# New Fantastic Four cartoon series debuts tonight? Why was I not notified? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 2, 2006, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fantastic-four-cartoon-series-debuts-tonight-why-was-i-not-notified/371237 "2006-09-02T20:45:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2006, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fantastic-four-cartoon-series-debuts-tonight-why-was-i-not-notified/371237/1 "2006-09-02T20:45:44Z")
Tonight at 8:00 EDT on Cartoon Network. Looks to feature the original lineup. All I’ve seen of it is the blurb on my on-screen TV guide so no idea if it’s following from the comic book continuity, the movie continuity, previous FF series continuity or something completely different. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2006, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fantastic-four-cartoon-series-debuts-tonight-why-was-i-not-notified/371237/2 "2006-09-02T21:26:53Z")
It looks like some new pseudo-anime style to appeal to younger kids – hopefully a little more “grown-up” than the Teen Titans cartoon, but definitely aimed at a similar demographic. I’ll be very curious to hear how it was. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2006, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fantastic-four-cartoon-series-debuts-tonight-why-was-i-not-notified/371237/3 "2006-09-02T21:36:23Z")
There will be a Human Torch. There will not be a H_E_R_B_I\*E The Robot. And I, for one, am grateful _for_ that fact. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2006, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fantastic-four-cartoon-series-debuts-tonight-why-was-i-not-notified/371237/4 "2006-09-02T21:52:40Z")
> [@Big Bad Voodoo Lou](#): > > It looks like some new pseudo-anime style to appeal to younger kids Ew. Well that’s certainly disappointing. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2006, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fantastic-four-cartoon-series-debuts-tonight-why-was-i-not-notified/371237/5 "2006-09-02T22:38:56Z")
> [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#): > > There will not be a H_E_R_B_I\*E The Robot. [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fantastic_Four_%282006_TV_series%29) begs to differ. The still from the article allays some of my fears. They look like people, as opposed to the ugly big-eyed freaks of the TT series. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2006, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fantastic-four-cartoon-series-debuts-tonight-why-was-i-not-notified/371237/6 "2006-09-02T23:23:54Z")
> [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#): > > There will be a Human Torch. > > There will not be a H_E_R_B_I\*E The Robot. > > And I, for one, am grateful _for_ that fact. It’s not really an “either/or” for those two. The reason the Torch wasn’t in the 1978 cartoon is, he was licensed out as a separate property at the time. No one was afraid kids would douse themselves with kerosene and light up. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2006, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fantastic-four-cartoon-series-debuts-tonight-why-was-i-not-notified/371237/7 "2006-09-03T00:53:07Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fantastic_Four_%282006_TV_series%29) begs to differ. > > The still from the article allays some of my fears. They look like people, as opposed to the ugly big-eyed freaks of the TT series. I just saw Episode One. Somehow, they have actually made the Torch more annoying than H_E_R_B_I\*E. And the background crowd scenes looked like 70’s animation–aka crappy. I will avoid all hell outta this show. ---
**Author:** ![ddgryphon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8c91f0/32.png) [@ddgryphon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ddgryphon)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2006, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fantastic-four-cartoon-series-debuts-tonight-why-was-i-not-notified/371237/8 "2006-09-03T00:57:08Z")
Actually, I thought it was okay all things considered. The extreme pointiness of Sue and Johnny’s chins was just wrong, but I didn’t have an Oh my God, what have they done feel about it like the TT cartoon did. No exagerated screaming, everybody looks mostly like they should. Clearly not a great deal spent on it, but it could be a whole lot worse. Not that I’m damning it with faint praise or anything – but overall, it was okay and isn’t a bad starting point. My 2 sheckles. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2006, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fantastic-four-cartoon-series-debuts-tonight-why-was-i-not-notified/371237/9 "2006-09-03T01:32:52Z")
I got pissed off four minutes in (Sue faints? The hell? Didn’t we dispense with that “distaff member” bullshit 20 years ago?) but from there I got back to, I suppose, neutral. Agree that the chins are too pointy, especially notable in the scene where Sue and Johnny hug but also agree that it’s a hell of a lot better character design than TT. The characterizations seem all right thus far, but Reed’s voice doesn’t sound quite right. Should be a little deeper. But worth tuning in for a half hour a week if nothing else is on. ---
**Author:** ![Harborwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2006, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fantastic-four-cartoon-series-debuts-tonight-why-was-i-not-notified/371237/10 "2006-09-03T02:51:22Z")
That was bad. At least with all of the changes they made to Teen Titans, it manages to be entertaining. The animation was poor at best. The story was abrupt. Are the pointy chins a superpower, cause it looked like they could just spear Ronan with them and end the episode. Reed was totally whipped. Johnny was an idiot with anime hair. Ben was pointless as was Sue. Not something I’ll be watching. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2006, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fantastic-four-cartoon-series-debuts-tonight-why-was-i-not-notified/371237/11 "2006-09-03T03:38:30Z")
> [@Krokodil](#): > > It’s not really an “either/or” for those two. The reason the Torch wasn’t in the 1978 cartoon is, he was licensed out as a separate property at the time. No one was afraid kids would douse themselves with kerosene and light up. That’s right- Universal Pictures was planning to do a Human Torch TV project and wouldn’t allow the Human Torch to be used in the series. The story that the Torch’s removal due to fear that kids would set themselves on fire to mimic him is an urban legend. [Mark Evanier with the story.](http://www.povonline.com/iaq/IAQ02.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Amp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2006, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fantastic-four-cartoon-series-debuts-tonight-why-was-i-not-notified/371237/12 "2006-09-03T06:00:36Z")
Well that stunk. I was hoping I was going to get something that could replace JL and JLU but this ain’t it. And Teen Titans was a great show. A million times better than this. ---
**Author:** ![ddgryphon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8c91f0/32.png) [@ddgryphon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ddgryphon)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2006, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fantastic-four-cartoon-series-debuts-tonight-why-was-i-not-notified/371237/13 "2006-09-10T01:25:29Z")
Okay, now the second show outright stunk like head cheese in bacon fat, left in a field for three weeks surrounded by cow dung. From middle poor to shitstorm in 2 episodes. Bleyech! ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2006, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fantastic-four-cartoon-series-debuts-tonight-why-was-i-not-notified/371237/14 "2006-09-10T16:15:41Z")
I caught a rerun of the first ep, and was not impressed. Which fearsome super-foe did they take on in the second installment? The Mole-Man? ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2006, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fantastic-four-cartoon-series-debuts-tonight-why-was-i-not-notified/371237/15 "2006-09-10T16:22:31Z")
[QUOTE=ddgryphon] Actually, I thought it was okay all things considered. The extreme pointiness of Sue and Johnny’s chins was just wrong, but I didn’t have an Oh my God, what have they done feel about it like the TT cartoon did. No exagerated screaming, everybody looks mostly like they should. Clearly not a great deal spent on it, but it could be a whole lot worse. Not that I’m damning it with faint praise or anything – but overall, it was okay and isn’t a bad starting point. My 2 sheckles. [/QUOTE] Eh, it stunk out loud. Teen Titans, for all its anime flaws, has considerable charm and some of the episodes (especially with Mod Max or whatever his name is) were actually visually brilliant. FF has dull characters, lifeless voice acting, and looks like it were drawn by animators whose idea of humanity came from Tolkien elves. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2006, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fantastic-four-cartoon-series-debuts-tonight-why-was-i-not-notified/371237/16 "2006-09-10T16:30:41Z")
[QUOTE=Ukulele Ike] Which fearsome super-foe did they take on in the second installment? The Mole-Man? [/QUOTE] Doctor Doom, smart guy. And hey, don’t be dissing the Mole Man. Anyone who can sink entire cities is by definition a badass. I missed the first couple of minutes but it doesn’t seem like that much of a loss. I was pretty disappointed. ---
**Author:** ![ddgryphon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8c91f0/32.png) [@ddgryphon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ddgryphon)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2006, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-fantastic-four-cartoon-series-debuts-tonight-why-was-i-not-notified/371237/17 "2006-09-10T18:41:50Z")
[QUOTE=Otto] Doctor Doom, smart guy. And hey, don’t be dissing the Mole Man. Anyone who can sink entire cities is by definition a badass. I missed the first couple of minutes but it doesn’t seem like that much of a loss. I was pretty disappointed. [/QUOTE] Not to mention hordes of frightening bug-ugly minions and some giant subterranian monsters at his beck and call. He’d clean most of Batman’s foes without so much as a drop of sweat.