H.E.R.B.I.E. (Humanoid Experimental Robot, B-type, Integrated Electronics) is a fictional robot appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was initially conceived for The New Fantastic Four and integrated into the comics continuity shortly afterwards. The character is usually depicted as an ally of the Fantastic Four. Creation and conception When the Fantastic Four property was made into an animated series in 1978, the character of the Human Torch was unable to be used as, at the time, the character had been optioned separately for use in a solo movie (which never materialized). A popular urban myth contends that the Torch was replaced due to fears that children might attempt to emulate him by setting themselves on fire, but that is not true. Needing a fourth member to round out the team, Stan Lee pitched the idea for a cute robot sidekick and artist Dave Cockrum was commissioned to design it. However, Cockrum disliked the character so much he was eventually replaced by Jack Kirby, who first designed and illustrated the Fantastic Four a decade prior. This was Kirby's last work for Marvel. On the Fantastic Four cartoon, H.E.R.B.I.E. was voiced by Frank Welker. Shortly after the cartoon premiered, the little robot was introduced to the comics continuity by writer Marv Wolfman and artist John Byrne. As within the Marvel Universe, the Fantastic Four in the cartoon have marketed their likenesses for a successful in-universe comic series. H.E.R.B.I.E.'s physical appearance was likewise explained as being based on the animated series based on that comic, with the in-universe explanation for H.E.R.B.I.E. being on the team that the Torch was absent when the rest of the team signed the contracts granting permission for their likenesses to be used. Publication history H.E.R.B.I.E. first appeared in comics in Fantastic Four #209 (August 1979), and was adapted from the cartoon character by Marv Wolfman and John Byrne. The character subsequently appears in Fantastic Four #210-213 (September–December 1979), #215-217 (February–April 1980), #242 (May 1982), #244 (July 1982), Fantastic Four #3 (March 1998), Marvel Holiday Special (2004), Exiles #72 (January 2006), Fantastic Four #534 (March 2006), X-Men #181 (March 2006), Franklin Richards One Shot (April 2006), X-Men/Runaways #1 (May 2006), The Sensational Spider-Man #25 (June 2006), Fantastic Four: A Death in the Family (July 2006), Franklin Richards: Super Summer Spectacular (September 2006), Franklin Richards: Happy Franksgiving! (January 2007), Franklin Richards: Monster Mash (November 2007),