With Reed and Susan Storm Richards as his parents, Franklin Benjamin Richards was destined to be anything but ordinary. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, Franklin made his first appearance in Fantastic Four Annual #6 (1968), and readers have watched him grow up in the pages of Marvel Comics ever since.
Franklin Richards is a reality-warper and one of the most powerful beings in the universe. An Omega-level mutant, he manifested his powers at a very young age, far earlier than most mutants, at a time when he had little control over them. But his powers were only part of the challenge.
As the son of two founding members of the Fantastic Four, the nephew of Johnny Storm (the Human Torch), the godson of Ben Grimm (the Thing), and the older brother of Valeria Richards, Franklin has lived some extraordinary adventures and been part of some cosmic events. Over the years, Franklin has been kidnapped by Doctor Doom, traveled across space and alternate realities, put his life on the line, and even taken on the heroic mantle of Powerhouse.
Discover Franklin Richards’ most important stories with our Recommended Reading Order and explore his place in Marvel’s history.
Franklin Richards Reading Order, Your Essential Guide
Franklin Richards is a member of the Fantastic Four Family. The guide focuses on his essential stories and/or issues that offer information on his powers or personality. As such, this is a non-exhaustive list, as Franklin became a recurring character in the Fantastic Four comic series at his birth! If we missed an important or fun issue worth reading featuring Franklin Richards, let us know in the comments!
Naturally, many of these issues have been reprinted across various collections. When possible, we’ve listed the most recent edition available, prioritizing the Epic Collection line if the issue appears in one of those volumes. You can find a list of all the Fantastic Four Omnibus and other collections here.
Franklin Richards, the First Appearances
Franklin Richards, the Early Years – Franklin Richards was born into the pages of Fantastic Four! Sue Storm gave birth in Fantastic Four Annual #6. From then on, toddler Franklin was naturally present. The powerful witch Agatha Harkness is hired as his governess in Fantastic Four #94. The following issues mostly offers a look at Franklin’s emerging powers.
- Fantastic Four Annual #6, the Complicated Birth of Franklin Richards (and naturally his first appearance!). Collected in Fantastic Four Epic Collection: The Name Is Doom.
- Fantastic Four #130, there have been hints of Franklin’s powers as soon as FF #107. He used them in this issue (the first time in publication order). Collected in Fantastic Four Epic Collection: Annihilus Revealed.
- Fantastic Four #140-141, collected in Fantastic Four Epic Collection: Annihilus Revealed.
- Avengers #127/Fantastic Four #150 — the wedding of Crystal and Quicksilver, collected in Fantastic Four Epic Collection: The Crusader Syndrome.
- Fantastic Four #244-245, collected in Fantastic Four vs. Galactus
- Fantastic Four Vol 1 276-277, collected in Marvel Masterworks: The Fantastic Four Vol. 25
Want to read about young Franklin with a modern twist? We invite you to check out Spider-Man / Fantastic Four #2 (2010), from Christos N. Gage and Mario Alberti. This story is set not long after Spider-Man turned over his alien symbiote to Reed Richards to study (Amazing Spider-Man #258), after the events of Fantastic Four #274. Reprinted in Venomnibus Vol. 3.
Optional. You can take a little detour to read the adventures of Franklin Richards with Power Pack. After a dream predicting his future with the young group known as Power Pack, Franklin joined them around issue #17.
- Fantastic Four #282
Collected in Marvel Masterworks: The Fantastic Four Vol. 26 (no Epic Collection yet) - Power Pack Classic Omnibus Vol. 1
Collects Power Pack (1984) #1-36, Uncanny X-Men (1981) #195 and #205, Thor (1966) #363, X-Factor Annual #2, Marvel Graphic Novel: Cloak And Dagger/Power Pack – Shelter From The Storm And Material From Strange Tales (1987) #13-14.
Future Franklin Richards
Franklin Richards and The X-Men – Franklin Richards makes a cameo in the classic X-Men storyline, Days of Future Past. An adult version of the character is at the center of the sequel, Days of Future Present.
- The X-Men #141–142
The Days of Future Past Storyline has been collected in many editions, including X-Men Epic Collection: The Fate of the Phoenix - X-Men: Days Of Future Present
The story consists of Fantastic Four Annual #23, X-Factor Annual #5, New Mutants Annual #6, Uncanny X-Men Annual #14, all collected in Fantastic Four Epic Collection: Into the Time Stream.
Franklin Richards and the Fantastic Force (Optional) – Arguing that the presence of Franklin in the timeline was destructive, Reed’s father Nathaniel kidnapped the child into the future. A few moments later, A teenage version of Franklin then arrived in the FF’s headquarters, taking the place of young Franklin for a time. Calling himself Psi-Lord, he founded the Fantastic Force during that period. He was removed from the timeline in FF #414, and the original Franklin returned to the great delight of his mother. Psi-Lord is considered a different version of the character, making his adventures optional.
- Fantastic Four #376, collected in Fantastic Four Epic Collection: This Flame, This Fury
- Fantastic Four #384-399, collected in Fantastic Four Epic Collection: Nobody Gets Out Alive
- Fantastic Force #1–17, uncollected.
- Fantastic Four #414, collected in Fantastic Four Epic Collection: Strange Days
Franklin Richards and the Pocket Universe
Doctor Doom is not the only Marvel villain to have kidnapped Franklin! The evil psionic entity known as Onslaught has also captured Reed and Sue’s child, in order to manipulate his power to reshape reality. At the end of the Onslaught event, the Fantastic Four were among the heroes considered dead. The reality was more complex, thanks to Franklin Richards who can create worlds with his psionic powers! He created the pocket universe called Counter-Earth, and the FF, with the other heroes, finally made it home after the failure of Heroes Reborn!
- X-Men Milestones: Onslaught
Collects Uncanny X-Men #333-337, X-Men (vol. 2) #53-57, Onslaught: X-Men, Onslaught: Marvel Universe, Onslaught: Epilogue, Avengers #401, Fantastic Four #415, Wolverine #104, Cable 35. - Daydreamers #1–3
Collected in Generation X Epic Collection: The Secret of M - Heroes Reborn: The Return
Collects Heroes Reborn: The Return #1-4; Heroes Reborn: Doomsday, Ashema, Masters Of Evil, Rebel, Remnants, Young Allies And Doom.
Franklin Richards in the 2000s
The Fantastic Four (and other heroes) just returned to Earth-616, and they are soon joined by a new member of the family: Valeria Meghan Richards, originally von Doom. Introduced in Fantastic Four #15, Valeria’s origins are complicated in a way only comic books are, and Franklin played a role in it! The First Family finds herself fighting against the cosmic entity Abraxas, a conflict that will have consequences for Franklin (see Fantastic Four #49). Following this event, the older child of Reed and Sue lived one of his most traumatic experience during Mark Waid and Mike Wieringo’s run as he is sucked into Hell.
- Fantastic Four (Vol. 3) #1, collected in Fantastic Four: Heroes Return – The Complete Collection Vol. 1.
- Fantastic Four (Vol. 3) #24, collected in Fantastic Four: Heroes Return – The Complete Collection Vol. 2. Franklin is transported elsewhere to keep him safe during the return of Doctor Doom.
- Fantastic Four Annual #2001/Fantastic Four (Vol. 3) #46–50, collected in Fantastic Four Heroes Return – The Complete Collection Vol. 4.
- Fantastic Four (Vol. 3) #62, collected in Fantastic Four by Waid & Wieringo: Imaginauts.
- Fantastic Four (Vol. 3) #67–70, collected in Fantastic Four by Waid & Wieringo: Unthinkable.
- Fantastic Four #500, collected in Fantastic Four by Waid & Wieringo: Unthinkable.
Interlude: Franklin Richards: Son of a Genius
After the #500 issue milestone, it’s a good time to take a break and discover the out-of-continuity adventures of Franklin Richards: Son of Genius. Coming from Chris Eliopoulis and Marc Sumerak, this series of one-shots features the precocious son of Fantastic Four’s Mr. Fantastic and Invisible Woman as he can’t help but play with his father’s inventions with disastrous results. The strips are patterned after Calvin and Hobbes, with Franklin as Calvin and his robot pal H.E.R.B.I.E. as Hobbes.
- Franklin Richards: Son of a Genius Ultimate Collection Book 1
Collects Son of A Genius, Everybody Loves Franklin, Super Summer Spectacular, Happy Franksgiving, March Madness, World Be Warned, Monster Mash, Fall Football Fiasco! - Franklin Richards: Son of a Genius Ultimate Collection Book 2
Collects Spring Break, Not-So-Secret Invasion, Summer Smackdown, Sons Of Geniuses, It’s Dark Reigning Cats & Dogs, April Fools!, School’s Out
Marvel Comics brought readers back to the pocket universe created by Franklin Richards, who found himself on Counter-Earth, facing the return of Onslaught, now determined to kill him. This was quickly followed by Brian Michael Bendis’ Secret Invasion, which led the Marvel Universe into a Dark Reign.
- Onslaught Reborn, Collected in Heroes Reborn: The Return Omnibus
- Secret Invasion #1, collected in Secret Invasion
- Secret Invasion: Fantastic Four #1–3, collected in Secret Invasion: Fantastic Four
Franklin Richards by Jonathan Hickman
In the wake of Secret Invasion, Jonathan Hickman took over Fantastic Four and delivered what can be considered one of the most important runs for both the family and for Franklin. Hickman explored two versions of the character: a future, god-like Franklin who commands Galactus as his personal Herald, and a present-day Franklin, still a young, lovable kid. For more collections and a reading order issue by issue, check out our Jonathan Hickman’s Fantastic Four Reading Guide.
- Fantastic Four by Jonathan Hickman Omnibus Vol. 1
Collects Dark Reign: Fantastic Four (2009) #1-5, Fantastic Four (1998) #570-588, FF (2011) #1-5, material from Dark Reign: The Cabal One-Shot (2009). - Fantastic Four by Jonathan Hickman Omnibus Vol. 2
Collects FF (2011) #6-23; Fantastic Four (2012) #600-611, 605.1.
A few years down the line, the Marvel Universe came to an end in Hickman’s Secret Wars and the First Family disappeared for a few years…
Depowered Franklin Richards
Living multiversal adventures with the Fantastic Four, Franklin Richards took on the codename Powerhouse. However, he was soon depowered in Dan Slott’s Fantastic Four and appeared unable to create new realities. But the situation turned out to be more complicated, as revealed recently in Ryan North’s run (Fantastic Four Vol. 7 #18). During this time, Franklin also chose to dye his hair black (Fantastic Four Vol. 6 #5).
- Fantastic Four Vol. 1: Fourever
Collects Fantastic Four (Vol. 6) #1-4 - X-Men / Fantastic Four: 4X
Collects X-Men / Fantastic Four (Vol. 2) #1-4 - Fantastic Four #25-26
Collects Fantastic Four Vol. 7: The Forever Gate - Fantastic Four (Vol. 7) #18
- More to come!