EntertainmentMoviesSuperhero MoviesFantastic FourHow to start reading Fantastic Four comicsWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
EntertainmentMoviesSuperhero MoviesFantastic FourHow to start reading Fantastic Four comicsWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Marvel Comics)
TheMCU Fantastic Four rebootis underway, with astellar castand anapparent ’60s throwback settingthat draws on the team’s classic comic roots. But as the very first Marvel heroes, who launched the entire Marvel Universe, there are more than 60 years of stories to catch up on.
That may make starting to read Fantastic Four comics seem like a daunting task, especially figuring out which stories truly explain the most important and exciting elements of who the characters are and the adventures they embark upon.
Fortunately, we’ve narrowed it down to just five of the most classic comic stories to read to get into the Fantastic Four before their MCU debut, so dig in and join Mister Fantastic, the Invisible Woman, the Human Torch, and the Thing on their cosmic explorations of the Marvel universe.
The one that started it all
(Image credit: Marvel Comics)
Fantastic Four #1 (1963)
1963’s Fantastic Four #1 is the comic that set the stage for the entire Marvel Universe, starting with the tale of how Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm got their powers.
Without this simple tale of four adventurers encountering the unknown, the Marvel Universe, and yes, the MCU, wouldn’t exist at all.
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The retro sci-fi epic
(Image credit: Marvel Comics)
The Galactus Trilogy (Fantastic Four #48-50; 1966)
If there’s one comic that best exemplifies what the classic FF is all about, it’s the three-part Galactus Trilogy, originally told in 1966’s Fantastic Four #48-50, a landmark story that still instills a sense of charming cosmic wonder to this day.
In this legendary tale, the world-eating Galactus comes to Earth with the intent of destroying the planet, giving the Fantastic Four one of their first major encounters with forces far beyond the knowledge of even Reed Richards.
The philosophical fable
(Image credit: Marvel Comics)
The Trial of Reed Richards (Fantastic Four #262; 1983)
It’s a perfect example of the kind of tale that only the Fantastic Four can tell - a philosophically challenging story that pushes the boundaries of what superhero comics can really be about, with as much focus on the impact of their adventures as the action itself.
The definitive Doom story
(Image credit: Marvel Comics)
Unthinkable (Fantastic Four #67-70, #500; 2003)
Writer Mark Waid and artist Mike Wieringo brought the Fantastic Four back to prominence in the ’00s with a beloved run that focuses first on the FF as a family with all-too human foibles to go with their powers.
Along with the Richards family, Waid and Wieringo also redefined Doctor Doom in the tragic story Unthinkable, which demonstrates exactly why Doom is one of Marvel’s top villains.
In this story, Doom goes all-in on his penchant for dark magic, displaying just how vicious and manipulative he can be while also digging into his origins, long before he put on his famous iron mask.
The tragedy that unites them
(Image credit: Marvel Comics)
Three (Fantastic Four #583-588, 2011)
Writer Jonathan Hickman’s long tenure on Fantastic Four culminated in the event story Secret Wars, but before that he and artist Steve Epting told the FF’s most heartbreaking tale in Three, the story of the death of Johnny Storm.
The story also serves as a sequel to the definitive Ben Grimm/Thing story, 1966’s This Man, This Monster, with a gut-wrenching twist that centers on Ben’s quest to reconnect with the human being who lies underneath his rocky exterior.
This one has it all: heart, action, super-science, and above all, tragedy - a story that shows every aspect of what the Fantastic Four are all about.
When you’re ready to dig deeper, check out thebest Fantastic Four storiesof all time.
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1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1
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2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
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4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
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5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
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2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
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3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
3
Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
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3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
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5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
5
Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”