How many Fantastic Four cartoons are there?

Since making their debut the Fantastic Four – aka Mister Fantastic, the Invisible Woman, the Human Torch, and The Thing – have appeared in comics, games, movies, and on toy shelves. The team have also been the subject of multiple animated shows, dating all the way back to 1967.

Most of these cartoons were short-lived, and one didn’t include a key member of the group! However, they brought entertainment to FF fans, and this is always important.

But how many Fantastic Four cartoons are there and which is the best? For all the fantastic details, keep reading.

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The Fantastic Four cartoons

Fantastic Four (1967 – 1968)

Produced by Hanna-Barbera (Scooby-Doo, The Flintstones, Top Cat, etc), the first show on this list is Fantastic Four – a one season cartoon comprising 20 episodes. The show featured character designs by American cartoonist, Alex Toth and told simple stories inspired by the then contemporary era of the comics.

The New Fantastic Four (1978)

Onto cartoon No. 2, which was produced by DePatie-Freleng Enterprises (The Pink Panther Show). The New Fantastic Four (also known as simply The Fantastic Four) ran for one season comprising 13 episodes and is most notable for not including the Human Torch – one of the founding members of the Fantastic Four!

In The New Fantastic Four, the Human Torch is replaced with a robot named H.E.R.B.I.E. It’s odd not to have the Torch involved in the action, but hey, some people like H.E.R.B.I.E., right?

Fred and Barney Meet the Thing (1979)

Time for something a little different for this next cartoon, which originally aired as part of an animated programming block which incorporated two TV shows. One was The New Fred and Barney Show (a Flintstones spin-off) and the other was The Thing – a solo series focusing on The Thing.

The Thing ran for 26 11-minute episodes and told the story of teenager Benjy Grimm, in a significantly reworked take on the classic comic book character. No other members of the Fantastic Four appeared in this series.

Fantastic Four: The Animated Series (1994 – 1996)

Possibly the most famous of the FF ‘toons, outside of the ’60s offering, Fantastic Four: The Animated Series originally aired as part of The Marvel Action Hour – an hour-long programming block which paired the FF show up with Iron Man: The Animated Series. Fantastic Four: The Animated Series ran for 26 episodes across two seasons, with the characters also appearing as guest stars in The Incredible Hulk: The Animated Series and Spider-Man: The Animated Series.

Fantastic Four: World’s Greatest Heroes (2006)

And finally, Fantastic Four: World’s Greatest Heroes is an American-Canadian-French production which ran for one season totalling 26 episodes. During its initial run in the US the show experienced a bumpy broadcast, with some episodes airing years after the show had long been cancelled.

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The Fantastic Four cartoons in order

To date, there are five Fantastic Four cartoons. The Fantastic Four cartoons include:

• Fantastic Four (1967-1968)
• The New Fantastic Four (1978)
• Fred and Barney Meet the Thing (1979)
• Fantastic Four: The Animated Series (1994 – 1996)
• Fantastic Four: World’s Greatest Heroes (2006)

All of the Fantastic Four cartoons are separate entities and can be viewed as individual shows in their own right.

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What is the best Fantastic Four cartoon?

According to IMDb the Fantastic Four cartoons are rated as follows:

• Fantastic Four (1967-1968) – 6.6/10
• The New Fantastic Four (1978) – 5.9/10
• Fred and Barney Meet the Thing (1979) – 5.5/10
• Fantastic Four: The Animated Series (1994 – 1996) – 6.4/10
• Fantastic Four: World’s Greatest Heroes (2006) – 6.7/10

It’s worth noting, Fantastic Four: World’s Greatest Heroes is a gem amongst this list, which deserves more recognition than it originally received. The show’s erratic and incomplete broadcast in the US didn’t help it to gain an audience in 2006, and it is often overlooked (so check it out).

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Editor/Writer/Fantastic Cartoon Watcher

Alex Wiggan

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I hope this information about the Fantastic Four animated shows has proved useful. Should you wish to know more about the Fantastic Four on It’s A Stampede!, please check out one of the recommended reads below.