Fantastic Four by Lee & Kirby
Stan Lee · Jack Kirby
Story eras 01–02 · The Dawn of the Heroes to The Expanding Universe
Lee and Kirby’s Fantastic Four builds a shared world of family conflict, scientific adventure and cosmic encounters.
About these books · 4 sources
Publisher and reference pages describe the editions. Reviews and reader discussions offer different views of the stories.
The books
The Fantastic Four Omnibus Vol. 1
Book 1 of 4 · The Dawn of the Heroes
Marvel’s shared universe begins with the Fantastic Four’s first thirty issues.
9781302963682Planned edition#1–30#1Fantastic Four #21 also appears in the S.H.I.E.L.D. omnibus as a Nick Fury guest appearance. Read it here in the Fantastic Four sequence and skip the repeat if you later follow Fury’s own series.
Edition sources
Each ISBN identifies a specific printing and cover. “Owned copy” identifies the edition on my shelf; “Planned edition” identifies the edition listed for collecting.
The Fantastic Four Omnibus Vol. 2
Book 2 of 4 · The Dawn of the Heroes
The Lee/Kirby invention engine reaches the Frightful Four, Inhumans, and Galactus.
9781302930578Planned edition#31–60#2–4#1Fantastic Four #52–53 also form the opening Panther story in Panther’s Rage; T’Challa’s introduction needs only one reading. Not Brand Echh #1 contributes its Fantastic Four parody, not the rest of that anthology.
Edition sources
Each ISBN identifies a specific printing and cover. “Owned copy” identifies the edition on my shelf; “Planned edition” identifies the edition listed for collecting.
The Fantastic Four Omnibus Vol. 3
Book 3 of 4 · The Expanding Universe
The cosmic and Negative Zone mythology expands through the partnership’s mature period.
9781302930592Planned edition#61–93#5–7#5–7The Silver Surfer feature in Fantastic Four Annual #5 also appears in Silver Surfer Vol. 1, so it needs one reading. Not Brand Echh #5–7 contribute only the Fantastic Four parodies; treat those as comic side pieces rather than chapters of the main continuity.
Edition sources
Each ISBN identifies a specific printing and cover. “Owned copy” identifies the edition on my shelf; “Planned edition” identifies the edition listed for collecting.
The Fantastic Four Omnibus Vol. 4
Book 4 of 4 · The Expanding Universe
The complete Lee/Kirby sequence closes and preserves the reconstructed Lost Adventure.
9781302930509Planned edition#94–125#1Edition sources
Each ISBN identifies a specific printing and cover. “Owned copy” identifies the edition on my shelf; “Planned edition” identifies the edition listed for collecting.
Duplication across this project
These books share full issues or parts of issues with other books in the plan. Open the lists below to see which stories repeat.
Show exact issues
Fantastic Four (1961) #21Show exact issues
Fantastic Four (1961) #52Fantastic Four (1961) #53Show source issues
Fantastic Four Annual #1Show source issues
Fantastic Four Annual #5Things to know
Collecting rule: Vols. 1–2 establish the Silver Age voice; the later volumes continue that same long run.
- Four volumes preserve early-sixties pacing and repetition.
- The fourth volume extends beyond Kirby to close the Lee sequence cleanly.