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Fantastic Four Epic Collection
Fantastic Four Epic Collection, Vol. 1: The World's Greatest Comic Magazine
In 1961, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby lit the fuse of the greatest revolution in comic-book history — the Marvel Age of Comics — and it started right here, in the pages of FANTASTIC FOUR! With the space race on, Reed Richards, Ben Grimm, Sue Storm and Johnny Storm shoot for the stars — but after their craft is bombarded by cosmic rays, they return to Earth with the startling powers of the Fantastic Four! These weren’t just any super heroes, though — the Fantastic Four were a realistic, relatable, bickering and loveable family that couldn’t pay their rent and didn’t always love their powers. So crack open this Epic Collection and enjoy the beginning of the series that earned the name “The World’s Greatest Comic Magazine!”
COLLECTING: Fantastic Four (1961) 1-18
COLLECTING: Fantastic Four (1961) 1-18
456 pages, Paperback
First published September 10, 2014
62 people are currently reading
212 people want to read
About the author
Stan Lee
7,561 books2,350 followersStan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber) was an American writer, editor, creator of comic book superheroes, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics.
With several artist co-creators, most notably Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, he co-created Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, Thor as a superhero, the X-Men, Iron Man, the Hulk, Daredevil, the Silver Surfer, Dr. Strange, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Scarlet Witch, The Inhumans, and many other characters, introducing complex, naturalistic characters and a thoroughly shared universe into superhero comic books. He subsequently led the expansion of Marvel Comics from a small division of a publishing house to a large multimedia corporation.
With several artist co-creators, most notably Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, he co-created Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, Thor as a superhero, the X-Men, Iron Man, the Hulk, Daredevil, the Silver Surfer, Dr. Strange, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Scarlet Witch, The Inhumans, and many other characters, introducing complex, naturalistic characters and a thoroughly shared universe into superhero comic books. He subsequently led the expansion of Marvel Comics from a small division of a publishing house to a large multimedia corporation.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
January 29, 2021
I have unapologetically sunk into the warm, gauzy embrace of classic Marvel stories over the past couple of years and I regret nothing. It is a balm against the unrelenting horribleness of the outside world, people. A BALM—DO YOU HEAR ME?!
That said, I’ve always struggled to get into the Fantastic Four, save for the occasional run here and there (some of John Byrne’s stuff, for example, and the Waid/Weiringo run). I figured it was finally time to go back and thoroughly explore the genesis of the Marvel U, and I was pleasantly surprised—while I’m less of a Kirby fan than most, his style suited FF perfectly, and Stan hadn’t quite hit his apex of effusive wordiness yet, so the stories moved quickly. Look, it ain’t high art, and the characterizations aren’t as deep as they’d later become, but if you need a warm, fuzzy return to a foundational piece of the superhero genre, you could do worse than spending time with the FF.
That said, I’ve always struggled to get into the Fantastic Four, save for the occasional run here and there (some of John Byrne’s stuff, for example, and the Waid/Weiringo run). I figured it was finally time to go back and thoroughly explore the genesis of the Marvel U, and I was pleasantly surprised—while I’m less of a Kirby fan than most, his style suited FF perfectly, and Stan hadn’t quite hit his apex of effusive wordiness yet, so the stories moved quickly. Look, it ain’t high art, and the characterizations aren’t as deep as they’d later become, but if you need a warm, fuzzy return to a foundational piece of the superhero genre, you could do worse than spending time with the FF.
June 12, 2017
While I thoroughly enjoyed this collection, the major problem is one I expected: It's incredibly dated. Most comics from this era are, and this was no exception. In fact, the only exception I can think of off the top of my head is "The Amazing Spider-Man," the majority of which still works. "Tales to Astonish," which feature the adventures of Ant-Man and the Wasp, are cheesy, but have fun with it in a way a lot of the poorly-aged comics don't.
The beginning of Lee and Kirby's "Fantastic Four" does have fun with the cheesiness, sure, but there is also an air, at times, of seriousness, and it doesn't mesh particularly well when a page before there was something absolutely ludicrous. The Marvel Universe was in its early stages here, and it shows; one big positive is that the comics continuously get better as they go on, as the universe that we all know and love takes shape.
The characters are the real stand-outs here, even when some of the stories are lackluster. Ben Grimm, the Thing, shines with personality, and while Mister Fantastic may seem a generic scientist character at first, his strengths and flaws shine through as the book goes on. The Human Torch, in the beginning, comes off as nothing more than a hot-tempered (no pun intended) teenager that works slightly worse than Spidey does, but he does grow as a character, albeit more slowly than the others. Sue Storm is great when she gets a moment to shine, but those occasions aren't nearly frequent enough. Doctor Doom and Namor the Sub-Mariner are two amazing villains, and Alicia Masters (the Thing's girlfriend) is a character that, for whatever reason, I have always loved.
There are some poor characters, and I would be remiss not to mention them: The Puppet Master is a mediocre for at best, and I didn't love Miracle Man, either. Add the likes of Kurrgo, the Impossible Man, the Red Ghost, and the Mad Thinker and you almost have as many forgettable villains as you do interesting ones. Luckily, Doom and the Sub-Mariner more than make up for the infrequent appearances of the aforementioned antagonists.
This is a collection of stories that made comics--not just the ones in the Marvel Universe--what they are today. To a certain extent, it's like comicbook history, and I do recommend it. It's important to keep in mind, though, that not every aspect of it has aged for the best.
The beginning of Lee and Kirby's "Fantastic Four" does have fun with the cheesiness, sure, but there is also an air, at times, of seriousness, and it doesn't mesh particularly well when a page before there was something absolutely ludicrous. The Marvel Universe was in its early stages here, and it shows; one big positive is that the comics continuously get better as they go on, as the universe that we all know and love takes shape.
The characters are the real stand-outs here, even when some of the stories are lackluster. Ben Grimm, the Thing, shines with personality, and while Mister Fantastic may seem a generic scientist character at first, his strengths and flaws shine through as the book goes on. The Human Torch, in the beginning, comes off as nothing more than a hot-tempered (no pun intended) teenager that works slightly worse than Spidey does, but he does grow as a character, albeit more slowly than the others. Sue Storm is great when she gets a moment to shine, but those occasions aren't nearly frequent enough. Doctor Doom and Namor the Sub-Mariner are two amazing villains, and Alicia Masters (the Thing's girlfriend) is a character that, for whatever reason, I have always loved.
There are some poor characters, and I would be remiss not to mention them: The Puppet Master is a mediocre for at best, and I didn't love Miracle Man, either. Add the likes of Kurrgo, the Impossible Man, the Red Ghost, and the Mad Thinker and you almost have as many forgettable villains as you do interesting ones. Luckily, Doom and the Sub-Mariner more than make up for the infrequent appearances of the aforementioned antagonists.
This is a collection of stories that made comics--not just the ones in the Marvel Universe--what they are today. To a certain extent, it's like comicbook history, and I do recommend it. It's important to keep in mind, though, that not every aspect of it has aged for the best.
February 5, 2018
When I was in elementary school, my father dug out his box of old Fantastic Four comics to reread -- which, of course, meant that I borrowed them after he was done. It was roughly the first 15 issues; there were lost copies & missing pages & a couple old Kirby-era X-Men thrown in for good measure, but still cute & retro, good clean fun for a kid weaned on old skool Star Trek & X-Men cartoons.
Fast-forward to December 2017. When my father picked this up on a whim to revisit the FF & fill in some gaps in the old box, I borrowed it too. :D
It's important to remember that back in the early 60s this was THE supergroup in Marvel's pantheon. (NB: I'm not a DC girl, so I dunno when Justice League debuted.) Fundamentally, that means no X-Men. No Avengers. No Guardians of the Galaxy, no X-Factor, no nobody in this vein. There wasn't even Star Trek. (Horrors! O.o) Point being: the playful (& sometimes not so playful) sparring & bickering in the FF dynamic was a new thing for comics & cemented the groundwork for other heroic conglomos.
That being said...not every issue has aged well. The quality varies widely as Lee & Kirby settle into the character arcs & story style. Most are fun; several are (still) great, a few are awesomely bad, & a couple others are painfully lame. Submariner has a terrible intro issue, but then recovers to become one of the most interesting recurrent characters -- you can definitely see the seeds of Magneto & the X-Men in his touchy vibe with FF. I liked how Ben's infatuation with Sue is written out in favor of Alicia, & I love how Alicia actually prefers him as the hideous, lumpy Thing instead of normalized Ben Grimm. I lol'd at Sue's fangirling every handsome character they meet -- and I still think she'd be better off with Submariner. ;P
Random: I also enjoyed how the FF (& Lee/Kirby) don't always like their fame & fanmail. Sue is hurt that people don't think she's badass enough, Ben is so eager to beat the shit out of the Yancy Street Gang, etc. All these millennial snowflakes who think trolls & bullies are exclusive to 2018 need a reality check.
Anyway. This was cute & fun & I lol'd several times while reading, so there you go. :) All the worry over Cold War stuff is obv outdated, but what's still apparent is Lee & Kirby having a blast with the hammy dialogue, goofy villains, & ultimate triumph of good over evil.
Fast-forward to December 2017. When my father picked this up on a whim to revisit the FF & fill in some gaps in the old box, I borrowed it too. :D
It's important to remember that back in the early 60s this was THE supergroup in Marvel's pantheon. (NB: I'm not a DC girl, so I dunno when Justice League debuted.) Fundamentally, that means no X-Men. No Avengers. No Guardians of the Galaxy, no X-Factor, no nobody in this vein. There wasn't even Star Trek. (Horrors! O.o) Point being: the playful (& sometimes not so playful) sparring & bickering in the FF dynamic was a new thing for comics & cemented the groundwork for other heroic conglomos.
That being said...not every issue has aged well. The quality varies widely as Lee & Kirby settle into the character arcs & story style. Most are fun; several are (still) great, a few are awesomely bad, & a couple others are painfully lame. Submariner has a terrible intro issue, but then recovers to become one of the most interesting recurrent characters -- you can definitely see the seeds of Magneto & the X-Men in his touchy vibe with FF. I liked how Ben's infatuation with Sue is written out in favor of Alicia, & I love how Alicia actually prefers him as the hideous, lumpy Thing instead of normalized Ben Grimm. I lol'd at Sue's fangirling every handsome character they meet -- and I still think she'd be better off with Submariner. ;P
Random: I also enjoyed how the FF (& Lee/Kirby) don't always like their fame & fanmail. Sue is hurt that people don't think she's badass enough, Ben is so eager to beat the shit out of the Yancy Street Gang, etc. All these millennial snowflakes who think trolls & bullies are exclusive to 2018 need a reality check.
Anyway. This was cute & fun & I lol'd several times while reading, so there you go. :) All the worry over Cold War stuff is obv outdated, but what's still apparent is Lee & Kirby having a blast with the hammy dialogue, goofy villains, & ultimate triumph of good over evil.
December 11, 2025
It was what I expected it to be, dated. It's what every series in the 60s is. Dated and in that era with all the nostalgia of it trying to be able to have a plot that works but doesn't. Silly read as most, if not all, the series from back in the days.
I won't say FF is dumber than Iron Man or Ant-Man from back then (which I'm currently going through as well) but still dumb.
I won't say FF is dumber than Iron Man or Ant-Man from back then (which I'm currently going through as well) but still dumb.
September 8, 2016
The first volume of Marvel's Fantastic Four Epic Collection line, "The World's Greatest Comic Magazine" collects the first 18 issues of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's acclaimed run on Fantastic Four (a run that would last over 100 issues and include acclaimed stories like "The Galactus Trilogy" and "This Man... This Monster!"). Although this volume isn't the creative height the series is known for reaching later on, it is an enjoyable read of the series that started the Marvel Age of Comics.
Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Ben Grimm, and Johnny Storm take a trip into space (to beat the Red Menace to the stars) but fly back to Earth after a shaky run-in with cosmic rays. Surprisingly, these rays have changed the four of them by giving them super powers: Reed can stretch his body, Sue can turn invisible, Johnny can turn into flames, and Ben becomes inhumanely strong with the side effect of gaining a new, grotesque body. The four of them decide to become a team of superheroes, the Fantastic Four. Now, Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Girl, the Human Torch, and the Thing go on adventures and encounter imaginative and fantastical (*cough*) enemies, including Marvel classics like Namor the Sub-Mariner and Doctor Doom.
Fantastic Four's early days are as much a part of their time as many other comics of the era, filled with dated references (Communism is a recurring enemy here) and caricatures, Stan Lee's over-the-top dialogue, and bizarre concepts. However, compared to the output of other comic book companies, Fantastic Four started several new trends and improvements in the medium: stronger and more realistic characterization, a sense of continuity, and narratives and arcs that took place over multiple issues. This while it retained the imagination and creativity the Silver Age of Comics is known for, telling good, unique storylines. Fantastic Four revolutionized comics by letting its characters clash in personality and their interactions are a highlight. The Four are a family in every sense, showing loyalty to each other even when they repeatedly quarrel. These 18 thus contain a variety of fun stories, but reading these in a collection allows you to see the development of its cast and plot over time. In particular, the love triangle of Sue, Reed, and Namor and the Thing's slow acceptance of his condition provide nice arcs, with the Thing's arc coming to a heartwarming conclusion in the final issue (Sue and Reed's relationship will continue to develop).
Some of Kirby's earlier art in this collection is a little awkward as he transitions from his artistic style of his Golden Age work (such as Captain America), which is much leaner and less refined, to the art style that would exemplify the Marvel Universe in the 60s. By the end of this collection, his art refines and his character work becomes more consistent. Beyond his character designs, Kirby gets plenty of chances to stretch his storytelling skills (Lee and Kirby would popularize the "Marvel Method," of the artist drawing out the entire comic from a summary before the writer would fill in the dialogue), designing great panels such as the blueprints of the Fantastic Four's headquarter's to various strange powers at work in the action scenes.
Stan Lee's character-centric writing and Kirby's expression and imagination match perfectly together to create a memorable collection of Fantastic Four comics. This collection will leave readers looking forward to reading the rest of the run, as the stories only get more acclaimed from here.
Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Ben Grimm, and Johnny Storm take a trip into space (to beat the Red Menace to the stars) but fly back to Earth after a shaky run-in with cosmic rays. Surprisingly, these rays have changed the four of them by giving them super powers: Reed can stretch his body, Sue can turn invisible, Johnny can turn into flames, and Ben becomes inhumanely strong with the side effect of gaining a new, grotesque body. The four of them decide to become a team of superheroes, the Fantastic Four. Now, Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Girl, the Human Torch, and the Thing go on adventures and encounter imaginative and fantastical (*cough*) enemies, including Marvel classics like Namor the Sub-Mariner and Doctor Doom.
Fantastic Four's early days are as much a part of their time as many other comics of the era, filled with dated references (Communism is a recurring enemy here) and caricatures, Stan Lee's over-the-top dialogue, and bizarre concepts. However, compared to the output of other comic book companies, Fantastic Four started several new trends and improvements in the medium: stronger and more realistic characterization, a sense of continuity, and narratives and arcs that took place over multiple issues. This while it retained the imagination and creativity the Silver Age of Comics is known for, telling good, unique storylines. Fantastic Four revolutionized comics by letting its characters clash in personality and their interactions are a highlight. The Four are a family in every sense, showing loyalty to each other even when they repeatedly quarrel. These 18 thus contain a variety of fun stories, but reading these in a collection allows you to see the development of its cast and plot over time. In particular, the love triangle of Sue, Reed, and Namor and the Thing's slow acceptance of his condition provide nice arcs, with the Thing's arc coming to a heartwarming conclusion in the final issue (Sue and Reed's relationship will continue to develop).
Some of Kirby's earlier art in this collection is a little awkward as he transitions from his artistic style of his Golden Age work (such as Captain America), which is much leaner and less refined, to the art style that would exemplify the Marvel Universe in the 60s. By the end of this collection, his art refines and his character work becomes more consistent. Beyond his character designs, Kirby gets plenty of chances to stretch his storytelling skills (Lee and Kirby would popularize the "Marvel Method," of the artist drawing out the entire comic from a summary before the writer would fill in the dialogue), designing great panels such as the blueprints of the Fantastic Four's headquarter's to various strange powers at work in the action scenes.
Stan Lee's character-centric writing and Kirby's expression and imagination match perfectly together to create a memorable collection of Fantastic Four comics. This collection will leave readers looking forward to reading the rest of the run, as the stories only get more acclaimed from here.
December 13, 2019
This first volume of adventures for The Fantastic Four paved the way for the age of Marvel comics we are most familiar with. Their tussles with The Mole Man. The Puppet Master, Namor and, of course, Doctor Doom are milestones in modern comic books, creating some real competition for the other hero-centric company of the time, DC. There are also first appearances from the likes of The Impossible Man, The Mad Thinker, The Watcher and The Super Skrull as the FF go from strength to strength.
August 18, 2024
Really fun cheesy antics backed by some solid character moments (For the time). It’s no surprise the four stuck around for almost a century and inspired the creation of a whole universe.
January 14, 2018
A fantastic collection for anyone who wants to know the origins of the Fantastic Four. A worthy addition to any library.
July 2, 2024
It's always a pleasure to see the drawings of Jack Kirby. And this could be the sole reason to get a copy of this "epic collection". Another reason could be that this is where the "Marvel Universe" starts. The sales of the Fantastic Four (1961) led to the creation of Spider-Man, X-Men & The Avengers (all debuted in 1963. What a year for Stan Lee!).
But what about the writing?
Let's just say that if you wanted to read the stories of the Fantastic Four (at least the early ones collected here) you should TOTALLY abandon all logic and pretend you're just a seven year old child. But even if you do so, please try to ignore any possible "education" thrown at you by the legendary Stan Lee.
Stan Lee must have been really good with money. His obsession with it is all over the place.
Was he a good writer? Not a chance.
But was he a writer at all?
Jack Kirby himself claims that Stan Lee has NEVER really written anything.
So let me just say that the best thing I found in this volume was Kirby's drawings and the worst was Kirby's writing.
December 6, 2024
It had an entertaining and funny start for me! It was somehow hilarious to see how illogical and childish the writing was! I can't believe this is how the legendary Stan "The Man" was writing! Over the pages, the writing became irritating, and made me think that this the the kind of readings that would make kids grow up into insolent, rude and insensitive Americans!
Believe me Namor, you're not alone! One more thing was the Thing! Such a hateful character 🤬!
What a satisfying moment!
Well Sue that can't be more true! The book is totally stereotyping women, and although Sue has a superpower as any of them, her true importance is in taking care of them an tidying the place!
Yeah, that makes total sense! Of course sculpting would take less time than steering a wheel!
Last thing I'd like to comment on is the motives of most villains here! They make the greatest inventions and gain the mightiest of powers just for one purpose: To defeat the Fantastic Four, and prove they are their Masters! So pathetic and funny!
Yet the art was nice, and it it wasn't boring.
Believe me Namor, you're not alone! One more thing was the Thing! Such a hateful character 🤬!
What a satisfying moment!
Well Sue that can't be more true! The book is totally stereotyping women, and although Sue has a superpower as any of them, her true importance is in taking care of them an tidying the place!
Yeah, that makes total sense! Of course sculpting would take less time than steering a wheel!
Last thing I'd like to comment on is the motives of most villains here! They make the greatest inventions and gain the mightiest of powers just for one purpose: To defeat the Fantastic Four, and prove they are their Masters! So pathetic and funny!
Yet the art was nice, and it it wasn't boring.
July 27, 2023
Warning! Spoilers Approach! Be prepared for Spoilers!
I decided to check out the original Fantastic Four comics by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. It took a little while, but I finished the first volume of their Epic Collection graphic novels that I now have on Kindle. Let me tell you, it was an interesting read in contrast to Marvel and DC Comics these days.
Stan Lee writes some pretty cheesy comics, but at the same time, they are very enjoyable and quirky and funny. Jack Kirby's artwork holds up against some of the more realistic artwork these days, too. There were also some interesting facts that I learned about the Fantastic Four that I didn't know from these comics, such as Reed Richards being an operative in WWII for the O.S.S. or Ben Grimm being a skilled high flying ace pilot in WWII either. The big plot twist that surprised me, though, was the relationship between Namor the Sub-Mariner and Sue Storm the Invisible Woman. I had no idea that Namor had a crush on her and that Sue was a little attracted to him, as well.
There are plenty of characters introduced throughout this collection besides the Fantastic Four. We meet up with Namor the Sub-Mariner, the Hulk and Doctor Bruce Banner, Hank Pym the original Ant-Man makes an appearance, Alicia Masters the blind daughter of a career criminal, the Skrull Empire, and, of course, one of Marvel's top villains: Victor von Doom.
This collection is not without some cons, though. The dialogue is extremely cheesy and kind of ridiculous. Much like Chris Claremont's dialogue with the X-Men, the characters announce their superpowered intentions before utilizing them quite often, and nowadays it would be easy to figure out how to stop them. There are also some very ridiculous plots, most notably the origin of the Fantastic Four starting off with them hijacking a NASA rocket just to be the first in space before Yuri Gagarin. Even back then, they wouldn't get away with it without some serious criminal charges. Still, it's an enjoyable collection of stories.
May the Force be with you!
I decided to check out the original Fantastic Four comics by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. It took a little while, but I finished the first volume of their Epic Collection graphic novels that I now have on Kindle. Let me tell you, it was an interesting read in contrast to Marvel and DC Comics these days.
Stan Lee writes some pretty cheesy comics, but at the same time, they are very enjoyable and quirky and funny. Jack Kirby's artwork holds up against some of the more realistic artwork these days, too. There were also some interesting facts that I learned about the Fantastic Four that I didn't know from these comics, such as Reed Richards being an operative in WWII for the O.S.S. or Ben Grimm being a skilled high flying ace pilot in WWII either. The big plot twist that surprised me, though, was the relationship between Namor the Sub-Mariner and Sue Storm the Invisible Woman. I had no idea that Namor had a crush on her and that Sue was a little attracted to him, as well.
There are plenty of characters introduced throughout this collection besides the Fantastic Four. We meet up with Namor the Sub-Mariner, the Hulk and Doctor Bruce Banner, Hank Pym the original Ant-Man makes an appearance, Alicia Masters the blind daughter of a career criminal, the Skrull Empire, and, of course, one of Marvel's top villains: Victor von Doom.
This collection is not without some cons, though. The dialogue is extremely cheesy and kind of ridiculous. Much like Chris Claremont's dialogue with the X-Men, the characters announce their superpowered intentions before utilizing them quite often, and nowadays it would be easy to figure out how to stop them. There are also some very ridiculous plots, most notably the origin of the Fantastic Four starting off with them hijacking a NASA rocket just to be the first in space before Yuri Gagarin. Even back then, they wouldn't get away with it without some serious criminal charges. Still, it's an enjoyable collection of stories.
May the Force be with you!
November 23, 2025
“Marvel Comics Group Ushers In “THE MARVEL AGE OF COMICS!”
And with issues 17 and 18, maybe the second dumbest thing I plan on doing this next year gets off to a thunderously entertaining start. I’m going to try to read as much of the original run of FF as I can (alongside a certain Long Running Saga About Heresy) and like…it’s almost insane to sit with these comics now.
Because it’s not JUST that it’s absolutely alchemical stuff. You can totally see a whole new level of comics being found in this. The team itself, the committing to the bit of making it a “lifestyle magazine”, how much the real world is bleeding into the comic. It’s insane and it still feels so charged and vital and it looks like a billion dollar to boot.
But I guess the thing I had forgotten about these first issues is that…it’s SO WEIRD! Like Doctor Doom Dressing up like an Old Man to Fuck with the Richards’ and Reed Convincing the Whole World to Ignore Impossible Man to Defeat Him Weird. It’s just…
Gosh I love comics so much. This might be a dumb idea but it will certainly be a fun one too.
And with issues 17 and 18, maybe the second dumbest thing I plan on doing this next year gets off to a thunderously entertaining start. I’m going to try to read as much of the original run of FF as I can (alongside a certain Long Running Saga About Heresy) and like…it’s almost insane to sit with these comics now.
Because it’s not JUST that it’s absolutely alchemical stuff. You can totally see a whole new level of comics being found in this. The team itself, the committing to the bit of making it a “lifestyle magazine”, how much the real world is bleeding into the comic. It’s insane and it still feels so charged and vital and it looks like a billion dollar to boot.
But I guess the thing I had forgotten about these first issues is that…it’s SO WEIRD! Like Doctor Doom Dressing up like an Old Man to Fuck with the Richards’ and Reed Convincing the Whole World to Ignore Impossible Man to Defeat Him Weird. It’s just…
Gosh I love comics so much. This might be a dumb idea but it will certainly be a fun one too.
July 26, 2023
While not all of these first issues are created equal, I was rarely bored. You can really feel the excitement and newness to the medium in this collection. And some of these stories are so bonkers, their giddiness is infectious.
August 5, 2025
What a great start to the Fantastic Four! The vibrant world and goofiness of the characters is so fun to read about. I especially love getting to see so many characters that will become legacies in the future.
May 28, 2023
I’ve read the stories collected in this volume many times. Jack Kirby & Stan Lee made an unbeatable creative powerhouse and while they worked on many different titles together, but
The Fantastic Four
still exemplifies the pinnacle of their collaboration. These initial forays into the fantasy realm of superheroes may be a little rough around the edges, and not all of them are truly masterpieces, but there is so much greatness here that this title truly earned the hyperbolic moniker: The World’s Greatest Comic Magazine.
The first 18 issues are collected in this volume. The enormous talent of The King, aka Jack Kirby, and The Man, aka Stan Lee, are on full display as they unwittingly ushered in the dawn of the Marvel Age of Comics with these very issues and stories. In these action-packed 18 issues you will meet the members of Marvel’s first family: the Human Torch, the Invisible Girl, Mister Fantastic, and the ever-loving, blue-eyed, idol of millions, the Thing. But you’ll also get to witness the return of the legendary Namor, the Sub-Mariner. And there is a whole hoard of newly minted villains to menace our intrepid foursome: the Mole Man and his subterranean monsters, shape-changing alien invaders, the Skrulls, the Miracle Man, the Puppet Master, the Red Skull and his Super Apes, the Mad Thinker and his Awesome Android, the Super Skrull, who has all the powers of the Fantastic Four and more, and even the all but forgotten Kurrgo, the Master of Planet X. This truly is a masterwork of popular culture. ‘Nuff Said.
The first 18 issues are collected in this volume. The enormous talent of The King, aka Jack Kirby, and The Man, aka Stan Lee, are on full display as they unwittingly ushered in the dawn of the Marvel Age of Comics with these very issues and stories. In these action-packed 18 issues you will meet the members of Marvel’s first family: the Human Torch, the Invisible Girl, Mister Fantastic, and the ever-loving, blue-eyed, idol of millions, the Thing. But you’ll also get to witness the return of the legendary Namor, the Sub-Mariner. And there is a whole hoard of newly minted villains to menace our intrepid foursome: the Mole Man and his subterranean monsters, shape-changing alien invaders, the Skrulls, the Miracle Man, the Puppet Master, the Red Skull and his Super Apes, the Mad Thinker and his Awesome Android, the Super Skrull, who has all the powers of the Fantastic Four and more, and even the all but forgotten Kurrgo, the Master of Planet X. This truly is a masterwork of popular culture. ‘Nuff Said.
May 25, 2021
4.5 stars
When Marvel publisher Martin Goodman learned DC's superhero books were selling well, he ordered Stan Lee come up with one for Marvel. Lee saw the opportunity to write a comic that would please him: heroes who argue with each other, act irresponsibly, don't always put the many before the one, but ultimately come down on the right side. Coupled with Kirby's art and co-plotting (in some cases, Kirby did most of the plotting, leaving dialog to Lee) the FF redefined how comics could be written.
That's not to say they're all gems. The first couple of issues are silly stuff, redeemed by Kirby's art and Lee's characterization. Things improve steadily (as a writer it's fascinating to watch Lee/Kirby improve), the characters become increasingly engaging and the stories become stronger.
As with any Silver Age comic, YMMV, but I'm happy I replaced my B&W Essential FF with this color edition.
When Marvel publisher Martin Goodman learned DC's superhero books were selling well, he ordered Stan Lee come up with one for Marvel. Lee saw the opportunity to write a comic that would please him: heroes who argue with each other, act irresponsibly, don't always put the many before the one, but ultimately come down on the right side. Coupled with Kirby's art and co-plotting (in some cases, Kirby did most of the plotting, leaving dialog to Lee) the FF redefined how comics could be written.
That's not to say they're all gems. The first couple of issues are silly stuff, redeemed by Kirby's art and Lee's characterization. Things improve steadily (as a writer it's fascinating to watch Lee/Kirby improve), the characters become increasingly engaging and the stories become stronger.
As with any Silver Age comic, YMMV, but I'm happy I replaced my B&W Essential FF with this color edition.
November 3, 2021
The start of the Marvel Universe.
Under the guidance of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the Fantastic Four not only ushered in the 'Marvel Age of Comics', but became it's backbone. Everything that makes the Marvel Universe so special can be found in the pages of the 18 issues reprinted here.
Issue 1 introduces not only the FF themselves, but the concept of 'hidden races' on Earth (The Inhumans and the Eternals would expand on this), issue 2 gives us alien species and interstellar travel, issue 4 - The first Silver Age appearance of Sub-Mariner - links the FF to Marvel's Golden Age past, in issue 5 we have not only the debut of Doctor Doom, but time travel too, and issue 12 guest stars the Hulk, beginning the process of tying the whole modern Marvel universe together.
And the stories themselves? Sheer, unadulterated fun.
Recommended reading.
Under the guidance of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the Fantastic Four not only ushered in the 'Marvel Age of Comics', but became it's backbone. Everything that makes the Marvel Universe so special can be found in the pages of the 18 issues reprinted here.
Issue 1 introduces not only the FF themselves, but the concept of 'hidden races' on Earth (The Inhumans and the Eternals would expand on this), issue 2 gives us alien species and interstellar travel, issue 4 - The first Silver Age appearance of Sub-Mariner - links the FF to Marvel's Golden Age past, in issue 5 we have not only the debut of Doctor Doom, but time travel too, and issue 12 guest stars the Hulk, beginning the process of tying the whole modern Marvel universe together.
And the stories themselves? Sheer, unadulterated fun.
Recommended reading.
December 5, 2016
A really nice collection from the really early days of Marvel! The earliest days, in fact! I've read these stories before in the Masterworks editions, but it was great to reread them again. Reading them this time I really tired to look at it in terms of what was happening then in the Marvel Universe was all that we were given there, and not what we would learn later. Meaning I tried to keep all the retcons and such out of my mind. I was also trying to think of as if the Fantastic Four is basically the only Superhero team in existence at the time. Teams like the Avengers or the X-Men wouldn't come till later, so the Fantastic Four was really the only ones qualified to deal with the threats presented. It gives the stories a nice sense of scope.
August 29, 2021
After slogging through the original Spider-Man comics I approached this thick tome with some trepidation, but by gumbo this is *it*. This is why Marvel comics became the juggernaut that it did. The original Spider-Mans had a historical novelty that kept them from every becoming truly boring, but just barely, these comics feel as fresh as the day they were written. They could come out now and still they would be a riproaring good time. The breathtakingly dynamic art, the utterly bizarre flights of fancy, the character conflcits that are childlike in that best, most genuine way. Every clash fought over hilariously simplistic rationales, yet always fueled by bleeding raw emotion.
September 13, 2015
Holds up very well for a 50+ year old comic. A bit of sexism. Outdated signaling mechanism. A few hints of anti-communist propaganda here and there, but overall quite engaging. People can be heroic and make mistakes or be ill tempered. There's hope for the rest of us.
August 2, 2021
Nada mejor que ir a los inicios y conocer los comienzos de la dupla Stan Lee y Jack Kirby, me emocioné como niño ver la primera batalla de los 4 fantásticos, la primera aparición del Dr Doom, el super Skrull y el maestro de las marionetas y mucho más que son las bases del universo Marvel.
January 27, 2025
Pros: brilliantly creative stories that go outside the normal superhero tropes of the day and really set the stage for the Marvel universe. Ben Grimm is a delight and is very much the standout character with a unique voice unlike the other wordy, generic voices that Reed and Sue have in these early issues, or the whiny teenage voice Johnny has. There’s alien invasions and wild technology and mad scientists and atomic voodoo. It’s no wonder this took off so well in the early 60s, although it’s clear that Kirby and Lee were just starting to figure things out. Making the FF not have secret identifies but instead be comic book (and later film) stars within the universe is a stroke of genius that give us so many funny moments in the opening of many of the issues.
It’s awesome to see other elements of the Marvel universe that came on the heels of FF pop up here: The Hulk and Ant-Man make appearances. By the halfway point of this volume, the FF had already shown up in Spider-Man #1 as well. If you take the time to get past the silver age silliness and take each story on its own merits, there’s so much fun and heart here to enjoy, from horror and sci-fi and adventure roots as well as superhero action.
Cons: Having read later FF, Sue is horribly underdeveloped and Lee’s awkward attempts to excuse it or do something more with her are really iffy today.
The formula starts to set in and wear you down after a while. If I were reading these one a month, it wouldn’t bother me at all, but reading them back-to-back, you see the story beats: the FF have some domestic squabble at home or in the city, the villain is shown and attacks the FF one by one, the FF fight them, lose, then reconvene better prepared. It’s a classic structure but the nature of a collected edition like this means that you’re not getting these stories as they were intended, as throwaway magazines once per month (or two) but all in a row. It can get to be a slog. So basically, take your time with this collection and don’t try to power through like you might a more modern TPB written with long decompressed story arcs.
And part of that is not every issue here is a winner. As creative as Dr Doom’s micro world was, I was kinda sick of seeing him and Namor as much as we do in this collection. And if you’ve read the first half of Ditko and Lee’s Spider-Man run, you’ll recognize how often Lee reused plots like “the heroes get tricked into filming a fake movie by the villain who just wants to attack them while they’re separated/vulnerable.”
It’s awesome to see other elements of the Marvel universe that came on the heels of FF pop up here: The Hulk and Ant-Man make appearances. By the halfway point of this volume, the FF had already shown up in Spider-Man #1 as well. If you take the time to get past the silver age silliness and take each story on its own merits, there’s so much fun and heart here to enjoy, from horror and sci-fi and adventure roots as well as superhero action.
Cons: Having read later FF, Sue is horribly underdeveloped and Lee’s awkward attempts to excuse it or do something more with her are really iffy today.
The formula starts to set in and wear you down after a while. If I were reading these one a month, it wouldn’t bother me at all, but reading them back-to-back, you see the story beats: the FF have some domestic squabble at home or in the city, the villain is shown and attacks the FF one by one, the FF fight them, lose, then reconvene better prepared. It’s a classic structure but the nature of a collected edition like this means that you’re not getting these stories as they were intended, as throwaway magazines once per month (or two) but all in a row. It can get to be a slog. So basically, take your time with this collection and don’t try to power through like you might a more modern TPB written with long decompressed story arcs.
And part of that is not every issue here is a winner. As creative as Dr Doom’s micro world was, I was kinda sick of seeing him and Namor as much as we do in this collection. And if you’ve read the first half of Ditko and Lee’s Spider-Man run, you’ll recognize how often Lee reused plots like “the heroes get tricked into filming a fake movie by the villain who just wants to attack them while they’re separated/vulnerable.”
February 10, 2023
Fantastic Four has always been one of my favorite comics. Rereading some of these original eighteen stories was eye opening because Lee and Kirby really did create something that was original and amazing. Most of the issues from 1 to 18 were original and cool. Then some of them were Lee and Kirby's world of the fifties monsters: silly and not very interesting. One of the stories made me cringe though, it was a Sub-Mariner story where the Puppet Master is controlling him. Namor pulls out all these strange (unrealistic) sea creatures with unique powers and Namor controls them (Namor can't control sea creatures--he isn't Aquaman.
Classic story of the Hulk battling Thing for the first time. Ant-Man helping out the FF against Dr. Doom (another weird story where Dr. Doom creates a shrinking and enlarging ray. This is kind of against Ant-Man and the Pym particles that he creates, so it doesn't quite wash with the entire Marvel world. I get that Kirby and Lee were trying thing and learning as well.
The first issues don't explain how their clothes don't tear or burn or how they turn invisible with Sue, but later they finally do.
Poor Alicia Masters: her hair is a different color almost every time she is in the comics -- One time she actually has the black bands over her ears that Crystal of the Inhumans has. It is kind of silly their initial creation of the world of Marvel.
More annoying is that they say the wrong characters names on multiple frames of the stories and the fact that Sue is asked to type up a report and to stay out of the way--because she is a girl--it is hard to take sometimes--even though it was kind of like that in the early sixties. like "va va va Voom" statements by men and villains towards Sue. Sigh.
These are really good stories though and Lee and Kirby really do try to create a complete world for the FF, their first superhero comics in the Modern Age of Marvel.
Classic story of the Hulk battling Thing for the first time. Ant-Man helping out the FF against Dr. Doom (another weird story where Dr. Doom creates a shrinking and enlarging ray. This is kind of against Ant-Man and the Pym particles that he creates, so it doesn't quite wash with the entire Marvel world. I get that Kirby and Lee were trying thing and learning as well.
The first issues don't explain how their clothes don't tear or burn or how they turn invisible with Sue, but later they finally do.
Poor Alicia Masters: her hair is a different color almost every time she is in the comics -- One time she actually has the black bands over her ears that Crystal of the Inhumans has. It is kind of silly their initial creation of the world of Marvel.
More annoying is that they say the wrong characters names on multiple frames of the stories and the fact that Sue is asked to type up a report and to stay out of the way--because she is a girl--it is hard to take sometimes--even though it was kind of like that in the early sixties. like "va va va Voom" statements by men and villains towards Sue. Sigh.
These are really good stories though and Lee and Kirby really do try to create a complete world for the FF, their first superhero comics in the Modern Age of Marvel.
April 4, 2025
The Starting Point For the Marvel Comics Universe
Not only is this the birth of the Fantastic Four, but of the Marvel Universe as we know it today. The Avengers, Spider-Man or even the X-Men would not exist if it wasn’t for the breakout success of the Fantastic Four, who are still considered by many to the heart and soul of the Marvel Universe.
Stan Lee and Jack Kirby had created something special here back in the early 60’s that captured the hearts of any who read them. Reed, Sue, Johnny and Ben all have distinct personalities and go on many outrageous adventures, sometimes butting heads with each other along the way.
Plenty of their villains get introduced here in this volume as well, including the Mole Man, the Skrulls, Namor, Doctor Doom, Puppet Master, Impossible Man, the Red Ghost, the Mad Thinker and the Super-Skrull, all of whom would become recurring foes for our heroes for years to come. Heck, they even have crossover stories with other popular Marvel heroes such as the Hulk and Ant-Man.
The only negatives I can think of is that Jack Kirby’s early artwork on this series is a little sloppy at times but he will end improving vastly the longer the series goes on. Invisible Girl is practically useless this early on in the teams history, to which both Stan and Jack wisely figured out it was a problem and they try to rectify it by having her be more integral in saving the day as this volume goes on.
Overall, these are fantastic comic book heroes and stories told in the grand tradition of classic sci fi adventures. They surprisingly hold up well by modern day standards and are great place for new readers to be introduced to these beloved characters. The best part however, is that this series gets even better after Vol. 1 so stick around and be amazed by the exploits of Marvel’s First Family! Excelsior!
Not only is this the birth of the Fantastic Four, but of the Marvel Universe as we know it today. The Avengers, Spider-Man or even the X-Men would not exist if it wasn’t for the breakout success of the Fantastic Four, who are still considered by many to the heart and soul of the Marvel Universe.
Stan Lee and Jack Kirby had created something special here back in the early 60’s that captured the hearts of any who read them. Reed, Sue, Johnny and Ben all have distinct personalities and go on many outrageous adventures, sometimes butting heads with each other along the way.
Plenty of their villains get introduced here in this volume as well, including the Mole Man, the Skrulls, Namor, Doctor Doom, Puppet Master, Impossible Man, the Red Ghost, the Mad Thinker and the Super-Skrull, all of whom would become recurring foes for our heroes for years to come. Heck, they even have crossover stories with other popular Marvel heroes such as the Hulk and Ant-Man.
The only negatives I can think of is that Jack Kirby’s early artwork on this series is a little sloppy at times but he will end improving vastly the longer the series goes on. Invisible Girl is practically useless this early on in the teams history, to which both Stan and Jack wisely figured out it was a problem and they try to rectify it by having her be more integral in saving the day as this volume goes on.
Overall, these are fantastic comic book heroes and stories told in the grand tradition of classic sci fi adventures. They surprisingly hold up well by modern day standards and are great place for new readers to be introduced to these beloved characters. The best part however, is that this series gets even better after Vol. 1 so stick around and be amazed by the exploits of Marvel’s First Family! Excelsior!
February 10, 2025
Actual rating: 2.5
Fun, but incredibly dated. It's always interesting to read how consistent Lee and Kirby are in the early days of comics as they introduced so many timeless characters in every single issue.
This loses stars because Stan Lee could not write women to the point where it was really distracting from whatever storyline I was reading. Every two issues Sue Storm - the Invisible Girl here rather than Invisible Woman - is a damsel in distress who struggles to choose between Reed Richards and Namor who kidnaps her and threatens humanity every time they meet. This predictable, stereotypical trope for an inciting incident demonstrates a real lack of creativity in light of some of the cooler ideas Lee and Kirby come up with. Susan Storm's only power at this point is also invisibility which really plays into her being an evasive, non-combatant which makes her a far weaker member of the team.
I need to stress that the stories are good and excellent examples of the 60s pulpy Marvel sci-fi goodness. Compared to the iffy opening issues of X-Men from around this time, the Fantastic Four immediately have an iconic team dynamic and the other three members feel pretty solid, minus some misogyny from Reed.
Fun, but incredibly dated. It's always interesting to read how consistent Lee and Kirby are in the early days of comics as they introduced so many timeless characters in every single issue.
This loses stars because Stan Lee could not write women to the point where it was really distracting from whatever storyline I was reading. Every two issues Sue Storm - the Invisible Girl here rather than Invisible Woman - is a damsel in distress who struggles to choose between Reed Richards and Namor who kidnaps her and threatens humanity every time they meet. This predictable, stereotypical trope for an inciting incident demonstrates a real lack of creativity in light of some of the cooler ideas Lee and Kirby come up with. Susan Storm's only power at this point is also invisibility which really plays into her being an evasive, non-combatant which makes her a far weaker member of the team.
I need to stress that the stories are good and excellent examples of the 60s pulpy Marvel sci-fi goodness. Compared to the iffy opening issues of X-Men from around this time, the Fantastic Four immediately have an iconic team dynamic and the other three members feel pretty solid, minus some misogyny from Reed.
October 6, 2021
This edition collects the first 18 issues of the classic "Fantastic Four" comics from 1961-1963. Let's just say they didn't age well. From Sue Storm being the "just a woman" member of the team, not good for much more than keeping the boys' spirits up, to the Thing's constant bitching about wanting to be human again (and Reed's constant "almost but not quite" attempts to undo the Thing's transformation), to the Human Torch's juvenile and immature behavior (only marginally worse than the Thing's), it's hard to see how it got off the ground. I can only console myself with the thought that those were different times and that was apparently what the comic fans wanted at the time.
It was also interesting to read the early appearances of some of the greatest super-villains in Marvel history. For the most part, they didn't fare as poorly when seen through modern eyes.
All in all, I was kind of disappointed. I expected more "Wow!".
It was also interesting to read the early appearances of some of the greatest super-villains in Marvel history. For the most part, they didn't fare as poorly when seen through modern eyes.
All in all, I was kind of disappointed. I expected more "Wow!".
June 18, 2023
I had no idea so many of the characteristic relationships of the Fantastic Four have been around since the beginning. Sue and Namor, Ben and Alicia, Ben and Johnny, not really Reed and Sue though except for a couple of comments here and there.
Overall this was interesting as a history lesson, but I doubt I would ever return to this collection. The characters are not likable here, and the stories are very outdated and simplistic. For a science team, judged by today's standards, this is pretty embarrassing (no one knows how basic magnets work for one thing, but there are many other egregious errors as well). I felt bad for the way they treated Sue throughout the book. Stan seems at a loss for how to use her or why she is even on the team for most of the adventures here.
Dr. Doom and Namor were fun to see in their early incarnations.
I am hoping it gets better and the team becomes more cohesive soon.
Overall this was interesting as a history lesson, but I doubt I would ever return to this collection. The characters are not likable here, and the stories are very outdated and simplistic. For a science team, judged by today's standards, this is pretty embarrassing (no one knows how basic magnets work for one thing, but there are many other egregious errors as well). I felt bad for the way they treated Sue throughout the book. Stan seems at a loss for how to use her or why she is even on the team for most of the adventures here.
Dr. Doom and Namor were fun to see in their early incarnations.
I am hoping it gets better and the team becomes more cohesive soon.
March 18, 2025
Collection contains the first 18 issues of Fantastic Four.
I have been reading comics for about 45 years, mostly Marvel, and I've probably only read 3 or 4 Fantastic Four in that time (I'm more of a Spider-Man, Defenders, Power Man & Iron Fist kind of guy) so I thought it would be fun to go back to the beginning and read the beginning of the legendary group.
I really enjoyed this. It covers the time from 1961 to 1963. The writing and art are indicative of the time. I don't think the rogues gallery is as good as Spider-Man's but it's still pretty epic - Submariner, Doctor Doom Skrulls, Mole Man etc.
If I had one critique I would say the stories seemed to repeat themselves, I think it was how it was done in the early 60's but it did get a little monotonous. Still, a good book/collection and one I would recommend, if only to read about where Marvel started and the influence that Fantastic Four had on the industry.
I have been reading comics for about 45 years, mostly Marvel, and I've probably only read 3 or 4 Fantastic Four in that time (I'm more of a Spider-Man, Defenders, Power Man & Iron Fist kind of guy) so I thought it would be fun to go back to the beginning and read the beginning of the legendary group.
I really enjoyed this. It covers the time from 1961 to 1963. The writing and art are indicative of the time. I don't think the rogues gallery is as good as Spider-Man's but it's still pretty epic - Submariner, Doctor Doom Skrulls, Mole Man etc.
If I had one critique I would say the stories seemed to repeat themselves, I think it was how it was done in the early 60's but it did get a little monotonous. Still, a good book/collection and one I would recommend, if only to read about where Marvel started and the influence that Fantastic Four had on the industry.
June 23, 2025
Silver age comics are hard for me to rate. I absolutely recognize and respect how incredibly foundational many of these stories are not just to Marvel’s first family, but to comics as a whole. That said, it faces many of the same issues I’ve encountered across most of the titles I’ve read from this era. Stan Lee’s dialogue has not aged well, even in comparison to other comics from this time. Jack Kirby’s art is admittedly timeless, however, and I would still recommend this to anyone remotely interested in seeing where it all began.
I will say that issue #5 was a highlight for me—pure, unadulterated fun with absurd time-travel shenanigans and the first appearance of a certain doctor who may or may not dabble in doom.
I will say that issue #5 was a highlight for me—pure, unadulterated fun with absurd time-travel shenanigans and the first appearance of a certain doctor who may or may not dabble in doom.
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