Movies - TV
4 Fantastic Four Comics Every Marvel Fan Needs To Read
By DEVIN MEENAN
The poster for the new "Fantastic Four" coming to theaters this summer is set in the 1960s, a nod to the comic book series that debuted in that decade.
Previous "Fantastic Four" movies haven't introduced the Fantastic Four to audiences very well, so we have narrowed down a wide list of comics to read before going to the theater.
The Original Trilogy
Jack Kirby and Stan Lee made 102 issues of "Fantastic Four." At the midpoint (#48-50), they introduced Galactus, a being who has come to devour Earth.
No other event has inspired dread like "The Galactus Trilogy." The story's dialogue might read as overwrought to a modern ear, but Kirby's penciled images are incredible.
Fantastic Four: 1234
Grant Morrison wrote this mini-series in typical fashion: Doctor Doom enacts a scheme to tear apart the Four from within while recruiting other adversaries.
Morrison focuses an issue on each member of the team. Jae Lee's dark and sharp watercolors keep the series relatively down to Earth.
Solve Everything
A 100+ issue story may sound daunting, but you can start small with Jonathan Hickman's first three "Fantastic Four" issues (#570-572), drawn by Dale Eaglesham.
"Solve Everything" is a character study of Reed Richards. As a scientist, he solves problems and braves the unknown. As a superhero scientist, though, he feels he can do more.
Fantastic Four
The current "Fantastic Four" run, written by Ryan North and drawn mostly by Iban Coello, understands that these superheroes are also scientists and explorers.
In the debut issue, the Thing and his wife, Alicia Masters, wind up in a small town stuck in a time loop since 1947. This lends an enjoyable episodic quality, like 60s-era comics.