Marvel Studiosseems to be pulling out all the stops to promoteThe Fantastic Four: First Steps, including an actual tie-in comic. Written byMatt Fractionand illustrated byMark Buckingham, this is meant to bean “artifact” from the world ofFirst Stepsthat chronicles the First Family’s history.It also marks the first time in years that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has had a tie-in comic,as there used to be plenty of tie-ins and prequels that took place before a film or recapped its events. Marvel Studios should consider doing more of these tie-ins in the future, as the possibilities are endless.
More Tie-in Comics Could Expand Upon Events in the MCU
The biggest draw of theFantastic Four: First Stepscomic is that it’ll expand upon the world of the film. This is a big deal becauseThe Fantastic Four: First Stepstakes place in a universeseparate from the rest of the MCU; expanding upon that world in comics is a great way to bring other elements of the Fantastic Four mythos into this new world.Giving other MCU movies tie-in comics could allow for an expansion on certain character dynamicsor even introduce the MCU version of comic book characters that haven’t appeared yet.TakeAvengers: Doomsday, for example. A miniseries centered on the life ofRobert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom could give better insight into what drives this version of Doom and what leads him to battle the Avengers. Or aWerewolf by Nightstory could expand upon the adventures that Jack Russell (Gael Garcia Bernal) and the Man-Thing had prior to theWerewolf by Nightspecial—after all,Thor: Ragnarokhints that Man-Thing once visited the planet of Sakaar.
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“It’s reaching a different kind of audience.”
Utilizing comics to expand upon the events of the MCU wouldn’t just make it feel bigger but alsofill in the gaps between films. After all, these films have a limited runtime, as do the television shows that attempt to build upon the events of said films. Having comics that take place in-between those gaps would be a better approach. They have a monthly release and could be tied to a film’s release, resulting in a truly immersive experience—this wouldn’t be the first time that a major film franchise has been expanded via comics, either.J.J. Abrams’Star Trekreceived a comic series thattook place after the first film, and DC launched series that served as continuations of beloved films likeBatman ‘89andSuperman ‘78.The MCU could use some of that energy.
Actual Tie-In Comics Are A Great Way To Get Comic Creators More Involved in the MCU’s Creation
To craft theFantastic Four: First Stepscomic, Matt Fraction and Mark Buckingham visited the set ofThe Fantastic Four: First Steps—and they weren’t the only comic creators in attendance, as other Fantastic Four comic writers likeGail SimoneandDan Slottgot a chance to visit the set. This approachis another way for the comic book creators to be involved in the creation of the films, as it’s their work that serves as the foundation for these films. With the discussion around creators’ rights to characters and the circumstances that led toRob Liefeld’sfallout with Marvel following the releaseofDeadpool & Wolverine, having creators actually contribute to the world of a film is a great way to have them involved in the filmmaking process. It’s already started:Paul Jenkins, the co-creator of the Sentry,was brought in to consult onThunderbolts*,and actual comic book writers likeZeb WellsandCody Ziglarhave contributed to MCU projects includingShe-Hulk: Attorney at Law.
But the biggest draw of having more tie-in comics for the MCU is thatit could serve as a gateway to getting more people into comics.Regal is currently offering afreeThunderbolts*comic to moviegoers, and it’s a practice that Marvel Studios should continue for its future films. Giving out a comic that is tied to the film is more than likely to interest readers in checking out future installments, especially if it’s the first issue in a series.The Fantastic Four: First Stepsis looking to do things differently from other MCU films,but introducing a tie-in comic is its biggest step yet.
The Fantastic Four: First Stepslands in theaters on August 07, 2025.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps
