Ryan North is about to launch his second volume of the main Fantastic Four title alongside artist Humberto Ramos (whose pages can be seen below), with a new adventure that sends the four members of the team to different places in time.
In North's original FF volume, the team went in separate directions trying to find themselves after a terrible tragedy. Now, they're trying to find each other in the wake of the current One World Under Doom status quo in which the team's greatest enemy, Doctor Doom, has conquered the world.
"They don't stay apart for nearly as long this time!" North tells Newsarama. "Last time it was a choice they made, and we met them after it happened: this time it's something that happens to them, and we see it happen, with stakes that are much more immediate. It puts them in a situation where they're not going to survive unless they save each other! But in both cases, it gives new readers a chance to know each of the members of the Fantastic Four individually, so they can better experience them as a group."
Meanwhile, the team's kids, Franklin and Valeria Richards and Jo-Venn and Nicki Masters-Grimm, are hot on the trail of their parents, though things may not work out as they hope.
"They don't actually know it's happening initially - you'll see why in the issue - but once they find out they are, of course, eager to participate," North says. "But is that the best idea? Almost certainly not."
The new volume arrives just in time for the blockbuster Fantastic Four MCU reboot movie, setting the wind at the FF's back with a higher public profile than they've had in years.
"Oh, you just hope they support each other!" North says of the timing of the new comic alongside the film. "A new #1 is a nice, accessible way for new readers to start reading - and it says so right on the cover."
"I've been mindful that every issue is someone's first issue throughout my time writing the book, but it's a lot more intimidating to try to start with issue #27 than it is with #1," he explains. "I'm hoping that there's a bunch of people out there who might give this book a peek and experience how cool the FF can be - especially if they just saw the film!"
Fantastic Four #1 goes on sale in July, alongside The Fantastic Four: First Steps which releases in theaters on July 25.
Check out the best Fantastic Four comics of all time.
