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Mister Fantastic
Mister Fantastic

Mister Fantastic

2,708 appearances · Silver Age · 1961–2026 · 63 key issues
Who is Mister Fantastic?

Exposed to cosmic radiation during an unauthorized experimental rocket flight with his colleagues, physicist Reed Richards gained the ability to stretch and reshape his body to virtually any form. Channeling his unparalleled scientific genius, he became Mister Fantastic and founded the Fantastic Four.

Few characters can claim to have helped launch an entire universe, but Mister Fantastic stands as one of Marvel's true cornerstones — a founding member of the Fantastic Four whose debut in Fantastic Four #1 (1961) helped ignite the Silver Age revolution that changed superhero comics forever. Over an extraordinary span stretching across 65 years, he has shared countless adventures alongside Ben Grimm, the ever-lovin' Thing, the fierce Susan Storm Richards, and the blazing Johnny Storm, making the Fantastic Four one of the most iconic ensembles in all of comics. With 1,385 catalog appearances and an astonishing 63 recognized key issues to his name, his footprint across Fantastic Four, Marvel's Greatest Comics, and Marvel Knights 4 is simply undeniable. Whether you're a lifelong Marvel devotee or just discovering what the Silver Age was all about, Mister Fantastic is essential reading — a character whose longevity speaks louder than any single issue ever could.

Identity

Real name. Reed Richards

Powers. Elastic/malleable body (stretching, reshaping, compressing); genius-level intellect and one of the foremost scientists on Earth.

Teams & affiliations
Fantastic FourAvengers
★ First appearance
Fantastic Four #1
Nov 1961

Trivia

  • Stan Lee has written more of Mister Fantastic's comics than any other writer in our catalog — 141 issues.

Top series

Covers through the years — 1961–2022

Fantastic Four #1 1961
Fantastic Four #1
The Silver Surfer #1 1968
The Silver Surfer #1
Marvel Team-Up #1 1972
Marvel Team-Up #1
Fantastic Four #164 1975
Fantastic Four #164
Marvel Two-in-One #64 1980
Marvel Two-in-One #64
Secret Wars II #5 1985
Secret Wars II #5
Web of Spider-Man Annual #5 1989
Web of Spider-Man Annual #5
Avengers #1 1998
Avengers #1
Fantastic Four #20 1999
Fantastic Four #20
Black Panther: The Bride #[nn] 2006
Black Panther: The Bride #[nn]
World War Hulk #5 2008
World War Hulk #5
Marvel Now! Omnibus #[nn] 2013
Marvel Now! Omnibus #[nn]
Avengers: The Initiative - The Complete Collection #1 2017
Avengers: The Initiative - The Complete Collection #1
Dark Ages #3 2022
Dark Ages #3

Appearances (1,951–2,100 of 2,708, oldest first)

Astonishing X-Men by Joss Whedon & John Cassaday Ultimate Collection (2012)
#2
Marvel Universe Hors Série (2008)
#12
Incredible Hulk: Past Perfect (2012)
Avengers by Brian Michael Bendis: Heroic Age (2012)
X-Men: Fatal Attractions (2012)
X-23 (2011)
#3
Daken: Dark Wolverine (2010)
#22
Spider-Man: Identity Crisis (2012)
Avengers: The Contest (2012)
Marvel Universe vs. Wolverine (2012)
X-Men Classic (2012)
#2
FF by Jonathan Hickman (2012)
#2
Essential Web of Spider-Man (2011)
#2
Fantastic Four by Jonathan Hickman (2010)
Marvel Masterworks: The Fantastic Four (2009)
Invincible Iron Man (2008)
Fantastic Four (2012)
Ultimate Comics Spider-Man by Brian Michael Bendis (2012)
#1
Iron Man: Revenge of the Mandarin (2012)
Fantastic Four - La Chute de Fatalis (2012)
Spider-Man: Spider-Island (2012)
Avengers Assemble (2012)
Secret Avengers: Run the Mission, Don't Get Seen, Save the World (2012)
New Avengers by Brian Michael Bendis (2011)
Marvel Universe (2012)
Dark Avengers (2012)
Space Punisher (2012)
Fantastic Four: Reunited They Stand (2013)
Fantastic Four: Island of Death (2013)
Guardians of the Galaxy (2013)
#2
Marvel Masterworks: The Avengers (2003)
#13
New Avengers (2013)
Fantastic Four: Crusaders & Titans (2013)
Marvel Now! Omnibus (2013)
Essential Fantastic Four (1998)
#9
Fantastic Four by Jonathan Hickman Omnibus (2013)
#1
Marvel Universe Avengers Earth's Mightiest Heroes (2012)
#4
Age of Ultron (2013)
Marvel's Mightiest Heroes (2014)
Spider-Man: The Gathering of Five (2013)
X-Men: Gold (2014)
#1
Guardians of the Galaxy by Jim Valentino (2014)
Infinity (2014)
She-Hulk by Dan Slott: The Complete Collection (2014)
#2
X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)
Marvel Comics - La collection (2014)
Deadpool (2013)
#27
Daredevil : L'intégrale (2003)
Infinity Gauntlet Omnibus (2014)
Marvel Masterworks: Marvel Rarities (2014)
#1
Civil War (2008)
#6
100th Anniversary Special: Fantastic Four (2014)
#1
Avengers (2013)
Marvel Masterworks: The Incredible Hulk (2003)
Original Sin (2014)
Marvel 75th Anniversary Celebration (2014)
#1
S.H.I.E.L.D. (2015)
Daredevil (2014)
#2
Skrulls Must Die! - The Complete Skrull Kill Krew (2015)
Marvel Platinum: The Definitive Fantastic Four (2015)
Hulk (2014)
#3
Fantastic Four Epic Collection (2014)
Fantastic Four : L'intégrale (2003)
Fantastic Four by Aguirre-Sacasa and McNiven (2015)
Howard the Duck (2015)
#0
Avengers: Time Runs Out (2015)
Incredible Hulk Epic Collection (2015)
#19
Civil War - Prélude (2015)
Man-Thing by Steve Gerber: The Complete Collection (2015)
#1
Silver Surfer Epic Collection (2014)
Secret Wars: Official Guide to the Marvel Multiverse (2015)
#1
Black Panther by Christopher Priest: The Complete Collection (2015)
#2
Howard the Duck: The Complete Collection (2015)
#2
Captain America & the Falcon by Christopher Priest: The Complete Collection (2016)
Marvel Classic (2015)
#6
The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl & the Great Lakes Avengers (2016)
Black Panther (2016)
Drax: Guardian of the Galaxy (2016)
Doctor Strange Omnibus (2016)
#1
Black Panther by Reginald Hudlin: The Complete Collection (2017)
Wolverine: Weapon X Unbound (2017)
Punisher & Bullseye: Deadliest Hits (2017)
Avengers: The Initiative - The Complete Collection (2017)
#1
Spider-Man by David Michelinie and Erik Larsen Omnibus (2017)
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme Omnibus (2017)
#1
Daken: Dark Wolverine - Punishment (2017)
Ultimates 2 (2017)
#8
Avengers by Brian Michael Bendis: The Complete Collection (2017)
#2
Marvel Masterworks: The Mighty Thor (2003)
#16
X-Men: Age of Apocalypse - Termination (2017)
Inhumans: Once and Future Kings (2017)
#3
The Infinity War - Die ewige Schlacht (2018)
Avengers Epic Collection (2013)
Marvel 2-in-One (2018)
#3