Marvel Expands the MCU Storytelling with The Fantastic Four: First Steps

Marvel is bringing a fresh twist to its storytelling strategy by officially connecting its comics to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Announced today, The Fantastic Four: First Steps #1 will serve as a direct prequel to the upcoming Fantastic Four movie, giving fans a look at the team’s earliest days before they hit the big screen next year.

Set four years before the film’s events, First Steps is penned by acclaimed writer Matt Fraction (Hawkeye) and illustrated by Mark Buckingham (Fables). The one-shot promises to dive into the Fantastic Four’s first mission, offering a grounded look at how Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm became the world’s most famous superhero family.

One of the standout elements is the comic’s cover, crafted by Phil Noto, which pays tribute to the iconic 1961 debut of the Fantastic Four by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. It is a respectful nod to the team's rich comic book legacy while also establishing them firmly within the MCU's expanding canon.

While Marvel has occasionally released tie-in comics for past MCU films, First Steps feels like a bigger step toward fully fleshing out the universe between movie releases. Matt Fraction even teased in a statement that this project could be “the start of something big,” hinting that more MCU-connected comics might be on the horizon.

With the Fantastic Four film expected to largely skip over the team’s traditional origin story, this comic fills an important gap for fans eager to see how Marvel’s First Family got their start in this new cinematic timeline.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps #1 hits comic book shops on July 2, 2025, just weeks ahead of the movie’s release.