The Fantastic Four: First Foes #1 is a Charming MCU Addition (Review)

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If you enjoyed the nostalgic feel of the Fantastic Four: First Steps in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel Comics has a new comic that connects to it. Marvel often releases comics tied to its movies and shows, though not as often as before. Last year, with the reboot of the Fantastic Four, they did something special: they created a comic presented as an official publication from the Future Foundation, recounting the team’s very first missions.

I enjoyed Fantastic Four: First Steps and the comic book it was connected to. The way it felt like a real historical account within the Marvel Universe made it different from other tie-in comics at the time. So, I was excited when Marvel announced more stories about the Future Foundation. Their newest special, Fantastic Four: First Foes #1 – created by Dan Slott, Mark Buckingham, Alex Sinclair, Ryan North, Phil Noto, Joe Caramagna, and Adam Del Re – has just been released, and it’s just as enjoyable as the movie that inspired it.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Pros Cons
Entertaining, accessible story Leaves you wanting a bit more
True to Fantastic Four: First Steps’ vibe Kind of stiff with action scenes

Fantastic Four: First Foes #1 Captures the Fun, Retro Vibes of First Steps

Similar to earlier stories, Fantastic Four: First Foes #1 takes place when the team was first forming. The story shows the Fantastic Four’s journey aboard the Excelsior, which was monitored by Reed Richards’ former professor, René Rodin. Rodin is present when the ship is hit by cosmic rays, and his fast actions are what ultimately rescue the team and bring them home. Unfortunately, while everyone celebrates the Fantastic Four and their powers, no one acknowledges the person who helped save them.

Things take a dark turn when Mister Fantastic steals Rodin’s ‘smart city’ concept. Rodin transforms into the Mad Thinker, a classic villain, and uses technology to try and kill his rivals in a chaotic attack on Times Square. The Fantastic Four narrowly win the intense battle by working together and thinking fast. This issue also includes a fun science segment with Mr. Fantastic explaining the possibility of flying cars, and a warning to Johnny Storm to stay away from Reed’s gadgets!

Fantastic Four: First Foes #1 is a Simple, Entertaining Tie-In That MCU Fans Will Love

Dan Slott faced a challenge following Matt Fraction’s excellent Fantastic Four special, but he delivered a strong story. While this issue focuses more on the villain, the Mad Thinker, than the team themselves, I felt that was a smart move. The Mad Thinker provides a compelling contrast to Reed Richards and the Fantastic Four – he’s equally brilliant, but driven by self-interest instead of a desire to improve the world. This highlights the dangers of unchecked ego and makes for a thought-provoking story.

Mark Buckingham’s work is solid too. He faced a tough challenge – balancing accurate character designs based on the movie with the wild, sci-fi action the story demands. A few scenes, like the one with Mad Thinker’s robot, feel a bit rigid and don’t flow as smoothly as a typical Fantastic Four comic. However, his character designs perfectly capture the movie’s cool, retro-futuristic style, which is a definite strength.

I really enjoyed the “Fantastic Science with Mr. Fantastic” backup story, but it also left me a little disappointed. The previous special had a lot of extra content – interviews, articles, and more – that made it feel like it truly came from another universe (Earth-828). While I always appreciate seeing work from Ryan North, having only his comic and a single letter as extra material felt a bit thin compared to what the previous special offered, and left me wanting more.

Overall, this is a solid continuation of the story from the movie and the previous comic tie-in. It’s hard to say if it will bring back MCU fans who haven’t been following, but those who enjoyed the style of Fantastic Four: First Steps should definitely like this. If you’re a fan of the movie and want more Fantastic Four content while you wait for their next big Marvel appearance, Fantastic Four: First Foes #1 is a great choice.

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2026-03-25 17:41