Fantastic Four Reading Order: The Complete Guide From Lee & Kirby to One World Under Doom
The Fantastic Four launched the Marvel Universe in 1961. Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm gained their powers from cosmic rays on an unauthorized space flight, and Marvel's First Family has been publishing continuously (with one notable gap) for over 65 years.
This reading order covers the full Fantastic Four timeline from Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's 1961 debut through the current One World Under Doom crossover and its 2026 aftermath. It is structured in two layers. If you want a starting point, the first section gives you two clear entry points. If you want the complete chronological path, read straight through.
Five major creative runs define the series: Lee and Kirby's original 102-issue foundation, John Byrne's celebrated 1981 to 1986 stretch, Mark Waid and Mike Wieringo's character-driven relaunch in 2002, Jonathan Hickman's sci-fi epic from 2009 to 2012, and Ryan North's acclaimed current ongoing. Everything else connects them.
Where to Start Reading Fantastic Four
The most common question about the Fantastic Four reading order is where to begin. The answer depends on what kind of story you want. Two legitimate entry points exist, and neither requires any prior reading.
Start Here If You Want Classic Marvel Family Drama: Waid and Wieringo (2002 to 2005)
Mark Waid and Mike Wieringo's Fantastic Four run is the best starting point for readers who want the tone of the original Lee and Kirby era in a modern comic. It starts at Fantastic Four Vol. 3 #60 (renumbered to #500 at issue 70) and runs through #524.
Waid writes the team as a family first and a superhero team second. Reed is brilliant but emotionally clumsy. Sue is the actual backbone. Johnny is reckless in ways that matter. Ben is Ben. Wieringo's art is clean, expressive, and built for big sci-fi set pieces without losing the character moments.
No backstory needed. Waid reintroduces the core four, their powers, and their dynamic within the first two issues. If you read one Fantastic Four run and want to understand why people care about this team, this is it.
Start Here If You Want High-Concept Sci-Fi: Hickman's Epic (2009 to 2012)
Jonathan Hickman's Fantastic Four is the other valid entry point, and it is a fundamentally different experience. Where Waid writes a family sitcom with superpowers, Hickman writes hard science fiction about what happens when the smartest man alive tries to solve everything at once.
The reading order for Hickman's run has a specific sequence:
- Dark Reign: Fantastic Four #1 to #5 (the prologue)
- Fantastic Four #570 to #588 (the main run)
- FF #1 to #23 (the companion title, reads alongside the above)
- Fantastic Four #600 to #611 (the conclusion)
Hickman introduces the Future Foundation, the Council of Reeds (a multiversal parliament of Reed Richards variants), and a threat architecture that builds across every issue. It reads more like a novel than a monthly comic. The companion title FF runs in parallel and is not optional: key plot threads live there.
You only need to know who the four main characters are. Hickman handles the rest. This run also feeds directly into his 2015 Secret Wars event, which ends and reboots the entire Marvel Universe.
The Classic Origin Era: Lee and Kirby (1961 to 1970)
The Fantastic Four started in November 1961 with Fantastic Four #1 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. It was Marvel's first superhero team book, and almost everything that defines the Marvel Universe came out of this run across its first 102 issues.
The premise is simple. Four people steal a rocket, get hit by cosmic rays, and come back changed. Reed Richards stretches. Sue Storm turns invisible. Johnny Storm catches fire. Ben Grimm becomes the Thing and stays that way. Unlike other superhero teams at the time, they argued, made mistakes, and lived in a New York apartment instead of a secret base. That was the innovation.
The Origin Story: Fantastic Four #1 (1961)
Fantastic Four #1 marks the start of Marvel's Silver Age. Lee and Kirby introduced the team, their powers, and the Mole Man as the first villain in a single issue. The origin story, four civilians exposed to cosmic rays during an unauthorized space flight, was deliberately grounded compared to the DC heroes of the era. No alien heritage, no magic ring. Just a bad decision with permanent consequences.
The issue sold well enough to keep going, and by issue #5, the book had already introduced its most important villain.
Key Firsts From the Lee and Kirby Run
The Lee and Kirby Fantastic Four run introduced more lasting Marvel characters than any other single title. These are the ones that matter most to the wider Marvel Universe:
- Fantastic Four #5 (1962): First appearance of Doctor Doom. He becomes the defining Marvel villain across multiple titles for the next six decades.
- Fantastic Four #45 (1965): First appearance of the Inhumans, including Black Bolt and Medusa.
- Fantastic Four #48 to #50 (1966): The Galactus Trilogy. First appearances of both Galactus and the Silver Surfer. Widely considered one of the greatest comic book stories ever published.
- Fantastic Four #52 (1966): First appearance of the Black Panther, the first Black superhero in mainstream American comics.
- Fantastic Four #65 (1967): First appearance of the Kree, the alien race that drives decades of Marvel cosmic stories.
- Fantastic Four Annual #6 (1968): First appearances of both Annihilus and Franklin Richards, Reed and Sue's son.
Lee left the book after issue #102 in 1970. Kirby left at the same time, moving to DC Comics. The run they built in those nine years is the foundation the rest of the Marvel Universe stands on.
The Byrne Era and the Decades Between (1970 to 1996)
After Lee and Kirby left in 1970, the Fantastic Four went through over a decade of rotating creative teams. Roy Thomas, Gerry Conway, Len Wein, and Marv Wolfman each took turns on the book. None of them were bad, but none matched what came before. The series kept publishing, the characters stayed active across the Marvel Universe, and the title waited for someone to make it essential again.
That happened in 1981.
John Byrne's Definitive Run (1981 to 1986)
John Byrne's Fantastic Four, issues #232 to #293, is widely considered the best run on the title after Lee and Kirby. Byrne wrote and drew the book, giving it visual and narrative consistency the series hadn't had since the 1960s.
Byrne treated the Fantastic Four as a science fiction book first. Reed builds things. Sue learns she is the most powerful member of the team, not the weakest. Ben Grimm's struggle with the Thing identity gets real weight. Johnny grows up. The stories are self-contained enough to pick up at #232 without prior reading, but they reward long-term continuity knowledge.
Key issues from the Byrne run:
- FF #232: "Back to the Basics." Byrne's mission statement for the run, literally titled to signal a return to form.
- FF #236: The trial of Reed Richards for saving Galactus. One of the most referenced single issues in the series.
- FF #257 to #260: A Doctor Doom arc that redefines Doom as a genuine political threat, not just a supervillain.
- FF #285 to #286: Sue's miscarriage and the emotional fallout. One of the most talked-about storylines in 1980s Marvel.
If you are reading the full chronological path, Byrne's run is where the book becomes unmissable again.
The Post-Byrne Stretch Into the 90s
After Byrne left with issue #293, the book cycled through writers again. Steve Englehart had a short, underrated stretch. Walt Simonson brought cosmic-scale stories back for a run from #330 to #354. Tom DeFalco took over in the early 1990s and held the book through a long, uneven period that mirrored the industry's broader problems at the time.
The biggest disruption came in 1996 with Heroes Reborn, when Marvel handed the Fantastic Four to Jim Lee and an outside studio. The title was relaunched as Fantastic Four Vol. 2 for 13 issues. It was a commercial experiment, not a creative high point. The team returned to the main Marvel Universe in 1998 with a Vol. 3 relaunch, which marks the start of the book's modern era.
For completionist readers, the post-Byrne stretch through Heroes Reborn is optional. The Simonson issues (#337 to #354) are worth reading. The rest connects the dots but does not define the series.
The Modern Relaunch Path: Waid, Hickman, and the Heroic Age (1998 to 2015)
The Fantastic Four's modern era starts with the 1998 Vol. 3 relaunch after Heroes Reborn ended. From here through 2015's Secret Wars, the book produced three of its strongest creative runs back-to-back, separated by shorter bridge stretches. This section gives you the full issue-by-issue reading order for each.
Chris Claremont wrote the first run on Vol. 3, followed by Carlos Pacheco and Rafael Marin. Neither run is essential. They stabilize the book after Heroes Reborn but do not define it. The series finds its footing again when Mark Waid arrives at issue #60.
Mark Waid and Mike Wieringo (2002 to 2005): Full Issue Range
If you chose Waid and Wieringo as your starting point from the first section, here is the complete reading order:
- Fantastic Four Vol. 3 #60 to #70 (numbered under Vol. 3 before the legacy renumbering)
- Fantastic Four #500 to #524 (same run, renumbered at #500 to restore the original count)
That is one continuous story across 35 issues. Waid's big moments include Reed confronting Doctor Doom in Latveria, the "Unthinkable" arc (#500 to #508) where Doom uses magic instead of science, and a Galactus story that reframes the team's place in the cosmic hierarchy.
Collected editions: the Waid and Wieringo Omnibus collects the full run in one volume. The individual trades are titled "Imaginauts," "Unthinkable," "Authoritative Action," "Hereafter," and "Rising Storm."
After Waid left, J. Michael Straczynski wrote a short run (#527 to #541) that is readable but not required. Dwayne McDuffie followed (#542 to #553) with a solid, underappreciated stretch. Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch then took over for a 16-issue run (#554 to #569) that leaned into blockbuster action. All three bridge the gap between Waid and Hickman.
Jonathan Hickman's Epic (2009 to 2012): Full Issue Range
Hickman's Fantastic Four is the most structurally complex run in the series. It spans two concurrent titles and requires a specific reading order to track properly. Here is the full sequence:
Phase 1: The Setup
- Dark Reign: Fantastic Four #1 to #5 (2009 prologue miniseries)
- Fantastic Four #570 to #588 (main series)
Phase 2: The Future Foundation
- FF #1 to #11 (companion series, runs in parallel with the conclusion)
Phase 3: The Conclusion
- Fantastic Four #600 and FF #12 (read in alternating order from here)
- Fantastic Four #601 then FF #13
- Fantastic Four #602 then FF #14
- Continue alternating through Fantastic Four #611 and FF #23
The two titles interleave from #600 onward. Reading one without the other leaves gaps in the story. Hickman designed it that way.
The run introduces the Council of Reeds, a multiversal alliance of Reed Richards variants, and the Future Foundation, a school for gifted children that replaces the traditional team structure. It builds toward a single question: what happens when Reed Richards decides to solve everything? The answer plays out across both titles and concludes the Fantastic Four's story before Secret Wars (2015) resets the board.
Collected editions: "Fantastic Four by Jonathan Hickman Omnibus Vol. 1 and Vol. 2" collect both titles in the correct interleaved order. The individual trades are harder to sequence on your own.
A Single-Volume Alternate Path: Fantastic Four Life Story (2021)
Fantastic Four: Life Story is a six-issue miniseries by Mark Russell and Sean Izaakse, published in 2021. It retells the team's entire history in real time, one decade per issue, from the 1960s through the 2010s. The characters age. The world changes around them. Reed and Sue's marriage, Ben's isolation, Johnny's restlessness: all of it plays out across a full lifetime instead of a frozen comic-book timeline.
It is part of the same "Life Story" line as Spider-Man: Life Story. If you want the emotional arc of 60 years of Fantastic Four condensed into one collected volume, this is the shortcut. It is not a substitute for the main continuity, but it works as a standalone read and as a companion piece after finishing any of the major runs above.
Fantastic Four Today: One World Under Doom and Its Aftermath (2018 to 2026)
The Fantastic Four returned to publication in 2018 after a three-year absence following Secret Wars. Marvel canceled the series in 2015 and kept the team off the board entirely — no ongoing title, no team appearances — until Dan Slott and Sara Pichelli relaunched it as Fantastic Four Vol. 6 #1 in August 2018.
Slott's run covers over 40 issues and climaxes with the Reckoning War crossover. It is a solid, family-focused run that restores the status quo after the long hiatus. It does not reinvent the book the way Byrne, Waid, or Hickman did, but it brings the team back into the active Marvel Universe and sets the table for what comes next.
Ryan North took over with Fantastic Four Vol. 7 #1 in 2022 and immediately made the book one of Marvel's best-reviewed ongoings. North writes standalone, problem-of-the-week sci-fi stories with sharp character work and genuine humor. Each issue gives the team a puzzle that requires real science-fiction thinking to solve, not just punching. His run is an excellent entry point for new readers and a genuine highlight of the current Marvel line.
North's run also leads directly into the biggest Fantastic Four event in years.
One World Under Doom and Will of Doom: Why It Connects Three Different Titles
One World Under Doom is a nine-issue limited series (2025) written by Ryan North with art by R.B. Silva. The premise: Doctor Doom becomes Sorcerer Supreme, vanishes behind Latveria's borders, then magically seizes control of every broadcast medium on Earth and declares himself Emperor of the World. Earth's heroes attempt to stop him and fail. Doom wins, and the final issue fixes that victory as an immovable moment in time.
The event crosses over into the Fantastic Four's own title, the Iron Man ongoing, and the Doctor Doom solo series. All three books are running through the same storyline from different angles.
The direct aftermath is The Will of Doom #1 (February 2026), written by Chip Zdarsky with art by CAFU. Doom has disappeared. Protestors gather outside the Baxter Building. Sue and Reed sift through Doom's affairs inside. Johnny, Sue, and Valeria travel to Latveria to investigate. The story is still unfolding as of 2026.
For readers following this blog's reading order: One World Under Doom slots in after Fantastic Four Vol. 7 #28, with individual OWUD issues interleaving with FF Vol. 7 #29 through #33 and then FF Vol. 8 #1 through #3. The Will of Doom follows immediately after.
This is the natural cross-link point to the Doctor Doom reading guide and the Iron Man reading order, both of which cover their side of the same event.
For Readers Coming From the Movie: First Steps and Fanfare
The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025) is a movie tie-in comic written by Matt Fraction with art by Mark Buckingham. It is set within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, not the main 616 comic continuity. It retells the team's origin story as it happens in the film. If you are coming to the comics from the movie, this book will feel familiar, but it does not connect to the reading order above.
Fantastic Four: Fanfare (2025) is a four-issue anthology series released alongside the film. It is not a lead-in to the ongoing series and not a required reading-order entry. Treat both as optional extras for movie-first readers.
If the film brought you here and you want to start reading the main comic continuity, go back to the "Where to Start" section at the top. Waid and Wieringo or Hickman. Pick one.
Where to Read the Full Fantastic Four Run
Every competitor in this space forces you to make a format decision before you can start reading. Omnibus, Masterworks, Epic Collection, or Essentials. Each covers a different chunk of the run, each has different availability, and none of them collect the full series in one place. You end up building a reading order for the collected editions on top of the reading order for the comics themselves.
GIT Collections offers the Fantastic Four collection: 750+ issues from 1961 to 2024, officially licensed by Marvel, on a single USB drive. The full series run in one place, organized by year and issue number. No format decisions, no hunting for out-of-print volumes, no gaps between collected editions. Plug it in and start reading from any point in the order above.
The collection works on Mac, Windows, Android, and iOS across up to three devices — no internet connection required. No subscription. One purchase, yours to keep.
If you prefer print, the Jonathan Hickman Omnibus (two volumes) and the Waid and Wieringo Omnibus are the best single-purchase options for those specific runs. For the full Lee and Kirby era, Marvel's Omnibus line covers it across multiple volumes at roughly $100 or more per book. The GIT collection covers the same ground for $79.99 total.
Fantastic Four Reading Order FAQs
1. What is the best reading order for Fantastic Four?
The best Fantastic Four reading order starts with one of two entry points: Mark Waid and Mike Wieringo's run (2002 to 2005) for classic family drama, or Jonathan Hickman's epic (2009 to 2012) for high-concept sci-fi. From either starting point, you can read forward into the current Ryan North run or backward through Byrne and Lee/Kirby.
2. Should I start with Mark Waid's run or Jonathan Hickman's run?
Start with Waid and Wieringo if you want a character-driven story about the team as a family. Start with Hickman if you want a structurally ambitious sci-fi saga. Both work with zero prior Fantastic Four knowledge. Waid is the easier read. Hickman is the more rewarding one if you commit to both titles.
3. How many Fantastic Four comics are there in total?
The main Fantastic Four series has published over 750 issues across multiple volumes from 1961 to 2024, not counting limited series, annuals, one-shots, and companion titles like FF. Including all of those, the total crosses well over 800. The GIT Collections Fantastic Four collection includes the full series run of 750+ issues.
4. Is Fantastic Four: First Steps connected to the main comic continuity?
Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025) is not part of the main Marvel 616 comic continuity. It is a movie tie-in set within the MCU, written by Matt Fraction with art by Mark Buckingham. It retells the team's origin as it happens in the film. For the main comic reading order, start with Waid/Wieringo or Hickman instead.
5. Is John Byrne's Fantastic Four run worth reading?
John Byrne's Fantastic Four (#232 to #293, 1981 to 1986) is widely regarded as the best run on the title after Lee and Kirby. Byrne wrote and drew the book, delivering high-concept science fiction with strong character work. It is not the recommended starting point for new readers (Waid or Hickman are easier entry points), but it is essential reading for anyone going through the full chronological path.