‘Four’ in fantastic DVD; ‘Man-Thing’ just muck

The comic book permeates all levels of popular culture. This sporadic feature reviews some recent examples from the world of digital video discs (compatible with DVD-ROM-enabled computers and home entertainment centers) and also includes a recommended sequential-art reading list to extend the multimedia adventures.

‘Fantastic Four: The Complete 1994-1995 Animated Television Series’

(Buena Vista Home Entertainment, $49.99)

Marvel’s oldest superhero team came back to animated life in the 1990s in a cartoon series that went from dismal to dynamic in the two seasons of its existence.

A DVD set offers superhero fans and animation historians a chance to explore carefully the transformations of Mr. Fantastic, the Invisible Woman, the Human Torch and the Thing through four discs that contain all 26 episodes.

The first 13 episodes were distinguished by a disco-sounding beginning and ending song from Giorgio Morodercqat taxed the ears. Worse yet, the first two shows had the on-screen cartoon presence of Dick Clark and announcer Gary Owens to help relay the team’s origin. (Could a less hip pair of celebrities have been selected?)

The entire season also was quagmired in a sloppy 1970s animation style (I expected HERBIE the Robot to make an appearance), ludicrous dialogue from villains such as the Mole Man and Dr. Doom, and the embarrassment of having Johnny Storm perform a rap song.

Thank goodness for the second and (unfortunately) final season, which offered a slicker animation style more in tune with the excellent X-Men cartoon of the early 1990s, better dialogue and episodes that really plunged viewers into the Marvel universe.

Guest appearances from such characters as Daredevil, Thor and Black Panther were commonplace, and the multipart episodes were dynamic and well-written. A trio of programs devoted to the Inhumans stand out as well. It all feels ripped from comic pages.

One great episode, “Nightmare in Green,” pits the Hulk against the Thing, a pairing that always has been a comic fan’s dream matchup, as the green goliath gets manipulated by a Dr. Doom who looks exactly like Jack Kirby’s designs.

Bonuses to the set include an eight-minute discussion with Stan Lee, co-creator of the Fantastic Four, about the origin of the team, and his introductions to each episode — which are not such a bonus, as his words give away more plot points than insight into the stories.

Read all about it: Marvel Comics does not disappoint its fans with its selection of Fantastic Four archives. One of the most recent, “Best of the Fantastic Four: Volume 1” ($29.99), compiles 14 issues from over the years, including their first appearance, which should give fans a taste of the team’s adventures over the past four decades.

‘Spider-Man: The Venom Saga’

(Buena Vista Home Entertainment, $19.99)

Once again, instead of superhero cartoon fans getting what they want (complete seasons of the 1990s Spider-Man cartoon on DVD), they get selected episodes themed around supervillains.

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