Skip to main content TechRadar the technology experts Search TechRadar View Profile België (Nederlands) Deutschland North America US (English) Australasia New Zealand Tech Radar Pro Tech Radar Gaming Nintendo Switch 2 Best laptop NYT Wordle today Entertainment The Fantastic Four: First Steps comic-book prequel reveals some crucial lore about the Marvel superheroes ahead of their MCU debut 28 April 2025 The new Marvel comic book confirms First Steps won't be an origins story When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. The literary prequel's cover, above, is a near-identical copy of the group's first-ever comic-book issue (Image credit: Marvel Comics) Marvel has announced a comic-book tie-in for The Fantastic Four: First Steps The prequel story reveals how long Marvel's First Family has had their superpowers for A new Lego leak has also revealed a first full look at the movie's villain, Galactus Marvel has announced a comic-book prequel to The Fantastic Four: First Steps – and it reveals some crucial lore about the iconic quartet ahead of their Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) debut. Per Marvel.com, the literary tie-in will be released on July 2, i.e., just three weeks before The Fantastic Four's next big-screen adaptation takes flight in theaters globally. The comic book, which has been penned by Matt Fraction and drawn by Mark Buckingham, also represents a first for the comic giant. Indeed, this marks the first time that Marvel Studios and Marvel Comics have collaborated on any literary tie-in for an MCU project. You may like CinemaCon 2025 teaser for The Fantastic Four: First Steps just confirmed a big fan theory about Sue Storm in the Marvel movie 'We will draw inspiration': Joe and Anthony Russo reveal which of Marvel's Secret Wars comic book series have influenced Avengers 5 and 6's plot First Steps' comic precursor features a callback to Marvel's First Family's debut on the page, too. Its Phil Noto-designed cover art is a near-identical replica of the group's first-ever comic – The Fantastic Four #1, which was released in November 1961 – that shows the iconic quartet battling Giganto. Marvel Unlimited monthly subscription: was $9.99 per month now $4.99 at Marvel The ultimate digital comics subscription for Marvel fans is offering new and returning customers 50% off their first month, which is much cheaper than a streaming subscription to watch all the best superhero movies. To gain access to a library of more than 30,000 comics, use the code 'SPIDEY50' at checkout. You're able to use the Marvel Unlimited app on all iOS and Android devices, including the web, too. But, be quick – the deal expires on May 5! That isn't the most interesting tidbit hidden within this one-shot comic's pages, though. The prequel story reconfirms that First Steps won't be an origins story, as it reveals that the superteam will have been operating as heroes in their universe for four years by the time the Marvel Phase 6 film begins. For those who might not realize it, the comic book also doubles down on the fact that First Steps won't be set in the MCU. Some fans already knew this following the unveiling of a Fantastic Four poster in February 2024 and Marvel teasing some key story details about the flick last April. In June of last year, Marvel President Kevin Feige confirmed that First Steps would be a period piece, too, with the movie being set on a parallel dimension's Earth in the 1960s. A Galactus-sized leak or a mini spoiler? Galactus is coming! (Image credit: Marvel Comics) Potentially big spoilers follow for The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. That wasn't the only news concerning The Fantastic Four over the weekend (April 26-27). On Saturday, one eagle-eyed fan snapped two images of a First Steps Lego set that revealed the first full look at the MCU movie's villain Galactus, who'll be voiced by The Office UK star Ralph Ineson. 76316 Randomly appears on the shelves in Tbilisi, Sakartvelo (credit: gionoir) from r/Legoleak The photographs were uploaded to the Lego Leak Reddit page by lunaym_moscor, who credits a Georgia-based fan known online as gionoir with taking them. The official box art shows the titular group battling the cosmic entity on the streets of New York City, and suggests Marvel has retained Galactus' iconic look from the comics. It seems that potentially disgruntled Marvel fans won't have anything to complain about when it comes to Galactus' design in Marvel's cinematic juggernaut, then. As I wrote earlier, this is the first proper look we've received, albeit in Lego form, of Galactus. The Fantastic Four: First Steps' first teaser and First Steps' official trailer have only teased what the planet-devouring extraterrestrial will look like. However, with one of 2025's most anticipated new movies only months away from being released, leaks like this are inevitable as physical stores start to stock their shelves with toys ahead of the film's release. The Fantastic Four: First Steps will be released worldwide on Friday, July 25. While we wait, read about everything we know so far in my dedicated hub on The Fantastic Four: First Steps. You might also like Get the lowdown on everything to do with Thunderbolts* before its May 2 release Marvel has revealed the full, 27-strong cast for Avengers: Doomsday, and there are plenty of heroes who seemingly won't be part of its roster Learn more about Spider-Man: Brand New Day Today's best Disney Plus deals Disney+ Annual Premium Social Links Navigation Senior Entertainment Reporter As TechRadar's senior entertainment reporter, Tom covers all of the latest movies, TV shows, and streaming service news that you need to know about. You'll regularly find him writing about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Wars, Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, and many other topics of interest. An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Tom also writes reviews, analytical articles, opinion pieces, and interview-led features on the biggest franchises, actors, directors and other industry leaders. You may see his quotes pop up in the odd official Marvel Studios video, too, such as this Moon Knight TV spot. Away from work, Tom can be found checking out the latest video games, immersing himself in his favorite sporting pastime of football, reading the many unread books on his shelf, staying fit at the gym, and petting every dog he comes across. Got a scoop, interesting story, or an intriguing angle on the latest news in entertainment? Feel free to drop him a line. You must confirm your public display name before commenting Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name. 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