I bought the first issue of The Fantastic Four comic book back in 1961 (the sad fate of that issue while I was away at Summer Camp five years later is a story for another time). I was a Fantastic Four enthusiast for years. But I lost interest in comic books in the mid-1960s and moved on to ACE Doubles and paperback mystery novels.
There have been four Fantastic Four movies: a 1994 Roger Corman-produced movie (not officially released), the 2005 and 2007 films directed by Tim Story, and the 2015 reboot directed by Josh Trank.
The new fifth film, Fantastic Four: First Steps, introduces Phase Six of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and just made $128 million over the weekend.
“Reed Richards /Mr. Fantastic (Pedro Pascal), his pregnant wife Sue Storm / Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm / Human Torch (Joseph Quinn) and Ben Grimm / Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) learn that Galactus is coming via the Herald / Silver Surfer / Shalla-Bal (Julia Garner) who comes to warn the people of Earth that their days are numbered and they should spend those days wisely.” (Forbes)
Galactus–for those of you who are unfamiliar with the MARVEL Universe–is an incredibly powerful celestial being who devours entire worlds as he wanders across the stars. Now, Galactus wants to devour Earth. The Fantastic Four jump into their space ship and go out to meet Galactus and try to negotiate with this titanic being. Their negotiating skills are about as good as Trump’s.
The Fantastic Four flee back to Earth to prepare for Galactus’s arrival. They come up with a couple of low probability of success strategies. The Silver Surfer dashes their first option and the Fantastic Four have to fight Galactus in the middle of a city. Plenty of action!
I found Vanessa Kirby–the best Susan Storm I’ve ever seen on the Big Screen–the character with the most exciting powers, the best lines in the movie, and the person I most want to see in a sequel (or the promised Avengers: Doomsday on December 18, 2026). The Fantastic Four: First Steps is a little better than the new Superman movie. At least it doesn’t have Krypto the Superdog. GRADE: B+
Krypto did get on your nerves? Galactus always kinda got on mine…even compared to DC, Every Damned Thing at Marvel seemed to need to be way the hell over the top. Though WEREWOLF-BY-NIGHT was one of my fonder hero-ish characters in the early ’70s when I cared the most.
Todd, a little Krypto the Superdog goes a long way. Galactus appears more powerful in the comic books than in this movie.
Meanwhile, JCO might’ve had more (strong) bones to pick than Krypto’s:
Joyce Carol Oates
@JoyceCarolOates
(friends who’ve seen “Superman” enticed by enthusiastic reviews are stunned at how bad it is, even for a comic-book movie.)
(over all, reviews of movies seem to be highly unreliable. enormous enthusiasm for many movies that don’t deserve it; ignoring worthwhile films that fly under the radar.)
Todd, I set the bar low for Summer Movies. Joyce Carol Oates doesn’t understand the genre…or its audience.
I actually got a pretty good price for my old comic books back in the 1970s. The difference is that back then it helped pay the rent. Now it would have bought the house.
Dan, exactly! My comic book collection was disposed of by my mother while I was at Summer Camp. Years later, I’d show her comic book price guides where those comics could have bought her a new car!
We sold my comic book collection to pay for the birth of our first child. If we hadn’t, I’d be a gazillionaire by now. but on reflection, we ended up with Jessamyn, so we got the best part of the deal.
Jerry, well done! Jessamyn appreciates your sacrifice!
I too bought the first issue of FF fresh off the newsstand (64 years ago? Say it ain’t so) and likewise read FF, Spider-man, Daredevil etc, up into the mid-’60s with sporadic returns in the ’70s. I liked the stories about Stan and Jack’s goofy villains (Asbestos Man, Stilt-Man, the Red Ghost, Paste-Pot Pete, etc) better than the overblown cosmic soap operas in which they began to indulge around 1966.
Fred, I agree with you on the cosmic soap opera aspect of both DC and MARVEL comic books from the mid-1960s on. Today’s graphic novels just extend that trend.
*yawn*
Could not be less interested. Never cared for them as a kid, no interest now.
Pedro Pascal is really flavor of the month lately, isn’t he?
Jeff, Pedro Pascal is hot, hot, hot. He’s in the upcoming The Mandalorian & Grogu movie in May 2026, too.
For some reason my mom bought me a vinyl record adaptation of that first issue from the 50 cent bin at an Arlan’s (one of those long-gone KMart competitors) back in the late sixties. It came with a reprint of the comic book. All I remember about it is thinking it was pretty silly, which was my reaction to most super heroes from late childhood on. The Fantastic Four seemed especially goofy at the time and even as a kid the Silver Surfer seemed like kind of a dumb, patronizing attempt to appeal to kids in the early sixties (I remember an even more annoying, slang-spouting surfer dude briefly showing up on “Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea” around the same time).
I’m personally over-and-done with comic book movies but to each their own. Even if I wasn’t, everything I’ve seen about this movie shows they really missed the boat period detail-wise. I likewise don’t have anything against Pascal but, much like Sydney Sweeney, I don’t see the appeal (and the need to cast them in seemingly everything) at all. I’m glad you enjoyed it. I still feel like this fad is winding down.
Byron, I suspect there will always be a market for super-hero movies, but the demand for these films will ebb and flow.
With the money it and SUPERMAN is making, I don’t think they are winding down.A new generation will pick up the torch. I may see it but it will be alone as no one I know would be interested. I still haven’t been forgiven for dragging three women to the Spiderverse one last summer.
Patti, THE FANTASTIC FOUR is a bit more fun than the Spiderverse…