Kl'rt, The Skrulls and Willie Lumpkin | |||||
9 | "World's Tiniest Heroes" | Joshua Fine Craig Kyle and Christopher Yost (story) | Olivier Poirette | October 21, 2006 | 109 |
One of Reed's microverse experiments causes the Fantastic Four to shrink putting them at risk when H.E.R.B.I.E. mistakes them for vermin and tries to exterminate them. The Fantastic Four are assisted by Ant-Man when it comes to getting to the lab and once there their lives are saved with Ant-Man’s help. Introducing Characters: Ant-Man / Henry "Hank" Pym, Rufus the Dog, Rufus' Owner and Ant-Man's Ants Trivia: This episode marks the only appearance of Ant-Man (Henry "Hank" Pym) and his ants. | |||||
10 | "De-Mole-Ition" | Bob Forward Craig Kyle and Christopher Yost (story) | Laurent Delion | November 4, 2006 | 110 |
The Mole Man attacks the Baxter Building in hopes of luring the Fantastic Four to his underground lair. Introducing Characters: Giganto / Deviant Mutate | |||||
11 | "Impossible" | Rob Loos and George Taweel Craig Kyle and Christopher Yost (story) | Jeremie Bonachera | June 23, 2007 | 111 |
The Impossible Man is brought to Earth by one of Reed's space probes and immediately starts causing trouble for everyone. In the end, the Fantastic Four convince Impossible Man that Earth isn't as fun as he is. Introducing Characters: Impossible Man and Poppupians | |||||
12 | "Bait & Switch" | Bob Forward Craig Kyle and Christopher Yost (story) | Luis Ruiz | June 30, 2007 | 112 |
Doctor Doom hijacks one of Reed's experiments aimed at restoring Ben Grimm to human form and causes the Fantastic Four to swap powers with one another. Introducing Characters: Lucia von Bardas | |||||
13 | "Annihilation" | Christopher Yost Craig Kyle and Christopher Yost (story) | Roland Boschi | July 14, 2007 | 113 |
The Fantastic Four are brought to the Negative Zone where they come face to face with Annihilus. As if that wasn't bad enough, Dr. Doom arrives stealing Annihilus' power source and threatening Earth. Introducing Characters: Annihilus | |||||
14 | "Revenge of the Skrulls" | Bob Forward Craig Kyle and Christopher Yost (story) | Luc Blanchard | August 11, 2007 | 114 |
Having acquired their tissue samples in My Neighbor Was A Skrull, the Skrulls now have the technology to duplicate the abilities of the Fantastic Four. Unknown to the Skrulls, Commander Kl'rt, the genius behind the breakthrough, is actually getting help from Ronan the Accuser, who is a Kree, the sworn enemies to the Skrull. Ronan has agreed to help Kl'rt in exchange for revenge against Johnny, for causing his banishment. Using the Kree technology, Commander Kl'rt is changed into the "Super-Skrull". Meanwhile, after hosting a contest to find their biggest fan, the Fantastic Four show the winner, a meek nerd named Rupert, around the Baxter building and are attacked and captured by Super Skrull, minus Ben who is knocked into the harbor. Seeing Rupert in a Fantastic Four costume, Super Skrull believes him to be a new member of the Fantastic Four and takes him as well. On the Skrull ship, Johnny is taken away while Reed and Sue are tortured. Rupert still thinking that it's all an act being put on as part of his prize is horrified when Reed informs him to the contrary. Meanwhile, Johnny is forced to face Ronan the Accuser without his powers and Ronan is enraged by the fact that Johnny doesn’t even remember him. Ben crashes the FantastiCar into the side of the ship and frees Reed, Sue, and Rupert. Johnny tricks Ronan into shooting off the collar that's disabling his powers. Sue, Reed, and Ben battle Super Skrull outside the Baxter building, when Ronan and Johnny fly out of the ship, for all of the Skrull on board to see. While Reed is confused as to why Ronan is there, Rupert points out that it's a super villain team up. Reed then realizes that the reason Kl’rt doesn’t make an army of Super Skrulls is because he doesn’t know how. Skrull technology isn't capable of doing it, so Kl’rt needs Ronan to use Kree technology to do it. But since the Skrulls and Kree are enemies, he could never openly ask for Ronan's help. Skrull forces leave the ship and are about to attack the Fantastic Four when Johnny tells them that he saw Super Skrull plotting with Ronan. Ronan flees with Super Skrull following while he is chased by his own troops. As the Skrull and Ronan fly off, the Fantastic Four thank Rupert for his help and tell him that they couldn't have done it without him. Introducing Characters: Rupert the Geek Trivia: The episode marks the second appearance of Commander Kl'rt, who first appeared in My Neighbor Was A Skrull. | |||||
15 | "Strings" | Joshua Fine Craig Kyle and Christopher Yost (story) | Christophe Pittet | August 25, 2007 | 115 |
The Puppet Master gets the city to turn on the Fantastic Four by controlling its public officials. Evicted from their home, accounts frozen, property seized, the Four must clear their good names and stop the Puppet Master from taking over the minds of everyone on Earth. Introducing Characters: Code: Blue, The Mayor of New York, The Chief of Police and Federick the Prison Guard | |||||
16 | "Imperius Rex" | Len Uhley Craig Kyle and Christopher Yost (story) | Olivier Poirette | June 9, 2007 | 116 |
Namor the Sub-Mariner arrives with a decree banning humankind from the oceans. Susan and Johnny go underwater to negotiate, but are taken prisoner in Atlantis. Ben and Reed must fight their way through sea monsters, Atlantean soldiers, and Namor to save their teammates. Introducing Characters: Prince Namor, Giganto / Atlantean Beast, Henry Gyrich and Atlanteans | |||||
17 | "Doomsday Plus One" | Bob Forward | Laurent Delion | April 27, 2007 September 1, 2007 | 117 |
Doombots invade the Baxter Building in the middle of the night, but their attack is just a distraction for Doom to launch the Baxter Building into space. | |||||
18 | "The Cure" | Christopher Yost, and Dan Slott (story) | Jeremie Bonachera | June 9, 2007 January 18, 2010 | 118 |
Reed finally cures the Thing, but the cure also takes away all of his memories since the formation of the Fantastic Four. When the Mole Man attacks, She-Hulk must fill in for the Thing while the powerless Ben Grimm must find a way to save the day. Introducing Characters: She-Hulk / Jennifer Walters, The Lava Men, Squirrel Girl / Doreen Green, Captain Ultra / Griffin Gogol, Texas Twister / Drew Daniels, Frog-Man / Eugene Patilio and Flatman / Dr. Val Ventura Trivia: This episode marks the only appearances of She-Hulk (Jennifer Walters), Squirrel Girl, Captain Ultra, Texas Twister, Frog-Man, Flatman and the Lava Men. | |||||
19 | "Frightful" | Len Uhley | Luis Ruiz | August 18, 2007 January 27, 2010 | 119 |
The Wizard, Klaw, Trapster, and Dragon Man are the new team in town saving New York always one step ahead of the Fantastic Four. Reed begins to suspects that these Frightful Four are not the heroes they appear to be. Introducing Characters: The Frightful Four (The Wizard / Bentley Whitman, Trapster / Peter Petruski, Klaw / Ulysses Klaw and Dragon Man) and Peter Parker Trivia: This episode marks the only appearances of The Frightful Four and Peter Parker. | |||||
20 | "Out of Time" | Joshua Fine | Luc Blanchard | September 15, 2007 January 28, 2010 | 120 |
After returning from the past to find out what killed the Dinosaurs, the Fantastic Four return to New York to find that the whole City has been conquered by Doom. They are forced to drop the Fantastic Car's "Time Ring" which allows them to time travel when they are attacked by patrolling Doom planes. They escape and split up, Ben and Johnny go to retrieve the Time Ring from the river where they dropped it, while Sue and Reed go to find Doom. Johnny and Ben are about to go after the ring when Dooms troops get it first, they are then captured by gigantic Doom bots (ironically Johnny was talking about how he would make giant Doom bots if he were Doom). Reed and Sue easily find Doom but are trapped, Doom tells them that he was warned of their powers and was told about the future by a Doom bot that his future self-put on the Fantastic Car and sent to change the past so they never got their powers. Doom then destroys Reed's "temporal stasis device" on his arm the device is the only thing allowing the Fantastic Four to exist in the different timeline. Reed quickly warns Sue to go back to the "Beginning" before he disappears. What’s left of the Fantastic Four escape and retrieve the Fantastic Cars time ring. They attempt to go back 10 minutes to save Reed but Reed's computer "Herbie" warns them that they can't as they must avoid running into or seeing their past selves or else the paradox will supposedly cause "The world to implode". Sue tells Herbie to take them anywhere when they are about to be vaporized by Doombots, Herbie takes them back to the ice age were Johnny accidentally gives mankind fire, setting a caveman's club on fire. The Fantastic Four then realize that Reed meant for them to return to the space shuttle launch, to prevent Doom's robot from changing the past. They return to the past where they find Reed and explain what happens or what will happen. Reed agrees to help and they all start to search for Doom's robot. Right as the shuttle is about to launch they find the Doom bot and fight it below the rockets. The past Reed fires the rockets ahead of time to vaporize the robot. When the Fantastic Four return to the future, Reed returns into existence, having no memory of what happened. They return to New York where everything is exactly the same, except for the statue of liberty now being of Johnny, having given man fire in the past Johnny is now worshiped as a god. As the episode ends Sue already sick of time traveling tells everyone to get back in the time machine while Johnny asks if things can stay that way. Introducing Characters: Doctor Doom's Spider Robot and Dinosaurs | |||||
21 | "Atlantis Attacks!" | Bob Forward Craig Kyle and Christopher Yost (story) | Olivier Poirette | September 1, 2007 | 121 |
Namor the Sub-Mariner returns, but this time he needs help to defeat Attuma, who has taken over Atlantis. While Reed, Susan, and Ben head off to help free Atlantis, Johnny stays behind and faces an attack on the city from a giant mutant whale. Introducing Characters: Attuma Trivia: This episode marks the second appearance of Prince Namor, who first appeared in Imperius Rex, and the only appearance of Attuma. | |||||
22 | "Shell Games" | Rob Hoegee | Roland Boschi | October 6, 2007 February 8, 2010 | 122 |
After several attacks from Iron Man armors, the Fantastic Four track down Tony Stark. It turns out Doom was behind the attacks, and now the Four have to face both Iron Doom and Iron Man under Doom's control. Introducing Characters: Iron Man / Anthony "Tony" Stark Trivia: This episode marks the only appearance of Iron Man. | |||||
23 | "Johnny Storm and the Potion of Fire" | Len Uhley Craig Kyle and Christopher Yost (story) | Luc Blanchard | October 13, 2007 February 22, 2010 | 123 |
During a confrontation with Diablo, Johnny is accidentally exposed to one of Diablo's potions he planned to use to gain control of all the elements. As the days go by, Johnny's powers seem to change. Diablo discovers that the essence of the fire elemental still lives within Johnny. Diablo starts making the power grow within him, so he can then claim it for himself. After Johnny seriously starts to lose control, Ben, Reed, and Sue try to capture him to figure out what’s wrong. Sue continuously fights Johnny out into the city. Johnny knocks her out and is about to finish her until he realizes that he’s actually hurt her, then Johnny finally starts to come to his senses. Realizing that he is losing control of himself, he releases the energy, which forms into a giant fire being. Just then Diablo appears and sucks the Demon back into the magic goblet from where it came. Johnny starts to believe Diablo is a good guy, but just as fast Diablo goes back to his previous plan of taking control of the elements. He succeeds and gains control of the elements, Reed and Ben arrive with Reed's new invention a power disruptor designed to disrupt "whatever type of science Diablo is using" (Reed continues to deny the existence of magic, in spite to his inability to scientifically understand Diablo's power). Reed hits Diablo with the ray and he is stopped, and Reed yells "Take that Magic!" Diablo is defeated and everything goes back to normal. Introducing Characters: Diablo / Esteban Corazón de Ablo and Fire Sprites | |||||
24 | "Contest of Champions" | Joshua Fine | Jeremie Bonachera | October 20, 2007 February 23, 2010 | 124 |
On request from Ronan the Accuser, The Grandmaster forces the Fantastic Four to battle Ronan the Accuser, Impossible Man, Annihilus, and Super Skrull. The fate of all humanity hangs in the balance as the species of the losers are wiped out. As the matches go on it is revealed that whoever loses the match becomes a trophy for the Grandmaster for the rest of eternity. In the end it's left to a one on one fight between The Thing and Ronan the Accuser, Ronan calls down an energy beam from an orbiting ship giving him incredible strength, to savagely beat The Thing. Ben continues to fight despite being in incredible pain and outmatched. As Ronan is about to deliver the final blow The Grandmaster declares Ben as the winner as he is both strong and brave enough to continue fighting even when it was hopeless. The Grandmaster offers Ben one wish which he will fulfill no matter what. Instead of wishing himself back to normal, Ben wishes for the release of his friends, the villains and to prevent the destruction of the species of the losers. The Grandmaster fulfills his wish but promises that there will be other Contests and that he (Ben) will be back on the contest, regardless of the fact if he will be challenged or not. Introducing Characters: The Grandmaster / En Dwi Gast Trivia: This episode marks the only appearance of the Grandmaster. | |||||
25 | "Doom's Word Is Law" | Paul Giacoppo, and Craig Kyle (story) | Luis Ruiz | February 24, 2010 | 125 |
Doctor Doom creates a super Doombot to face the Fantastic Four. The Four try and retrain this robot to be one of the good guys. In the end, Ben becomes the super Doombots friend and names him "Bruiser", but then Doom's control is too strong and the super Doombot captures Susan and Reed. Johnny and Ben must save Susan and Reed, and fight Doom. But when Johnny is captured, Ben is left to fight Bruiser. Introducing Characters: Bruiser Trivia: This episode marks the only appearance of Bruiser. | |||||
26 | "Scavenger Hunt" | Christopher Yost and Craig Kyle | Olivier Poirette | February 25, 2010 | 126 |
Terminus, an alien scavenger, comes to steal all of Earth's resources. While the Fantastic Four try to stop him, they realize he may be unbeatable. Introducing Characters: Terminus Trivia: This episode marks the only appearance of Terminus. |
Home releases
DVD Name | Region 1 | Episodes | DVD Name | Region 4 | Episodes |
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Volume One | March 27, 2007 |
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Volume One | October 10, 2007 |
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Volume Two | September 11, 2007 |
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Volume Two | October 10, 2007 |
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Volume Three | March 11, 2008 |
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Volume Three | February 6, 2008 |
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The Complete First Season | June 10, 2008 |
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Volume Four | June 4, 2008 |
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Volume Five | September 3, 2008 |
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Notes
- ↑ Airdates without the US flag in front of them may have originally aired outside the US.
References
- ↑ "Marvel Animation Age". Web.archive.org. Retrieved 2015-08-09.
External links
- Official website at Marvel.com, with full episodes viewable online
- Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Heroes at the Internet Movie Database
- Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Heroes at TV.com
- Marvel names Cartoon Network Exclusive U.S. Broadcast home for all-new Fantastic Four Animated Series
- Cast announcement
- Plots of the first episodes
- September 2006 conference call with Executive Producer Craig Kyle and Head Fantastic Four writer/Story Editor Chris Yost.
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