Inspired by DC's top-selling smorgasbord of heroes, the Justice League of America, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby decided to go one better when tasked with creating a copycat title for Marvel. Instead of a mashup of existing heroes, Lee and Kirby struck upon the novel concept of creating a super-family, allowing young readers to instantly identify with the day-to-day squabbles and growing pains of the protagonists while still enjoying liberal doses of heroism. This dynamic and historic first issue hit the ground running with an action-packed cover and one of the most thrilling and engrossing origin stories of the era. Disney's purchase of Fox Studios has given Marvel back their rights to the Fantastic Four properties so expect another silver screen reboot in the MCU in the coming years. Hopefully, the third time will be the charm! Silver Age Marvel keys like this one are always in high demand and there is no sign of abatement anytime soon.

Marvel's meteoric rise in the early 60s was due largely in part to the innovations featured in The Fantastic Four as Stan Lee and Jack Kirby collaborated more than they had on any project before. Their synergy created a harmonious relationship between art and story that set the precedent for their future output as their art-driven scripts became known as the "Marvel Style" of writing. The family dynamic of the comic was pioneering for the time as Lee and Kirby created original characters that readers could relate to, due to their unique interpersonal relationships and shared experiences. Fantastic Four put Marvel on the map at a crucial time in their development and turned them into a publishing powerhouse. The true premiere of what has become what we all know of as Marvel Comics today, this copy of Fantastic Four #1 is impressive at its grade boasting off-white/white pages and a strong color palette.

Overstreet Guide 2018 VG (4.0) value = $6,000.