The New Fantastic Four The New Fantastic Four The New Fantastic Four (on-screen title: The Fantastic Four) is an animated series produced by DePatie–Freleng Enterprises and Marvel Comics Animation (both owned by Marvel Entertainment (via The Walt Disney Company)) in 1978. It is the second animated series based on Marvel's comic book series Fantastic Four. The 1978 series replaced the character of the Human Torch with a robot named H.E.R.B.I.E. (Humanoid Experimental Robot, B-type, Integrated Electronics), because the 1978 television rights to use that character were tied up by a proposed television pilot movie in development by Universal Studios (now a sister company to
Fantastic Four (comic book) ... 'If the Justice League is selling', spoke he, 'why don't we put out a comic book that features a team of superheroes?'" The release of "The Fantastic Four" #1 (Nov. 1961) was an unexpected success. Lee had felt ready to leave the comics field at the time, but the positive response to "Fantastic Four" persuaded him to stay on. The title began to receive fan mail and Lee started printing the letters in a letter column with issue #3. Also with the third issue, Lee created the hyperbolic slogan "The Greatest Comic Magazine in the World!!" With the following