As a huge MCU fan, it’s been amazing watching so many comic book characters come to life on screen over the last decade-plus – with over 70 movies and shows now! There are still tons of characters we’re waiting to see, but I was so excited to finally see a classic villain from the Fantastic Four show up in one of the MCU’s earlier stories. It’s a great sign of things to come!
As a longtime Marvel fan, I’ve been following the build-up to the Fantastic Four’s official MCU arrival, and this new comic, Fantastic Four: First Foes #1, is a clever tie-in. It’s particularly interesting because it finally brings René Rodin, who you might remember as being mentioned in the recent film, fully into the universe. We only got hints of his character before, but this comic really fleshes out his connection to the Fantastic Four’s beginnings and explains his eventual transformation into the Mad Thinker. It’s a nice bit of world-building that adds depth to the overall narrative.
The Great Thinker’s MCU Role Could Be Huge
The new film, Fantastic Four: First Foes, reveals the Mad Thinker played a much bigger role in the team’s origin story than previously shown. While First Steps hinted at his involvement, First Foes shows us just how crucial he was to the Fantastic Four’s first adventure and their initial success in saving the city. The earlier film only mentioned the team stopping his plan, but we never actually saw the Mad Thinker himself.
In First Foes, the story goes back to the event that gave the Fantastic Four their powers. We learn that Rodin was in charge of the mission from Mission Control, and he couldn’t resist pointing out that he used to be Dr. Richards’ professor and that Richards specifically requested he lead the mission.
According to Rodin, only two people possessed the necessary intelligence for faster-than-light travel: himself, stationed at Mission Control, and Richards, who was aboard the ship. A reporter, impressed by this, called Rodin a “great thinker,” a nickname that would stick with him. Later, in his narration, Reed recalls this moment, referring to the voice they heard as belonging to “the mad genius we’d come to know as the Great Thinker.”
Reed also points out that it was Rodin who rescued the Fantastic Four during their fateful flight. After their ship hit the cosmic storm that gave them their powers, Rodin quickly calculated a new course and relayed the information to H.E.R.B.I.E., saving everyone on board. This event connects Thinker to the Fantastic Four’s beginnings, and it’s also where his resentment starts to grow – he’s upset he wasn’t on the ship to gain powers himself.
This character has the potential to be a significant villain in future Marvel movies. Now that Doctor Doom has appeared, the Fantastic Four will need another major antagonist, and the Mad Thinker’s connection to their backstory makes him a strong candidate. Furthermore, with the upcoming ‘Secret Wars’ storyline, Marvel has the freedom to introduce characters from anywhere into the main universe, which sets the stage for the Mad Thinker to become a powerful figure in the MCU.
Fantastic Four: First Foes #1 is in comic stores now.
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2026-03-22 18:46