2025 will be a huge year for Marvel's First Family as the team makes its long-awaited MCU debut in next July's The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Now, Marvel Comics has announced a new initiative which will see the heroes take over Marvel history in a whopping 24 "Homage" variant covers.
Illustrated by some of today's leading artists, these covers place the Fantastic Four, their beloved supporting cast, and their most legendary villains in recreations of iconic Marvel comic covers.
We see Invisible Woman as the best there is in a Wolverine #1 homage, Mister Fantastic web-swing as Spidey in an Amazing Spider-Man #300 homage, Doctor Doom unleash the power of the Infinity Stones in a nod to The Infinity Gauntlet, and much more.
The original covers will be featured on the back cover of each respective issue, making these a must-have collector's item.
The new Fantastic Four "Homage" variant covers coincide with a monumental year for the groundbreaking superhero team. In addition to the aforementioned release of Marvel Studios' highly anticipated The Fantastic Four: First Steps movie, a startling storyline erupts in the pages of Ryan North’s acclaimed Fantastic Four comic book run next year.
Marvel's First Family will also play a pivotal role in the upcoming One World Under Doom comic book event. You can read more about that here.
See 22 of the Fantastic Four "Homage" variant covers below and stay tuned for the final two to be revealed in the coming weeks.
Set against the vibrant backdrop of a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world, Marvel Studios' The Fantastic Four: First Steps introduces Marvel’s First Family—Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm/Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm/Human Torch (Joseph Quinn) and Ben Grimm/The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) as they face their most daunting challenge yet.
Forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond, they must defend Earth from a ravenous space god called Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer (Julia Garner). And if Galactus’ plan to devour the entire planet and everyone on it weren’t bad enough, it suddenly gets very personal.
Paul Walter Hauser, John Malkovich, and Natasha Lyonne have been cast in mystery roles.
Director Matt Shakman worked with both Avatar: The Way of Water co-writer Josh Friedman and WandaVision's Cam Squires on The Fantastic Four: First Steps' screenplay, with Eric Pearson (Black Widow) later coming on board for a final polish.
The movie is set to be released in theaters on July 25, 2025.