These are the five comics Marvel says you should read ahead of Fantastic Four

The MCU Fantastic Four reboot movie is shaping up quickly with the reported casting of Julia Garner as an alt version of the Silver Surfer and the seeming confirmation of Galactus as the film's villain, and for those who are looking for a place to start with the source material Marvel Studios is drawing on, the studio is offering up a direct line on which comics you might want to read.

In a link derived from a QR code located at the official Marvel Fantastic Four website, Marvel lays out five comics that it's listing as its direct influences on the movie: Fantastic Four #1, #48, #49, and #50, and Fantastic Four: Life Story #1.

Fantastic Four #1 is obvious - it's the origin story of the FF, and it's also the comic that launched the entire Marvel Universe way back in 1961.

Fantastic Four #48-50 from 1966 are the three issues that tell the original Galactus Saga, which will likely form a good portion of the film's narrative arc, given the casting of Silver Surfer and the apparent confirmation of Galactus as the movie's villain.

2021's Fantastic Four: Life Story #1 is the newest comic on the list. Life Story is an interesting comic which tells a version of the FF's entire career that spans in real time from the '60s to the present day. The first issue, listed here, covers their time in the '60s, which has been hinted as the timeframe in which the MCU Fantastic Four movie is set.

All five comics are now available to read free on the Marvel Unlimited app.

Fantastic Four is set for a July 2025 release.

If you're looking for an even deeper guide for how to get into Fantastic Four comics, we've got you covered.