Fantastic Four For Dummies

Discover Marvel’s Founding Family!

Before the Avengers, the X-Men, or the Defenders, there was the Fantastic Four. This team of super heroes made their name through their dynamic origin, forced together by circumstance but bonded forever as family. Fantastic Four For Dummies introduces you to Marvel’s First Family and the major villains that they’ve encountered, including the infamous Doctor Doom. Produced in partnership with Marvel Comics, this full-color guide features art taken directly from the Marvel Comics archives, giving readers all they need to know about this superhuman cast of characters. Discover their strengths and weaknesses and explore the essential comics to get up to speed on what makes this team so fantastic.

• Get to know the super heroes that make up the Fantastic Four and delve into their fateful origins
• Discover the supporting cast and major villains throughout the storylines
• Understand the characters on a deeper level and explore the family dynamics that have shaped this unlikely team
• Learn why the Fantastic Four have been so popular and have stood the test of time

Whether you’re a dedicated Fantastic Four fan or just finding your footing, Fantastic Four For Dummies is your go-to guide to making friends with Marvel’s first family.

Introduction 1

Part 1: Flight School: Getting to Know the Fantastic Four 5

Chapter 1: The Founding Family of Marvel 7

Chapter 2: Creating a Super-Team 27

Part 2: Discovering the World of the World’s Greatest Comic Magazine 39

Chapter 3: Egregious Enemies 41

Chapter 4: Inventing (and Discovering) the Marvel Universe 65

Chapter 5: A Scintillating Supporting Cast 81

Chapter 6: Fantastic Spinoffs 105

Part 3: Exploring What Makes a Fantastic Four Story a Fantastic Four Story 131

Chapter 7: (Dys)Functional Family Dynamics 133

Chapter 8: Exploring the Universe While Striving to Be Worthy 159

Part 4: Reading the World’s Greatest Comic Magazine 187

Chapter 9: What to Read to Get to Know the FF 189

Chapter 10: The Best of the World’s Greatest 199

Part 5: The Part of Tens 219

Chapter 11: Ten More Members of the Fantastic Four 221

Chapter 12: Ten Indispensable Doctor Doom Stories 229

Index 239

Justin Peniston is a writer of comics and animation with over 15 years’ experience working with science fiction, fantasy, horror, and super hero comics. He has worked with DC Comics, Marvel Studios, Cartoon Network, Man of Action Studios, and IDW Publishing.

A fun and exciting intro to Marvel’s First Family

Looking to get caught up on one of the comic book world’s most extraordinary and interesting teams? In Fantastic Four For Dummies, you’ll find comprehensive coverage of the Fantastic Four’s members, origin stories, super-powers, enemies, allies, and more. This full-color guide, featuring dynamic comic book art, explains how the Invisible Woman, Mister Fantastic, the Thing, and the Human Torch came to be – and teamed up to become Marvel’s First Family. Fantastic Four For Dummies is a beginner’s guide to some of Marvel’s most captivating characters and stories.

Inside…

• Complete bios for each character
• Learn about their friends and allies
• Explorations of memorable villains
• Detailed history of the team
• Their most important adventures
• Discover their strengths and weaknesses