| Fantastic Four | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Promotional art forFantastic Four: The Lost Adventure #1 (February 2008) depicting (left-to-right): TheThing,Mister Fantastic,Invisible Woman, and theHuman Torch. Art byJack Kirby. (repurposed from his 1970sMarvelmania poster). | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Fantastic Four #1 (November1961) |
| Created by | Stan Lee (writer/editor) Jack Kirby (artist/co-plotter) |
| In-story information | |
| Base(s) |
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| Member(s) | |
| Roster | |
| See:List of Fantastic Four members | |
TheFantastic Four, often abbreviated asFF, is asuperhero team appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics. The team debuted inThe Fantastic Four #1 (cover-dated November 1961), helping usher in a new level of realism in the medium. It was the first superhero team created by artist/co-plotterJack Kirby and editor/co-scripterStan Lee, and through this title the "Marvel method" style of production came into prominence.
The four characters traditionally associated with the Fantastic Four, who gainedsuperpowers after exposure tocosmic rays during a scientific mission to outer space, areMister Fantastic (Reed Richards), a scientific genius and the leader of the group, who can stretch his body into incredible lengths and shapes; theInvisible Woman (Susan "Sue" Storm-Richards; originally the Invisible Girl), Reed's girlfriend and later wife, who can render herself invisible and project powerful invisible force fields and blasts; theHuman Torch (Johnny Storm), Sue's younger brother, who can generate flames, surround himself with them and fly; and the monstrousThing (Ben Grimm), their grumpy but benevolent friend, a former college football star, Reed's college roommate and a skilled pilot, who possesses tremendous superhuman strength, durability and endurance due to his stone-like flesh.
Since their 1961 introduction, the Fantastic Four has been portrayed as a somewhat dysfunctional, yet loving, family. Breaking convention with other comic archetypes, the members squabbled, held grudges both deep and petty, and eschewed anonymity orsecret identities in favor of celebrity status. They are also well known for their recurring encounters with characters such as the villainous monarchDoctor Doom; the planet-devouringGalactus; theKree Empire's ruthless and tyrannical enforcerRonan the Accuser; theNegative Zone's rulerAnnihilus; the subterranean villainMole Man; the sea-dwelling princeNamor; the spacefaringSilver Surfer; theSkrull warriorKl'rt; and theMolecule Man.
The Fantastic Four has been adapted intoother media, including severalvideo games,animated series, andlive-action films.
Longtimemagazine andcomic bookpublisherMartin Goodman, aware of the strong sales ofJustice League of America, directed his comics editor,Stan Lee, to create a comic-book series about a team of superheroes. According to Lee, writing in 1974, "Martin mentioned that he had noticed one of the titles published by National Comics seemed to be selling better than most. It was a book calledThe [sic]Justice League of America and it was composed of a team of superheroes. ... 'If the Justice League is selling', spoke he, 'why don't we put out a comic book that features a team of superheroes?'"[1]: 16
Lee, who had served as editor-in-chief and art director of Marvel Comics and its predecessor companies,Timely Comics andAtlas Comics, for two decades, found that the medium had become creatively restrictive. Determined "to carve a real career for myself in the nowhere world of comic books",[note 1] Lee concluded that, "For just this once, I would do the type of story I myself would enjoy reading ... And the characters would be the kind of characters I could personally relate to: They'd be flesh and blood, they'd have their faults and foibles, they'd be fallible and feisty, and — most important of all — inside their colorful, costumed booties they'd still have feet of clay."[1]: 17
Lee provided one of his earliest recorded comments on the creation of the Fantastic Four for a fanzine in 1968, during which timepencillerJack Kirby was also working at Marvel. (Kirby is interviewed separately in the same publication.) When asked who conceived the team, he or Kirby, Lee responded "Both ' 'twas mainly my idea, but Jack created characters visually".[2] In the 1974 bookOrigins of Marvel Comics Lee described the creative process in more detail, stating that he developed the basic characters as well as a story synopsis for Jack Kirby to follow in the first issue.[3] Lee noted the involvement of both Kirby and Publisher Martin Goodman prior to preparing his synopsis: "After kicking it around with Martin and Jack for a while I decided to call our quaint quartet the Fantastic Four. I wrote a detailed first synopsis for Jack to follow and the rest is history."[1]: 18 Kirby turned in his penciled art pages to Lee, who added dialogue and captions. This approach to creating comics, which became known as the "Marvel Method", worked so well that Lee and Kirby used it from then on, and the Marvel Method became standard for the company within a year.[4]: 87
Kirby recalled events somewhat differently. In a 1970 Fanzine interview he confirmed Lee's involvement in the creation of the Fantastic Four but took credit for the main characters and ideas, stating "It was my idea. It was my idea to do it the way it was; my idea to develop it the way it was. I'm not saying Stan had nothing to do with it. Of course he did. We talked things out."[5] Years later, when specifically challenged with Lee's version of events in a 1990 interview, Kirby responded: "I would say that's an outright lie",[6]: 39 although the interviewer,Gary Groth, notes that this statement needs to be viewed with caution.[note 2] Kirby claims he came up with the idea for the Fantastic Four in Marvel's offices, and that Lee merely added the dialogue after the story was pencilled.[6]: 38 Kirby also sought to establish, more credibly and on numerous occasions, that the visual elements of the strip were his conceptions. He regularly pointed to a team he created for rival publisher DC Comics in the 1950s, theChallengers of the Unknown. "[I]f you notice the uniforms, they're the same ... I always give them a skintight uniform with a belt ... the Challengers and the FF have a minimum of decoration. And of course, the Thing's skin is a kind of decoration, breaking up the monotony of the blue uniform."[7]: 4 It is important to note, however, that the Fantastic Four wore civilian garb instead of uniforms, which were only introduced (along with the Baxter Building Headquarters) in the third issue of the series following readership feedback.[8] The original submitted design was also modified to include the iconic chest insignia of a "4" within a circle that was designed by Lee.[9]
Given the conflicting statements, outside commentators have found it hard to ascertain who created the Fantastic Four. A typed synopsis by Lee for the introductory segment of the first Fantastic Four issue exists and outlines the characters and their origins, with various minor differences to the published version. However Earl Wells, writing inThe Comics Journal, points out that its existence does not assert its place in the creation: "[W]e have no way of knowing of whether Lee wrote the synopsis after a discussion with Kirby in which Kirby supplied most of the ideas".[10]: 78
It is also notable that the Fantastic Four's first adventure in 1961 depicts a team of four adventurers (three men and a woman) led by a professor travelling to the Earth's center and encountering giant monsters while contending with a human antagonist who is also from the surface world.[11] Although neither Lee nor Kirby ever mentioned the 1959 filmJourney to the Center of the Earth as a direct inspiration, publisher Martin Goodman was well known for following popular entertainment trends to attract sales in his comics line.[12]
Comics historianR. C. Harvey believes the Fantastic Four was a continuation of the work Kirby previously did, and so "more likely Kirby's creations than Lee's".[13]: 69 But Harvey notes that theMarvel Method of collaboration allowed each man to claim credit,[13]: 68 and that Lee's dialogue added to the direction the team took.[13]: 69 Wells argues that Lee's contributions set the framework within which Kirby worked, and this made Lee "more responsible".[10]: 85 Comics historianMark Evanier, a studio assistant to Jack Kirby in the 1970s, says that the considered opinion of Lee and Kirby's contemporaries was "thatFantastic Four was created by Stan and Jack. No further division of credit seemed appropriate."[14]: 122
The release ofThe Fantastic Four #1 (Nov. 1961) was an unexpected success. Lee had felt ready to stop working on comics at the time, but the positive response toFantastic Four persuaded him to continue with comic books.[15] The title began to receive fan mail[16] and Lee started printing the letters in a letter column with issue #3. Also with the third issue, Lee created the hyperbolic slogan "The Greatest Comic Magazine in the World!!" With the following issue, the slogan was changed to "The World's Greatest Comic Magazine!" and became a fixture on the issue covers into the 1990s,[4]: 87 and on numerous covers in the 2000s.
Issue #4 (May 1962) reintroducedNamor the Sub-Mariner,[17] an aquaticantihero who was a star character of Marvel's earliest iteration,Timely Comics, during the late 1930s and 1940s period that historians and fans call theGolden Age of Comics. Issue #5 (July 1962) introduced the team's most frequent nemesis,Doctor Doom.[18] These earliest issues were published bimonthly. With issue #16 (July 1963), the cover title dropped itsThe and became simplyFantastic Four. InFantastic Four #19 (October 1963),Stan Lee announced thatReed Richards would remain leader of the group, due to an overwhelming fan response in the affirmative (93.47%). Stan's comment of'Nuff Said would from here become an ongoing phrase in Lee's communications with fans.[19]
While the early stories were complete narratives, the frequent appearances of these two antagonists, Doom and Namor, in subsequent issues indicated the creation of a long narrative by Lee and Kirby that extended over months. According to comics historianLes Daniels, "only narratives that ran to several issues would be able to contain their increasingly complex ideas".[4]: 88 During its creators' lengthy run, the series produced many acclaimed storylines and characters that have become central to Marvel, including the hidden race of alien-human genetic experiments, theInhumans;[20][21] theBlack Panther,[22] an African king who would be mainstream comics' first Black superhero;[23] the rival alien races theKree and the shapeshiftingSkrulls;[24] Him, who would becomeAdam Warlock;[25] theNegative Zone andunstable molecules. The story frequently cited as Lee and Kirby's finest achievement[26][27] is the three-part "Galactus Trilogy" that began inFantastic Four #48 (March 1966), chronicling the arrival ofGalactus, a cosmic giant who wanted to devour the planet, and his herald, theSilver Surfer.[28][29]Fantastic Four #48 was chosen as #24 in the 100 Greatest Marvels of All Time poll of Marvel's readers in 2001. EditorRobert Greenberger wrote in his introduction to the story that, "As the fourth year of the Fantastic Four came to a close, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby seemed to be only warming up. In retrospect, it was perhaps the most fertile period of any monthly title during the Marvel Age."[30] Daniels noted that "[t]he mystical and metaphysical elements that took over the saga were perfectly suited to the tastes of young readers in the 1960s", and Lee soon discovered that the story was a favorite on college campuses.[4]: 128 TheFantastic Four Annual was used to spotlight several key events. The Sub-Mariner was crowned king ofAtlantis in the first annual (1963).[31] The following year's annual revealed the origin story of Doctor Doom.[32]Fantastic Four Annual #3 (1965) presented the wedding of Reed Richards and Sue Storm.[33] Lee and Kirby reintroduced theoriginal Human Torch inFantastic Four Annual #4 (1966) and had him battle Johnny Storm.[34] Sue Richards' pregnancy was announced inFantastic Four Annual #5 (1967), and the Richards' son,Franklin Richards was born inFantastic Four Annual #6 (1968)[35] in a story which introducedAnnihilus as well.[36]
Marvel filed for atrademark for "Fantastic Four" in 1967 and theUnited States Patent and Trademark Office issued the registration in 1970.[37]
Kirby left Marvel in mid-1970,[38] having drawn the first 102 issues plus an unfinished issue, partially published inFantastic Four #108, with alterations, and later completed and published asFantastic Four: The Lost Adventure (April 2008),Fantastic Four continued with Lee,Roy Thomas,[39]Gerry Conway andMarv Wolfman as its consecutive regular writers, working with artists such asJohn Romita Sr.,John Buscema,Rich Buckler andGeorge Pérez, with longtime inkerJoe Sinnott adding some visual continuity.Jim Steranko also contributed some covers during this time. A short-lived series starring the team,Giant-Size Super-Stars, began in May 1974 and changed its title toGiant-Size Fantastic Four with issue #2.[40] The fourth issue introducedJamie Madrox, a character who later became part of theX-Men.[41]Giant-Size Fantastic Four was canceled with issue #6 (Oct. 1975).[42] Roy Thomas and George Pérez crafted ametafictional story forFantastic Four #176 (Nov. 1976) in which theImpossible Man visited the offices of Marvel Comics andmet numerous comics creators.[43] Marv Wolfman andKeith Pollard crafted a multi-issue storyline involving the son of Doctor Doom which culminated in issue #200 (Nov. 1978).[44]John Byrne joined the title with issue #209 (Aug. 1979), doing pencil breakdowns for Sinnott to finish. He and Wolfman introduced a new herald for Galactus namedTerrax the Tamer in #211 (Oct. 1979).[45]
Bill Mantlo briefly followed Wolfman as writer of the series and wrote a crossover withPeter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #42 (May 1980).[46][47][48] Byrne wrote and drew a giant-sized Fantastic Four promotional comic forCoca-Cola, which was rejected by Coca-Cola as being too violent and published asFantastic Four #220–221 (July–Aug. 1980) instead.[49] WriterDoug Moench and pencillerBill Sienkiewicz then took over for 10 issues. With issue #232 (July 1981), the aptly titled "Back to the Basics",[50] Byrne began his run as writer, penciller and inker, the last under thepseudonym Bjorn Heyn for this issue only.[51]
Byrne revitalized the slumping title with his run.[52]: 265 Byrne was slated to write with Sienkiewicz providing the art however, Sienkiewicz left to doMoon Knight, and Byrne subsequently became writer, artist, and inker. Various editors were assigned to the comic; eventuallyBob Budiansky became the regular editor. Byrne toldJim Shooter that he could not work with Budiansky, although they ultimately continued to work together. In 2006, Byrne said "that's my paranoia. I look back and I think that was Shooter trying to force me off the book". Byrne left following issue #293 (Aug. 1986) in the middle of a story arc, explaining he could not recapture the fun he had previously had on the series.[53] One of Byrne's changes was making the Invisible Girl into the Invisible Woman:[54] assertive and confident. During this period, fans came to recognize that she was quite powerful, whereas previously, she had been primarily seen as a superpowered mother and wife in the tradition of television moms like those played byDonna Reed andFlorence Henderson.[55]
Byrne staked new directions in the characters' personal lives, having the married Sue Storm and Reed Richards suffer a miscarriage and the Thing quitting the Fantastic Four, withShe-Hulk being recruited as his long-term replacement. He also re-emphasized the family dynamic which he felt the series had drifted away from after the Lee/Kirby run, commenting that, "Family—and notdysfunctional family—is the central, key element to the FF. It is an absolutely vital dynamic between the characters." [emphases in original][49]
Byrne was followed by a quick succession of writers:Roger Stern,Tom DeFalco, andRoy Thomas.Steve Englehart took over as writer for issues 304–332 (except #320). The title had been struggling, so Englehart decided to make radical changes. He felt the title had become stale with the normal makeup of Reed, Sue, Ben, and Johnny, so in issue #308 Reed and Sue retired and were replaced with the Thing's new girlfriend,Sharon Ventura, and Johnny Storm's former love, Crystal. The changes increased readership through issue #321. At this point, Marvel made decisions about another Englehart comic,West Coast Avengers, that he disagreed with, and in protest he changed his byline to S.F.X. Englehart (S.F.X. is the abbreviation for Simple Sound Effects). In issue #326, Englehart was told to bring Reed and Sue back and undo the other changes he had made. This caused Englehart to take his name entirely off the book. He used the pseudonym John Harkness, which he had created years before for work he didn't want to be associated with. According to Englehart, the run from #326 through his last issue, #332, was "one of the most painful stretches of [his] career."[56] Writer-artistWalt Simonson took over as writer with #334 (December 1989), and three issues later beganpencilling andinking as well. With brief inking exceptions, two fill-in issues, and a three-issue stint drawn byArthur Adams,[57][58] Simonson remained in all three positions through #354 (July 1991).
Simonson, who had been writing the team comicThe Avengers, had gotten approval for Reed and Sue to join that team after Engelhart had written them out ofFantastic Four. Yet byThe Avengers #300, where they were scheduled to join the team, Simonson was told the characters were returning toFantastic Four. This led to Simonson quittingThe Avengers after that issue. Shortly afterward, he was offered the job of writingFantastic Four. Having already prepared a number of stories involving the Avengers with Reed and Sue in the lineup, he then rewrote these forFantastic Four. Simonson later recalled that working onFantastic Four allowed him the latitude to use original Avengers membersThor andIron Man, which he had been precluded from using inThe Avengers.[59]
After another fill-in, the regular team of writer and Marvel editor-in-chiefTom DeFalco, pencillerPaul Ryan and inker Dan Bulanadi took over, with Ryan self-inking beginning with #360 (Jan. 1992). That team, with the very occasional different inker, continued for years through #414 (July 1996). DeFalco nullified the Storm-Masters marriage byretconning that the alien Skrull Empire had kidnapped the real Masters and replaced her with a spy namedLyja. Once discovered, Lyja, who herself had fallen for Storm, helped the Fantastic Four rescue Masters. Ventura departed after being further mutated by Doctor Doom. Although some fans were not pleased with DeFalco's run onFantastic Four, calling him "The Great Satan", the title's sales rose steadily over the period.[60][61]
Other key developments included Franklin Richards being sent into the future and returning as a teenager; the return of Reed's time-traveling father, Nathaniel, who is revealed to be the father of time-travelling villainKang the Conqueror and Reed's apparent death at the hands of a seemingly mortally wounded Doctor Doom.[62] It would be two years before DeFalco resurrected the two characters, revealing that their "deaths" were orchestrated by the supervillainHyperstorm.
The ongoing series was canceled with issue #416 (Sept. 1996) and relaunched with vol. 2 #1 (Nov. 1996) as part of the multi-series "Heroes Reborn"crossover story arc. The yearlong volume retold the team's first adventures in a more contemporary style,[63] and set in a parallel universe. Following the end of that experiment,Fantastic Four was relaunched with vol. 3 #1 (Jan. 1998). Initially by the team of writerScott Lobdell and pencillerAlan Davis,[64] it went after three issues to writerChris Claremont (co-writing with Lobdell for #4–5) and pencillerSalvador Larroca; this team enjoyed a long run through issue #32 (Aug. 2000).
Following the run of Claremont, Lobdell and Larroca,Carlos Pacheco took over as penciller and co-writer, first withRafael Marín, then with Marín andJeph Loeb. This series began using dual numbering, as if the originalFantastic Four series had continued unbroken, with issue #42 / #471 (June 2001). At the time, the Marvel Comics series begun in the 1960s, such asThor andThe Amazing Spider-Man, were given such dual numbering on the front cover, with the present-day volume's numbering alongside the numbering from the original series. After issue #70 / #499 (Aug. 2003), the title reverted to its original vol. 1 numbering with issue #500 (Sept. 2003).
Karl Kesel succeeded Loeb as co-writer with issue #51 / #480 (March 2002), and after a few issues with temporary teams,Mark Waid took over as writer with #60 / 489 (October 2002) with artistMike Wieringo with Marvel releasing a promotional variant edition of their otherwise $2.25 debut issue at the price of nine cents US.[65][66] PencillersMark Buckingham, Casey Jones, and Howard Porter variously contributed through issue #524 (May 2005), with a handful of issues by other teams also during this time. WriterJ. Michael Straczynski and pencillerMike McKone did issues #527–541 (July 2005 – Nov. 2006), withDwayne McDuffie taking over as writer the following issue, andPaul Pelletier succeeding McKone beginning with #544 (May 2007).
As a result of the events of the "Civil War" company-crossover storyline, theBlack Panther andStorm temporarily replaced Reed and Susan Richards on the team. During that period, the Fantastic Four also appeared inBlack Panther,[67][68] written byReginald Hudlin and pencilled primarily by Francis Portela. Beginning with issue #554 (April 2008), writerMark Millar and pencillerBryan Hitch began what Marvel announced as a sixteen-issue run.[69][70] Following the summer 2008 crossover storyline, "Secret Invasion", and the 2009 aftermath "Dark Reign", chronicling the U.S. government's assigning of the Nation's security functions to the seemingly reformed supervillainNorman Osborn, the Fantastic Four starred in a five-issueminiseries,Dark Reign: Fantastic Four (May–Sept. 2009), written byJonathan Hickman, with art bySean Chen.[71][72][73] Hickman took over as the series regular writer as of issue #570 with Dale Eaglesham[74] and later Steve Epting on art.
In the storyline "Three", which concluded inFantastic Four #587 (cover date March 2011, published January 26, 2011), theHuman Torch appears to die stopping a horde of monsters from the other-dimensionalNegative Zone. The series ended with the following issue, #588, and relaunched in March 2011 as simplyFF.[75][76][77] The relaunch saw the team assume a new name, theFuture Foundation, adopt new black-and-white costumes, and accept longtime allySpider-Man as a member.[78][79][80] In October 2011, with the publication ofFF #11 (cover-dated Dec. 2011), theFantastic Four series reached its 599th issue.
In November 2011, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Fantastic Four and of Marvel Comics, the company published the 100-pageFantastic Four #600 (cover-dated Jan. 2012),[81] which returned the title to its original numbering and featured the return of the Human Torch. It revealed the fate of the character of Johnny Storm after issue #587, showing that while he did in fact die, he was resurrected to fight as a gladiator for the entertainment of Annihilus. Storm later formed a resistance force called Light Brigade and defeated Annihilus.[82]
Although it was launched as a continuation of theFantastic Four title,FF continues publication as a separate series. Starting with issue #12, the title focuses upon the youthful members of the Future Foundation, including Franklin and Valeria Richards.
In the graphic novelFantastic Four: Season One, the Fantastic Four is given an updated origin story set in the present day instead of the 1960s.[83] The hardcover compilation debuted at number four onThe New York Times Best Seller list for graphic novels.[83]
As part ofMarvel NOW!Fantastic Four ended with #611, ending Jonathan Hickman's long run onFF titles, and the title was relaunched in November 2012 with the creative team of writerMatt Fraction and artistMark Bagley.[84][85] In the new title with its numbering starting at #1, the entire Fantastic Four family explore space together, with the hidden intent for Reed Richards to discover why his powers are fading.
WriterJames Robinson and artistLeonard Kirk launched a newFantastic Four series in February 2014 (cover dated April 2014).[86]
Robinson later confirmed thatFantastic Four would be cancelled in 2015 with issue #645, saying that "The book is reverting to its original numbers, and the book is going away for a while. I'm moving towards the end ofFantastic Four. I just want to reassure people that you will not leave this book with a bad taste in your mouth."[87] In the aftermath of the "Secret Wars" storyline, the Thing is working with the Guardians of the Galaxy and the Human Torch is acting as an ambassador with the Inhumans.[88] With Franklin's powers restored and Reed having absorbed the power of the Beyonders from Doom, the Richards family is working on travelling through and reconstructing the multiverse,[89] but Peter Parker has purchased the Baxter Building to keep it "safe" until the team is ready to come back together.[90]
A new volume for the Fantastic Four was released in August 2018, written byDan Slott, as part of Marvel'sFresh Start event.[91][92] The first issue of the new series was met with strong sales,[93] and a positive critical reaction.[93][94][95][96] When the Future Foundation is threatened by the Griever at the End of All Things, Mister Fantastic plays on her ego to convince her to provide him with equipment that will allow him to summon his teammates. When Human Torch and Thing are reunited with Mister Fantastic and Invisible Woman, the other superheroes that were part of the Fantastic Four at some point in their lives also arrived, including, unexpectedly,X-Men'sIceman.[97] With the gathered heroes assisted the Fantastic Four into causing so much damage to the Griever's equipment, she is forced to retreat in her final telepod or be trapped in that universe. This left the heroes to salvage components from the broken ship to create their own teleport system to return to their universe.[98] The Fantastic Four and their extended family returned to Earth where they find thatLiberteens members Ms. America, 2-D, Hope, and Iceberg have come together as the Fantastix with Ms. America taking the codename of Ms. Fantastix. Following the staged bank robbery that theWrecking Crew committed and their involvement of being hired to humiliate the Fantastix in public, the Fantastic Four gave the Fantastix their blessing to continue using the Baxter Building while the FF operate in a house on Yancy Street with a dimensionally-transcendental interior.[99]
In the storylinePoint of Origin, the Fantastic Four entrust Alicia, H.E.R.B.I.E., Franklin and Valeria to protect Earth while they begin their mission to learn a further origin of the cosmic radiation that granted them their powers in the first place, piloting a new space ship called Marvel-2.[100] While in the middle of a space adventure to find the origin, the Fantastic Four are attacked by a group who believed themselves to be the superheroes of Planet Spyre, the Unparalleled. Reed and Sue are separated from the Thing, Human Torch is revealed to be the soulmate of the Unparalleled member named Sky, and they learn that the Unparalleled's leader and the Overseer of Planet Spyre, Revos, was responsible for the cosmic rays that struck the team on their original trip, as he wanted to stop them coming to his planet. Revos subsequently mutated his people to "prepare for their return" before trying to eradicate the mutates[a] who are unable to retain their original forms in the same manner as the Thing, accusing the mutates of being "villains and imperfects"; as a result, through his own paranoia andxenophobia, the Overseer himself is responsible for the fateful creation of the Fantastic Four and mutated his entire race to face a non-existent threat.[101] Revos challenges Mr. Fantastic to a fight over their differences, until it is settled and they finally made peace. As the Fantastic Four are about to depart Spyre after helping its citizens clean up the Planet (as well as Reed providing the mutates with a variation of the temporary 'cure' he has created for Ben), Skye join them to learn about Earth and every unseen galaxy.[102] When theincoming Kree-SkrullEmpyre occur at the same time as teen heroes are beingoutlawed, the original Fantastic Four went to space with Avengers to stop this Empyre, leaving Franklin and Valeria being backed by Spider-Man and Wolverine to defend Earth.[103]
In August 2022, Marvel announced that writerRyan North and artist Iban Coello would launch a new volume of Fantastic Four in November of that year after Slott had concluded his run on the title with issue #46.[104]
Ancillary titles and features spin off from the flagship series include the 1970s quarterlyGiant-Size Fantastic Four and the 1990sFantastic Four Unlimited andFantastic Four Unplugged;Fantastic Force, an 18-issue spinoff (November 1994 – April 1996) featuring a young adult Franklin Richards, from a different timeline, as Psi-Lord. A 12-issue seriesFantastic Four: The World's Greatest Comics Magazine ran in 2001, paying homage toStan Lee andJack Kirby's legendary run. A spinoff titleMarvel Knights 4 (April 2004 – August 2006) was written byRoberto Aguirre-Sacasa and initially illustrated bySteve McNiven[105] in his first Marvel work. There have also been numerouslimited series featuring the group.
In 1996, Marvel launched the seriesFantastic Four 2099, part of the company'sMarvel 2099 imprint which explored an alternate future of the Marvel Universe. The four protagonists inexplicably find themselves in 2099, with the world believing them to be clones of the original members of the Fantastic Four. The series ran for 8 issues (Jan. – Aug. 1996), serving as a companion toDoom 2099—an original Marvel 2099 title featuring an individual claiming to be the originalVictor von Doom. In 2021, the series was brought back for a single issue.
In 2004, Marvel launchedUltimate Fantastic Four. As part of the company'sUltimate Marvel imprint, the series re-imagined the team as young adults.[106] It ran for 60 issues (Feb. 2004 – Feb. 2009). The issues were repackaged into four-issue graphic novel volumes. The characters continued to appear in other Ultimate Marvel franchises, includingUltimatum. Ultimate Reed Richards became a mainstay of both theEarth-1610 andEarth-616 continuities as the villainthe Maker. In 2008, they also launchedMarvel Adventures: Fantastic Four, an out-of-continuity series aimed at younger readers.
Although it was launched by Marvel as a continuation of the Fantastic Four title in 2011,FF continued publication as a separate series after the regular series resumed in 2012. From issues #12, the title focused on the youthful members of the Future Foundation, including Franklin and Valeria Richards. A second volume was launched as part ofMarvel NOW! byMatt Fraction andMike Allred depicting a substitute Fantastic Four team starringScott Lang,Medusa,She-Hulk and Ms. Thing.
The Human Torch was given a solo strip inStrange Tales in 1962 to bolster the title's sales.[4]: 98 The series began inStrange Tales #101 (October 1962), in 12- to 14-page stories plotted by Lee and initially scripted by his brotherLarry Lieber, and drawn by penciller Kirby and inkerDick Ayers.
Here, Johnny was seen living with his older sister, Susan, in fictional Glenview,Long Island, New York, where he continuedhigh school and, with youthful naiveté, attempted to maintain a "secret identity". InStrange Tales #106 (March 1963), Johnny discovered that his friends and neighbors knew of his dual identity all along from Fantastic Four news reports, but were humoring him. Supporting characters included Johnny's girlfriend, Doris Evans, usually in consternation as Johnny cheerfully flew off to battle bad guys. She was seen again in a 1973 issue ofFantastic Four, having become a heavyset but cheerful wife and mother.[107] Ayers took over the penciling after ten issues, later followed by originalGolden Age Human Torch creatorCarl Burgos and others. The Fantastic Four made occasional cameo appearances, and the Thing became a co-star with issue #123 (Aug. 1964).
The Human Torch shared the split bookStrange Tales with fellow featureDoctor Strange for the majority of its run, before being replaced in issue #135 (August 1965) byNick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. The Silver Age stories were republished in 1974, along with some Golden Age Human Torch stories, in a short-lived ongoingHuman Torch series.
A later ongoing solo series in Marvel'smanga-influencedTsunamiimprint,Human Torch, ran 12 issues (June 2003 – June 2004), by writerKarl Kesel andpencilerSkottie Young.[108] The series was followed by the five-issue limited seriesSpider-Man/Human Torch (March–July 2005), an untold talesteam-up arc spanning the course of their friendship.
The Thing appeared in two team-up issues ofMarvel Feature (#11–12, September–November 1973). Following their success, he was given his own regular team-up titleMarvel Two-in-One, co-starring with Marvel heroes not only in the present day but occasionally in other time periods (fighting alongside theWorld War II-eraLiberty Legion in #20 and the 1930s heroDoc Savage in #21, for example) and inalternate realities. The series ran 100 issues (January 1974 – June 1983), with seven summer annuals (1976–1982) and was immediately followed by the solo titleThe Thing #1–36 (July 1983 – June 1986). Another ongoing solo series, also titledThe Thing, ran eight issues (January–August 2006).
A six issue miniseries written byWalter Mosely, entitledThe Thing, was released in November 2021.[109]
In April 2019, Marvel Comics announced that it would publishInvisible Woman, a five-issue miniseries written byMark Waid and drawn by artist Mattia De Lulis.[110] This was Sue Storm's first solo title.Adam Hughes drew the cover for all five issues.[111]
The Fantastic Four is formed after four civilian astronauts are exposed tocosmic rays during an unauthorizedouter space test flight in an experimentalrocket ship designed by Dr. Reed Richards. Pilot Ben Grimm and crew-members Susan Storm and her brother Johnny Storm survive an emergencycrash-landing in a field on Earth. Upon exiting the rocket, the four discover they have developed incrediblesuperpowers and decide to use these powers to help others.
In the first issue the crew talks about Reed Richards' rocketship flying to the stars. Stan Lee's original synopsis described the crew's plan to fly to Mars, but Lee later shortly afterward wrote that due to "the rate the Communists are progressing in space, maybe we better make this a flight to the STARS, instead of just to Mars, because by the time this mag goes on sale, the Russians may have already MADE a flight to Mars!"[112]
In a significant departure from preceding superhero conventions, the Fantastic Four make no effort to maintain secret identities or, until issue #3, to wear superhero costumes, instead maintaining a public profile and enjoying celebrity status for scientific and heroic contributions to society. At the same time, they are often prone to arguing and even fighting with one another. Despite their bickering, the Fantastic Four consistently prove themselves to be "a cohesive and formidable team in times of crisis."[52]: 204–205
While there have been a number of lineup changes to the group, the four characters who debuted inFantastic Four #1 remain the core and most frequent lineup. They consist of:
The Fantastic Four has had several headquarters, most notably theBaxter Building, located at42nd Street andMadison Avenue in New York City.[114] The Baxter Building was replaced byFour Freedoms Plaza at the same location after its destruction at the hands ofKristoff Vernard, adopted son ofDoctor Doom. During the construction of the plaza, the team took up temporary residence atAvengers Mansion.[115] Pier 4, a waterfront warehouse, served as a temporary headquarters after Four Freedoms Plaza was destroyed by the ostensible superhero team theThunderbolts shortly after the revelation that they were the supervillain team theMasters of Evil in disguise.[116] Pier 4 was eventually destroyed during a battle with theDiablo,[117][118] after which the team received a new Baxter Building, courtesy of one of team leader Reed Richards' former professors, Noah Baxter. This second Baxter Building was constructed in Earth's orbit and teleported into the vacant lot formerly occupied by the original.[119] After their brief hiatus creating universes after the Secret Wars event, they took residence on 4 Yancy Street before moving back into the newly rebuilt Baxter Building.[99]
| Character | Name | Joined in |
|---|---|---|
| Crystal | Crystallia Amaquelin | Fantastic Four #81 (December 1968)[120] |
| Medusa | Medusalith Amaquelin | Fantastic Four #132 (March 1973)[120] |
| Luke Cage | Lukas Cage (born Carl Lucas) | Fantastic Four #168 (March 1976)[120] |
| Nova | Frankie Raye | Fantastic Four #238 (January 1982)[120] |
| She-Hulk | Jennifer "Jen" Susan Walters | Fantastic Four #265 (January 1984)[120] |
| Ms. Marvel / She-Thing | Sharon Ventura | Fantastic Four #306 (September 1987)[120] |
| Ant-Man | Scott Edward Harris Lang | Fantastic Four #384 (January 1994)[120] |
| Namorita | Namorita "Nita" Prentiss | Fantastic Four, vol. 3 #43 (July 2001)[120] |
| Storm | Ororo Munroe | Fantastic Four #543 (March 2007)[120] |
| Black Panther | T'Challa | |
| Powerhouse | Franklin Benjamin Richards | Secret Invasion: Fantastic Four #3 (July 2008)[121] |
| Brainstorm | Valeria Meghan Richards | |
| Flux | Dennis Sykes | Heroic Age: One Month to Live #3 (September 2010)[120] |
| Spider-Man | Peter Benjamin Parker | Amazing Spider-Man #657 (March 2011) or FF #1 (March 2011)[120] |
| Ms. Thing | Darla Deering | Fantastic Four vol. 4 #2 (December 2012)[120] |
| Moon Girl | Lunella Lafayette | Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur #29 (March 2018)[120] |
| Devil Dinosaur | ||
| Iceman | Robert "Bobby" Louis Drake | Fantastic Four vol. 6 #3 (November 2018)[120] |
| Jack of Hearts | Jonathan "Jack" Hart | Fantastic Four vol. 6 #40 (February 2022)[122] |
New Fantastic Four was formed to fillFantastic Four after they were believed to have perished.[123]
| Character | Name | Joined in |
|---|---|---|
| Hulk | Robert Bruce Banner | Fantastic Four #347 (December 1990) |
| Ghost Rider | Daniel "Danny" Ketch | |
| Spider-Man | Peter Benjamin Parker | |
| Wolverine | James "Logan" Howlett | |
| Sleepwalker | Spider-Man #22 (May 1992) | |
| Powerhouse | Franklin Benjamin Richards | Fantastic Four, vol. 6 #22 (August 2020)[124] |
| Brainstorm | Valeria Meghan Richards | |
A number of characters are closely affiliated with the team, share complex personal histories with one or more of its members but have never actually held an official membership. Some of these characters include, but are not limited to:Namor the Sub-Mariner (previously an antagonist),Alicia Masters,[125]Lyja the Lazerfist,H.E.R.B.I.E.,Kristoff Vernard (Doctor Doom's former protégé),Wyatt Wingfoot,[126] Sue and Johnny's fatherFranklin Storm, the receptionist androidRoberta, governessAgatha Harkness,[127] and Reed and Sue's childrenFranklin Richards[35] andValeria Richards.
Several allies of the Fantastic Four have served as temporary members of the team, includingCrystal,Medusa,[128]Power Man (Luke Cage),Nova (Frankie Raye),[129]She-Hulk,Ms. Marvel (Sharon Ventura),Ant-Man (Scott Lang),Namorita,Storm, and theBlack Panther. A temporary lineup fromFantastic Four #347–349 (December 1990 – February 1991) consisted of theHulk (in his "Joe Fixit" persona),Spider-Man,Wolverine, andGhost Rider.[57]
Other notable characters who have been involved with the Fantastic Four includeAlyssa Moy,Caledonia (Alysande Stuart of Earth-9809),Fantastic Force, theInhumans[21] (particularly the royal family membersBlack Bolt, Crystal, Medusa,Gorgon,Karnak,Triton, andLockjaw), Reed's fatherNathaniel Richards, theSilver Surfer (previously an antagonist), Franklin's teleporting petPuppy,Thundra, postal workerWillie Lumpkin, Baxter Building landlordWalter Collins, the Thing's rivals theYancy Street Gang andUatu the Watcher.
AuthorChristopher Knowles states that Kirby's work on creations featured in theFantastic Four comics such as the Inhumans and the Black Panther served as "a showcase of some of the most radical concepts in the history of the medium".[130]
Writers and artists over many years have created a variety of characters to challenge the Fantastic Four. Knowles states that Kirby helped to create "an army of villains whose rage and destructive power had never been seen before," and "whose primary impulse is to smash the world."[130] Some of the team's oldest and most frequent enemies have involved such foes as theMole Man, theSkrulls,[24]Namor the Sub-Mariner,Galactus,Doctor Doom, thePuppet Master,Kang the Conqueror,Blastaar, theFrightful Four,[131]Annihilus,[36] andKlaw. Other prominent antagonists of the Fantastic Four have included theWizard, theImpossible Man,[132] theRed Ghost and theSuper-Apes,[133] theMad Thinker, theSuper-Skrull, theMolecule Man,[134]Diablo,Dragon Man,[135]Psycho-Man,Ronan the Accuser,Salem's Seven,Terrax,Terminus,Hyperstorm, andLucia von Bardas.
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Abraham Riesman ofVulture included the Fantastic Four in their "12 Teams That Defined Superhero Storytelling" list.[136] Laura Bradley ofVanity Fair included the Fantastic Four in their "Stan Lee’s Most Iconic Characters" list.[137]CBR.com ranked the Fantastic Four 1st in their "10 Most Fashionable Teams In Marvel Comics" list,[138] 3rd in their "Every Marvel Superhero Team" list,[139] and 5th in their "Marvel: The 10 Strongest Superhero Teams" list.[140] Brooke Wright ofMovieWeb ranked the Fantastic Four 2nd in their "Most Famous Superhero Families" list.[141] Jason Serafino ofComplex ranked the Fantastic Four 3rd in their "10 Best Superhero Teams In Comics" list.[142] Michael Doran ofNewsarama ranked the Fantastic Four 4th in their "Best superhero teams of all time" list.[143] Geoff Boucher ofDeadline ranked the Fantastic Four 9th in their "Stan Lee’s Legacy: Ranking The Hollywood Heroes Co-Created By The Marvel Comics Icon" list.[144] Chris Isaac ofScreen Rant ranked the Fantastic Four 15th in their "15 Best Superhero Teams Of All Time" list.[145]
The Fantastic Four's characterization was initially different from all other superheroes at the time. One major difference is that they do notconceal their identities, leading the public to be both suspicious and in awe of them. Also, they frequently argued and disagreed with each other, hindering their work as a team.[52] Described as "heroes with hangups" by Stan Lee,[146] the Thing has a temper, and the Human Torch resents being a child among adults. Mr. Fantastic blames himself for the Thing's transformation. Social scientist Bradford W. Wright describes the team as a "volatile mix of human emotions and personalities." In spite of their disagreements, they ultimately function well as a team.[147]
The first issue ofThe Fantastic Four proved a success, igniting a new direction for superhero comics and soon influencing many other superhero comics.[148] Readers grew fond of Ben's grumpiness, Johnny's tendency to annoy others and Reed and Sue's spats. Stan Lee was surprised at the reaction to the first issue, leading him to stay in the comics field despite previous plans to leave. Comics historian Stephen Krensky said that "Lee's natural dialogue and flawed characters appealed to 1960s kids looking to 'get real.'"[15]
In 2022,Penguin Books released aPenguin Classics edition of the first handful of Lee/Kirby issues, as part of a line of Penguin branding of various Marvel characters.[149]
As of 2005, more than 150 millionFantastic Four comic books have been sold.[146][150] In 2022, the first issue ofThe Fantastic Four was sold for 1.5 million dollars at an auction.[151][152] The highest-graded (9.6) copy of “Fantastic Four #1” auctioned byHeritage Auctions in 2024 was sold for a record $2.04 million.[153]
There have been fourThe Fantastic Four animated series and four released feature films. The Fantastic Four also guest-starred in the "Secret Wars" story arc of the 1990sSpider-Man animated series, and the Thing guest-starred (with a small cameo from the other Fantastic Four members) in the "Fantastic Fortitude" episode of the 1996The Incredible Hulk series. The Fantastic Four also appeared in the 2010 seriesThe Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes.
There was a short-livedradio show in 1975 that adapted early Lee/Kirby stories[154] and is notable for casting a pre-Saturday Night LiveBill Murray as the Human Torch. Also in the cast were Bob Maxwell asReed Richards, Cynthia Adler asSue Storm, Jim Pappas asBen Grimm and Jerry Terheyden asDoctor Doom. Other Marvel characters featured in the series includedAnt-Man,Namor,Nick Fury and theHulk. Stan Lee narrated the series and the scripts were taken almost verbatim from the comic books. The radio show was packaged into five-minute segments, with five segments comprising a complete adventure.[155] The team appeared on thePower Records albumFantastic Four: "The Way It Began" book and record set, an audio dramatization ofFantastic Four #126.[156] The team also appears inFantastic Four #1, an audio dramatization produced by Golden Records adapting the eponymous issue released in 1966.[157]
The Fantastic Four also make an appearance in the BBCradio drama adaptation ofThe Amazing Spider Man.[158]
The Fantastic Four appear inGraphicAudio's dramatized adaptation ofGreg Cox'sFantastic Four: War Zone.[159]
The Fantastic Four has been the subject of four animated television series. The first,The Fantastic Four, produced byHanna-Barbera,[160] ran 20 episodes onABC from September 9, 1967 to September 21, 1968.
The secondFantastic Four series, produced byDePatie-Freleng, ran 13 episodes from September 9, 1978, to December 16, 1978; this series features the robotH.E.R.B.I.E. in place of the Human Torch.[155]
In 1979, the Thing was featured as half of the Saturday morning cartoonFred and Barney Meet the Thing. The character of the Thing received a radical make-over for the series. The title character for this program was Benjy Grimm, a teenage boy who possessed a pair of magic Thing-rings which could transform him into the Thing when he put them together and said "Thing-rings, do your thing!". The other members of the Fantastic Four do not appear in the series, nor do the animatedThe Flintstones starsFred Flintstone andBarney Rubble, despite the title of the program.[155]
The thirdFantastic Four was broadcast as part ofThe Marvel Action Hour umbrella, with introductions by Stan Lee. This series ran 26 episodes from September 24, 1994 to February 24, 1996.
The fourth series,Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Heroes, debuted on September 2, 2006, onCartoon Network and ran for 26 episodes.
Different Fantastic Four members appear briefly and with little or no dialogue and are mentioned various times throughout the first season ofThe Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes. Their most prominent appearances are in the episode "The Private War of Doctor Doom", in which the Avengers team up with the Fantastic Four to battle the titular supervillain, and in the final episode of season two, in which the groups team up to battleGalactus. The Thing becomes a member of the New Avengers in the episode "New Avengers".
The Fantastic Four make several appearances inSuper Hero Squad Show, such as the episodes "If this Be My Thanos!" and "Last Exit Before Doomsday!".
The Fantastic Four appear in theHulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. episode "Monster No More", where the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. assist them in thwarting the Tribbitite invasion.
A film adaptation of the characters,The Fantastic Four, was completed in 1994 by producerRoger Corman and starsAlex Hyde-White as Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic,Rebecca Staab as Sue Storm-Richards/Invisible Woman,Jay Underwood as Johnny Storm/Human Torch,Michael Bailey Smith as Ben Grimm,Carl Ciarfalio as The Thing andJoseph Culp as Victor von Doom/Doctor Doom. The film was made to allowConstantin Film to keep the film rights to the characters, and therefore was not publicly released, though it has since been made available through bootleg video distributors.[161] According to producerBernd Eichinger,Avi Arad had Marvel purchase the film for a few million dollars.[162]
In 2005, the second film adaptation,Fantastic Four directed byTim Story, was released by20th Century Fox. Despite mixed reviews from critics, it earned US$155 million in North America and $330 million worldwide.[163][164] The sequel,Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, directed by Story and written byDon Payne, was released in 2007. Despite mixed-to-negative reviews, the sequel earned $132 million in North America and a total of $330.6 million worldwide.[165] Both films featureIoan Gruffudd as Reed Richards / Mr. Fantastic,Jessica Alba as Susan Storm / Invisible Woman,Chris Evans as Johnny Storm / Human Torch,Michael Chiklis as Ben Grimm / The Thing, andJulian McMahon as Victor Von Doom / Dr. Doom. Stan Lee makes cameo appearances as the mailmanWillie Lumpkin in the first film and as himself in the second film.
A reboot directed byJosh Trank (also titledFantastic Four, but stylized asFant4stic) was released on August 7, 2015.[166] The film starsMiles Teller as Reed Richards,Kate Mara as Sue Storm,Michael B. Jordan as Johnny Storm,Jamie Bell as Ben Grimm andToby Kebbell asDoctor Doom.[167][168][169] It is based onUltimate Fantastic Four.[170] It earned poor reviews and box office results.[171] On March 20, 2019, due to theacquisition of 21st Century Fox by Disney, the film rights ofFantastic Four reverted toMarvel Studios.[172]
In July 2019 atSan Diego Comic-Con, producer and head of Marvel StudiosKevin Feige, announced that a Fantastic Four film set within theMarvel Cinematic Universe, later titledThe Fantastic Four: First Steps, is in development.[173] In December 2020, it was announcedJon Watts will direct the film,[174] but he left the project for personal reasons in April 2022.[175] On September 10, 2022 at theD23 Expo, Kevin Feige revealed directorMatt Shakman would be taking over the film, with a release date of November 8, 2024.[176] On September 21, 2022, Jeff Kaplan and Ian Springer were announced to be writers for the film.[177] By March 2023,Josh Friedman was hired to rewrite the script.[178] In February 2024,Pedro Pascal,Vanessa Kirby,Joseph Quinn andEbon Moss-Bachrach were officially announced as Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Johnny Storm and Ben Grimm.[179]The Fantastic Four: First Steps was released in the United States on July 25, 2025.[180][181]
In 1985, the Fantastic Four starred inQuestprobe #3 The Fantastic Four, an adventure game fromAdventure International for the Atari 8-bit computers.[182] In 1997, the group starred in theFantastic Four video game.[183] The team appeared in theSpider-Man: The Animated Series video game, based on the 1990sSpider-Man animated series, for theSuper NES andSega Genesis.[citation needed] The Thing and the Human Torch appeared in the 2005 gameMarvel Nemesis: Rise of the Imperfects.[184]
All of the Fantastic Four appear as playable characters in the gameMarvel: Ultimate Alliance with Doctor Doom being the main enemy.[185] The members of the Fantastic Four are also featured inMarvel: Ultimate Alliance 2, although the team is separated over the course of the game, with Mister Fantastic being 'locked' into the Pro-Registration side of the game's storyline and the Thing briefly becoming unavailable to the player – just as he left America in protest of the war – until he returns to assist in preventing civilian casualties during the conflict.[186] The Fantastic Four also appear inMarvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order this time as playable DLC (downloadable content) alongside additional members ofMarvel Knights and theX-Men.[187]
The Human Torch has an appearance in a mini-game where the player races against him in all versions ofUltimate Spider-Man, except on theGame Boy Advance platform.[188] The Fantastic Four star in tie-in videogames based on the 2005 filmFantastic Four,[189] andits sequel.[190] The Fantastic Four are also playable characters inMarvel Heroes,[191]Lego Marvel Super Heroes,[192] andMarvel Rivals.[193]
The Fantastic Four starred in their own virtual pinball gameFantastic Four forPinball FX 2 released byZen Studios.[194]
[My wife] Joan was commenting about the fact that after 20 years of producing comics I was still writing television material, advertising copy and newspaper features in my spare time. She wondered why I didn't put as much effort and creativity into the comics as I seemed to be putting into my other freelance endeavors. ...[H]er little dissertation made me suddenly realize that it was time to start concentrating on what I was doing — to carve a real career for myself in the nowhere world of comic books.
Stan himself at some point played around by drawing a number of possible chest insignias, as seen at left, before settling on the simple number '4' in a circle ...
It did not take long for editor Stan Lee to realize thatThe Fantastic Four was a hit...the flurry of fan letters all pointed to the FF's explosive popularity.
In the conclusion to a tale that had begun in the pages ofPeter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #42 (May), writer [Bill] Mantlo and artist John Byrne had the latest incarnation of the Frightful Four face off against their Fantastic counterparts
These questions and more will be explored in an all-new volume ofFantastic Four by writer James Robinson and artist Leonard Kirk, which kicks off in February.
The Thing has joined the Guardians Of The Galaxy amidst cosmic wordplay between Rocket Raccoon and the Kitty Pryde Starlord. While the Human Torch has joined the Uncanny Avengers, and we already know is getting down with Inhuman Queen Medusa.
fantastic four.
In 1967,Spider-Man andFantastic Four took over Saturday morning slots on ABC-TV, the latter produced byHanna-Barbera Productions.
Fox's handling ofFantastic Four – Marvel's original multi-superhero squad, the rights for whom were leased out to Constantin Film back in 1986 – is a total disaster. A competent marketing campaign, casting Josh Trank's $120m reboot in a Christopher Nolan-esque penumbra, has fooled no one.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)Marvel Pinball is celebrating 50 years of the Fantastic Four with the addition of its newest table, which highlights the teamwork of Mister Fantastic, the Invisible Woman, the Thing and the Human Torch!
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