Unveiling the Fantastic Four: A Shocking Costume Evolution You Never Knew About!

The debut trailer for “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” offered a clear glimpse at the team’s ’60s-inspired costumes, reminiscent of their outfits from Marvel Comics more so than any previous film adaptations.

Contrary to popular belief, the costumes of the Fantastic Four underwent numerous transformations throughout the years. In this article, we delve into the evolution of their comic book attire, uncovering the sources that influenced their outfits in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

In this article, we’ll focus exclusively on the Prime 616 Marvel Universe version of the Fantastic Four. We won’t delve into the costumes worn by alternate universe teams, such as those seen in the Ultimate Fantastic Four. Additionally, we’re leaving out costumes from various cartoons and past live-action movies. This discussion primarily concerns the original members of the Fantastic Four with a few exceptions.

The Fantastic Four’s Original Jack Kirby Uniforms, 1961-1983

In 1961, when the Fantastic Four initially appeared, they were ordinary individuals with extraordinary abilities, and they didn’t have costumes in their first two issues. However, Marvel Comics soon realized the need for distinctive outfits from a marketing standpoint, so co-creator Jack Kirby designed the costumes that would become iconic over the next two decades. Initially, these costumes had a more realistic appearance, with numerous folds and wrinkles instead of the typical skin-tight spandex. This design element appears to have influenced the costume style in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s “First Steps” to some extent. The costumes were primarily cerulean blue with black accents, although the larger collars on the black parts eventually became smaller. These costumes were worn from Fantastic Four #3 through #234, spanning a remarkable 22 years.

The ’80s and ’90s: The Blue and White Costume Era

In 1983, John Byrne, a writer and artist, designed the uniforms that would become the team’s most frequently used over time. Compared to the previous ones, these Fantastic Four uniforms swapped black accents for white, and the cerulean blue was deepened to a more navy shade. The team wore these uniforms throughout most of the ’80s and much of the early ’90s, from issues #256-407 approximately. During this period, Jennifer Walters, also known as She-Hulk, took over for the Thing for an extended time. The introduction of white in the costume was a significant influence on the new MCU version, which features white trim.

During the late 1990s, the FF underwent a brief phase of edgy fashion choices that thankfully didn’t last long. In this period, The Thing donned an iron helmet, Sue Richards opted for a more revealing and suggestive version of her uniform, while Reed added pouches and a brown vest to his outfit. Interestingly, Johnny Storm was the only one who maintained his style, albeit with a new jacket. Fortunately, these questionable fashion decisions were soon tucked away at the Baxter Building, and we can all hope they remain forgotten.

1996-2000: The Fantastic Four Experiment With Different Looks

1996 marked a significant transformation in the attire of the Fantastic Four (FF). For nearly three decades, they sported round necklines; however, this tradition was abandoned in favor of triangular ones. During this period, Ben Grimm made his first regular appearance in shirts and pants. The triangular-neckline costumes, unfortunately, were another short-lived alteration, as renowned artist Jim Lee revamped the FF uniforms for his “Heroes Reborn” series that same year. These form-fitting outfits were adapted from previous S.H.I.E.L.D uniforms and modified by Reed with a “4” logo. In classic Jim Lee style, these costumes featured numerous buckles and patches that often proved distracting. The muted light blue and gray tones were rather uninspiring as well. These uniforms only persisted for 14 issues before disappearing once Jim Lee moved on from the title. The most enduring change introduced by Lee’s designs was the addition of a “4” symbol on Thing’s belt, an element that has remained largely consistent since then.

When the “Heroes Reborn” series concluded in 1997, the team reverted to costumes reminiscent of their ’60s attire. The unique aspect was that the black collar piece connected directly to the “4” symbol, unlike the previous design where they were separate. After three issues of “Fantastic Four” Volume 3, they returned to the white triangular costumes debuted in 1996. These remained until the start of the new Millennium. For a while, Marvel’s First Family’s wardrobe became quite traditional again.

2001-2008: The Classic FF Costumes Return

In 2001, artist Carlos Pacheco reintroduced the original costumes from 1961 with a touch of contemporary flair. After decades, the high-collared black neckline returned, and these vintage costumes continued to be used by various artists such as Mike Weiringo, Mike McKone, Michael Turner (quite a few Mikes!), and many others. It wasn’t until 2008 that another significant change to the team’s uniforms took place.

In 2008, when Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch took charge of the Fantastic Four, Hitch made a few adjustments to their outfits – introducing short sleeves for the first time and adding elements like biker gloves and track shoes, giving them an athletic appearance. The shorter sleeves remained even during Jonathan Hickman’s writing period with Dale Eaglesham’s art, but the biker gloves were eventually replaced by Eaglesham.

2011-2014: The Future Foundation, and the FF Go Black and White

In 2011, Hickman reimagined the Fantastic Four as the Future Foundation. The team’s uniforms switched from blue and black to white and black, with the iconic “4” symbol disappearing. Spider-Man temporarily took over for the believed deceased Human Torch during this period. This new appearance represented a significant shift for the team. However, when the Torch reappeared during Matt Fraction and Mark Bagley’s tenure, they resumed being known as the Fantastic Four once more. During this phase, they adopted fresh black and white costumes, but the “4” symbol reemerged later on, much to everyone’s delight.

2013-2015: Seeing Red and Back in Blue

From 2014 to 2015, under writer James Robinson, the Fantastic Four made a daring change in their wardrobe, switching from their traditional costumes to red and black outfits. Interestingly, Johnny Storm had worn a red suit briefly in the ’70s, but this was the first time the entire team donned red uniforms. There was something off about the red; it seemed incongruous, like Superman wearing yellow. When they switched back to blue and black, the design took on a sharper, more angular look, with the “4” symbol and the collar now featuring sharp lines. This was the costume they wore during Jonathan Hickman’s epic event, Secret Wars, which shook up the Marvel Universe in 2015.

The Fantastic Four Return to a Classic Look

For approximately three years following “Secret Wars”, the Fantastic Four were scarcely seen in the main Marvel Universe. They made their comeback on Earth-616 in 2018, starring in a fresh series penned by Dan Slott, Simone Bianchi, Sara Pichelli, and Skottie Young. Their outfits underwent a change as well. The new designs paid homage to the original style while updating the color scheme; they swapped the body for black and trimmed it with blue. Later on, their uniforms took on a resemblance to those worn by the crew of “Star Trek: The Next Generation”, featuring black across the shoulders. However, in modern times, they’ve returned to the traditional black and blue combination, but the “4” symbol has been revamped for the 2020s, now appearing larger than before.

Is it likely that the Fantastic Four will receive updated costumes with a similar look to their MCU versions? We’re quite confident about this. One fact remains undeniable; since their debut over two decades ago in comics, Marvel’s original team has rarely stuck with one uniform design for extended periods. When it comes to their fashion choices, they are always forward-thinking.

2025-02-07 18:33