Herculoids Explored - True Progenitor of Sword & Sorcery Cartoons In The World, An Underrated Gem

[@thebrownbaldy]

This cartoon ROCKED, along with Space Ghost, no beating around the bush just straight to the action.

[@biguy617]

This cartoon deserved a movie

[@DANINSKYWOW]

Both were designed by the late, great Alex Toth - Genius!!!

[@eugeniosabater8449]

My list: 1) Rurouni Kenshin 2)Thundercats 2)Pirates of Dark water 3) Jonny Quest 4) Herculoids 5) Thundarr the barbarian 6) Birdman 7) Zodiac knights 8) G-Force (Gatchaman)

[@DavidSamuelBl10]

Absolutely,@@biguy617!☺️

[@lorenadavila5580]

Not to mention Space Ghost and The Galaxy Trio.

[@danelamoreaux4166]

I loved the Herculoids as a kid and still do as an adult.

[@YankeeMystique]

Fax 📠

[@DavidSamuelBl10]

Me, 2 personally, Danela Monreaux!

[@jeffreywilliams8499]

Same here

[@Novusod]

A tiny correction: the Herculoids predates that cable TV era. This was network TV that was broadcast through the air similar to radio and could be picked up by "Rabbit Ears" free of charge without having to pay for cable. The Herculoids was from the golden age of free TV.

[@GeraBrown]

Or an outdoor antenna, if you lived 30 or more miles from your local station, as my family did. I think in the intro she meant the cable reruns that happened in the '80s, '90s, and '00s, first on USA, then Cartoon Network and Boomerang. She did get the original year correct - 1967. 8 additional episodes were added to the original 17 for the 1968 season. For a total of 50 cartoons for the first incarnation. But it was a Saturday morning - not Sunday morning - cartoon.

[@nightshadeii9248]

Maybe you missed it, but she says @ 00:43 (paraphrasing) that ‘the Herculoids was a Sunday morning cartoon that aired on TV in the late 60’s, and was re-aired with additional scenes on cable in the 1980’s’

[@tolfan4438]

​@@GeraBrown it grew up on Philly so 3 networks , PBS to times and 3 UHF plus a couple other sometimes UHF .

[@johnharris3455]

You tell them, they just don't know. The 60's was the best. 4 sho.

[@MangoSlade.]

@@nightshadeii9248 I remember watching it on regular T.V in the 80's.

[@kennyhagan5781]

I remember watching them in the 60s. Hanna Barbera did a lot to keep animation alive and deserved more credit in their day.

[@osmarcamanhojunior3215]

Exatamente

[@thomasgrable1746]

I loved the Herculoids as a kid in the Sixties, and I still do today.

[@damianprock1650]

Glad to hear it

[@pedrotuono31]

I was born in 69, in Brazil. I watched it every day... this is my favorite drawing. It's hard to explain in words why this is...

[@michaelscottalloway8915]

I remember watching The Herculoids back when I was younger and I loved it

[@jeffreywilliams8499]

Me too 😊

[@soniarosado2848]

❤I loved this show all the cartoon s from the 1960 1980 19)90s. The best show s in 📺 Saturday s morning tv!! No 2024 still see them all on Long Island nyc !!

[@toddyoung569]

Born in 1966. Loved The Herculoids! It's a lost gem.

[@marioholmes3259]

I watched all of these as a child. I'm now 62 and still watch them if I can find them. / THX

[@annettemalaski1967]

This show still rocks! Gloop and Gleek were my favorites. The animation is just fine the way it is!

[@powerbad696]

Those 2 were my favorite too. All H & B's super-heroe shows had good intro music.

[@jeffreese1828]

Agreed ! When I was a boy in the early 70s , Igoo was my favorite ( also loved Kong and Mighty Joe Young...so was Ape-centric , I guess ) , but as I got older , Gloop and Gleep seemed the bomb ! I know they have the best creature voices of all time ! Over the years , I have heard each creature Herculoid picked as someone's fav...so they have all gotten some love !

[@isaiahbing2192]

Loved the music 🎶 with these cartoons ❤Herculoids & space ghost

[@wonkothesane8691]

No, the reason people love ''The Herculoids'' is because they kick ass! Literally! You invade their homeworld, and they'll kick your ass!

[@mrf19741]

FACTS!

[@chake46]

I often wondered just how much The Herculoids would have just blown up on Saturday mornings if they had the time 23 to 25 minutes like Jonny Quest per episode.

[@sachinmistry1]

They'll kick your ass using a slingshot and badass pets.

[@drakeil]

I have to agree. And they did not ask or give any quarter. Even when the villain was defeated and trying to get away they still pursued and destroyed him.

[@ThunderZandor]

Very well said. You defined who the Herculoids are. You invade their home turf and they will obliterate you. Hi tech aliens versus low tech or no tech family of the jungle.

[@rickrangel9809]

I remember this show with great joy. Used to play Herculoids in my back yard in the late 60s

[@kibayasha7301]

I loved this and thundarr the barbarian so much as a kid

[@michaelmetler6315]

Yep they were awesome. And I also watched Valley of the Dinosaurs as a kid. Good times 🖖🖖

[@stevenorton8722]

@@michaelmetler6315 Mike Road was on Valley Of The Dinosaurs too along with Shannon Farnon (Wonder Woman on the Superfriends)

[@ramblingRJ]

Zandor, Tara and Dorno were originally conceived as an outer space version of Tarzan, Jane and Boy.

[@DavidSamuelBl10]

Obviously yes, *Rambling RJ.*

[@Superlad9494]

Boy's real name is Korak as in the novels...he just took a codename in the serials. Tarzan, Jane and Korak in space is the Herculoids.

[@tonylester3868]

This was shown on Saturday mornings, not Sunday mornings. This was my favorite as a youngster growing up. I have the complete series on DVD. Cartoons like these are a lot better than the bs, they show today, because these cartoons are drawn by hand.

[@tribequest9]

Someone hasn’t watched Castlevania on Netflix

[@tonylester3868]

@@tribequest9 Netflix ? There was no Netflix, in the 60s and 70s

[@tribequest9]

@@tonylester3868 you made a statement about there are no good cartoons like that today and I was offering you a suggestion.

[@tonylester3868]

@@tribequest9 You have to pay money to watch those cartoons. I grew up on free tv.

[@Donathon-xt2nl]

Absolutely

[@modelermark172]

I'm 62, and I remember seeing "The Herculoids" on TV when it was new, and it became an instant favorite. When I saw "Avatar" in 2009, the basic themes of "The Herculoids" immediately came to mind, with the new twist that it was Earth doing the invading. That said, I would like to see a reboot of "The Herculoids;" either animated or even live action. But I would also be worried that it would not be done 'right.'

[@The_RealDC]

Live action is almost NEVER done right

[@stevengalloway8052]

@@The_RealDC - Ironic name for you, "DC", seeing as with some rare cases, DC Comics have been recently terrible in live-action movies, unlike Marvel. 😏 I think you're right, though. It has to be done RIGHT...

[@The_RealDC]

@@stevengalloway8052 lol yea luckily my name has nothing to do with the comics...I like marvel better...but I like Image comic's

[@petermcguinness5281]

One of my favorite shows ever... And I'm 63..

[@joshportie]

@@The_RealDC its agenda for indoctrination > money > story. Always

[@SirSmoldham]

Loved this show growing up in the '60's. Every episode was about them defending their turf. What a concept. I wish I had pets like that.

[@chake46]

It was always hilarious when the villains would say, Zandor and his Herculoids will not stop us this time!!! Normally.very shortly before a horrible defeat!!!! 😄😃😃😃😃

[@EFL_Orlando_USA_School_k-12]

I love the Herculoids!❤ I'm 52. Fave 40+ years ago! Saturday morning cartoons on the sofa under the blankets eating Cheerios. 😁

[@scotttrammell3913]

The Herculoids is an excellent example of Robert E. Howard's "Barbarism triumphing over Civilization"

[@Cletus_the_Elder]

One of my favorite Saturday morning cartoons. The quality and consistency of the animation of this show stood above the others, even to a young kid's eyes. Thank you for a very thorough treatment.

[@davidabbott7270]

I'm 52 years old and I remember watching these reruns and the new adventures and the '80s and the late '70s they were fun watch on Saturday morning

[@jeffreywilliams8499]

👍😎

[@wardragonprime]

This was one of my favorites!!!😀😀😀

[@stephennave2599]

I remember watching the Hercules when they were on TV back in 1966 when I was 8 years old.Still remember my nephew who is now 35.He used to Watch them when they were on t v I had the babysitting money was home From school. I found them on TV 1 day when he was home. And I said here son. Here's something. I remember watching when I was your age. And this was back in the 1980s. When he was a young child I still remember them. I had the blu-ray disk of them in a couple of others. Always good to see some programs, from when I was a kid.

[@STB-jh7od]

Growing up in 70s/80s, I watched original series on Saturday mornings along with Spaceghost, and Frankenstein, JR. Then I remember the Space Stars series bringing out new episodes. I bought the entire original series and Space Stars on DVD.

[@gregwunderlich4253]

I absolutely loved this show! Thank you so much!❤

[@adamcahn82]

When you watch this cartoon(either version) it’s amazing to think all the villains came to their planet and always got their asses kicked. You think word would get around and the bad guys would be like “Um, maybe we’ll go somewhere else. Anybody know where Space Ghost lives?”

[@Karlos1234ify]

Pulled up to their planet & got handed L’s

[@chake46]

@@Karlos1234ify And for most the final big "L"! You come to Amzot and try The Herculoids......too many tried and too many failed!🤣😁🤣😁

[@spiegel3269]

I liked that every episode the different Herculoid creatures got their turn to shine to save the day. It all depended on the powers of who they were fighting.

[@DerekWoods-kw5lq]

That 60's show is the BOMB, Gloop and Gleep and Zok rocked the boat. At 62 I still enjoy watching the shows. Hannah Barbarra you are the HERCULOIDS! Bring them all back in motion pictures including MIGHTOR

[@terrancechilds3049]

I love this cartoon when I was a kid.

[@jeffreywilliams8499]

Me too

[@BladeStar-uq6xe]

I'm 65 and I loved the Herculoids, Mightor, Space Ghost and all the rest. I was always curious about what they ate though. They lived on a rocky, barren planet that had no vegetation at all!

[@bgvan37]

I'm 61 and loved the herculoids. Also loved many hanna barbera cartoons.

[@elizabethjordan5755]

Same here! Loved all the Hannah-Barbera classic cartoons during the sixties. Even to this day I would love to visit their studios. That would be my bucket list!

[@Rustyblackleford]

One of my ALL TIME favorite cartoons. I have done some fan art based on the monsters and I need to do an updated version of it.

[@NathanThePrezPretlow]

The 60s and 70s was the best times for Saturday morning cartoons.

[@thomastarwater2989]

I enjoyed THE HERCULOIDS as a kid when the cartoons aired on Saturday mornings. Still do.

[@theunknownone5663]

love the fact that he fights aliens with a slingshot and they all have lasers.

[@garyjackson9641]

I was 9 years old when this cartoon hit the airwaves back in 1967.

[@TheEmperorjun]

❤❤❤😂😂😂 at 50s I could still vividly recounts the days were I watch the herculoids side by side with space ghost...nostalgic...

[@VengeDracul]

This show was on normal TV that came on every Saturday. Another reason I loved the 80s. Cartoons on Saturday was Perfection for kids growing up back then. I loved this show as a kid.

[@goblinb]

I used to love this show as a kid! And I really feel like shows like Thundarr the Barbarian, John Blackstar and The Masters of the Universe were influenced by this show.

[@Th3Xp3rt]

I think you listed them in order, too!

[@PrinceDomG]

This was a classic coming from a 92 kid

[@terryandrewdavis]

In 2008 my employer was on a call with one of those obnoxious direct line phones that worked like a walkie talkie, with his bestie. A radio show offered tickets to Disney if you could name the show with Gloop and Gleep. His bestie called in after I was like 'oh the Herculoids'. Bestie won. I didn't get to go to Disney.

[@bayshoresroofcleaning3008]

I loved watching this show when I was a kid. ❤

[@jeffreywilliams8499]

Same here

[@Shadowcub69]

I remember all of these cartoons. Saturday used to be the day and u only saw kids around noon when they went off.😎

[@Moultdog]

Definitely one of your better videos. I remember watching this as a kid along with Space Ghost, then later Super Friends and even later Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends. All of these combined to start a lifelong interest in comic books and heroic themes.

[@joeciavarini9508]

What a great video! Thanks for bringing those nostalgic feelings back for the 'inane fun' of the planet Anzot/Quasar saving Herculoids. Being an over 55 nerd from waaay back, I watched them in all their incarnations. The monster turned hero trope and scifi vs nature is so prevalent in this show, and something that always got me watching. What always got me more though was 20% dialogue, and 80% screams, grunts, shrieks and explosions. I love it so much. Chefs kiss to this video, thanks again for this :)

[@stevevanzandt6784]

The herculoids were great 👍

[@garrettchristensen8074]

The Herculoids, Thunder the barbarian & of course Johnny Quest were my favorite cartoons growing up. Great concept w/ awesome action on all three shows.

[@hankmessaros6700]

I love this show and have some toys in my toy collection, born in 68 so the Saturday morning cartoons were very important to me. The 70s had so great live action like BIGFOOT AND WILDBOY

[@lesterreams6943]

The Herculoids are awesome. From the music to the villains, technology, and family connections. Possibly one of the reasons for Star Wars' success may have come from the Herculoids' integration of robots, aliens, space travel. and heroism. Who Knows' Somewhere out in space may live the.... Just like a Galaxy Far Far Away.

[@datsun210]

It should be noted that Gloop & Gleep owe inspiration to the fictional cartoon character Shmoo created by Al Capp. Shmoo first appeared in the Lil Abner comic strip and was incredibly popular with children in the 1950s.

[@moeomoton520]

I used to watch The Shmoo Show! Loved it!

[@ondrejuz]

I love the Herculoids, I wish they would remaster it with up to date graphics!

[@OneNeverEnds]

I loved this cartoon growing up. Herculoids was a staple to the Saturday morning line-up! Just pure adventure fun...primitive beings teaming up and battling hostile take-overs. What keeps me from subscribing - and I don't want to be a downer, but it would be great to have someone that actually grew up with these cartoons narrating... a lot (maybe most) of this script is obviously read from Wikipedia and sounds like a younger niece read this. Even references to other things like pronouncing Shire vs Shi'ar....subtle; the generations that appreciate narrative and originality are the ones listening more to this. Just a thought.

[@grapeshot]

I used to watch this as a kid in syndication on the USA Network.

[@edwinwright6359]

This show was right up my alley when I was a kid. I loved sci/fi and comic books, and this show fit right in. Sometimes, the simplicity of these old cartoons is what makes them so valuable to us. This video took me back. Thanks for that.

[@BobSebring]

Back in the sixties, The Herculoids was one of my favorite cartoons. This was when we had a tv antenna on top of the roof, tv was free back than.

[@gunney6-940]

I loved watching the reruns as a child. I especially liked the way they had each other's backs when facing a challenge. WHAT TEAMWORK!!!!!

[@earhornjones]

I watched Herculoids in rerun in the early-to-mid 80's, and it was always a segment in part of a block of Hanna-Barbera cartoons, and it was always beyond weird. It felt like reading a single issue of a comic book, without having read the previous issues. Who were these people/things? Why were they in space? How did they come to live together? Why were they constantly under attack? WTF is a space rhinoceros, and why does it have so many legs? None of these things were ever addressed, and I always felt like if I could just watch the entire series some of it would make sense. The occasional insertion of an episode of Space Ghost made me think that there must be a bigger story arc, or at least some origin stories, but nope. It was just action for the sake of action. I loved the visuals then and now, looking like a Jack Kirby drawing come to life, and I enjoyed every episode that I saw, but it always felt just a little bit like a fever dream.

[@09Ateam]

Agree 100%, several years ago they had a marathon on cartoon network and I thought ahhh now I can figure it out. Several hours later I finally realized there were no answers.

[@MezTZO]

"It felt like reading a single issue of a comic book, without having read the previous issues." Oh, hell yes. The majority of their enemies seemed to be enemies that they had encountered before, but off-screen.

[@joshrubio5285]

@@MezTZO Been forever since I've seen a episode but soon as you said encountered how many of the villains had been encountered before off screen, instantly remembered that fact, thx.

[@jeffreese1828]

No , not everything is ever explained....but that is part of the mystique , imo , one of things that makes it cool ! Just some far out critters kicking ass when messed with !

[@jamesbarnes3832]

lol Yeah, but you have to remember from Buckaroo Banzai. Two of the characters are running through a lab and a watermelon is stuck in a gauss generator. One of the characters says "What's that doing there?" The other character says "Don't worry about it. I'll explain it later." In other words, "we don't have time to explain everything, just hang on for the roller coaster ride."

[@TighelanderII]

Alex Toth was a great artist and great designer. Great artists can be forgotten (how often is Mac Raboy is mentioned?), but great designers will always be remembered because their creations will always be around.

[@martinandrewnewby1525]

Best cartoon EVER.

[@lancehayes9071]

The Herculoids and Thundar the barbarian, the 70's were awesome.

[@thomasberry2198]

The music and special effects sounds in all Hanna- Barbara cartoons are so cool and creative and awesome and so memorable and add so much to excitement.

[@terrydelorme]

Thank you.

[@jeffreywilliams8499]

My Childhood from the 90's and 2000's

[@subnats]

I loved this show! I watched it when it aired on CBS. It was part of the "Saturday Morning CBS Cartonniverse." I have all episodes on DVD and now watch them with my grandson to show him what I watched at his age (6).

[@deanwirth3627]

I love the backgrounds, character design and simplicity of the series. Never watched it as a kid but I love the art. Alex Toth was a brilliant cartoonist, and whoever painted the backgrounds was very talented.

[@brianmark2727]

Thanks for creating and sharing this. I was one of those kids who watched it back when there series originally aired. This is awesome!

[@vincentfranklin17]

The Herculoids is one of my favorite Hanna-Barbera superhero shows! I loved seeing them in Future Quest, as well!

[@Killvoid13]

Herculoids was the shizzle for Rizzle my nizzle

[@mrf19741]

As a kid growing up in the 80s, I first saw the Herculoids on TV as part of 60 Laser-Blasting minutes of Space Stars, along with Space Ghost, The Teen Force, and Astro & The Space Mutts. When my Mother & Stepfather told me that they used to watch the Herculoids & Space Ghost when they were younger, it blew my Little mind away! As such, we all watched Space Stars every Saturday morning. Good Times!

[@stevencipriano3962]

I loved this show....

[@Efyhxsl59m]

Gloop and Gleep were my favorites , watched as a child in the 80"s but had forgotten all about this show till I saw this video. Great trip down memory lane.

[@db5627]

Hell yes. Thank you for this video. Loved this cartoon back when cartoon network would play reruns in the early 90s.

[@megatron8461]

Alex Toth was a creative genius behind every character that went far beyond the drawing board and the comics page. He always had an ace up his sleeve to really make it all stick. 😎

[@worldtraveler930]

I always enjoyed this TV show in my younger days I think I could probably enjoy it now in my later ones as well!!! 🤠👍

[@opinionpaladin6007]

Thank you so much for talking about this show. I watched this on Boomerang. This show really inspired my love for swords and sorcery stories

[@YankeeMystique]

I’ll always have a special place in my heart for The Herculoids. They were before He-Man, G.I.JOE, Thundercats, and Transformers. Tundro is still my favorite Herculoid. I did pick up the series on Blu-Ray not too long ago.

[@FriendlyNeighborhoodGeek99]

I love the Herculoids!! I have there action figures! This and Scooby doo are my favorite hannah barbarra cartoons❤

[@PlainsPup]

I was just crazy about this show!! It had a huge influence on me.

[@angelitamoreiralopes6576]

I love the herculoids! I love the family, and the animals! Fantastic!

[@Torikame1]

This was my dads favorite cartoon.

[@michaelalexander43]

All brave, all strong 💪, all heroes... Something that this former 10 yr. old back in 1967 hope to be...someday. Johnny Quest may have been the pinnacle of Hanna-Barbera's leading edge animation and sophistcated storytelling. But The Herculoids took Space Ghost's simple good vs. evil style and added their own sheer originality of character strangeness for overcoming adversity...for must see Saturday morning TV.

[@bigdeal6852]

One of the best Cartoons ever ! 👍👍

[@sytrosianoverlord3150]

Imagine if it was made into a live action series

[@Bezaliel13]

... why?

[@Novusod]

It should just be rebooted into regular Cartoon series.

[@Bezaliel13]

@@Novusod Absolutely.

[@themexis]

@@Bezaliel13 i think i need a Castlevania styled less episodic reboot.

[@damianprock1650]

Interesting idea

[@TerenceWest-y5p]

LOVED THE HE😊RCULOIDS

[@l-wolverine2211]

When Cartoon Network debuted in the 90’s, it was all about Super Adventures, from Space Ghost to Birdman, and especially the Herculoids. A shame that CN isn’t as good as it was back then.

[@damianprock1650]

Maybe it can be again with what I'm working on

[@elizabethshannon5404]

I loved The Herculoids, Frankenstein Jr. and the Impossibles, Space Ghost, Birdman and the Mighty Mightor. Saturday mornings in the sixties were a very special time for me and which I fondly remember to this day.

[@jaysunbodaysun3302]

Wow, I completely forgot about this!! Thank you.

[@russelltownsend1487]

Thanks you for taking me back to my child hood

[@terryscott2007]

One of my favorite cartoons growing up in the 60's

[@magictricks6235]

Nice

[@geardog24]

Herculoids What if the Super Friends were formed in the Stone Age

[@googleblockedme5543]

Space stone age

[@ericjefferson6249]

Excellent video about one of my favorite childhood cartoons. You have a new follower!

[@boostergold9160]

Herculoids and Galaxy Trio are my favorite. I have all the original episodes of the Herculoids. I think they should do a live action movie for some of these Hanna Barbara classics.

[@paulsnickles2420]

I like the video 😊

[@jvharbin8337]

Not gonna lie. when I was a kid and cartoon network first came to my region. I loved the Herculoids. I thought they were 😎🆒😎

[@PreApocalypseJitters]

I discovered the Herculoids....and other superhero/adventure cartoons of that era, e.g. Space Ghost, Galaxy Trio, Birdman and Mightor....via a show called "Hanna Barbera's World of Super Adventure", which was a syndicated showcase for these adventurers. The show aired on Channel 5 in NYC weekdays at 1pm, and my memory goes back to 1980 when I first caught the program. Changed my life.

[@TheStorm1380]

Awesome. I remember them when I was a kid love it

[@markloveless1001]

Timeframe: I'm 65. I worked with my dad on summer vacations as a kid. We fixed TV's (and etc.). Had to work Saturday mornings. Now, color TVs needed a lot of adjustment back in the day, each color gun had to be precisely aligned, and it just so happened at 10:30 on Saturday mornings, a TV would need a 30 minute adjustment, never failed. By sheer coincidence, that was when the Herculoids was on. Please, Alex Toth's masterpiece, the greatest H-B cartoon ever made. What are the Herculoids? Only the greatest, most OP off-the-charts Hanna-Barbera cartoon ever. This was during the mid-70s reruns, but I've been from Ruff and Reddy to Jabber Jaw, and there is no other. The best, period, full stop.