Fantastic Four: Annihilus vs Blastaar

The Superhero Show #636Fantastic Four: Annihilus vs BlastaarThe Superhero Show — Annihilus vs BlastaarThis week, The Superhero Show dives into Episode 1.12 of the 1994 Fantastic Four animated series, “Behold the Negative Zone.” The hosts are introduced to two major Fantastic Four villains, Annihilus and Blastaar, as Reed Richards accidentally opens a portal into the Negative Zone and unleashes two powerful enemies onto Earth.The episode gives the hosts plenty to discuss, from the strange designs and over-the-top personalities of these two cosmic villains to the surprisingly ridiculous side stories involving The Thing. As they break down Annihilus vs Blastaar, the hosts question whether these two legendary comic book villains actually work as threats in this animated adaptation—or whether their goofy presentation makes them much more entertaining than intimidating.Annihilus vs Blastaar: Welcome to the Negative ZoneThe episode begins when Reed's experiment accidentally opens a portal into the Negative Zone, allowing Annihilus to enter the Fantastic Four's world. Before long, his longtime enemy Blastaar follows him through the dimensional opening, turning what was already a dangerous situation into an even bigger problem.The hosts discuss the basic premise of the Negative Zone and how the series introduces this strange alternate dimension. They also talk about how quickly the episode escalates from Reed conducting a scientific experiment to two alien warlords deciding that Earth is the perfect place to continue their conflict.Annihilus vs Blastaar: Are These Villains Supposed to Be This Silly?A major part of the discussion focuses on Annihilus and Blastaar as characters.The hosts examine how the animated series adapts both villains, comparing their appearances, personalities, and behavior to what they expected from their comic book counterparts. While both are supposed to be formidable rulers and warriors from the Negative Zone, the hosts find their designs and performances surprisingly goofy.Annihilus, in particular, spends much of the episode communicating through strange grunts and unintelligible sounds, while Blastaar gets to be the more talkative and theatrical of the two.Rather than simply asking whether they're accurate adaptations, the hosts have fun debating whether the ridiculous presentation actually makes them more entertaining.Annihilus vs Blastaar: Two Warlords, One EarthThe central conflict quickly becomes less about defeating the Fantastic Four and more about Annihilus vs Blastaar.Neither villain is particularly interested in sharing the planet, and their rivalry eventually leads to a formal challenge to determine who will rule. The Fantastic Four find themselves caught between two enemies who are perfectly capable of destroying Earth while they're busy fighting each other.The hosts discuss how strange it is that the Fantastic Four's biggest advantage throughout much of the episode is simply letting these two villains' egos work against them.Annihilus vs Blastaar: The Thing Becomes a SalesmanThe episode also gives the hosts one of their favorite examples of the show's bizarre humor: The Thing selling VHS tapes of his greatest fights.Ben has apparently turned his superhero exploits into a home-video business, appearing on a shopping network to sell a collector's-edition tape called It's Clobberin' Time.The hosts discuss just how ridiculous this subplot is and why it fits perfectly with the wonderfully strange tone of this version of the Fantastic Four. While Reed is studying black holes and alternate dimensions, Ben is busy trying to make some extra money by selling recordings of himself beating up supervillains.It's exactly the kind of bizarre side plot that makes this series so much fun to revisit.Annihilus vs Blastaar: Ben's Surprise for AliciaAnd then there's Ben's other big plan: buying Alicia Masters a baby elephant.The hosts discuss the hilarious reveal that Ben's reason for appearing on the shopping network is connected to trying to earn some money for a surprise for Alicia. By the end of the episode, that surprise turns out to be an elephant that Alicia can apparently ride to the supermarket.The hosts have plenty of fun with this moment, questioning Ben's decision-making while also appreciating how strangely wholesome it is. In an episode filled with alien warlords and dimensional portals, the emotional resolution is essentially, “Ben bought Alicia an elephant.”Annihilus vs Blastaar: How Do the Fantastic Four Stop Them?With the Negative Zone portal closed, Reed has to find a way to send Annihilus and Blastaar back to their own dimension.The hosts discuss how the Fantastic Four ultimately use the same bizarre combination of scientific experimentation and energy sources that originally opened the dimensional rift. Even Ben's seemingly unrelated VHS-shopping-network appearance becomes part of Reed's solution because of the unusual energy interaction created by the broadcast.It's another example of the show taking a completely ridiculous setup and somehow finding a scientific explanation that makes it work.Final Thoughts — Annihilus vs BlastaarBy the end of Annihilus vs Blastaar, The Superhero Show has plenty to say about an episode that is arguably more memorable for its weirdness than its villains. “Behold the Negative Zone” introduces two important Fantastic Four antagonists, but the animated series gives them such exaggerated designs and personalities that the hosts spend just as much time laughing at them as analyzing them.Between the Annihilus vs Blastaar showdown, Reed's accidental trip into the Negative Zone, The Thing selling his greatest fights on VHS, and Ben buying Alicia a baby elephant, this episode proves that the 1994 Fantastic Four series is never afraid to embrace the absurd.Are You a Research Nerd Who's Looking For More?Here are some links for all your research wants and needs!1994 Fantastic Four Animated SeriesRyan North's Fantastic FourJoin the discussions online! 1994 Fantastic Four Animated Series, Ryan North's Fantastic FourCatch Up On Past Episodes!Missed any of our past episodes? 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