Summary
- The Fantastic Four introduced iconic characters like The Skrulls, Adam Warlock, and The Inhumans, who have become major players in the Marvel Universe.
- The Negative Zone and Galactus, two significant elements of the Marvel mythos, were first introduced in Fantastic Four comics, showcasing the team’s ability to create epic storylines.
- The Fantastic Four pioneered the concept of a shared universe, where events in one character’s comic could impact others, setting the stage for interconnected storytelling in the Marvel Universe.
The Fantastic Four helped usher in the modern age of Marvel Comics, and, as such, can be considered one of the cornerstones of the Marvel Universe. So many concepts central to the Marvel Universe premiered in the Fantastic Four. Stan Lee and Jack Kirby created a special kind of magic that has not been duplicated since. Here are the top 10 most creative ideas introduced in the Fantastic Four.
10 The Skrulls
First Appeared in Fantastic Four #2
The Skrulls are one of the preeminent alien races in the Marvel Universe, and they got their start in the pages of Fantastic Four. The shape-shifting Skrulls attempted an invasion of Earth, but Mister Fantastic was able to trick the gullible aliens into calling off their attack. Despite being so easily dispatched, the Skrulls have returned to menace the Fantastic Four, and the heroes of Earth, many times. Although they have often been defeated, they have come horrifyingly close to their goal, particularly during the Secret Invasion crossover event.
9 Adam Warlock
First Appeared in Fantastic Four #66
Although Adam Warlock is best associated with writer/artist Jim Starlin and the saga of the Infinity Stones, he actually debuted, under the name “Him,” in the Fantastic Four. Created by a group of renegade scientists known as the Enclave, Him rebelled against his creators and left to seek his destiny. From there, he would take the name Adam Warlock, becoming a cosmic champion of justice, and leading the charge against Thanos during the Infinity Gauntlet. While Adam Warlock’s ties to the Fantastic Four are minimal in comparison to others, he still owes his existence to them.
8 The Inhumans
First Appeared (as a group) in Fantastic Four #45
Although individual members of the Inhumans, such as Gorgon and Crystal, appeared earlier in the Fantastic Four’s run, they did not debut as a group until much later. Led by their king, Black Bolt, the Inhumans have become an integral part of the Marvel Universe. Dwelling in the royal city of Attilan, the Inhumans are the product of genetic tampering by the alien Kree in humanity’s distant past. Since their first appearance, Marvel has struggled to find a place for the Inhumans: an early Marvel Knights title was critically acclaimed, but all follow-ups failed to connect.
7 Kang/Immortus/Rama Tut
First Appeared (as Rama Tut) in Fantastic Four #19
As befitting a time traveler, pinning Kang’s first appearance down can be tricky. Although Kang himself debuted in 1964’s Avengers #8, one of his personas, Rama Tut, appeared nearly a year earlier in the pages of the Fantastic Four, retroactively making it Kang’s initial outing. He would go on to assume several other aliases throughout his career, including Immortus, the Scarlet Centurion and Iron Lad. Kang is one of Marvel’s best villains, a man who became a despot simply because he was bored with utopia–and he got his start fighting the Fantastic Four.
6 The Negative Zone
First Appeared in Fantastic Four #51
The Negative Zone was introduced later in the Fantastic Four’s run, and like many other concepts debuting there, has become an important part of not only the team’s mythos, but the Marvel Universe in general. A mysterious universe composed solely of anti-matter, the Negative Zone was believed by many to also be a dying universe, and it spawned a number of vile adversaries, such as Blastaar and Annihilus. The latter has become one of Marvel’s biggest villains, a fearsome foe who strikes fear into the hearts of the galaxy.
5 The Watcher
First Appeared in Fantastic Four #13
Introduced early in the Fantastic Four’s run, Uatu the Watcher was unlike any other character in comics at the time. A member of an ancient alien race, Uatu and his people simply..observed. Cataloging huge events in history, as well as the various strands of the Multiverse, the Watchers are bound to never interfere, but Uatu has done just this on many occasions, particularly during Galactus’ first appearance on Earth. The Watcher is an easily recognizable face in the Marvel Universe, and his arrival usually signals bad things ahead.
4 The Black Panther
First Appeared in Fantastic Four #52
The historical importance of the Black Panther cannot be overstated, and he made his debut in Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s Fantastic Four. The first Black superhero in American comics, Black Panther was once the leader of the African nation of Wakanda, an isolationist country rich in the rare metal Vibranium. The Black Panther has become one of Marvel’s biggest heroes, thanks to an electrifying performance by Chadwick Boseman in the MCU, and in his first appearance nearly took the Fantastic Four down to the wire, before revealing his identity. Comic fans of the time let out a gasp when he took his mask off.
3 Galactus
First Appeared in Fantastic Four #48
Stan Lee and Jack Kirby continually upped the ante on the Fantastic Four, creating one amazing villain after another, and this culminated with the creation of the planet eater Galactus. One of the fundamental balancing forces of the Marvel Universe, Galactus was brought to Earth by his herald, the Silver Surfer. What happened next is the stuff of legends: the Surfer betrayed his master and the Fantastic Four only beat Galactus by the skin of their teeth. With its epic scope, Galactus’ first story is rightfully regarded as a high watermark in Marvel history.
2 The Idea of a Shared Universe
First Appeared in Fantastic Four #1
While the idea of shared continuity was nothing new when the Fantastic Four debuted in 1961, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby took it to unprecedented heights. Marvel editorial kept a tight rein on continuity: events from one character’s comic could have a ripple effect on other books. One such example is the Thing’s rivalry with the Hulk. Ben Grimm learned of the Jade Giant’s existence nearly a year before the two first met, in an early issue of the book. The Thing trash talked the Hulk, and fans clamored to see the two fight. They got their wish in Fantastic Four #12.
1 Doctor Doom
First Appeared in Fantastic Four #5
One of comics’ greatest villains, Doctor Doom first crept onto the scene early in the Fantastic Four’s career. While he is synonymous with the team, he has gone on to become one of Marvel’s biggest villains overall. A college friend of Reed Richard’s, Victor Von Doom became obsessed with rescuing his mother’s soul from Mephisto, and achieved total mastery of both science and magic to further his ends. This drive has led Doom far in life, such as conquering his home country of Latveria and nearly bringing every hero in the Marvel Universe to their knees at least once.
Stan Lee and Jack Kirby caught lightning in a bottle when Fantastic Four debuted in November of 1961. These characters and concepts are but the tip of the iceberg of cool ideas introduced to the Marvel Universe by the Fantastic Four.
