Marvel/The Folio Society/Marcos MartinWhere does a fan start with the history of The Fantastic Four? In almost every way, the new Matt Shakman film, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, is a perfect introduction to the world and rich history of the beloved superpowered family. Created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee and debuting for the first time in 1961, The Fantastic Four redefined superhero team-ups, science fiction in comic books, and the world of Marvel forever.And, if you’re interested in exploring the real first steps of The Fantastic Four, you can do no better than a just-released, utterly beautiful new omnibus collection of the best of the early 1960s run, published by The Folio Society. For longtime fans, or fans who want to get a sense of why these first Fantastic comics were so pivotal, the Fantastic Four new 2025 slipcase hardcover, edited by Jonathan Lethem, is an incredible book, and also, a gorgeous piece of art.Like other special editions from The Folio Society (we recently reviewed their new illustrated Neuromancer), the new Fantastic Four omnibus is a high-quality hardcover, with vivid colors, and, unlike other fancy coffee table books, is actually readable. This isn’t some massive book that you’ll stick on yourself and never want to open, but instead, a reproduction of various issues of specific comic books that you’ll actually want to read. In his breezy and insightful introduction, famed novelist and Fantastic fan Johnathan Lethem cites John Hilgart’s argument that: “...a facsimile edition, such as that which you hold in your hands, is truly the only way to experience the same artwork as in the original issues, as its creators intended.”An interior of 'Fantastic Four' from The Folio Society. | Stan Lee/Jack Kirby/Marvel/The Folio SocietyTo put it another way, the new, lush Fantastic Four Folio Society omnibus is readable, in a way that back issues from the 1960s of The Fantastic Four are not. And, smartly, Lethem’s selection of issues isn’t slavishly chronological. Instead, he starts us with the November 1961 first issue, in which the team is introduced, and their backstories revealed, but then, jumps us ahead to Fantastic Four #46 from January 1966, in which the team is battling Blackbolt from the Inhumans. After that, we get the original Galactus saga, starting with Fantastic Four #48, April 1966, with the story titled “If This Be Doomsday!” We also get the very first appearance of Black Panther in these pages, with the inclusion of Fantastic Four #52, followed by the historic Fantastic Four #57, “Enter...Dr. Doom!”All in all, Lethem has included 10 issues, which span the years 1961 to 1968, giving the reader the full breadth and depth of one of the most fruitful periods of collaborations between Kirby and Lee. For those who have just seen the new film, pretty much everything from that movie is represented here, from the incredible spacescapes and cosmic battles of Kirby’s imagination to the more down-to-earth human conflicts for Sue, Reed, Ben, and Johnny. This high-low mixture of relatable people versus outrageous stakes is what makes the new film soar, but is also very evident right here at the beginning, in the pages of the 1960s comics. As Lethem suggests, Stan Lee gave us the “humble kitchen-sink daily lives of the central foursome,” while Kirby “viewed human existence in mythic and universal terms.” And, it was this “fertile tension” that made the Fantastic Four so unique.The debut of Galactus in 'The Fantastic Four.' | Stan Lee/Jack Kirby/Marvel/The Folio SocietyIf you’ve ever wondered why this specific team was so special, and you’ve only glimpsed a few panels online or in wrinkled back issues, this Fantastic Four book will make you realize just how fun and accessible these characters have always been. Unlike a character like DC’s Superman, who, arguably, got much more interesting after the 1940s and 1950s, the Fantastic Four were pretty much fully developed right out of the gate, and these early stories prove it.Comic book history can be daunting even for longtime fans of superhero movies. But the nice thing about this new Fantastic Four collection is the fact that — much like the new film — it's utterly unpretentious. The book simply presents the best early stories of The Fantastic Four, and lets you revel in the glory, the pathos, and the cosmic beauty of these groundbreaking heroes. Fantastic Four, selected by Jonathan Lethem, published by The Folio Society, is available now.Marvel: Fantastic FourThe Folio Society -