The 10 Best Fantastic Four Comics You Should Read

The Fantastic Four – Marvel’s first family – have been in publication since 1961. In that time, there have been many fantastic (pun intended) stories featuring Reed Richards (Mister Fantastic), Sue Storm (Invisible Woman), Johnny Storm (The Human Torch), and Benjamin Grimm (The Thing), while also having an essence of scientific exploration and a touch of humanity.

It can be hard to figure out what to read when there’s almost 65 years of material. Luckily, this list is here to point you towards the best Fantastic Four comics. Each story has been hand-picked for its quality, featuring plenty of fan and critical favourites, while also taking into account accessibility for new readers.

Happy reading!

Fantastic Four (1961 series) #49 cover by Jack Kirby.

The Galactus Trilogy

Written by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Art by Jack Kirby.

The Galactus Trilogy is big and resplendent by 1960s standards. But what sets it apart is that it’s not a black-and-white affair, offering many shades of grey. Led by his herald, the Silver Surfer, Galactus has arrived on Earth for the first time to feast on the planet’s life force. The only thing standing in his way is the Fantastic Four and The Watcher, a being who has broken his vow of only observation.

Jack Kirby and Stan Lee set up a grand threat for the Fantastic Four to face, but load it with plenty of nuance. Galactus has no malice towards Earth. He merely needs to feed. As a result, he’s more a (cosmic) force of nature. The Silver Surfer is an extension of that, cold and unmoving from his obligation to his master, but will soon find a higher purpose as he experiences Earth’s beauty.

Issues: Fantastic Four (1961 series) #48-50
Collected in: ‘Fantastic Four Epic Collection: The Coming Of Galactus’ or ‘Marvel Masterworks: Fantastic Four Volume 5’
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Fantastic Four (1961 series) #60 cover by Jack Kirby.

The Power and the Peril

Written by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Art by Jack Kirby.

Doctor Doom has stolen the Silver Surfer’s Power Cosmic, an almost limitless power. Now, Doom is flying around the world on the Surfer’s board, creating fear and panic wherever he goes.

Stan Lee and Jack Kirby do a great job of making the situation feel hopeless. The Fantastic Four throw everything at Doctor Doom and still lose on multiple occasions. It causes internal tensions to bubble over in the family, inspiring arguments and reckless actions. However, the effects of Doom’s new powers are best felt in a quiet moment at the kitchen table. While Ben is a little slow on the uptake, Sue and Reed’s silence as they eat says volumes about how dire the situation is.

Issues: Fantastic Four (1961 series) #57-60
Collected in: ‘Fantastic Four Epic Collection: The Mystery Of The Black Panther’ or ‘Doctor Doom Epic Collection: Enter… Doctor Doom’ or ‘Marvel Masterworks: Fantastic Four Volume 6’
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Fantastic Four #570 cover by Dale Eaglesham and Paul Mounts.

Solve Everything

Written by Jonathan Hickman. Art by Dale Eaglesham.

Through the use of advanced technology, Reed Richards has discovered a council consisting of different versions of himself from throughout the multiverse. Together, they pool their intellect and scientific know-how to solve any and every problem. However, doing so is a full-time job and involves sacrifices from an ethical and work-life balance perspective.

Solve Everything is a commentary on work-life balance. While Reed is doing good throughout the multiverse, he’s doing it at the expense of the people who need him the most – his family. While plenty of wild ideas are thrown into the mix, where this story excels is through its emotional core and family connections that tie it all together.

Issues: Fantastic Four #270-272
Collected in: ‘Marvel Premiere Collection: Fantastic Four – Solve Everything’ ‘Fantastic Four by Jonathan Hickman: The Complete Collection Volume 1’
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Fantastic Four (1961 series) #242 cover by John Byrne.

Beginnings and Endings

Written and art by John Byrne.

Terrax, a previous herald of Galactus, has arrived on Earth with a plan for vengeance. He immediately takes the island of Manhattan hostage by putting the whole island in a force-bubble and lifting it into outer space. The purpose of this is to force the Fantastic Four into killing Galactus for him, seeing as they’ve successfully stopped the World-Eater from destroying Earth multiple times before. While it would solve many problems, a change of heart from the Fantastic Four and Marvel’s heroes may work in Galactus’ favour.

Beginnings and Endings is a big superhero story with even larger stakes. However, it’s at its most interesting as a morality play. In this case, the heroes debate whether Galactus should live or die. There’s no easy answer, with both parties making valid arguments that ultimately affect billions of people in the future.

Issues: Fantastic Four (1961 series) #242-244
Collected in: ‘Marvel Masterworks: Fantastic Four Volume 22’ or ‘Fantastic Four Visionaries: John Byrne Volume 2’
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Fantastic Four (1961 series) #262 cover by John Byrne.

The Trial of Reed Richards

Written and art by John Byrne.

In this story, Reed Richards will have to face the consequences of Beginnings and Endings in an intergalactic court. With The Watcher as his lawyer, Reed will need to prove that sparing Galactus’ life was the right thing to do and that he’s not responsible for what the cosmic being does next.

The Trial of Reed Richards has many interesting elements that make it a great read. At its core, it’s a debate about Galactus and his place in the universe, not so much as a villain but as a force of nature. This is reiterated through a summary of the character’s origin and a cast of different testimonies that agree with and counter the argument. All the time, John Byrne (via a gimmick that Marvel was running that month) and the other members of the Fantastic Four watch on helplessly.

Issues: Fantastic Four (1961 series) #262
Collected in: ‘Marvel Masterworks: Fantastic Four Volume 24’ or ‘Fantastic Four Visionaries: John Byrne Volume 4’
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Fantastic Four (1998 series) #67 cover by Mike Weiringo, Karl Kesel, and Richard Isanove.

Unthinkable

Written by Mark Waid. Art by Mike Weiringo.

Doctor Doom is ready to destroy the Fantastic Four once and for all. It will begin by renouncing technology, leaning hard into magical abilities – aided by a deal with some prominent demons. Brimming with new magical energies, he’ll go to extreme lengths to make the conflict between Marvel’s first family personal by going after Reed and Sue’s children.

At first glance, the title “Unthinkable” is a commentary on Doom’s relentlessness. He’s willing to go after anyone and do anything as long as it serves his ultimate goals. However, there’s another side to the title, via Reed Richards’ experiences. As a man of science, he’ll need to change his view on magic to save his family.

Issues: Fantastic Four (1998 series) #67-70, and #500
Collected in: ‘Fantastic Four By Mark Waid and Mike Wieringo: Ultimate Collection – Book Two’ or ‘Marvel Ultimate Graphic Novel Collection #30 – Fantastic Four: Unthinkable’ or ‘Doctor Doom: The Books of Doom Omnibus’
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Fantastic Four (1961 series) #51 cover by Jack Kirby.

This Man… This Monster

Written by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Art by Jack Kirby.

The Thing, down in the dumps about his appearance, is captured by an unnamed scientist. This is followed by the latter stealing the former’s identity in a plot to destroy Reed Richards. The Thing impersonator enters the Baxter Building with ease, where he plans to sabotage the first-ever expedition into the Negative Zone – a psychedelic dimension of anti-matter.

This Man… This Monster is a high point in Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s classic run due to big science fiction ideas and bold visual experimentation. However, what brings it all together is a human element that changes how the reader perceives the scientist through a selfless act of heroism.

Issues: Fantastic Four (1961 series) #51
Collected in: ‘Fantastic Four Epic Collection: The Coming Of Galactus’ or ‘Marvel Masterworks: Fantastic Four Volume 6’
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Fantastic Four (1961 series) #348 cover by Arthur Adams.

The New Fantastic Four

Written by Walter Simonson. Art by Arthur Adams and Gracine Tanaka.

In this convoluted, yet fun, yarn, a Skrull fugitive arrives on Earth and immediately takes out the Fantastic Four through combination psychic and shape-changing abilities. Through her deception – posing as Sue Richards – she rounds up Spider-Man, The Hulk, Wolverine, and Ghost Rider to track down an ancient weapon under the false pretence of serving justice for the Fantastic Four, who they believe are dead.

The results are a lot of fun, even if some may think teaming up 1990’s four hottest characters is a cash-grab. The creative team is self-aware of the situation and is tongue-in-cheek about it, resulting in a lot of banter and humour. Arthur Adams’ style is well suited for the tone, having an animated quality but not too far removed from what readers enjoyed back in the era. As a result, The New Fantastic Four is big, silly fun – perfect for anyone looking for a good time.

Issues: Fantastic Four (1961 series) #347-349
Collected in: ‘Fantastic Four Epic Collection: The New Fantastic Four’ or ‘Fantastic Four Visionaries: Walt Simonson Volume 3’
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Fantastic Four (2022 series) #18 cover by Alex Ross.

The Secret of Franklin Richards

Written by Ryan North. Art by Carlos Gomez.

The Fantastic Four must do the impossible when a wave of invisible asteroids – with enough power to destroy the planet – rain down on Earth. Unknowingly, it’s revealed that Franklin Richards, the son of Sue and Reed, still has his god-like powers. However, he has reconfigured them in a way that they only manifest once a year.

Ryan North’s Fantastic Four run is full of great done-in-one stories like this. However, this one is notable for several reasons. The script does a great job of emphasising how dire the asteroid situation is, adding plenty of drama. The solution to the problem is a lot of fun, inventing new applications of the team’s powers that walk the line between superheroic and scientific. And finally, there’s the Franklin Richards element. North has found a compromise for both sides of Franklin without finding himself in the same conundrum that other creators find themselves with the character. Overall, a very fun issue.

Issues: Fantastic Four (2022 series) #18
Collected in: Fantastic Four by Ryan North Volume 4: Fortune Favors the Fantastic
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Fantastic Four: Full Circle cover by Alex Ross.

Full Circle

Written and art by Alex Ross.

A blast-from-the-past arrives at the Baxter building, sending a message of an untimely invasion. The Fantastic Four must venture into the Negative Zone to ensure sinister forces don’t find their way to Earth.

Full Circle is Alex Ross’s love letter to Jack Kirby and Stan Lee’s foundational Fantastic Four run from the 1960s. It’s a psychedelic tour de force, with Ross capturing the energy of the classic run without directly mimicking Kirby. The artist blends vivid digital colouring with his signature style to highlight the mind-bending environments and inhabitants of the Negative Zone – whether that be through fluorescent zones or inverting them through black light effects. The result is a mesmerising read that will have you admiring the detail long after you’ve finished reading.

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