When I was growing up I had my share of comic books. I never really did the collecting thing, well… at least as far as for money. I think when I sold my original comic book collection, which was around 3,000 or so, it was at the behest of a girlfriend who wanted me to buy a car. I was 15 at the time, so I stupidly took the first offer that came my way which was a measly $600. It didn’t take me long to recognize the error of my ways, and that girlfriend? Thankfully… long gone. When I bought and read comics it was for fun, and though my all-time favorite super-hero was Spider-Man, he was really the only Marvel character that really interested me. I was really more of a DC guy. I was really into Superman and Batman. It wasn’t until much later in life that I had begun to get interested in more of the Marvel characters, and this was more a product of the various animated shows that started popping up.

In 1994, a new series starring the “Fantastic Four” started airing and I watched it sporadically, enjoying the fact that most of the stories seemed to be taken from the few comics I had actually read. I was attracted to the “Fantastic Four” in part because they were fundamentally different from most of the other superheroes.

Most notably was the fact that they did not have secret identities. The public new that Reed Richards, Susan Storm, Johnny Storm and Ben Grimm were dramatically changed after their experimental space ship was hit by cosmic rays. The rays caused unusual mutations to occur, and once they returned to Earth, Richards found that his body had been elasticized and he could stretch at will. Sue Storm was able to make herself invisible and create a force field of energy, while her brother Johnny could turn himself into a human torch. Unfortunately, Ben Grimm’s transformation was more monstrous as he was turned into a hulking, orange rock like thing. Throughout the series of comics, his story was the most poignant, as there was no hiding his mutation. Unlike the others, he didn’t look ‘human.’

The group decided to use their powers for good and waged a war on crime from atop the Richards Building. Thankfully, Richards was a well respected and very wealthy scientist, which allowed them a great base of operations and all manner of gadgets. Throughout their career, they were either accepted or shunned by different groups of the public, but they never shied away or went into hiding.

They are ranked high amongst the classic comic super heroes, and the 1994 series, for the most part did them justice. As it turns out, a to of the stories really were taken from the comics, and over the course of it’s two season run, audiences saw guest appearances by Daredevil, The Hulk, and The Silver Surfer. Even the great villain Galactus became part of several multi-part storylines.

Buena Vista Home Entertainment is releasing the entire run of the series on a 4-disc DVD set this week, and that is where I learned that the justice served was only for the most part. During the first season episodes, the animation was only fair. It wasn’t bad, but it just didn’t sit on par with some of the other animated superheroes of the day. The storylines were good, but just didn’t carry the punch that a show about the “Fantastic Four” should. But with the second season episodes came changes. The most noticeable of these was in the animation department. The quality of the series was raised dramatically in both its overall look and the solidity of the scripts. Those final 13 episodes were downright great; it’s just too bad that the series didn’t last to make it to a third season.

The 4-disc set includes all 26 episodes from both seasons as well as episode introductions from Stan “The Man” Lee, the creator of most of Marvel’s greatest superheroes. Lee also delivers a bit of history in a videotaped version of his infamous ‘soapbox.’ I always love hearing from this guy, and am glad he shows up on most of the Marvel comic’s superhero DVD releases. He is a treasure trove of anecdotes from Marvel’s heyday and the excitement of his delivery when telling stories is highly infectious.

I highly recommend this DVD release to comic fans, and as it is being released just prior to the theatrical release of the mega budget “Fantastic Four” movie, it’s the perfect way to acquaint yourself with the characters if you are still actually unfamiliar.

Episodes:
The Origin of the Fantastic Four, Part 1
The Origin of the Fantastic Four, Part 2
Now Comes the Sub-Mariner
Incursion of the Skrull
The Silver Surfer and the Coming of Galactus, Part 1
The Silver Surfer and the Coming of Galactus, Part 2
Super Skrull
The Mask of Doom, Part 1
The Mask of Doom, Part 2
The Mask of Doom, Part 3
Mole Man
Behold the Negative Zone
The Silver Surfer and the Return of Galactus
And a Blind Man Shall Lead Them
Inhumans Saga, Part 1 – And the Wind Cries Medusa
Inhumans Saga, Part 2 – Inhumans Among Us
Inhumans Saga, Part 3 –Beware the Hidden Land
Worlds Within Worlds
To Battle the Living Planet
Prey of the Black Panther
When Calls Galactus
Nightmare in Green
Behold, A Distant Star
Hopelessly Impossible
The Sentry Sinister
Doomsday

Extras: Stan Lee’s Soapbox, Episode Introductions by Stan Lee
Specifications: Full Screen, Dolby Digital Surround Sound
Studio: Buena Vista Home Entertainment
Release Date: 7/5/2005
Region 1
MPAA Rating: NR
Website
Website

We'll give Fantastic Four: The Complete 1994 - 1995 Animated Series a B.