Reed Richards, Susan Storm, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm have been the Fantastic Four since 1961 and as a result, newcomers to their comics can be confused about where to start. This is understandable because Marvel’s first family has had adventures across Earth, alternate Earths, space, and time.
From their humble beginnings to outlandish modern adventures, the Fantastic Four have had a plethora of talented writers and artists bring them to life on the page. Many of them provided perfect places for new comic book readers to pick up and these come in the form of relaunches and classic runs of the past.
The Fantastic Four #1 (1961)
Stan Lee
Marvel’s first family got their start with The Fantastic Four in 1961, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. This is where, despite having some age to the comic itself, the Fantastic Four showed off why they are still beloved to this day.
The dynamic of the four is simple: the genius of Reed Richards, the badass moral compass of Sue Storm, the tough but gentle-hearted heart of Ben Grimm, and the hot head of Johnny Storm appealed to most families. They may be superheroes who defend the world but they also have their own stories.
FF #1 (2012)
Matt Fraction
With the classic team gone, a new Future Foundation takes over for the Fantastic Four. This team consists of Ant-Man, Medusa, She-Hulk AKA Jen Walters, and Miss Thing as they try their best to carry the torch. Even though Marvel would bring the classic Fantastic Four back later, the new Future Foundation was far from bad.
It provided a new team that newcomers could enjoy without needing to be familiar with the classic team. Matt Fraction brought the same level of quality writing that he was already known for with comics such as Hawkeye and Iron Man; giving this team a similar but still refreshing dynamic to the original.
Ultimate Fantastic Four #1 (2003)
Mark Millar & Brian Michael Bendis
Before it was abolished, the Ultimate universe was a way to restart the Marvel canon without decades of pre-existing history. In this world, the Fantastic Four are reintroduced as much younger heroes, barely out of high school when they are given their powers.
Just like with Spider-Man, Brian Michael Bendis brought a new flavor to these iconic heroes without betraying what fans love about them so much. Since they are so young, they deal with different personal issues as well as take on the responsibilities of superheroes.
Heroes Return: Fantastic Four (1998)
Scott Lobdell, Mark Waid, Chris Claremont, Etc.
In this story, the Fantastic Four were revamped for a new generation by Scott Lobdell, bringing the Fantastic Four back to their roots. Instead of overly complicated storylines, the Fantastic Four were given simpler adventures, such as protecting Earth from the invasion of another dimension.
Old foes such as Mole Man and Ronan The Accuser return in this series to shine brighter than before and multiple heroes guest star; Iron Man, Spider-Man, and Black Panther, and each provides a fun adventure amid the series. The run would pass to other writers including Mark Waid, Jeph Loeb, and Chris Claremont.
Fantastic Four: 1234 (2001)
Grant Morrison
Despite their traumatic change into the Fantastic Four, the superhero adventures of Marvel’s first family are usually bright and fun. Famous comic book writer Grant Morrison delved deeper into the Fantastic Four, showing a darker side to them all with all their problems.
Each chapter focuses on a different member before they all come together to fend off their greatest enemies. It’s a nice balance of character study and superhero adventure, which is something Grant Morrison would become famous for with stories such as DC’s Doom Patrol.
Fantastic Four #542 (2007)
Dwayne McDuffie
Before sadly passing away, Dwayne McDuffie had a brief run of Fantastic Four comics that deserves more attention. Like always, Dwayne McDuffie knew how to deliver a spectacle while still providing character development that always hits home.
McDuffie’s run was what carried the Fantastic Four through the dark era during and after Marvel’s Civil War event. In a time when the Fantastic Four were lacking in terms of quality, McDuffie turned that around with a short but well-written run that featured characters such as Black Panther and Silver Surfer.
Fantastic Four #1 (2018)
Dan Slott
After years of being broken up, Marvel brought the classic Fantastic Four back together with Dan Slott of She-Hulk and Spider-Verse fame to write them. It takes place after the events of Secret Wars and it shows the team reuniting with Reed Richards still sporting his now-iconic beard that was even brought to the MCU.
Dan Slott also puts more emphasis on Johnny Storm and Ben Grimm, especially in the first issue as they deal with the loss of Reed and Sue. Like with She-Hulk, Slott also provides a healthy balance of charm and comedy with some grittiness, especially with the reintroduction of Doctor Doom.
Fantastic Four #48 (1965)
Stan Lee
For those looking to hop more into the middle of their stories, there is Fantastic Four #48 which is the book that the Silver Surfer makes his debut. It also begins the first story of Galactus, who would go on to not only become an iconic Fantastic Four villain but a villain of the entire Marvel universe.
Most fans agree that it was one of the best Fantastic Four storylines that Stan Lee and Jack Kirby ever worked on together. It’s straightforward with the story of the titular heroes but provides enough context for new readers to begin without being confused.
Fantastic Four #232 (1981)
John Byrne
John Byrne had already made a name for himself as one of the writers who reinvented the X-Men for the better. Some would say that he did the same for the Fantastic Four when his run started with Fantastic Four #232 in 1981.
John Byrne brought Fantastic Four to a more grounded level as characters, showing their human qualities as well as the superhuman. His run brought Namor back into the Marvel universe for the better and explored even more of Franklin Richards as a character.
Fantastic Four #570 (2009)
Jonathan Hickman
Much like how John Byrne reignited the flame of the Fantastic Four in the 80s, Jonathan Hickman was the one to effectively bring the team into the modern era. For many fans, the Jonathan Hickman run that lasted from 2009 to 2013 is one of, if not the best run for the Fantastic Four.
It brought about concepts such as the Future Foundation with Spider-Man becoming the new member, fighting the Dark Reign, and further expanded upon the Multiverse. It all started with Fantastic Four #570 and it’s a run any Fantastic Four fan should check out.
