The New Fantastic Four

Production

DePatie–Freleng Enterprises had originally been slated to produce the Godzilla series, while Hanna-Barbera was to produce The New Fantastic Four. When Lee Gunther at DePatie–Freleng acquired the rights to the Fantastic Four, Hanna-Barbera objected, leading NBC to broker a deal: DePatie–Freleng would produce The New Fantastic Four and Hanna-Barbera would produce Godzilla. Universal Pictures executive Frank Price had optioned several Marvel characters in 1978, including the Human Torch, for live-action TV projects, preventing other studios from using him.

The live-action Human Torch project was scrapped over internal concerns that young viewers would attempt self-immolation. With the rights to a central character tied up, Fantastic Four co-creator Stan Lee conceived a new fourth member inspired by R2-D2 from Star Wars. Dave Cockrum was initially asked to draw concept art but hated the idea and submitted intentionally bad designs resembling household objects with wheels. The assignment went to Jack Kirby, who designed a streamlined flying robot named ZZ-123, later renamed H.E.R.B.I.E. When the series was initially set up at Hanna-Barbera, Mark Evanier heard the company wanted an art style inspired by Kirby's work and contacted the animation director to say Kirby was available.

Kirby was allowed to work on the show, with Marvel agreeing his work would count toward his contract. During production, Marvel, under President James Galtan, decided to become an animation company, partnering with DePatie–Freleng to form Marvel Productions.

Home media

The New Fantastic Four appeared on volumes 2 and 7 of Prism Entertainment's Marvel Comics Video Library. In Canada, Morningstar Entertainment put out two Region 1 DVDs, The Impossible Man and Meet Dr. Doom, which are reissues of those Prism volumes. These discs were made from VHS copies of the old releases, so they also include Spider-Man episodes that were bonus features on those VHS tapes. Meet Doctor Doom is only found in Morningstar's Villains Gift Set. In April 2008, Liberation Entertainment got the home media rights for some Marvel shows from Jetix Europe in certain European areas and planned a DVD release, but shut down its UK branch that October, scrapping the plan. Clear Vision then acquired the rights in 2009 and put out the complete series as a two-disc set called The Fantastic Four: The Complete Series in the United Kingdom on March 1, 2010.