Marvel Studios has started to shape up The Fantastic Four movie, starring Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach. The recent addition of Julia Garner as the Shalla-Bal version of the Silver Surfer and the planet-consuming cosmic entity, Galactus, reportedly being the main adversary must have made you curious about the source material that Marvel Studios is using to make the Fantastic Four reboot. The studio has urged fans to read the following five comics before watching the upcoming FF film. Check them out!
Fantastic Four (1961) #1
This one seems a bit obvious, right? It is the comic that started it all for Marvel’s first family. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the first edition of the original Fantastic Four comic book series debuted in 1961. It tells the story of the space mission that bestowed Reed Richards, Johnny Storm, Sue Storm, and Ben Grimm with superhuman abilities. In addition, we see the superhero faction’s first encounter with the villainous Mole Man – who steals nuclear material from power plants across the globe to create and strengthen his underground empire filled with subterranean creatures.
Fantastic Four (1961) #48
Marvel Studios turns up a notch here by recommending not one but three comic book editions that all are part of a larger story. The first one (#48) starts after the Fantastic Four deal with the Inhuman Maximus – Black Bolt’s deranged brother. Upon arriving at the Baxter Building, the group is greeted by Uatu The Watcher, who warns them about the planet-eater Galactus. The Watcher did everything he could to protect the Earth from Galactus’ herald, the Silver Surfer (Norrin Radd), but failed. As a result, the Surfer enters the planet and summons his master by sending him a cosmic signal. Soon, the Fantastic Four witness Galactus’ planet-consuming ship, Taa II, appearing in the skies above Manhattan. This edition marks the comic debut of both Galactus and the Silver Surfer.
Fantastic Four (1961) #49
Serving as a continuation to the debut story of Galactus, edition #49 sees The Watcher trying to reason with Galactus to spare the Earth. However, the former fails at negotiating with the planet-eater. As a result, he makes a strategy with Johnny Storm to weaken Galactus’ plan of mass destruction. Meanwhile, the Silver Surfer connects with Alicia Masters – Ben Grimm’s love interest. Her sympathy makes the Surfer question his master’s plan. He also starts to feel pity for the humans. This scenario inspires the Surfer to confront Galactus.
Fantastic Four (1961) #50
This one concludes the three-edition story of Galactus’ first-ever encounter with the Fantastic Four. The Silver Surfer decides to confront his master, Galactus, after being convinced by Alicia Masters. However, he soon realises that his powers are insufficient to stop Galactus. But his encounter gives Johnny Storm enough time to steal Galactus’ primary device of mass destruction, the Ultimate Nullifier, from the latter’s spaceship. Reed Richards uses this device to threaten Galactus. Scared of the device’s potential, Galactus decides to leave the Earth alone. However, he punishes the Surfer by banishing him to the Earth forever.
Fantastic Four: Life Story (2021) #1
Among all the recommended comic books, this one is the most intriguing of them all. Marvel Studios may replicate this edition’s tone for the forthcoming Fantastic Four film. Like Spider-Man: Life Story, this comic book series centers on the fabulous foursome in real time, decade by decade, starting from their origin in the 1960s to the 2010s – celebrating the superhero faction’s 60th anniversary.
The first issue explores the Fantastic Four’s powers and their journey amidst the backdrop of the Space Race and the Cold War. It also touches on the group’s entanglement with the Earth’s history.
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