This is the only TV show I’m streaming ahead of The Fantastic Four: First Steps – and it’s the by far the most overlooked Marvel adaptation
Marvel’s First Family is primed to light up the silver screen starting on July 25, 2025 in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, the fifth attempt at a live-action Hollywood transformation for the comic book icons, this time as a retro-futuristic affair starring Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach and directed by Matt Shakman (WandaVision).
Attempts at its adaptation as a Hollywood feature film since the unreleased Roger Corman-led movie in 1994 and the last version being director Josh Trank’s 2015 disaster have had a poor track record, with each successive effort failing miserably to capture the spirit, heart and style of The Fantastic Four. But one of the most satisfying ways to experience the gamma-ray’d metahuman gang is by engaging with one of the many fun Fantastic Four animation series presented over the years.
The antidote to live-action superhero fatigue or just a warm-up?
By far the most overlooked example of these flashy cartoon shows is Fantastic Four: The Animated Series. It’s a natural way to gear up for Marvel Studios’ $200 million summer tentpole by absorbing its familial dynamics and splashy fun that skirt the dated humor, primitive character design and sterile backgrounds of Hanna-Barbera’s The Fantastic Four animated series that appeared on Saturday mornings from 1967-68. There was also The New Fantastic Four, a short-lived 1978 series which strangely had no Human Torch and swapped H.E.R.B.I.E. the Robot due to licensing rights and rumored fears that kids might light themselves on fire!
Airing for two “fantastic” seasons starting on September 24,1994 and ending on February 24, 1996, The Fantastic Four: The Animated Series lasted for two 13-episode outings and is currently streaming all 26 chapters on Disney+. It was originally produced by Genesis Entertainment and New World Entertainment, then broadcast in syndication as part of The Marvel Action Hour (aka Marvel Action Universe) with Iron Man taking flight for the first half of the program and The Fantastic Four jumping in to finish with its 22-24 minute episodes.
Who first created the Fantastic Four?
Conceived by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1961, this close-knit superhero team dealing with inter-dimensional villains and everyday domestic responsibilities was the House of Idea’s biggest selling title of the decade and even sported the auspicious title of The World’s Greatest Comic Magazine on its cover.
The main lineup of scientific genius Reed Richard (Mister Fantastic), Sue Storm (Invisible Woman), Johnny Storm (The Human Torch), and Ben Grimm (The Thing) has been an ongoing roster since their experimental space flight first found themselves peppered with cosmic radiation that was the cause of their uncanny superpowers.
The timeless appeal of the animated classic
Any self-respecting ‘90s-era animated series need a seriously cheesy theme song and Fantastic Four: The Animated Series has that one locked down tight with a goofy anthem that’s even sillier than the tunes written for the original The Karate Kid, but that’s exactly why we love it! We forgive the show for its early campiness.
Written by Ron Friedman, Glen Leopold, Elwin Ransom and a handful of others, and executive produced by Avi Arad, Stan Lee, and Rick Ungar, it showcased everything essential about the Fantastic Four, their messy interpersonal affairs and thrilling crimefighting against notorious foes like Galactus, Doctor Doom, Ego-The Living Planet (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2), Silver Surfer, Annihilus, Psycho-Man, Skrulls, Mole Man, Puppet Master, Blastaar and Sub-Mariner.
Fellow comic book heroes that were featured in multiple storylines and cameos throughout the two seasons included The Inhumans, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Ghost Rider, Daredevil, and many others. Season 2 improved greatly with the arrival of Philippine Animation Studios taking over for Wang Film Productions.
The premiere episode of the debut season is a hoot, with the Fantastic Four recalling their origin story before a studio audience during a taping of Dick Clark’s Scholarship Telethon TV show, with the real Dick Clark actually voicing himself. Subsequent installments all carry the authentic Fantastic Four flair.
Helping to usher in the last golden age of TV cartoons
Often overshadowed by the quaint charm of the 1967 Hanna-Barbera series, Fantastic Four: The Animated Series often pulled stories from legacy story arcs written by Stan Lee and drawn by Jack “King” Kirby with later illustrator John Buscema and other artists who picked up the pen.
In particular, the two-part segment, The Silver Surfer and the Coming of Galactus, was taken directly from the 1965 comic book event displayed in Fantastic Four #48-50, which was the inspiration for the screenwriters in crafting their own plot for this month’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
Remember that this renaissance of ‘90s animation also brought us X-Men: The Animated Series, Batman: The Animated Series, and Gargoyles, so it’s the ideal chance for fans to revisit this nostalgic, highly entertaining, and vastly under-appreciated Fantastic Four cartoon show that many of a certain generation hold dear to their hearts. With its solid vocal cast, smart writing, sharp animation, and vibrant colors, give Fantastic Four: The Animated Series a heroic spin on Disney+!