The Fantastic Four Have the Power to Change the MCU

Summary

• The Fantastic Four laid the foundation for modern Marvel heroes with unique dynamics and relatable struggles.
• Many iconic Marvel elements, like the Skrulls and Doctor Doom, originated from the Fantastic Four comics.
• The Fantastic Four are set to save the MCU, ushering in a new era as the key characters for the future.

The heroes of the Marvel Universe are some of the most famous in all of pop culture. Spider-Man, the X-Men, and the Avengers. From comic books to multi-billion dollar film franchises, the Marvel Universe is sprawling with heroes that have inspired people, and thanks to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, characters that were once considered D-list, like the Guardians of the Galaxy, are household names. Tell a comic book fan 10 years ago that a kid’s favorite superhero could be Ant-Man, and they wouldn’t believe you, but now no hero is too obscure to be a breakout hit. Yet Marvel’s most important heroes are still the Fantastic Four.

While characters like Captain America and Namor predate them, the Fantastic Four are the heroes who truly launched the age of Marvel Comics that fans are still enjoying to this day. The team certainly had a rough two decades there, but now it looks like Marvel is all in on the team. Ryan North’s recent run on Fantastic Four in the comics has been critically acclaimed, and Fantastic Four: First Steps will finally bring Marvel’s First Family to the MCU. The film is already shaping up to be one of 2025’s most anticipated films and one of the most anticipated movies in the history of the MCU. Here is why the Fantastic Four are so important to Marvel Comics and Marvel Studios.

The Fantastic Four Set the Template for Marvel Heroes

When Stan Lee and Jack Kirby created the Fantastic Four, they were unlike anything in superhero comics before. There was the obvious fact that when they originated, they didn’t have superhero names or costumes (that would not come into play until the third issue), but it was just how Stan Lee and Jack Kirby developed the characters. These heroes argued just as much with one another as they did fighting the villains, developing unique personalities that differed from one another and would clash for good drama. Combine that with The Thing being a monstrous hero, and this was a sharp contrast to the clean-cut heroes of DC’s Justice League.

This, coupled with the fact that The Fantastic Four was set in New York as opposed to the fictional city, made the Fantastic Four a favorite among older audiences at the time. The Fantastic Four struggled with doubt, one another, and even finances, while their superhero base had a lab mixed in with an apartment complex that had them meeting around the breakfast table as opposed to a formal Hall of Justice. All this made them relatable to readers, and they would go on to inform the various Marvel heroes who would struggle and, at times, feel cast out from society. The idea of being an outsider is very much at the heart of many early Marvel heroes, like the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, the Hulk, and Spider-Man, and it helped make them counterculture heroes of the 1960s.

The Fantastic Four broke the mold in other ways. They truly were a family of superheroes that was different from the work-friends vibe of both the Justice League and Justice Society of America. While the Fantastic Four is very much a literal family unit, their dynamic would impact the family found in Marvel teams like the X-Men, the Guardians of the Galaxy, and The Runaways.

The Fantastic Four also set the template for establishing that the heroes of the Marvel Universe were power fantasies but with a tragic twist. This was most notable for The Thing, as he could not turn off his powers and was forced to remain a monster. Doctor Strange is a powerful sorcerer, but his hands are still damaged, and Daredevil is blind, but his other senses are enhanced, enforcing the idea that powers do not solve one issue, and in the case of heroes like Spider-Man and the Hulk, their powers make their lives more difficult. Most of the best Marvel heroes can trace their roots back to the foundations the Fantastic Four laid down.

Many Iconic Elements of the Marvel Universe Originate From the Fantastic Four Comics

Stan Lee and Jack Kirby worked together on The Fantastic Four, from the debut issue in 1961 to Fantastic Four #102 in 1970, a nine-year run that is one of the longest in comics and also one of the most influential. The comic often called itself “The World’s Greatest Comic Magazine,” and while that certainly seems like hyperbole, it is hard to argue with that, looking back now, seeing how many key elements that would inform the Marvel Universe would spring forth from this creative run that was the comic book equivalent of John Lennon and Paul McCartney of The Beatles.

The Fantastic Four #2 introduced the alien species known as The Skrulls, one of many powerful cosmic species that would become part of the Marvel Universe cosmology. The team got their iconic blue outfits in the following issue, and in The Fantastic Four #4 in May 1962, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby revived Namor the Submariner, a Golden Age hero who originated in Marvel Comics #1 back in 1939 and gave him a new personality that has been his comic book default since. Two months later, the next issue, The Fantastic Four #5, would introduce Doctor Doom, the Fantastic Four’s arch-enemy and widely considered the greatest villain in Marvel Comics.

The Fantastic Four would serve as the comic that introduced other alien species like The Watchers (Fantastic Four #13 from 1963), Ronin the Accuser and the Kree (Fantastic Four #65 from 1967), and Adam Warlock, who at that time was only referred to as Him (Fantastic Four #66 from 1967). Kang the Conqueror, a villain in The Avengers comics, was retconned as the future version of the Fantastic Four foe Rama-Tut, who debuted Fantastic Four #19 in 1963. Not only did that mean Kang the Conqueror originated in the Fantastic Four even before he would properly debut, but he was also later revealed to be the descendant of Reed Richards.

Fantastic Four #45 from December 1965, which introduced the Inhumans, to Fantastic Four #52, which introduced the first Black superhero in Black Panther and the nation of Wakanda from July 1966, would be one of the greatest runs in comics. Between these two major introductions was Lee and Kirby’s crowning achievement, “The Galactus Trilogy” from Fantastic Four #48 to #50, which saw the introduction of both Galactus and the Silver Surfer, two of Marvel’s most popular characters. Between that iconic storyline and the introduction of Black Panther, Fantastic Four #51 “This Man… This Monster!” was both a thoughtful character study that featured some of Lee’s best writing and Kirby’s best artwork but also introduced The Negative Zone.

For perspective, here is the timeline of someone reading the Fantastic Four comics in the 1960s and all the important Marvel milestones.

• The Fantastic Four #1 (August 1961)- Introduction of the team and their origin
• The Fantastic Four #2 (October 1961) – Introduction of the Skrulls
• The Fantastic Four #3 (December 1961) – The team gets their signature blue costumes and the Fantastic Car
• The Fantastic Four #4 (February 1962) – Reintroduction of Namor the Sub-Mariner into the Marvel Universe
• The Fantastic Four #5 (April 1962) – Introduction of Doctor Doom
• The Fantastic Four #6 (June 1962) – Introduction of Unstable Molecules, a material that explains why superhero costumes transform with them
• The Fantastic Four #12 (March 1963) – The first time the Fantastic Four meet the Hulk and the interconnected Marvel Comics universe is solidified
• The Fantastic Four #13 (April 1963) – Introduction of Uatu the Watcher and the Watchers species
• Fantastic Four #18 (June 1963) – Introduction of the Super Skrull
• Fantastic Four #19 (July 1963) – Introduction of Rama-Tut, aka Kang the Conqueror
• Fantastic Four Annual #2 (July 1964) – Origin of Doctor Doom revealed
• Fantastic Four Annual #3 (July 1965) – The Wedding of Reed Richards and Susan Storm
• Fantastic Four #45 (December 1965) – The introduction of the Inhuman Royal family after Queen Medusa and Gorgon were introduced in #36 and #45, respectively.
• Fantastic Four #48 to #50 (March to May 1966) – “The Galactus trilogy” which introduced The Silver Surfer and Galactus
• Fantastic Four #51 (June 1966)- “This Man…This Monster!” storyline that also introduced The Negative Zone
• Fantastic Four #52 (July 1966) – Introduction of Black Panther and the nation of Wakanda
• Fantastic Four Annual #4 (August 1966) – Return of the original android Human Torch.
• Fantastic Four #65 (May 1967) – Introduction of the alien species the Kree and Ronan the Accuser
• Fantastic Four #66 (June 1967) – Introduction of Him, who would later be retconned into Adam Warlock
• Fantastic Four Annual #5 (August 1967) – Introduction of the Psycho-Man and the Microverse, which the MCU will rename the Quantum Realm
• Fantastic Four Annual #6 (August 1968) – Introduction of Annihilus and the birth of Franklin Richards, son of Mr. Fantastic and the Invisible Woman

Just one look at that run and it is clear that the foundations that built the Marvel Universe originate in the Fantastic Four comics. While Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s tenure on the title are the most iconic, plenty of other great writers like Mark Waid, John Byrne, and Dan Slott have added to the Fantastic Four mythos. In addition, plenty of newer additions to the Marvel Universe have been added to the pages of the Fantastic Four comics. In 2005, Mark Millar’s Ultimate Fantastic Four arc “Crossovers” introduced a zombie-infested world of superheroes, which would be expanded upon in Marvel Zombies and its various sequels. Millar would also lay the groundwork for his Old Man Logan character in Fantastic Four #588 in August 2008. Meanwhile, Jonathan Hickman’s run on Fantastic Four introduced The Council of Reeds and The Future Foundation and laid the groundwork for the epic Secret Wars crossover in 2015.

The Fantastic Four Are Set to Save the MCU

The Fantastic Four will finally join the MCU with Fantastic Four: First Steps. Their arrival in the MCU is a big deal, as they are one of the last major pillars of the Marvel Universe that the cinematic universe franchise has not adapted before. After multiple failed attempts at adapting the team to film, a lot is riding on this. The heroes who ushered in the creation of the Marvel Universe have not gotten one beloved live-action film before, which is a mistake that needs to be corrected.

Fantastic Four: First Steps is coming at an exciting time for the MCU, as their pop culture dominance seems to be waning a bit. Despite multiple films being box office hits, there is a perception that the MCU is not what it once was. The homecoming of Marvel’s first family is undoubtedly a big deal that will certainly draw interest from general audiences. Still, the movie also looks to push the MCU in a new, exciting direction.

The film marketing and the footage that was shown at 2024’s San Diego Comic-Con show that Fantastic Four: First Steps does not take place within the MCU sacred timeline but instead is in an alternate universe, one that has a retro-futuristic 1960s aesthetic to it that matches both the era the comic debuted in while also tapping into the optimistic spirit of the team as a group of explorers. With it being set in a different part of the multiverse, it will allow Fantastic Four: First Steps to tell its story without the large continuity of the MCU that can often hinder films and act as a jumping-on point for new viewers or a reintroduction for audiences who have grown tired of the now 16-year run of the MCU timeline.

This might make The Fantastic Four the new focal point of the MCU moving forward. With Doctor Doom set to be the main villain in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, there appears to be a three-year run between 2025 and 2027 that will center around The Fantastic Four and their greatest enemy. A common criticism of the MCU’s Multiverse Saga is that there are no focal characters like Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America for the Infinity Saga. The Fantastic Four might be the new characters to take center stage during the final leg of the Multiverse Saga and be the new anchor heroes for whatever comes next for the MCU after Avengers: Secret Wars.

Avengers: Secret Wars is expected to end with a soft reboot of the MCU, where the Fantastic Four and X-Men have always existed alongside The Avengers. Having the Fantastic Four as the lead characters of this new era, filling the void left by the likes of Iron Man and Captain America, makes sense from a business standpoint, but it feels appropriate for their legacy in comics. These were the characters that ushered in the Marvel Universe and helped form the bedrock for the comics, and after multiple failed film attempts, they are now given the legacy status they have always deserved. The Fantastic Four are the key to the MCU’s future. Fantastic Four: First Steps is releasing in theaters on July 25, 2025.