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Fantastic Four

Where to Start Reading Fantastic Four Comics? A Beginner’s Guide to Marvel’s First Family

So, you want to read some Fantastic Four comics? Whether you have recently discovered the Fantastic Four with the new movie, is a DC Fan, or just haven’t given the F.F. a chance yet, there’s a Fantastic Four comic out there for you. In fact, there’s a Fantastic Four comic for everyone! With over 60 years of stories, you are spoiled for choice, maybe too much and you don’t know where to start! 

So, where should you start? Throughout time, the Fantastic Four have had many adventures that reflect the evolution of the Marvel Universe, from the wonder of the Silver Age to the darker tone of the Modern Age, epic family sagas, and decompressed storytelling. Whether you like the old comic book styles of the sixties, prefer more modern family adventures, or love the high-concept ideas and inventions of Reed Richards, there’s a perfect first story for you to explore the world of Reed Richards, Ben Grimm, Sue, and Johnny Storm (and other temporary members of the team!).

Here’s a curated beginner’s guide with several routes to help find the perfect place to start reading Marvel’s First Family! 

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Galactus Origin Story, The Creation of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s Devourer of Worlds

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One of Marvel Comics’ most powerful cosmic entities, Galactus was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in Fantastic Four #48 (March 1966).

Initially, Galactus was just imagined as another super-villain that was to be bigger than the previous antagonists. But in order to differentiate him from the others and avoid delivering a stereotypical bad guy, Lee and Kirby decided to reimagine the character on a grander scale. The writer wanted him to be really evil. The artist went biblical. They wanted something new and created it. As a result, unlike typical antagonists, Galactus was not a villain in the traditional sense but a cosmic force of nature, an ancient being who consumes planets to sustain his existence.

This was different to the point of creating a shift in comic book storytelling at the time. But this article is not here to talk about Galactus’ impact on the medium, but to explain who he is as a Marvel character. As he is making another appearance on the big screen this summer, it’s the perfect moment to revisit his comic book origins.

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Fantastic Four First Appearance: A Look Back at the First Family’s debut

Marvel’s First Family is making her first steps (again) this summer on the big screen with a new adaptation set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While the MCU officially launched in 2008 with Iron Man, the Fantastic Four laid the groundwork for the Marvel Comics we know today.

Now is a good time to take a look back at the debut of the Fabulous Foursome in The Fantastic Four #1, which hit the shelves on August 8, 1961—64 years ago.

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The Best of Franklin Richards Comics, Your Essential Reading Order

Mister, I'm the law 'round these parts, said Franklin Richards wearing a cowboy hat and pointing a smoking revolver forward, with his sister Valeria standing behind him.

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.
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Best 1980s Marvel Comics: The Stories That Defined a Decade

These were good years for the comic book industry. Actually, they were great years. The 1980s were a period of tremendous financial and creative growth that transformed the medium. The emergence of the Direct Market, with specialty comic book stores, created more opportunities for creators and led to a wider range of publications.

It was during this decade that Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ Watchmen, Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns, and Art Spiegelman’s Maus were published, breaking new comic book narrative ground for future writers. It was also during this decade that DC Comics was rebooted with Crisis on Infinite Earths and started its Renaissance with the British Invasion of creators. 

The comic book industry rose and fell during the 1980s, including Marvel Comics. The House of Ideas evolved in those years, embracing darker storytelling, launching new comic book series, trying new formats, hiring new talents, and releasing some of the most celebrated and iconic stories in its history.

Maybe one of the most important decades on the creative front, the 1980s helped redefine Marvel’s superheroes by pushing boundaries and going where the industry had never been before. Today, we explore the best Marvel stories of the decade!

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The Negative Zone: Marvel’s Antimatter Universe Explained

The Marvel Universe doesn’t lack realities, dimensions, and other parallel Earths. But one is particularly famous as it has been firmly tied to the Fantastic Four for decades now: The Negative Zone.

First introduced in Fantastic Four #51 (published in 1966) by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the Negative Zone is an antimatter universe–a universe parallel to Earth’s in which all matter is negatively charged. As such, it is a dangerous place for those who come from the regular Marvel Universe, those who are positive matter beings. It’s not immediately dealy for them, but being there for a prolonged period of time is quite dangerous.

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Fantastic Four Reading Order

On November 1961, a page of comic book history was written when the Fantastic Four comic debuted. The first issue was an unexpected success, and the public simply fell in love with the First Family. It played a massive role in making Marvel the company we know, launching and influencing the superhero comics in a new direction.

Traditionally, the Fantastic Four are Reed Richards (Mister Fantastic), scientific genius and leader; Susan “Sue” Storm (Invisible Woman), Reed’s partner and co-leader; Johnny Storm (The Human Torch), Sue’s little brother; and Ben Grimm (The Thing), pilot and best friend. They all gained superpowers following exposure to cosmic rays during a scientific mission to outer space.

The Fantastic Four are maybe the most famous superheroes in the Marvel Universe, as they chose to become celebrities instead of hiding their real identities from the public.

If the name of the team implies they are only four members, the roster of the famous ‘family’ has changed several times, and sometimes, other characters have been members. Crystal, Medusa (from the Inhumans), She-Hulk, Ant-Man (Scott Lang), Storm and Black Panther, and even Spider-Man have been at some point or other members of the team.

They fought and stop more than once the Supreme Leader Doctor Doom but also had several encounters with Galactus, Ronan the Accuser, Namor, Silver Surfer, the Mole Man, the Frightful Four, and more. They worked with the Avengers, the X-Men, and other Marvel superheroes to save the world.

This most emblematic team has lived a lot, and it’s time to explore those adventures with a Fantastic Four reading order!

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Jonathan Hickman’s Fantastic Four Reading Order

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Jonathan Hickman Fantastic Four Reading Order

Following “Secret Invasion,” the 2008 crossover storyline, came the “Dark Reign” era which leads to a shift of power in the Marvel Universe toward “reformed supervillain” Norman Osborn. Mark Millar who was writing the Fantastic Four series – with art by Bryan Hitch – left the title and Jonathan Hickman took over and started to revamp and redefine Marvel’s First Family.

Here is the official synopsis: it all begins when Mr. Fantastic decides to solve everything! As the team contends with Norman Osborn’s Dark Reign, an older Franklin arrives from the future with an ominous warning! And as the Fantastic Four fight the War of the Four Cities, Mr. Fantastic assembles a band of genius youngsters. But when Nathaniel Richards returns, Galactus rises and a new Annihilation Wave threatens to invade from the Negative Zone, tragedy suddenly strikes. Grieving, the surviving members of the Fantastic Four dissolve the team – but from its ashes rises the Future Foundation!
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Annihilation Scourge Reading Order

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Annihilation Scourge Reading Order - Nova

Back in 2006, Marvel relaunched its Cosmic Universe with the Annihilation crossover event. It led to a series of events of the same kind, but also to a new Guardians of the Galaxy series and more. You can find here our reading guide of that era piloted by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning.

Since C. B. Cebulski became Marvel’s editor-in-chief in 2017, a lot of names associated with popular events of the past have been reused. It was the case in 2019 with Annihilation. This time though, it was not as ambitious as the first time. In fact, Annihilation Scourge works like a 6-part miniseries.

Here is the official synopsis: The Negative Zone is under siege! Now the Lord of the Negative Zone, Annihilus, makes a call for help to the very heroes he once fought against! It’s an all-out battle as Nova, Silver Surfer and some of your favorite cosmic heroes try to prevent the next annihilation.

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Onslaught Reading Order, a X-Men Crossover

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Onslaught Reading Order Marvel

After the massive Age Apocalypse (reading order here), another huge X-Men event followed. At its center, there was Onslaught, a sentient psionic entity created from the consciousness of Professor Charles Xavier and Magneto. The character co-created by writers Scott Lobdell, Mark Waid, and artist Andy Kubert became one of the biggest villains in the X-Men Mythology. The event spread among multiple X-Men related or not like Uncanny X-Men, Wolverine, Cable, X-Force, X-Man, X-Men (vol. 2), X-Men Unlimited, Avengers, Fantastic Four, Incredible Hulk, X-Factor, Amazing Spider-Man, Iron Man, Punisher, Thor, Excalibur and more.

Here is the official synopsis: The psionic force of nature known only as Onslaught sprang forth from the fractured psyche of mutant mentor Charles Xavier and the genetic terrorist called Magneto. Powered by his progenitors’ rage, Onslaught laid siege to humanity — touching off a cataclysmic conflict destined to deprive a world of its most revered icons!

What to read before Onslaught?

For more information on the ’90s X-Men era, check out our ’90s X-Men Reading Order. That said, the essential stories have been collected by Marvel in three books:

  • X-Men: Road to Onslaught vol. 1
    Collects X-Men (vol. 2) #42–45; X-Men Annual ’95;plus Uncanny X-Men #322–326; X-Men: Prime; X-Men Unlimited #8.
  • X-Men: Road to Onslaught vol. 2
    Collects X-Men/Clandestine #1-2; Uncanny X-Men #327-328, Annual ’95; X-Men (vol. 2) #46-49; X-Men Unlimited (1993) #9; Sabretooth (1995) #1
  • X-Men: Road to Onslaught vol. 3
    Collects Uncanny X-Men #329-332, Archangel #1, X-Men/Brood #1-2, X-Men Unlimited #10, X-Men (vol. 2) #50-52, Wolverine #101, Xavier Institute Alumni Yearbook.

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