During their reign overSaturday morning cartoonprogramming, Hanna-Barbera produced dozens of cartoons, many of them during the 1960s onwards. It was within this periodthat the studio created classicssuch asThe Flintstones, The Jetsons, Top Cat, Magilla Gorilla, Scooby-Doo, Wacky Races,Johnny Quest, and so on.
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However, Hanna-Barbera wasn't all aboutfuturistic/prehistoricfamilies and anthropomorphic animals. They alsofocused on superheroes — in fact, it was their bread and butter during the mid-60s. Innumerable characters from these shows have made a mark on pop culture and changed the face of animated television programming forever. What were the first cartoons created by Hanna-Barbera, though?
11 Atom Ant (1965)WasA Direct Reference To The Nuclear Era
Hanna-Barberastudios maintainedthe talking animal conceptin introducing its first superhero — Atom Ant. A product of the nuclear age, Mr. Ant could be considered a combination of DC's Atom and Marvel's Ant-Man. Well, the latter if Hank Pym was actually an ant.
Atom worked out of a sophisticated anthill in the countryside. When called upon by the local, underfunded police, the miniature superhero would race into action shouting,"Up and at 'em, Atom Ant!" Using his super-strength and invulnerability, Atom tended to do the job efficiently and with humor.
10 Frankenstein Jr. (1966) WasA Robotic Crime Fighter
Hanna-Barbera'sFrankenstein Jr.wasn't an original idea. Its concept and robot designs were heavily based on the Japanese animeJohnny Sokkoand his Flying Robot.However, it is important to note that this cartoon turned the concept of hero and sidekick upside down.
The main protagonist in the series isBuzz Conroy, an extremely intelligent boy inventor who created Frankie. When activated with Buzz’s special signal ring, Frankenstein Jr. rushes to his master's aid. In most cases, he ends up rescuing Buzz or fighting off criminals in the futuristic Civic City.
9 The Impossibles (1966)Were A Rock Band Moonlighting As A Superhero Trio
The Impossiblesinitially joinedFrankenstein Jr.on the CBS Saturday morning schedule. Where the latter was sort of futuristic, the former definitely took place in the future. The funky guitars andJetsons-likeoutfits were a dead giveaway.
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By day, The Impossibles were a rock trio. However, when the situation arose, they became the heroes Coil-Man, Fluid-Man, and Multi-Man. Their instrument setup, complete with a Ringo-style drum kit, transformed into a futuristic car that helped them battle evil.
8 Space Ghost (1966)Protected The Universe AgainstWould-Be Conquerors
Space Ghostwas Hanna-Barbera's stab at a serious superhero series, which is why it's stilla favorite to multiple generations of viewers. Thanks to Warner Bros.' purchase of the HB catalog, the hero has teamed up with other big names, includingBatman and Green Lanternfrom the DC universe.
Based on designs by the artist Alex Toth, Space Ghost was a galactic hero. Utilizing his invisibility as well as numerous beams from his wrist gauntlets, hekept the universe safe from countless would-be conquerors. Along the way, he also had to save his sidekicks – Jan, Jayce, and their pet monkey Blip – from the trouble they always got into.
7 Birdman (1967) Obtained His PowersFrom The Egyptian Sun God, Ra
The studio got more serious with the introduction of Birdman. Furthermore,the audience had an idea ofhow hehad acquired his powers, compared to the nebulous abilitiesthat Space Ghost possessed.
In fact, Birdman gained flight, solar blast emission, and solar shield generation when he was blessed by the Egyptian Sun God, Ra.In the beginning, Birdman's only partner on assignments was his pet eagle, Avenger, given to him by the mysterious Falcon 7. Later on in the series, the heroreceived assistance from other members of the Birdman Family, Birdboy and Birdgirl.
6 The Galaxy Trio (1967) Patrolled The Galaxy And Kept It Safe
Before the Guardians of the Galaxykept outer space safe, the job was given to the Galaxy Trio. These extraterrestrial superheroes were part of the law enforcement agency known as the Galactic Patrol.Coursing through the spaceways in their ship,Condor One, Gravity Girl,Meteor Man, and Vapor Man defeated a slew of tyrants and invaders.
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Though they would meet in future media, like in the DC maxi-seriesFuture Quest, the Galaxy Trio never paired up with Space Ghost in their initial adventures, nor with Birdman or the Herculoids. However, they did end up saving Earth a few times from villains with the capacity to shoot death-beams from millions of miles away.
5 The Herculoids (1967) Was A Prehistoric Setting Peppered With Alien Invasions
The Herculoidshas an interesting place in Hanna-Barbera history. Not only was it another series based on Alex Toth's designs, but it was also one of the first shows that featured characters crossing over to another series. In this case, they metSpace Ghosttwiceduring their initial run.
Though it seemed the planet the Herculoids live on is at a prehistoric level of technology, numerous alien races continually tried to take it over. Luckily, Zandor, Tara, and their son Dorno are protected by kindly alien beings with immense powers. Most importantly, thelaser dragon, Zok, and the stone ape, Igoo, were a crucial part of the family drama.
4 The Fantastic Four (1967)Was The First TV Adaptation Of The MarvelSuperhero Team
Afterthe half-hearted successof the 1966 limited-animation series,The Marvel Super Heroes, Hanna-Barbera ensured that theFantastic Four, a superhero team developed by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, would align with the creator's vision. The result was aseries that stayed true to the comic stories of that period.
It also helped that Alex Toth contributed character designs to make the quartet feel like theypopped right out of the comic book page. During the show's run, several members of the FF's rogues gallery made appearances, such as The Mole Man, Doctor Doom, and Galactus.
3 Mighty Mightor (1967) Involved A Caveman Superhero With His Own Magic Club
The animation studio went back to its prehistoricroots to introduce viewers to Mightor. In doing so, itcontinued an ongoing theme of mild-mannered characters whoobtained powersvia a magical weapon — one that started with Marvel's Thor and continued in shows likeThundercatsandHe-Man.
InThe Mighty Mightor, the recipient of a magical club isa caveman known as Tor. When he raises it, he becomes a powerful superhero; at the same time, his pet dinosaur becomes a fire-breathing dragon. Each episode found him battling various invaders that tried toconquer his village.
2 Young Samson (1967) Influenced Both Marvel And He-Man
Young Samsoncontinued the theme thatMightorbrought into the game. Not to be confused with the characters in the animated religious seriesDavey and Goliath, this show featured a teen (ironically, with short hair) named Samson and his dog named Goliath. When he encountered trouble, Samson would clap his golden wristbands together to transform himself, repeating the process to turn Goliath into a lion.
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Young Samsonhad an indirect influence on other forms of media. A few years after its premiere, Marvel would use the wristband concept to help Rick Jones and Captain Marvel trade places in the Negative Zone. In the 1980s, Prince Adam would use his sword to transform himself and his cat into He-Man and Battlecat, respectively.
1 Super Friends (1973) Was ALess Violent Version Of The Justice League
A list of Hanna-Barbera's first superhero cartoons isn't complete without a mention of theclassicSuper Friends. It was the studio's first incursioninto the genre in the 1970s: yet, unlike its predecessors, this seriesdidn't go for the fisticuffs.
Thiswas due to federal regulations that put a quashon violencein Saturday morning cartoons. Hence, Superman, Wonder Woman, and the other members of the Justice Leaguedid more investigating and talking than actual punching. Nevertheless,Super Friendsremained a stalwart on the ABC Saturday morningprogram for over a decade.
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