Marvel Introduces the Frightful Four in "Fantastic Four: First Foes

The Fantastic Four’s adventures in the world of The Fantastic Four: First Steps aren’t over just yet. Marvel Comics is returning to the retro-futuristic world of Marvel Studios’ First Family this December with a brand-new one-shot that will introduce one of the team’s most notorious comic book enemies along with an entire squad of super-powered troublemakers.

What’s Happening:

Fantastic Four: First Foes – The Wizard #1 will expand upon the history established in the blockbuster film, bringing the Frightful Four into this version of the Fantastic Four’s story for the very first time. The one-shot comes from writer Fabian Nicieza and returning artist Mark Buckingham, marking the latest installment in Marvel Comics’ series of stories set within the world of The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

Even before Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm faced off against Galactus in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, the team had already become legendary heroes within their world. Their exploits and scientific achievements made them celebrities and icons, giving Marvel Comics plenty of room to explore the adventures that took place before the events audiences saw on screen.
That exploration has been the focus of the Fantastic Four: First Foes series, which has revisited the team’s earliest encounters with some of their most recognizable enemies while remaining within the continuity and world of the film.
Now, the series is preparing for its grand finale — and this time, the Fantastic Four will have their hands full with not just one villain, but an entire team.
The December one-shot will introduce Bentley Wittman, better known as the Wizard, into the world of First Steps. A brilliant inventor and self-proclaimed genius, Wittman believes he deserves the same recognition and admiration bestowed upon the Fantastic Four. Naturally, simply receiving the attention he thinks he deserves isn’t enough.
Instead, the Wizard sets out to prove his intellectual superiority by embarrassing the Fantastic Four and stealing one of the world’s most renowned monuments to science: the Baxter Building.
To accomplish his ambitious scheme, the Wizard creates a group of villains specifically designed to challenge the First Family. Enter the Frightful Four.
The villainous quartet will make their debut in the First Steps universe in this issue, giving the Fantastic Four four new threats to contend with as the Wizard puts his plan into motion. While details surrounding the members of this new incarnation of the Frightful Four remain under wraps, their arrival promises to push the team to its limits.
For Buckingham, the issue also represents the culmination of an especially unique run. The artist has drawn all five of the Fantastic Four: First Foes one-shots, giving him the opportunity to help establish and visually expand this comic book interpretation of the world created for Marvel Studios.
"How fortunate I am to have enjoyed so many Fantastic creative firsts on First Steps and First Foes! My first opportunities to work with the amazing writers Matt Fraction, Charles Soule, Greg Pak, (not forgetting a chance to reunite with Dan Slott), and now the wonderful Fabian Nicieza! Add to that the honour of being the first artist on this first-of-its-kind direct crossover between Marvel Studios and Marvel Comics, with boundless enthusiasm and support from Grant Curtis, Matt Shakman, and the whole The Fantastic Four: First Steps team! On top of all that I am getting to revisit and reimagine the first adventures of my comic book first love, truly the world’s greatest comic magazine, the Fantastic Four! For this final instalment, Fabian and I bring you not just the Wizard but a whole quartet of Frightful villains to test our fantastic first family to their absolute limits! I can't wait for you all to read it!"
Nicieza is equally excited to return to the Fantastic Four, particularly with the opportunity to expand the story of the team audiences met in First Steps.
"Getting to write the Fantastic Four is something I haven't done often enough in my career, so I relish every chance I can get, and getting to expand on the First Steps film made it twice as much fun," Nicieza said. "I loved everything about the movie, so getting to work with Mark to reimagine the Wizard and the Frightful Four is pretty much everything that makes these kinds of projects a crunchy continuity candy treat!"
The one-shot continues what has become an unusual collaboration between Marvel Comics and Marvel Studios, allowing the comics to directly explore stories and characters connected to the cinematic world of The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Rather than simply adapting the movie, First Foes gives fans a chance to see more of the First Family’s history and discover adventures that took place beyond the film.
With the Wizard and the Frightful Four entering the picture, the final installment could prove to be one of the biggest challenges yet for this version of the Fantastic Four.
Fantastic Four: First Foes – The Wizard #1 arrives in December from Marvel Comics. Fans can check out Phil Noto’s cover and preorder the one-shot now at their local comic shop.

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Marvel Introduces the Frightful Four in "Fantastic Four: First Foes – The Wizard #1"

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