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Fantastic Four reading order

The Fantastic Four from the 1961 debut through Lee and Kirby, John Byrne, Jonathan Hickman and the current series. New readers should start with Ryan North's 2023 run and go back to the classics afterwards.

  1. Lee and Kirby: the founding years1961–1965

    46 issues · about 15 hours8 essential issues · about 2.5 hours

    Stan Lee and Jack Kirby launch the team and introduce Doctor Doom, the Skrulls and the returning Sub-Mariner. The first five issues set up almost everything that follows.

    Read this stretch in 2 books
    1. Fantastic Four Omnibus Vol. 1 (2005)Covers Fantastic Four #1–5; Fantastic Four Annual #1; Fantastic Four #6–30Find it
    2. Fantastic Four Omnibus Vol. 2 (2007)Covers Fantastic Four Annual #2; Fantastic Four #31–43; Fantastic Four Annual #3Find it

    Fewest books first; newer printings are preferred because they're likelier to be in stock.

    1. Fantastic Four (1961)#1–55 issues
      1. #1November 1961
      2. #2January 1962
      3. #3March 1962
      4. #4May 1962
      5. #5July 1962

      Origin, the Skrulls, Namor's return and Doctor Doom's debut.

    2. Fantastic Four Annual (1963)#1–22 issues, optional
      1. #1September 1963
      2. #2October 1964

      Namor's Atlantis and Doom's origin; useful background read around issues 18 and 30.

    3. Fantastic Four (1961)#6–2419 issues, optional
      1. #6September 1962
      2. #7October 1962
      3. #8November 1962
      4. #9December 1962
      5. #10January 1963
      6. #11February 1963
      7. #12March 1963
      8. #13April 1963
      9. #14May 1963
      10. #15June 1963
      11. #16July 1963
      12. #17August 1963
      13. #18September 1963
      14. #19October 1963
      15. #20November 1963
      16. #21December 1963
      17. #22January 1964
      18. #23February 1964
      19. #24March 1964

      Mostly self-contained adventures; dip in for the early villains.

    4. #25–262 issues
      1. #25April 1964
      2. #26May 1964

      The Thing against the Hulk.

    5. #27–4317 issues, optional
      1. #27June 1964
      2. #28July 1964
      3. #29August 1964
      4. #30September 1964
      5. #31October 1964
      6. #32November 1964
      7. #33December 1964
      8. #34January 1965
      9. #35February 1965
      10. #36March 1965
      11. #37April 1965
      12. #38May 1965
      13. #39June 1965
      14. #40July 1965
      15. #41August 1965
      16. #42September 1965
      17. #43October 1965

      Includes the Frightful Four's debut; skippable on a first pass.

    6. Fantastic Four Annual (1963)#3October 1965

      Reed and Sue's wedding.

  2. Lee and Kirby at their peak1965–1970

    60 issues · about 20 hours51 essential issues · about 17 hours

    The run expands into cosmic territory with the Inhumans, Galactus and the Silver Surfer, the Black Panther, and the birth of Franklin Richards.

    Read this stretch in 3 books
    1. Fantastic Four Omnibus Vol. 3 (2015)Covers Fantastic Four #61–80; Fantastic Four Annual #6; Fantastic Four #81–93Find it
    2. Fantastic Four Omnibus Vol. 2 (2007)Covers Fantastic Four #44–60Find it
    3. Fantastic Four Omnibus Vol. 4 (2021)Covers Fantastic Four #94–102Find it

    Fewest books first; newer printings are preferred because they're likelier to be in stock.

    1. Fantastic Four (1961)#44–8037 issues
      1. #44November 1965
      2. #45December 1965
      3. #46January 1966
      4. #47February 1966
      5. #48March 1966
      6. #49April 1966
      7. #50May 1966
      8. #51June 1966
      9. #52July 1966
      10. #53August 1966
      11. #54September 1966
      12. #55October 1966
      13. #56November 1966
      14. #57December 1966
      15. #58January 1967
      16. #59February 1967
      17. #60March 1967
      18. #61April 1967
      19. #62May 1967
      20. #63June 1967
      21. #64July 1967
      22. #65August 1967
      23. #66September 1967
      24. #67October 1967
      25. #68November 1967
      26. #69December 1967
      27. #70January 1968
      28. #71February 1968
      29. #72March 1968
      30. #73April 1968
      31. #74May 1968
      32. #75June 1968
      33. #76July 1968
      34. #77August 1968
      35. #78September 1968
      36. #79October 1968
      37. #80November 1968

      Starts with the Inhumans and leads straight into the Galactus trilogy.

    2. Fantastic Four Annual (1963)#6November 1968

      Franklin's birth and Annihilus's first appearance.

    3. Fantastic Four (1961)#81–9313 issues
      1. #81December 1968
      2. #82January 1969
      3. #83February 1969
      4. #84March 1969
      5. #85April 1969
      6. #86May 1969
      7. #87June 1969
      8. #88July 1969
      9. #89August 1969
      10. #90September 1969
      11. #91October 1969
      12. #92November 1969
      13. #93December 1969

      Crystal joins, then Doom's Latveria and a Skrull prison planet.

    4. #94–1029 issues, optional
      1. #94January 1970
      2. #95February 1970
      3. #96March 1970
      4. #97April 1970
      5. #98May 1970
      6. #99June 1970
      7. #100July 1970
      8. #101August 1970
      9. #102September 1970

      Kirby's final issues are weaker; read 102 if you want his last word.

  3. John Byrne's Fantastic Four1981–1986

    62 issues · about 21 hours62 essential issues · about 21 hours

    Byrne writes and draws the team back to its roots in exploration and family, while reworking Galactus, Doom and the Negative Zone. She-Hulk later stands in for the Thing.

    Read this stretch in 2 books
    1. Fantastic Four by John Byrne Omnibus Vol. 2 (2013)Covers Fantastic Four #261–293Find it
    2. Fantastic Four by John Byrne Omnibus Vol. 1 (2011)Covers Fantastic Four #232–260Find it

    Fewest books first; newer printings are preferred because they're likelier to be in stock.

    1. Fantastic Four (1961)#232–29362 issues
      1. #232July 1981
      2. #233August 1981
      3. #234September 1981
      4. #235October 1981
      5. #236November 1981
      6. #237December 1981
      7. #238January 1982
      8. #239February 1982
      9. #240March 1982
      10. #241April 1982
      11. #242May 1982
      12. #243June 1982
      13. #244July 1982
      14. #245August 1982
      15. #246September 1982
      16. #247October 1982
      17. #248November 1982
      18. #249December 1982
      19. #250January 1983
      20. #251February 1983
      21. #252March 1983
      22. #253April 1983
      23. #254May 1983
      24. #255June 1983
      25. #256July 1983
      26. #257August 1983
      27. #258September 1983
      28. #259October 1983
      29. #260November 1983
      30. #261December 1983
      31. #262January 1984
      32. #263February 1984
      33. #264March 1984
      34. #265April 1984
      35. #266May 1984
      36. #267June 1984
      37. #268July 1984
      38. #269August 1984
      39. #270September 1984
      40. #271October 1984
      41. #272November 1984
      42. #273December 1984
      43. #274January 1985
      44. #275February 1985
      45. #276March 1985
      46. #277April 1985
      47. #278May 1985
      48. #279June 1985
      49. #280July 1985
      50. #281August 1985
      51. #282September 1985
      52. #283October 1985
      53. #284November 1985
      54. #285December 1985
      55. #286January 1986
      56. #287February 1986
      57. #288March 1986
      58. #289April 1986
      59. #290May 1986
      60. #291June 1986
      61. #292July 1986
      62. #293August 1986

      Begins with a deliberate back-to-basics issue that is easy to jump into.

  4. Waid and Wieringo2002–2005

    36 issues · about 12 hours0 essential issues · about 0 min

    Mark Waid and Mike Wieringo recast the team as imaginauts and celebrities, with a major Doom story at the centre.

    Read this stretch in 1 book
    1. Fantastic Four by Waid & Wieringo Omnibus (2018)Covers Fantastic Four #60–70, 500–524Find it

    Fewest books first; newer printings are preferred because they're likelier to be in stock.

    1. Fantastic Four (1998)#60–7011 issues, optional
      1. #60October 2002
      2. #61November 2002
      3. #62December 2002
      4. #63January 2003
      5. #64February 2003
      6. #65March 2003
      7. #66April 2003
      8. #67May 2003
      9. #68June 2003
      10. #69July 2003
      11. #70August 2003

      Optional bridge between Byrne and Hickman; the 1998 series switches to legacy numbering at 500.

    2. #500–52425 issues, optional
      1. #500September 2003
      2. #501October 2003
      3. #502October 2003
      4. #503November 2003
      5. #504November 2003
      6. #505December 2003
      7. #506January 2004
      8. #507January 2004
      9. #508February 2004
      10. #509March 2004
      11. #510April 2004
      12. #511May 2004
      13. #512June 2004
      14. #513July 2004
      15. #514August 2004
      16. #515August 2004
      17. #516September 2004
      18. #517October 2004
      19. #518November 2004
      20. #519December 2004
      21. #520January 2005
      22. #521February 2005
      23. #522March 2005
      24. #523April 2005
      25. #524May 2005

      The Doom story Unthinkable starts in 68 and ends in 500.

  5. Jonathan Hickman: Fantastic Four and FF2009–2012

    55 issues · about 18 hours54 essential issues · about 18 hours

    Reed tries to solve everything and builds the Future Foundation, setting off a story across two titles that brings in the Council of Reeds, the Kree and Galactus.

    Read this stretch in 2 books
    1. Fantastic Four by Jonathan Hickman Omnibus Vol. 2 (2014)Covers FF #6–11; Fantastic Four #600–604; FF #12–16; Fantastic Four #605, 605.1–611; FF #17–23Find it
    2. Fantastic Four by Jonathan Hickman Omnibus Vol. 1 (2013)Covers Fantastic Four #570–588; FF #1–5Find it

    Fewest books first; newer printings are preferred because they're likelier to be in stock.

    1. Fantastic Four (1998)#570–58819 issues
      1. #570October 2009
      2. #571November 2009
      3. #572December 2009
      4. #573January 2010
      5. #574February 2010
      6. #575March 2010
      7. #576April 2010
      8. #577May 2010
      9. #578June 2010
      10. #579July 2010
      11. #580August 2010
      12. #581September 2010
      13. #582October 2010
      14. #583November 2010
      15. #584December 2010
      16. #585January 2011
      17. #586February 2011
      18. #587March 2011
      19. #588April 2011

      Hickman's opening run on the main title.

    2. FF (2011)#1–1111 issues
      1. #1May 2011
      2. #2June 2011
      3. #3July 2011
      4. #4July 2011
      5. #5August 2011
      6. #6September 2011
      7. #7September 2011
      8. #8October 2011
      9. #9November 2011
      10. #10December 2011
      11. #11December 2011

      FF picks up directly after Fantastic Four 588.

    3. Fantastic Four (2012)#600–6045 issues
      1. #600January 2012
      2. #601February 2012
      3. #602March 2012
      4. #603April 2012
      5. #604May 2012

      Fantastic Four returns at 600; the two titles run alongside each other from here.

    4. FF (2011)#12–165 issues
      1. #12January 2012
      2. #13February 2012
      3. #14March 2012
      4. #15April 2012
      5. #16May 2012

      Concludes the same storyline as 600 to 604.

    5. Fantastic Four (2012)#605June 2012
    6. #605.1July 2012, optional

      Point-one side issue set in an alternate world; not needed for the main story.

    7. #606–6116 issues
      1. #606July 2012
      2. #607August 2012
      3. #608September 2012
      4. #609October 2012
      5. #610November 2012
      6. #611December 2012

      Hickman's final Fantastic Four issues.

    8. FF (2011)#17–237 issues
      1. #17June 2012
      2. #18July 2012
      3. #19August 2012
      4. #20September 2012
      5. #21October 2012
      6. #22November 2012
      7. #23December 2012

      The Future Foundation children's closing chapters.

  6. Dan Slott's return2018–2022

    48 issues · about 16 hours0 essential issues · about 0 min

    After years apart, the family reunites and Ben Grimm marries Alicia Masters. Useful context for the current era, but not required.

    Read this stretch in 5 books
    1. Fantastic Four by Dan Slott Omnibus Vol. 1 (2026)Covers Fantastic Four #1–24Find it
    2. Fantastic Four by Dan Slott Vol. 4 (2023)Covers Fantastic Four #31–39Find it
    3. Fantastic Four: Reckoning War (2024)Covers Fantastic Four #40–46Find it
    4. Fantastic Four by Dan Slott Vol. 3Covers Fantastic Four #25–30Find it
    5. Judgment Day Omnibus (2024)Covers Fantastic Four #47–48Find it

    Fewest books first; newer printings are preferred because they're likelier to be in stock.

    1. Fantastic Four (2018)#1–55 issues, optional
      1. #1October 2018
      2. #2November 2018
      3. #3January 2019
      4. #4January 2019
      5. #5February 2019

      The reunion and the Thing's wedding; read these if you read nothing else from this run.

    2. #6–4843 issues, optional
      1. #6March 2019
      2. #7April 2019
      3. #8May 2019
      4. #9June 2019
      5. #10July 2019
      6. #11August 2019
      7. #12September 2019
      8. #13October 2019
      9. #14November 2019
      10. #15December 2019
      11. #16January 2020
      12. #17February 2020
      13. #18March 2020
      14. #19April 2020
      15. #20May 2020
      16. #21September 2020
      17. #22October 2020
      18. #23November 2020
      19. #24November 2020
      20. #25December 2020
      21. #26January 2021
      22. #27February 2021
      23. #28March 2021
      24. #29April 2021
      25. #30June 2021
      26. #31June 2021
      27. #32July 2021
      28. #33August 2021
      29. #34September 2021
      30. #35November 2021
      31. #36November 2021
      32. #37December 2021
      33. #38January 2022
      34. #39March 2022
      35. #40April 2022
      36. #41May 2022
      37. #42May 2022
      38. #43July 2022
      39. #44August 2022
      40. #45September 2022
      41. #46October 2022
      42. #47November 2022
      43. #48December 2022

      Background for the current era; skip freely.

  7. Start here

    Ryan North's Fantastic Four2023–2025

    33 issues · about 11 hours33 essential issues · about 11 hours

    Ryan North opens with the team broken up and Ben and Alicia on the road, then rebuilds the family through short, inventive stories. Made for new readers.

    Read this stretch in 6 books
    1. Fantastic Four by Ryan North Vol. 5: Aliens, Ghosts and Alternate Earths (2025)Covers Fantastic Four #23–28Find it
    2. Fantastic Four by Ryan North Vol. 3: The Impossible Is Probable (2024)Covers Fantastic Four #12–17Find it
    3. Fantastic Four by Ryan North Vol. 1: Whatever Happened to the Fantastic Four? (2023)Covers Fantastic Four #1–6Find it
    4. Fantastic Four by Ryan North Vol. 6: Our World Under Doom (2025)Covers Fantastic Four #29–33Find it
    5. Fantastic Four by Ryan North Vol. 4: Fortune Favors the Fantastic (2024)Covers Fantastic Four #18–22Find it
    6. Fantastic Four by Ryan North Vol. 2: Four Stories about Hope (2024)Covers Fantastic Four #7–11Find it

    Fewest books first; newer printings are preferred because they're likelier to be in stock.

    1. Fantastic Four (2023)#1–3333 issues
      1. #1January 2023
      2. #2February 2023
      3. #3March 2023
      4. #4April 2023
      5. #5May 2023
      6. #6June 2023
      7. #7July 2023
      8. #8August 2023
      9. #9September 2023
      10. #10October 2023
      11. #11November 2023
      12. #12December 2023
      13. #13January 2024
      14. #14February 2024
      15. #15March 2024
      16. #16March 2024
      17. #17April 2024
      18. #18May 2024
      19. #19June 2024
      20. #20July 2024
      21. #21August 2024
      22. #22September 2024
      23. #23October 2024
      24. #24October 2024
      25. #25November 2024
      26. #26December 2024
      27. #27February 2025
      28. #28March 2025
      29. #29April 2025
      30. #30May 2025
      31. #31June 2025
      32. #32July 2025
      33. #33August 2025

      Issue 1 explains everything you need to know.

  8. The current series2025–present

    17 issues · about 5.5 hours17 essential issues · about 5.5 hours

    Ryan North's run continues in a new Fantastic Four series, drawn mainly by Humberto Ramos, which carries on the legacy numbering from 727.

    Read this stretch in 2 books
    1. Fantastic Four Vol. 2: The Invincible Woman (2026)Covers Fantastic Four #6–11Find it
    2. Fantastic Four Vol. 1: Save EveryoneCovers Fantastic Four #1–5Find it

    Not in these books: Fantastic Four #12–17. Look for the single issues.

    Fewest books first; newer printings are preferred because they're likelier to be in stock.

    1. Fantastic Four (2025)#1–1717 issues
      1. #1September 2025
      2. #2October 2025
      3. #3November 2025
      4. #4December 2025
      5. #5January 2026
      6. #6February 2026
      7. #7March 2026
      8. #8April 2026
      9. #9May 2026
      10. #10July 2026
      11. #11July 2026
      12. #12August 2026
      13. #13September 2026
      14. #14September 2026
      15. #15October 2026
      16. #16November 2026
      17. #17November 2026

      Ongoing; follows straight on from the 2023 series.

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