Marvel Comics' Fantastic Four animated series
(1994-95)--depicting the first family of
superheroes--got significantly better as it went
along. The series always had good intentions,
borrowing plots, concepts, characters, and even
lines of dialogue from the classic Stan Lee-Jack
Kirby comic books that kicked off the Marvel age of
comics. And it was willing to spend two or even
three episodes on a single story line. The early
episodes, however, had serious drawbacks, such as a
clumsy animation style (the Silver Surfer never
looked less noble), weak humor (the origin episode
created a framing sequence in which the FF appears
on the Dick Cavett Show), and an awful theme
song by Giorgio Moroder (Flashdance, Top
Gun). Fortunately, the animation improved in the
second season, and instrumental theme music replaced
the song. Memorable moments from the series include
the monumental Frightful Four-Inhumans tie-in and
Galactus's search for a new herald. Memorable
characters include villains Doctor Doom, the Skrulls,
the Mole Man, and the Puppet Master, and heroes
Daredevil, the Black Panther, Thor, and the Hulk.
Guest voices include Ron Perlman, Michael Dorn,
Kathy Ireland, Mark Hamill, and John Rhys-Davies.
It's worth a look for FF fans, especially in the
complete four-disc set that contains all 29
episodes, a welcome change from Disney's single-disc
compilations of the Spider-Man series from
the same time period. (Ages 8 and older: cartoon
action, threatening situations, some mature
concepts) --David Horiuchi
