How the Fantastic Four SAVED Marvel Comics

In this video, Owen explains the history of the Fantastic Four, how Jack Kirby and Stan Lee created Marvel's first family and how this iconic team changed the comic book world forever.

▶ Watch More Owen Likes Comics:

▶ Owen Likes Comics intro made by Anthony Diaz:

▶ Special thanks to @ForEveryKindofGeek, @ComicDrake and @patrickhwillems for providing additional voiceover.

▶ Timestamps:
0:00 - Introduction
2:31 - A Timely Origin
7:51 - One Fantastic Idea
13:48 - Creating a Legacy
18:10 - Conclusion
21:28 - Outro

▶ Music Used:
'Rudolph’ by ‘Lukrembo’

#FantasticFour #Marvel #ComicBooks

[OwenLikesComics]

▶ If you enjoyed this video, consider supporting Owen Likes Comics on Patreon:

[samwill]

Calling the FF Marvel's First Family isn't Marvel just being cute with epithets and nicknames as usual. They're being EXCEEDINGLY literal. The Marvel Universe built outward from the Fantastic Four, every early hero and villain had to test their mettle against the Four before they could really be taken seriously.

That's still true, track back every trail and vein of the Marvel Universe's many limbs and eventually you shall find the First Family standing there at the core.

[outpostalpha]

The Lee/Kirby run of Fantastic Four still holds up incredibly well compared to a lot of other comics of the era. It's not surprising that the book turned out to be so influential to Marvel and all of comics history.

[hero_kun]

The Fantastic Four is considered as one of my favorite superhero teams.
I’m just can’t get enough of the family dynamic of the series

[Akkbar]

I’m actually not a fantastic four fan, but I’m a fan of them being prominent in marvel continuity going forward. In my childhood (80s-90s), if sh*t got real, then whoever’s book I was reading would go to see Reed Richards. You knew things were happening if the smartest man in the world needed to weigh in. It’s the cache… proof that they are the framework of the Marvel Comic universe.

[arachnidcomics]

The Fantastic Four don't get enough credit.
If there's a theater audience reaction that I absolutely love (that's not just Spider-Man NWH) is when people cheered for Reed Richards in Doctor Strange 2.
Shows there's still hope for people might just love the FF once more.

[pious]

I like the knowing wink to the fans. When the Amalgam books simply combined the FF with the Challengers of the Unknown.

[Villainz]

It really is unfair how media aside from comic books have treated these 4 and their rogues gallery. I have hope for the MCU adaptation as years ago, Feige said he'll bring the team to the status that they deserve, but it's unfortunate Stan and Jack won't see their team realized to their full potential on screen.

[alexandrefrauches]

Besides Stan Lee and Steve Ditko/ John Romita's Spider Man run, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's Fantastic Four is one my favorite runs from Marvel silver age, as well one my favorite Comic book runs of all time. Besides Kirby iconic art and the creative wacky sci-fy concepts, I think this comic was responsible not only for the beginning of Marvel universe but also for changing comic books in general. Back then, most super hero stories were very simple and the characters rarely had distict and unique personality outside from just their basic archtype (ex: the protagonist is heroic and nice, the love interest is damsel in distress, the villain is cunning and evil).

In the case of the Fantastic Four character were much different, each one having their own personality and dynamic with others allowing them to be more memorable and create a connection with the reader, character relationship changed in some issues (ex: Reed and Sue got married) and not every story ended in happy ending, with some having some surprising endings and cliffhangers (ex: In issue number 3, the story with Johnny having a argument with Thing and leaving the group). Fantastic Four wasn't just responsible for the beginning of the Marvel comics but also for start the slow change of the storytelling style present in the comics.

[LowellLucasJr.]

Even though this video was available to early patrons, it's still a real treat to this video debut on my BIRTHDAY! 🎂 Thank you for this gift about Marvel's Fantastic Family!

[OomaGooma]

The FF are great characters. The FF comics should always have top tier creators working on the title.

[frankorious]

I must admit that as a FF fan, I was happy that the title ended in 2015. It is rare to see comic book characters have an ending, and I liked hiw it was linked to Secret Wars. Of course they had a new series 3 years later, but still.

[ProjektTaku]

Spider-man and the FF exemplify the what works best about marvel: They tell fantastical human stories.
Sure spidey's got superpowers, but its his everyman quality and crushing responsibility that makes his beloved.
And while the fantastic four are a cast of whacky characters with bizarre powers, their still at the end of the day just a dysfunctional family.

[georgeliquor]

It's truly tragic that the mainstream doesn't respect the F4. Even though they literally created the Marvel Universe. The F4 kickstarted Dr. Doom, Silver Surfer, Galactus, The Skrulls, Black Panther and even Spider Man to some degree. All popular characters now and it wouldn't have been done without the F4.

[muhammadHassan-kjjy]

Ive always loved the Fantastic Four because Doom is one of the most interesting characters ive read/watched

[astrostar]

Great video. It definitely takes a while before Kirby and Lee found their footing with the FF. After the first 40 issues or so, they start dominating.

[ggt]

Reed deserves the same level of name recognition as Superman, Spider-Man and Batman.

[owensreviews]

Love seeing some FF content. Fingers crossed the MCU will FINALLY nail them in a cinematic landscape.

[retrohero]

Hoping the MCU movie is good so the mainstream audience can finally give this team the respect they deserve

[peronafanman]

I know I already said this, but is it possible for you to do a video on the founding members of the Avengers?