You’ll soon be able to buy Fantastic Four comics off a newsstand, just the way our ancestors once did

Marvel has been going all out in embracing the Silver Age of comics for The Fantastic Four: First Steps, set in the mid ’60s within its distinct timeline. Now, Marvel Comics is pushing the envelope by reverting to traditional sales methods, proclaiming a new Fantastic Four “bookazine” available for purchase at newsstands, just like in bygone eras.

What is classified as a “newsstand?” Marvel indicates it will be at “retail establishments and wherever magazines are available.”

Sure, you might not need to be that ancient, but newsstand comics primarily ceased publication in the early ’00s, making it plausible that adult comic enthusiasts might have never purchased or even witnessed comics being offered alongside Us Weekly and Cosmopolitan.

The new Fantastic Four “bookazine” comprises reprints of three comic editions:

• Fantastic Four #60 (2002) “Inside Out” authored by Mark Waid and illustrated by Mike Wieringo
• Fantastic Four #570 (2009) “Solve Everything” authored by Jonathan Hickman and illustrated by Dale Eaglesham
• Fantastic Four #1 (2022) “The Last Town to the Left” authored by Ryan North and illustrated by Iban Coello

It also features “an illustrated exploration of the origins of the Fantastic Four by esteemed artist Alex Ross, exclusive behind-the-scenes glimpses at Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four: First Steps,” and “discussions with Marvel Studios Executive Producer Grant Curtis and Creative Director of Visual Development Ryan Meinerding,” according to the official media announcement.

Here’s a collection of the official covers for the “bookazine,” illustrated by Phil Noto, Arthur Adams, and Christina Strain:

The Fantastic Four “bookazine” is arriving sooner than you may expect, hitting newsstands on Friday, July 4 (an unusual date, since comics typically release on Wednesdays). It will precede The Fantastic Four: First Steps by just a few weeks, as the Marvel blockbuster debuts in theaters on July 25. For additional details, explore our guides to forthcoming Marvel films and series and how to view the Marvel films sequentially.