The Fantastic Four (1967 TV series)

Did You Know?

• The series was broadcast on ABC from September 9, 1967 through August 30, 1970.
• Beginning October 3, 1992, Cartoon Network aired the series as part of their Boomerang programming block until October 1996.
• Legal battles over ownership occurred between The Walt Disney Company, which purchased Marvel Comics in late 2009, and Warner Bros. Animation, which inherited Hanna-Barbera in 2001.

Production

The impetus for the series began when Hanna-Barbera's agent, Sy Fischer, noticed his son reading a Fantastic Four comic book and asked if he would like to see it as a cartoon. After his son expressed interest, Fischer took the idea to Joseph Barbera, who read the comic and agreed it would translate well. They contacted Stan Lee at Marvel Comics, acquired the rights, and successfully pitched the series to ABC for the 1967 TV season. Grantray-Lawrence Animation had originally wanted the rights for a segment on The Marvel Super Heroes, but Marvel decided not to sell them.

Reception

David Perlmutter, in The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows, wrote that while Hanna-Barbera could not duplicate the complex plotting of the comics, the adaptation was well produced and gave the team welcome exposure. He noted the voice actors were unusually well cast, with Frees' Brooklyn-accented Thing standing out, and that erroneous concerns about violence in mass media marginalized the series. Stan Lee initially voiced optimism but later expressed dissatisfaction, feeling the shows were tailored toward six-year-olds while the comics were written for an older audience.

He attempted to give input to Hanna-Barbera but gave up after determining their sole concern was pleasing sponsors. Marvel Comics' owners Martin Goodman and subsequently Cadence Industries were satisfied, having secured a percentage of the gross revenue from syndication. The show is briefly referenced in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025).