If you grew up watching cartoons, there’s a good chance you saw a Hanna Barbera animation and didn’t even recognize it. Cartoons have had a significant impact on the development of children’s brains, particularly those featuring superheroes who protected the globe, the universe, or simply the residents of their tiny village from robbers.
This was the base for many Hanna Barbera cartoons. During the Great Depression, Joseph Barbera and William Hanna both worked at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and it wasn’t long before the coworkers became friends, going on to make 114 Tom and Jerry cartoons over the course of seventeen years.
Hanna-Barbera Productions was established in 1957 after Hanna won a coin flip. They went on a roll after that, making cartoons with a lot of science fiction themes and memorable superheroes, and there was no stopping them.
Other cartoons eclipsed these legendary 1960s and 1970s creations, which were decades ahead of their time. In this video, we’ll look at Hanna Barbera’s most powerful superhero series, which are often regarded as formidable competitors of Disney’s. So, how about we get started?
Mighty Mightor
The show is about a teenage caveman named Tor, voiced by Bobby Diamond, and his winged pet dinosaur Tog, voiced by John Stephenson. One day, they rescue an old man, and for that, the old man gives him a reward that changes his life. He gives him a magical club which transforms Tor into the masked and muscular Mightor, who now possesses superhuman strength and the power of flight.
Furthermore, he can now generate energy blasts from this magical club. The club doesn’t just affect Tor but also his pet dinosaur Tog as it gives him the ability to spitfire. Now, the Mighty Mightor takes it upon himself to save the villagers from evil with his newfound powers, which include prehistoric enemies. This science-fiction animated series was created by Alex Toth for Hanna-Barbera Productions and was televised for a total of two years, from 1967 to 1969.
After that, Mighty Mightor appeared in reruns on Cartoon Network from 1992 to 2000, after which it aired on Cartoon Network’s sister channel Boomerang. There were a total of 36 episodes, ranging from “The Monster Keeper” to “Rok and the Golden Rock.” The titular character has made cameos in other shows, including Space Ghost, Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law, and Scooby-Doo.
Although Mighty Mightor wasn’t on television for too long, it did create a lasting impact. You would be surprised to know just how many people were invested in a caveman and his pet dinosaur. People often compared this show to The Flintstones. However, Mighty Mightor was way more action-packed and, of course, had the superhero element to it, making it all the more entertaining. The animation used for this show was also exceptional for its time, and if there were a Mighty Mightor live-action film or show to be made today, it would give great competition to the likes of Captain America or Batman.
The Herculoids
This Sunday morning cartoon was written and designed by Alex Toth and produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions, and made its debut on C.B.S. in the year 1967. However, only one season was produced with just under 20 episodes. There were reruns until the year 1969, which is when the show officially ended. However, in the year 1981, eleven more episodes were produced as a part of the Space Stars show, which was a 60-minute Saturday morning program block broadcasted on N.B.C.
The show consists of eight regular characters, which are made up of three humans and five creatures. Zandor is the leader of the Herculoids, along with his wife Tara, and their son Dorno, who takes center stage in The Herculoids. The creatures include Zok, Igoo, Tundro, Gloop, and Gleep. The series revolves around the planet Amazon, the space family, and their pets, who fight together, intending to save their planet from mutants, robots, and mad scientists.
Throughout the season, they have fought several enemies, which included destroyer ants, raider apes, faceless people, and many more. The Herculoids and their characters were mentioned in other shows like Space Ghost Coast to Coast, Sealab 2021, Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law, and others. This is the age of revival, many shows from the past are being brought to our tv screens again, and The Herculoids is one of the shows that people wish to see again.
With brilliant art and exceptional voice acting, the show garnered fans from all across despite only airing for one season, to begin with. Although the plot can seem repetitive, much like other cartoons of that era, The Herculoids made sure that viewers got to experience a new villain in every segment, always keeping them entertained, and fulfilled its purpose of being a science-fiction cartoon.
Johnny Quest
Jonny Quest was the very first Hanna-Barbera action-adventure show. Based on the radio serial, Jack Armstrong, the All-American Boy, Jonny Quest was created by Doug Wildey and aired for twenty-six episodes from September 1964 to March 1965. Jonny and his father, Dr. Benton C. Quest, live in the Florida Keys, but they travel around the world, investigating various scientific mysteries.
On their adventures, they encounter several rivals, including everything from robot spies to Ancient Egyptian mummies. Rounding out the Quest team are Bandit, Hadji, and Race. Bandit is Jonny’s pet dog, who often assists on missions, and he is named so because of the black marking around his eyes in the shape of a mask. Hadji is Jonny’s adoptive brother and best friend.
An adopted orphan from Kolkata, he possesses powers like levitation and hypnotism. Finally, Roger T. “Race” Bannon is a special agent assigned to protect Jonny as a guard, tutor, and companion. He is an expert in judo with a third-degree black belt. Comics historian Daniel Herman wrote about how the look of Jonny Quest was unlike any other cartoon television show of the time.
Although there are some outdated views of other cultures, such as making the main villain, Dr. Zin, Asian with yellow skin, and giving Hadji the power of snake-charming, the show is action-packed and full of adventure that is enjoyable for both children and adults alike. The jokes are smart, and the writing is memorable. The child characters are presented as equal and just as intelligent as the adults. Overall, Jonny Quest is a must-watch if you’re a fan of action and classic animation.
Space Ghost
This show aired on C.B.S. from September 1966 through September 1967. Each of the 20 episodes ran for 30 minutes and consisted of three segments, two segments of Space Ghost with one segment of Dino Boy. Space Ghost primarily fights villains in outer space with his sidekicks Jan and Jace, as well as their pet monkey Blip. Jan and Jace are typically kidnapped by one of the Space Ghost’s enemies, and Space Ghost saves the day.
Villains include the Black Widow and aliens Zorak and Brak, Lokar, Metallus, Moltar, and the Creature King. Dino Boy is an unrelated character. His name is Todd, and he parachuted from a crashing plane, landing in a South American valley. In this valley, dinosaurs, cavemen, and other prehistoric mammals somehow have survived extinction and coexist with the Moss Men, Rock Pygmies, and others.
Dino Boy’s friends are the caveman Ugh, a wooly mammoth named Tusko, and Ugh’s pet Brontosaurus, appropriately named Bronty. In 1994, Space Ghost was adapted into an adult animated parody talk show on Cartoon Network. The series aired through 1999 and then was revived for late-night programming from 2001-to 2004. Titled Space Ghost: Coast to Coast, the show inspired two spin-offs: The Brak Show and Aqua Teen Hunger Force. In 2016, Space Ghost and Dino Boy appeared in the D.C. Comics series Future Quest.
The original show has a futuristic feel and is a classic Saturday morning cartoon. The animation style and the cliffhangers make it near impossible to stop watching. Like other Hanna-Barbera shows, Space Ghost is a series chock-full of adventure, something children have sought across the ages. Featuring the talent of Gary Owens, known for his voice acting on shows such as Dinosaurs, Garfield, Sesame Street, etc., this is a show you do not want to miss.
Atom Ant
We have seen Antman in Marvel before, and if you thought Atom Ant was anything like that, think again. Atom Ant is a superhero ant who operates out of an anthill in the countryside. Much like other superheroes, he had powers too. Some of these included the ability to fly, super speed, and strength, along with invulnerability, all of which were incredibly important. His anthill was his home and also consisted of some essentials like a computer and exercise equipment; well, even a superhero and needs to get his workout done.
He had a good reputation with the police, who were often underfunded and inept, contacted and relied on onhim often, and sent him to complete missions and assignments. He even had a catchphrase that he would often use, Up and at ’em, Atom Ant. Some of the missions that Atom Ant undertook, were a parody of Batman. This superhero was created by Hanna-Barbera in the year 1965, with a total of 26 episodes, with the show running for exactly one year. However, Cartoon Network and Boomerang aired their reruns in the 1990s and even the 2000s.
Atom Ant was originally voiced by Howard Morris, but in the later episodes, Don Messick took over the character. The show was one of the best cartoons of the 60s; it had some good laughs and a great problem-solving ant. It was popular enough that in the year 2016, The Atom Ant Show was made available for download via the iTunes Store. Although like many cartoons, this show is for ages 5 and above, even then it can be enjoyed by people of all age groups.
Birdman
The animated series revolves around Birdman, who is Ray Randall, an ordinary man who was given sun-based superpowers by an Egyptian Sun God. Birdman also has a trusted sidekick, Avenger, an eagle, and together they work for a secret government agency headed by the mysterious one-eyed Falcon 7. Just like other superheroes, Birdman possesses superhuman strength and the ability to fly with the help of giant wings, which shouldn’t be a surprise given his name. He also has enhanced hearing and the ability to create a shield using solar energy.
As the series progresses, Birdman is joined by Birdboy, who was a young boy discovered by Birdman by saving his life using his energy powers. Birdboy now has metal wings and helps Birdman fight crimes. This show is an underrated classic, and one can draw comparisons between Birdman and Falcon, the Marvel character who was first introduced in the comics in 1969.
Flying winged men with a bird as a pet, along with a one-eyed man, which sounds a lot like Nick Fury. Of course, Hanna Barbera’s cartoons weren’t as popular as Marvel’s, probably why this often got overlooked despite its fun premise, exciting villains, and engaging plotlines. Birdman truly was Hanna-Barbera’s winged wonder.
Galaxy Trio
As the name suggests, the series revolves around three interplanetary law enforcers, Vapour Man, Gravity Girl, and Meteor Man. Their job is essentially to fight criminals and supervillains throughout the cosmos. They spend their time in the cruiser, Condor One, patrolling space and maintaining order in the name of the Galactic Patrol law enforcement agency. Vapor Man can transform all of his body into gaseous form, much like the others from his home planet Vaporus.
This enables him to fly, escape from physical ties, and squeeze through very small spaces, all of which have proved extremely helpful. Meteor Man, who is from the planet Meteoruscan increase or decrease the size of any part of his body and gains superhuman strength in that part of the body. Gravity Girl can bend the laws of gravity at her will, allowing her to fly and lift very heavy objects with her mind. This animated science fiction television series was created by Alex Toth and produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions in the year 1967, and ran on Saturday mornings until1968.
The series appeared in reruns on Cartoon Network from 1992 to 2000, after which the series began airing on Cartoon Network’s sister channel Boomerang. This show and the trio might remind you a little of Guardians of the Galaxy by Marvel Comics, as it is easy to draw parallels between them. Along with a catchy plot, this show prides itself on the music and sound effects, which make it easier to engage with. While there were plenty of shows that dealt with problems on the earth, very few reached the cosmos, making it all the more interesting.
Dynomutt, Dog Wonder
This American animated television series was produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions and aired on A.B.C. from the year 1976 to 1977. The plot revolves around a Millionaire socialiteRadley Crown, voiced by Gary Owens, and his dog Dynomutt, voiced by Frank Welker. They enjoy their leisure time in the Big City until alerted by the Falcon Flash. They then immediately dash to the Falcon’s Lair, where they switch to their secret identities, the Blue Falcon and Dynomutt, Dog Wonder.
The Blue Falcon, who is similar to Batman in many ways, and his assistant, Dynomutt, an effective robotic dog who can produce an infinite number of mechanical devices from his body. They have a Falconcar which they use for transportation, again, a parallel can be drawn between the Falcon car and the batmobile. They often receive a report from secret agent F.O.C.U.S and then proceed to fight crime against wrongdoers. They are fearless and powerful, and they have one job, to protect their people.
Even though parallels were drawn between this show and Batman, it is important to note that they also had a fair share of differences between them. Despite its short run, this show was a favorite to many people as they sat down to watch Dynomutt and Blue Falcon fight crimes every Saturday morning.
The two characters might be very different from each other, but in the most fun and goofy way, they balance each other out, making room for some fun gags and some serious crime-fighting moments. In the simplest possible way, this show is Batman meets Scooby-Doo, and who wouldn’t love to see that combination? It is also important to note that Dynomutt was originally broadcast as a half-hour segment of The Scooby-Doo/Dynomutt Hour from the year 1976 to 1977.
Shazzan
The story revolves around siblings Chuck, voiced by Jerry Dexter, and Nancy, voiced by Janet Waldo, who come across a cave off the coast of Maine, where they end up finding a mysterious chest containing halves of a strange ring. They then decided to join these parts together and end up being transported back to the legendary land of the Arabian Nights where they meet their genie Shazzan, voiced by Barney Phillips. Shazzan creates a magical flying camel named Kaboobie, which is voiced by Don Messick and serves as their mode of transportation.
Along with that, he also gives them plenty of gifts like an invisibility cloak and a magic rope. Shazzan tells Chuck and Nancy that he can’t return them home until they deliver the two rings to his rightful owner, known as the Wizard of the 7th Mountain, and thus begins their journey. They have to face many villains throughout, and two of the recurring villains are Master of Thieves and Demon in a bottle.
Created by Alex Toth and produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions in the year 1967, the show aired till 1968. It later continued in reruns until the year1969. It aired on Saturday mornings on C.B.S.This show was fairly similar to a few of the other shows created in the late 60s, but the smart use of a Genie and two siblings separated it from the others.
This show relied heavily on its music and the sound effects, some of which were created for Jonny Quest. It was an imaginative show, full of excitement and action, everything you would want a magical show to be like. It steered away from the usual superhero stuff which was common for Hanna-Barbera, making it a timeless classic.
Frankenstein, Jr. and The Impossibles
Frankenstein Jr. and The Impossibles is an animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions, which premiered in the year 1966 on C.B.S. The show ran for two seasons on Saturday mornings, which was the regular average of most series back in the 60s. Interestingly enough, this series contained a total of two segments, which served as a middle ground between Hanna-Barbera’s traditional early output and its superhero-based late-1960s cartoons, which in simpler terms meant it truly had the best of both worlds.
Every episode of this series would feature two segments with The Impossibles, and Frankenstein Jr. in between. Frankenstein Jr takes place in Civic City, where scientist Buzz Conroy and his father, Professor Conroy, fight supervillains with the help of a gallant robot named Frankenstein Jr. This robot was built by Buzz with the help of an energy ring. If you think Frankenstein Jr looks familiar, you might draw the connection with the anime character Tetsujin 28-go, who was also known as Gigantor.
Moving on to The Impossibles, the main characters are a trio of superheroes which consist of Multi-Man, Fluid-Man, and Coil-Man, who pose undercover as a rock music band. Their boss of sorts is Big D, who contacts them with information about the assignments which they must complete. This series was one of the cooler ones of the 60s, with guitars having tv monitors, flying cars, and many such things.
One of the best things about the series was its music, as the soundtrack itself gained many fans who jammed to their tunes which resembled soft punk from time to time. Even though the show was canceled in 1968 because of the complaints it received against violence, the Frankenstein Jr. segments of the series were later recycled in the 1976 series Space Ghost and Frankenstein Jr.
Powerpuff Girls
One of the more famous animated series was produced by Hanna-Barbera for Cartoon Network. The Powerpuff Girls aired on Cartoon Network for a total of six seasons, three specials, and a feature film, with the final episode airing on March 25, 2005. A total of 78 episodes were aired on Cartoon Network from the year 1998 to 2005. This series was nominated for several awards, including Primetime Emmy Awards, Annie Awards, and Kids Choice Awards.
The premise of this show was incredibly easy and well laid out as it followed the story of three girls in kindergarten, Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup, who all possess superpowers. While these young girls spent their days fighting supervillains and monsters, they also had to worry about problems faced by girls of their age, adding an element of humor and relatability to it.
The opening sequence of every episode tells us more about how they were created. Professor Utonium tried to create the perfect little girl with sugar, spice, and everything nice but accidentally spilled another chemical, which led to the creation of these three girls, giving them powers such as superspeed, and superstrength, superhuman senses, x-ray vision, and much more. The three girls were very different from each other; Blossom was the leader, Bubbles was the one filled with joy and laughter, and Buttercup was the tough one.
Given the fact that this show had a total of six seasons, along with specials and a film, it is safe to say that it was a huge success and is still relevant even today. Powerpuff girls were created at a time when little girls had to spend all their time looking at boys and men fighting crime, so this truly was a breath of fresh air. The show’s main villain Mojo Jojo was also an entertaining addition, and it was truly satisfying watching the girls beat him every time.
Super Friends
This animated series was produced by Hanna-Barbera and National Periodical Publications and is based on the Justice League comic books. It first aired on A.B.C.in the year 1973, featuring now well-known D.C. superheroes such as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and Aquaman. Apart from these superheroes, the show also included a trio of sidekicks, all brand new and had no connection to the Justice League comic books. These characters were Wendy Harris, Marvin White, and Wonder Dog.
Each episode had a similar premise, where the heroes would respond to an emergency, detected by their computer located at the headquarters called Hall of Justice. Colonel Wilcox, who was a U.S. Army official, played the role of a recurring character in this series and had a close working relationship with the superheroes, which served as a link between them and the government.
This show was a little different from the usual superhero shows that were released at that time because it often portrayed natural disasters which were triggered by human, and sometimes alien activity. End of the day, it was a superhero show, so it did have the supervillains and enemies, but it was way ahead of its time nonetheless. Super Friends even had guest appearances from Flash, Green Arrow, and Plastic Man. The show was canceled in the year 1974 after sixteen one-hour-long episodes with multiple reruns.
Anyone who was a comic book fan in the 70s held a special place in their heart for Super Friends. Back in the day, cartoons weren’t allowed to depict much violence, so the audience didn’t witness the D.C. level action we see now. Despite that, Super Friends was goofy, cheesy, entertaining, and the perfect superhero cartoon. It also served as a learning tool for kids who watched this show, but it would be interesting to see a D.C. cartoon that is as censored in today’s day and age.
Galtar and the Golden Lance
This show aired for 21 episodes from the year 1985 to 1986 and is often thought to have been made in response to the popularity of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. Galtar seeks to end the destruction caused by Tormack, the tyrant who killed his parents and assassinated the family of Princess Goleeta and her brother Zorn. Tormack desires Galtar’s Golden Lance because he has stolen Princess Goleeta’s Sacred Shield, and whoever wields the two together shall be made invincible.
As Tormack continues to gain control over the land of Bandisar, Galtar, Goleeta, and Zorn band together, facing trials and tribulations along the way on their quest to stop Tormack and his allies. The animation and storyline appear to be influenced heavily by other popular media of the time, including Hanna-Barbera’s Herculoids and Scooby-Doo, as well as Star Wars and Conan the Barbarian. The series is very 1980s with its “sword and sorcery” concept and even stars Mary McDonald-Lewis, known for voicing Lady Jaye on the show GI Joe, as Princess Goleeta.
The show is a bit darker than other children’s cartoons of the time, with its villain essentially being a mass murderer and the lead characters seeking revenge for the deaths of their loved ones and people. Interestingly, Galtar and Goleeta seem to start as love interests, but this does not play a major part in the story and is even less important as the story continues. On the whole, though, the action and jokes are kid-friendly, and the pace is quick, making it an easy and enjoyable watch.
Captain Planet and the Planeteers/The New Adventures of Captain Planet
This is a sequel series to Captain Planet and the Planeteers, which was produced by Turner Program Services and D.I.C. Enterprises on T.B.S. from the year 1990 to 1992. The New Adventures of Captain Planet was produced by Hanna-Barbera Cartoons and distributed by Turner Program Services the year 1993 to 1996. This animated series served the purpose of educational entertainment over the years, focusing mainly on the environment and its factors, making it way ahead of its time.
Each episode is followed up with a clip where the show discusses how the viewers can contribute and help become a part of the solution instead of the problem, and this is very relevant even today. Gaia, voiced by Whoopi Goldberg from seasons 1 to 3, and Margot Kidder from seasons 4 to 6, plays the part of the spirit of planet Earth who sends five magic rings to five chosen youths all around the world.
Four of these rings control the elements of nature, and one is the element of the heart. These planeteers are tasked with helping defend the planet from environmental disasters and educate humankind to keep others from happening. They include Kwame from Africa, Wheeler from New York, Linka from the Soviet Union, and in the later seasons, from Eastern Europe, Gi from Asia, and Ma-Ti from Brazil.
After Hanna-Barbera took over the production, the plot stayed the same. However, it revealed more of the past of each of the characters and expanded on it along with the tone of these episodes, which was more mature than the initial seasons. More importantly, this entire series played a very important role in trying to make people more aware of the environmental risks. Some of the villains in the show were voiced by popular celebrities, increasing the viewership and hence making people more aware.
The All-New Popeye Hour
This American animated television series was produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions and King Features Entertainment, starring the loveable comic strip character Popeye. It aired from the year 1978 to 1983, every Saturday morning on C.B.S.Hanna-Barbera Productionstried its level best to retain the style of the original Thimble Theatre comic strip while still managing to comply with the content restrictions on violence. Apart from the popular main characters such as Popeye, Bluto, Olive Oyl, and Wimpy, we also sawSwee’Pea, Poopdeck Pappy, Eugene the Jeep, and Popeye’s quadruplet nephews.
In the beginning, this series had a total of three segments which included Popeye, Popeye’s Treasure Hunt, and Dinky Dog, and later in 1979, the show added The Popeye Sports Parade. The All-New Popeye Hour ran on C.B.S. until the year1981 and then shortened to a half-hour show and retitled The Popeye and Olive Comedy Show, and altogether this series had a total of 56 episodes.
Hanna-Barbera also produced The Popeye Valentine Special: Sweethearts at Sea and, Popeye and Son. The plot of this series and the others revolves around Popeye, who is a sailor man, eats a lot of spinach, and is incredibly strong. He is very different from the usual crime-fighting superheroes that we have seen so far. However, he does possess superhuman strength of some sort which comes from eating spinach.
After decades of being in comic strips, the fans were very excited about seeing Popeye on their television screens, and the show did not disappoint. Even though this character has been picked up by several television studios over the year, compromising the continuity of the animation, it still managed to retain its charm every single time. Even today, children are encouraged to eat more spinach because that’s what made Popeye so strong.