Warning: contains spoilers forFantastic Four: First Steps#1!
Reed Richards’ newMCUnickname makes it clear: he is the newTony Stark. Marvel’s “First Family” will make its long-awaited MCU debut inFantastic Four: First Steps.Ahead of the film’s premiere, Marvel published a special tie-in bookthat gives Reed Richards the perfect, MCU-ready nickname that invokes Tony Stark.
Matt Fraction will soon take over writing duties onBatman.
Fantastic Four: First Steps#1 was written by Matt Fraction and drawn by Mark Buckingham. The book introduces the team ahead of the movie, detailing their origin and first missions. Peppered throughout are quotes from the team and others. Reed is quoted in a magazine calledScience Dad.
The magazine’s title doubles as the perfect MCU nickname for Reed.
At Last, The Fantastic Four Are Heading to the MCU
Previous Fantastic Four Movies Were Not Well Received
The Fantastic Four’s arrival in the MCU has been years in the making. Previously, 20th Century Fox held the team’s film rights, and made three movies starring them. The first two, directed by Tim Story, were modest hits at the box office, but took a beating from critics. A third film, with an entirely new cast, bombed upon its debut.
TitledFirst Steps, it is a new beginning for one of Marvel’s oldest teams.
In 2019, the foundation for The Fantastic Four’s return was laid when Disney, Marvel’s owners, purchased 20th Century Fox. A few years after the acquisition, Marvel Studios announced a new Fantastic Four film, set on a new Earth in the MCU. TitledFirst Steps, it is a new beginning for one of Marvel’s oldest teams.
The MCU Fantastic Four Will be the Most Faithful Take on the Team Yet
The Fantastic Four’s Lore is Intact in Their MCU Debut
The MCU version of The Fantastic Four will be the most comics’ accurate take on the team yet.Fantastic Four: First Steps#1 introduces audiences to the team’s new incarnation. The Fantastic Four’s iconic origin is still intact, and the characterizations are spot-on, harkening back to theclassic Stan Lee and Jack Kirby runof the 1960s.
The classic personalities of The Fantastic Four are present inFirst Steps#1 as well. The Thing is still the loveable curmudgeon he has always been, and Johnny is hot-headed, arrogant, but ultimately well-meaning. Reed Richards builds the technology and Susan Storm provides a human anchor for it all, just like in the comics.
Reed Richards' New Nickname Puts Him in League With Tony Stark and Bruce Banner
WhileFantastic Four: First Steps’ producers have said references to the larger MCU will be absent, this one-shot still brings certain tropes and ideas from the MCU into play nonetheless. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the in-universe magazine Reed Richards is quoted early on in the issue:Science Dad.
The term “Science Dad” could easily be applied to Reed Richards. The Fantastic Four’s first appearance established that Reed was older than the rest of the team, giving him a paternalistic angle. The team’s dynamic is that of a family, with Reed (and Susan) presiding over it all. Indeed, Reed Richards actor Pedro Pascal appears older than his teammates.
At the end of the movie, the duo take off in one of Tony’s sports cars, clearly now best friends, and giving birth to the name “Science Bros.”
“Science Dad” also invokes another famous MCU pair: Tony Stark and Bruce Banner. Brought together in 2012’sThe Avengers,the pair bonded over their mutual interests in science and technology. At the end of the movie, the duo take off in one of Tony’s sports cars, clearly now best friends, and giving birth to the name “Science Bros.”
Reed Richards Is Maybe the MCU’s Ultimate Scientist
And “Science Dad” is the perfect nickname forReed Richards heading intoThe Fantastic Four’s MCU premiere. Whether he will be called this in the movie, or if fans latch onto the term, remains to be seen, but the name “Science Dad” accurately conveys thatReed Richardsis theMCU’snextTony Stark.
Fantastic Four: First Steps#1 is on sale now from Marvel Comics!
