The MCU’s Next Fantastic Four Release is Already Coming This Month

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It’s been a while, but Marvel fans are finally getting new content from the Marvel Cinematic Universe – this time in comic book form. While the blockbuster movies are what most people focus on, the comics are the foundation of the MCU and shouldn’t be overlooked. After all, the films are based on these stories, so it’s natural to see a connection between the two. For a period, this connection was very strong, with comics specifically designed to link to the movies being widely available.

When the Marvel Cinematic Universe first began, Marvel Comics released a lot of comic books that connected to the films – almost one for each movie. These comics usually came before or after the films and added a little extra detail to the story. It was a fun way to expand the MCU, but the movies were always the main focus. The comics couldn’t explore the universe too deeply because they risked creating plot holes. While these tie-in comics have become less common recently, Marvel is now trying them again with a new and promising series.

Fantastic Four: First Foes Gives Fans an Extended Look into Earth-828

Later this month, on March 25th, Marvel Comics will release a new comic called Fantastic Four: First Foes #1 from writer Dan Slott and artist Mark Buckingham. Similar to last year’s Fantastic Four: First Steps, this comic takes place in the same universe as the Fantastic Four movies. Like its predecessor, First Foes is framed as a story being told by Reed Richards’ Future Foundation, detailing the team’s very first adventures before the events of Fantastic Four: First Steps.

This special, Fantastic Four: First Foes, kicks off a new series of quarterly adventures featuring Marvel’s First Family. Unlike previous specials, this is the first of four planned issues, and it tells the story of a classic battle with the Mad Thinker. Fans can even see the villain featured on variant covers by artists Kaare Andrews and Phil Noto. As a bonus, the issue includes a short story written by Ryan North, who currently writes the main Fantastic Four comic series.

The Fantastic Four Comics Are a Welcome Return to Tie-Ins

It’s tricky creating comic books that connect to a huge franchise like the Marvel Cinematic Universe. You want to tell a great story that feels worthy of the films, but you’re often restricted by what the movie creators have planned – like when a villain can’t be used because they have future appearances planned. While the MCU’s interconnected story is usually a good thing, it can make it hard to tell stories that aren’t directly connected to the movies. Luckily, Marvel has managed to find a way to make these comic book stories fit well within the MCU.

Setting this Marvel story on Earth-828 is a smart move. It gives the comic book creators complete freedom to introduce new villains and storylines without affecting the main Marvel Cinematic Universe timeline. We already know the Fantastic Four are joining the MCU, as teased in Thunderbolts, and a major reboot could happen with Avengers: Secret Wars. This means events from the Fantastic Four’s history – and anything happening on Earth-828 – might not ultimately matter to the main timeline, offering a lot of creative flexibility.

Ideally, we’d have more books based in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, letting heroes explore endless stories. However, Marvel wants the MCU to be widely appealing. They can’t allow stories in comics – which only a small part of their audience reads – to become official canon. It’s disappointing, as it feels like a missed chance, but Marvel would definitely publish more MCU-based comics if they thought they’d be successful. Still, they’ve managed to offer comic fans something to enjoy.

These four limited-series comics could be Marvel’s way of gauging interest in MCU-based comics. However, it’s more probable they’re taking advantage of the current popularity of the MCU while it lasts. Regardless, fans will be getting more comics tied to the MCU, and that’s a win. Perhaps strong sales of the Fantastic Four specials will demonstrate to Marvel that there’s demand for additional MCU-themed books.

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2026-03-05 22:41