Fantastic Four #1 Review- The End of the Fantastic Four?!
From Marvel Comics
Written by Ryan North
Art by Humberto Ramos
The last week of June 2025 ushered in the final installment of Ryan North and Cory Smith’s years long run of Fantastic Four with issue #33, cutting the series short to allow for a new “number one” in time for the release of The Fantastic Four: First Steps from Marvel Studios. While many fans of this excellent ongoing title were disappointed with this apparent sudden shift in tone, and not nearly assuaged by the notoriously terse explanation from editor Tom Breevort, all we could really do is wait and see what Fantastic Four #1 by Ryan North and Humberto Ramos really had to offer.
If you are not familiar with the current era of Fantastic Four from Marvel Comics then I suggest first of all, that you read the release volumes of this superb, standout, easily accessible science fiction adventure, or at the very least check out some of my previous reviews on the series.
Additionally, while the loss of recent series artist Cory Smith is certainly notable (having rendered some of my favorite comics in recent years and yet still being, I fear, severely underrated by the comic book community) the new addition of veteran artist Humberto Ramos to the series is actually a huge boon to the series intrigue. Even those uninitiated with the past few decades of comics will probably recognize artwork from Humberto Ramos at a glance, having drawn dozens of issues of The Spectacular & Amazing Spider-Man, in addition to a lengthy comic book Cover resume. Which feels like an intentional doubling down on this new series “approachability factor,” featuring an artist that feels like a quintessential, classic part of the modern comic book visual landscape.
However, the most exciting aspect of this “starting over point” for fans of the series to date- is that it’s not really a starting over point. While the events of issue #33 saw the members of the Fantastic Four restored to their full fighting force with their powers renewed due to the desperate, reality warping sacrifice of an iconic character that brought tears to my eyes, issue #1 sees the fateful quartet doing battle with Emperor Doctor Doom, very much still in the current Marvel Comics Universe continuity. Which makes this new “number one” feel like the latest trial for the Fantastic Four in their attempt to defeat Emperor Doctor Doom once and for all, who has certainly not made things easy for Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, even swaying the hearts and minds of world leaders and average citizens without the need for magical or technological interference.
However, North doesn’t just offer “the next installment” in this debut, as it also serves the dual function of feeling like a truly refreshing introductory point into the characters, tone, and crises that comprise the beloved Fantastic Four series. If you want to catch up on the adventures of “Marvel’s First Family,” then there is no better time to do so, with the title under the helm of a very capable writer who has proven time and again to understand the faculties which make these characters so timeless, and also dares to brave new ground and new perspectives with the entire ensemble cast of the Fantastic Four family.
But let us talk more specifically about Fantastic Four #1 (Legacy Issue #727) which means,
WARNING! SPOILERS AHEAD!
Issue #1 begins with a thrilling snapshot and candid description of each member of the Fantastic Four narrated by Susan Storm, the Invisible Woman, as they fight Doctor Doom’s army in New York, eventually breaking through the dictator’s shields and knocking him to the ground. However, this long-awaited victorious moment is cut short as Emperor Doom rises and promptly teleports the group into four distinct, and very separate, eras of time.
Such is the prologue for this first issue, which functions as a very neat character study of each member of the Fantastic Four on their own, lost in time. This plot structure is not only very fitting to the classic overarching plot of Fantastic Four comics, but is also self-referential to North’s existing series, calling to mind the now iconic events and thematic tone of Fantastic Four #17 and Fantastic Four #10. Furthermore, this literal separation of the team members acts as a kind of evaluation point for our iconic characters as they exist in the current canon of Marvel Comics.
For instance, our first chapter focuses on Johnny Storm, the Human Torch, sent back the furthest in time, where we see Johnny acting much more rationally and scientifically than he has in the past in moments of crisis. Rather than relying entirely on his team’s brains and supplying the bulk of the often necessary muscle (in the form of fire), Johnny must contend with his circumstances alone. This is no easy feat either, as we discover that Johnny now exists in a time period where Earth’s oxygen layer is far below life sustaining levels, and even as Johnny emulates metal infused rocks to release oxygen, his time is running out. In a last ditch effort, Johnny races towards a geographical constant called “the forever stone” that Reed Richards has identified as a failsafe meeting point if the family was ever faced with time travel shenanigans.
The concept of “the forever stone” is a really engaging and fitting plot point that is just another example of North’s ingenious lens for Fantastic Four. After all,if any superhero group should have a backup plan “in case of accidental time travel” it would be the Fantastic Four. Additionally, the stone serves as a poignant symbol of the Fantastic Four families unwavering trust in one another, as we see each member remember and venture towards the stone without a second thought, knowing even in circumstances as dire as these, that someone is looking for them and will know what to do.
After Johnny, we find Benjamin Grimm, The Thing, battling dinosaurs in some incredibly cool action sequences, before he too ventures to the stone and discovers Johnny’s coordinates. Followed by Reed Richards, Mr Fantastic, as he travels for months to the stone in the medieval ages (which is an entire one-shot comic or mini-series that I would love to read, so- Ryan North, if you are reading this… get on that pretty please.) It is here that Reed relays the relevant backstory of the “forever stone” and muses over his family members’ circumstances, realizing that neither he, Johnny, or Ben exist in a time period that could lead to their rescue, which means it is up to Sue to save the day.
However, we quickly see that this saga may not be as simple or hopeful as it seems, as we find Susan Storm dropped far into the future, staring into the eyes of a red sun slowly destroying the barren Earth with its heat. As Sue journeys towards the location of the “forever stone” like her counterparts, she makes the horrific discovery that the stone no longer exists this far in the future. In our final page, we see Sue’s worst nightmare rendered on the page- Johnny asphyxiated, The Thing devoured, and her husband, Reed long dead, waiting for a rescue that would never come. Talk about a thrilling cliffhanger for new readers!
With Fantastic Four #1, it is safe to say that Ryan North and Humberto Ramos are intent on telling a challenging, inventive, and unique Fantastic Four story that will not rest on its laurels or pander to a new audience, which may have been a point of trepidation for existing fans. Even more clear is North’s enduring, contagious love and respect for the title that encourages fans new and old to fall in love with these characters all over again.
Please support your local comic book stores and journey through time alongside our heroes in the pages of Fantastic Four #1, on shelves now!
-Nicholas Aaron Hodge
