Fantastic Four Tie-in Comic Shows How They Got Powers in MCU

The freshly unveiled Fantastic Four spinoff comics at last sheds light on the origins of Marvel’s First Family within the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Headed by actors Pedro Pascal and Vanessa Kirby, this quartet will initially appear in the MCU through the upcoming movie titled The Fantastic Four: First Steps. This film promises to introduce viewers to a distinct interpretation of Earth. With the storyline unfolding four years after the group obtained their abilities, these comics have now disclosed how the Fantastic Four originated in the MCU.

MCU’s Fantastic Four didn’t get powers from cosmic rays

In a comic book titled “Fantastic Four: First Steps #1,” released on July 9, readers get a glimpse into the storyline before the upcoming movie, “The Fantastic Four: First Steps,” directed by Matt Shakman. This one-shot comic book sets the stage for the forthcoming film.

The movie portrays Reed Richards and his team as the Fantastic Four. In the related comic, it not only recounts events from their alternate universe up until that point but also delves into their origin story within the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). As opposed to cosmic rays in the original comics, they acquired their powers by accidentally being exposed to ‘celestial radiation’ during a space expedition.

Furthermore, Kirby’s Sue Storm (with a background in archaeology and a PhD) took on the role of mission specialist during the flight. Ebon Moss-Bachrach’s Ben Grimm and Joseph Quinn’s Johnny Storm joined as the pilot and flight engineer respectively. The comic reveals that before the accident that turned him into the Human Torch, Johnny had aspirations to become a professional golfer.

Matt Fraction and Mark Buckingham authored this spin-off book, which delves into Reed Richards’ background before the creation of the Fantastic Four. The character portrayed by Pascal is shown to have leveraged his extraordinary intelligence to achieve groundbreaking discoveries in various domains such as science, medicine, agriculture, and beyond, on his own planet.

In the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s take on the Fantastic Four, my team and I, as characters, have a unique dynamic with the Mole Man that sets us apart from our comic book counterparts. Unlike in the comics where he was always a foe, in this version, it appears Sue Storm has managed to bridge the gap between us and the Mole Man. This twist makes for an interesting storyline, as it adds depth to our interactions with this subterranean troublemaker.

In the upcoming film “First Steps,” hitting theaters on July 25, 2025, we’ll delve into the origins of the legendary superhero team, the Fantastic Four, as previously introduced in their first comic series titled “First Steps #1.” This movie promises to showcase their exciting new adventures.

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2025-07-10 16:11