Since the start of the MCU with Iron Man back in 2008, the universe we saw on the big screen was very different from the one in the pages of Marvel Comics that inspired it. And despite the massive success of the MCU, it’s remained like this, until now. According to Deadline, this summer, Marvel Comics will release a special The Fantastic Four: First Steps comic book, tied directly into the continuity of the MCU film. This is the first time Marvel has created a comic set in the MCU. Former Fantastic Four and Hawkeye writer Matt Fraction is writing this one-shot, with art by Mark Buckingham, who also illustrated several Fantastic Four comics. Frequent Star Wars artist Phil Noto illustrates the cover.
The concept behind this special one-shot MCU x Marvel Comics comic book is that it’s an artifact from the world of the film. Just as in the classic Marvel Comics, the team’s adventures also exist as licensed comic books in-universe. This new comic confirms that the upcoming MCU movie picks up four years after the FF become superheroes. Marvel Comics worked closely with the filmmakers on this special MCU issue, drawing inspiration from the look of the film by production designer Kasra Farahani. Matt Fraction and others working on this one-shot comic even visited the set. Phil Noto’s cover is a direct homage to Jack Kirby’s cover for The Fantastic Four #1, from way back in 1961.
Here’s what Marvel Comics’ C.B. Cebulski said about the upcoming The Fantastic Four: First Steps one-shot:
As Marvel’s First Family, the Fantastic Four and their stories have always been at the very center of the Marvel Universe. With The Fantastic Four: First Steps coming later this summer, we at Marvel all felt this was the perfect opportunity to bring our teams together in honor of their legacy in both the world of the film and within our comics. It’s been a blast to have our teams in Publishing and Studios bounce ideas back and forth to create something truly special and one-of-a-kind, and we can’t wait for fans to be able to dive in to this comic—squarely in the world of the MCU—and experience the Fantastic Four like we’ve never seen before this summer
Will this special one-shot issue lead to more Marvel Comics set in the MCU? Certainly, the upcoming year between Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars calls for several comics to fill in the gap, especially with so many characters involved. Who knows, this could lead to a whole line of MCU comics from Marvel Comics. In the meantime, The Fantastic Four: First Steps comic arrives in comic shops on July 2.
Content shared from nerdist.com.