I didn't know what the Fantastic Four were till relatively recently. I mean, one could guess from the name that they came from comic books, but they cropped up vaguely in threads, and in conversation with longtime comic-folks I know, without explanation.
I have seen stuff with a flamey guy, and a guy made of Bubba Yum, before, possibly even in superhero (cartoon Justice League, from when I was a kid?) context, but the phrase "Fantastic Four" or any series about same was foreign to me till the movie gossip started.
(Actually, I think the Bubba Yum guy may coincide, in my muddled brain, with several versions of televised Plastic Man, some of them parodic. And there always seems to be a flamey guy and an ice guy, you know? Which, if you think about, makes no sense in the Medieval sense of four elements, and makes no sense in the modern sense of process -- combustion -- vs. object, but whatever.)
As a datapoint, I've never read a comic specifically about The Flash, and I don't know any of his mythology, but I know what his super power is and could reliably pick him out of a lineup if he were in costume. Also, thanks to Allyson's vocal disbelief, I know that pee in the snow would absolutely flummox that green ring guy. (But I don't know whether that guy is the Green Arrow or Green Lantern, and really, the pantheon of minor superheroes is just too crowded, isn't it?)
(cartoon Justice League, from when I was a kid?)
That's from the wrong company. Maybe here?
the pantheon of minor superheroes is just too crowded, isn't it?
Who's on your pantheon of major?
That's from the wrong company. Maybe here?
Pretty sure not. If it was anything, it was some group-o'-heroes type of show, on TV, during the 80s. I literally did not know what the phrase "Fantastic Four" meant until recently.
Who's on your pantheon of major?
Hm. Batman, Spiderman, Superman. I think the only way Wonder Woman gets there is as an affirmative-action nominee, or as a "well, she's wearing hot pants and a bustier" nominee. Really, that's it, I guess. Or, possibly them and the Wonder Twins.
Your minor pantheon is more than overloaded.
Dawnstar, now
she's
a minor hero.
I'd heard of the Fantastic Four, but I didn't know who the individuals on the team were until recently. (And I'm pretty sure that it's not a permanent roster -- I know I've heard vague mentions of Spider-Man being a member at one point.)
This guy has Aquaman as a first-string Super Friend: [link]
I'm pretty sure that it's not a permanent roster -- I know I've heard vague mentions of Spider-Man being a member at one point.
From my medium-interest-in-comics viewpoint, that seems really unlikely. The Fantastic 4 were a group that got their powers at the same time in the same accident. Sue, her husband, her brother, and their friend. They may work with other people, but the four? Just them.
Maybe you're thinking of The Avengers?
I kind of want tos see Fantastic Four, but the trailer clip in which whats-his-name shouts "FLAME ON!" just makes me want to pee myself laughing.
Wikipedia agrees with me. (Mostly -- Spider-Man was in the New Fantastic Four, who were sort of a temporary replacement group for the main Four. But they also list members who shifted in and out of the core group for various reasons.)
He's always said FLAME ON!! but it still makes me laugh.
I've known about the Fantastic Four for a long time. I watched all the super hero cartoons: FF, Super Friends, X Men, Spider man and his Amazing Friends (Iceman and Firestar), GI Joe, and Tarzan. And something with Plasticman.
