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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 (1,201–1,350 of 2,708, oldest first)

Incredible Hulk (2000)
#14
Peter Parker: Spider-Man (1999)
The Amazing Spider-Man (1999)
Webspinners: Tales of Spider-Man (1999)
#17
Black Panther (1998)
Mutant X (1998)
#19
Thor (1998)
Iron Man (1998)
#28
Avengers (1998)
Captain America (1998)
#29
Deadpool (1997)
#40
Generation X (1994)
#63
X-Man (1995)
#63
Cable (1993)
#79
X-Men (1991)
X-Force (1991)
Wolverine (1988)
Amazing Spider-Man 2000 (2000)
Mutant X 2000 (2000)
X-Men The Hidden Years (1999)
Inhumans (2000)
#2
X-Men: Children of the Atom (1999)
#4
Marvel Top (1997)
Before the Fantastic Four: Reed Richards (2000)
Maximum Security Dangerous Planet (2000)
#1
Thunderbolts (1997)
#44
Maximum Security (2000)
Iron Fist: Wolverine (2000)
#2
X-Men Universe (1999)
#13
Earth X (2000)
Great American Comic Books (2001)
Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Comics Magazine (2001)
Sentry / The Void (2001)
#1
Gen 13 / Fantastic Four (2001)
#1
Defenders (2001)
#1
Wizard: The Comics Magazine (1991)
Sentry (2001)
#1
Le Surfer d'Argent - L'intégrale (2001)
#1
Spider-Man Komplett (1999)
Black Panther: The Client (2001)
Fantastic Four: Flesh and Stone (2001)
Marvel Crossover (1999)
Fantastic Four 2001 (2001)
Fantastic Four: 1234 (2001)
Thunderbolts: Justice Like Lightning (2001)
Fantastic Firsts (2002)
Giant Size Mini-Marvels: Starring Spidey (2002)
#1
Marvel Universe: Millennial Visions (2002)
#1
Alias (2001)
#4
Spider-Man : l'intégrale (2002)
Just imagine Stan Lee's (2002)
#1
Wizard Ace Edition: Uncanny X-Men #94 (2002)
Exiles (2001)
#14
Toyfare: The Toy Magazine (1997)
Marvel Klassik (1998)
#13
Wizard Ace Edition: Fantastic Four #48 (2002)
Marvel Masterworks: The Avengers - Barnes & Noble Edition (2003)
#1
Spider-Man's Tangled Web (2002)
#4
Marvel Elite (2001)
Wizard Ace Edition: Daredevil (2003)
#1
Startling Stories: The Thing - Night Falls on Yancy Street (2003)
Youngblood Bloodsport (2003)
#1
Master Lock Presents: The Incredible Hulk (2003)
#1
Prevent Child Abuse America Presents: Amazing Spider-Man on Bullying Prevention (2003)
#1
Paradise X (2002)
#X
Marvel : Les origines (2002)
#2
Comic Book Encyclopedia (2004)
Ultimate Fantastic Four (2004)
#1