Uploaded March 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
CHAOS ENSUES MEDIA:
-Website: witsendpod.com
-YouTube channel: youtube.com/channel/UCwvSur7b4J_U3gMIA44OGWQ
-Support the channel on Patreon: patreon.com/thechaosensues
Full essay transcript is on my website: witsendpod.com/podcast-episodes/chaos-ensues-history-of-2000s-fantastic-four-comics
Chaos ensues with a new decade of Fantastic Four comics that make the series accessible for new readers.
Writer-artist Carlos Pacheco returns to the series for the first time since the 90s. He’s channeling classic 60s FF by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby with some 1980s John Byrne energy but going in his own direction with it. In this run, the FF go back to basics and face off against Diablo the Alchemist, the Gideon Trust, Paste Pot Pete (Trapster) and later, Galactus. This run features a diabolical issue where Johnny Storm recruits Dr. Doom to help Sue with Valeria.
Karl Kesel always has thoughtful Fantastic Four stories, including an issue that dives into Ben Grimm’s Yancy Street upbringing and Jewish heritage.
The following run by Mark Waid, Mike WIERINGO and Karl Kesel is absolutely required reading for FF fans new and old. It shows why the FF are as important as the are, includes on of the most devious Doctor Doom stories where Reed needs to use magic. Also, the Human Torch becomes a herald of Galactus.
J. Michael Straczynski and Mikę McKone follow up with a Reed Richards focused run that brings a new twist to the cosmic rays origin story, putting Mr. Fantastic at the center of the Big Bang. Marvel’s Civil War event breaks up this run, though.
Dwayne McDuffie and Paul Pelletier do some cleanup from Civil War and present a cosmic FF run with Black Panther and Storm replacing Reed and Sue. Michael Turner did covers for this run. Introducing Reed’s 101st and his goal to “Solve Everything”.
The last run of the decade has Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch doing a summer blockbuster version of FF that develops Valeria’s character a little bit.
TIME CODES:
-0:00—The New Decade
-0:19—Carlos Pacheco run
-3:54—Imaginauts (Mark Waid, Mike Wieringo Karl Kesel)
-7:45—Reed run (Straczynski & McKone)
-10:02—Marvel Civil War
-11:14— McDuffie & Pelletier run
-13:22—Mark Millar & Bryan Hitch run
-14:58—Jonathan Hickman Fantastic Four run
-15:12—FF Comics For New Readers (2000s edition)
-19:55—Viewer Question
-20:07—Happy Ending (Important Information)
The playlist for my Fantastic Four comics history documentary style videos: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHzs4gLtdGhErcF0TWV22b609kWjbMOyr&si=LHly13bxPhsRJaQj
2000s FF SOURCES:
-Carlos Pacheco News Interview: youtube.com/watch?v=DAPcIpGwFi8
-Pacheco and Raphael Marin FF Scripts: kleefeldoncomics.com/2024/02/scripts-week-fantastic-four-47-49.html
-Clips from World’s Greatest Comic Magazine Fantastic Four Documentary (2007) (Karl Kesel & Mark Waid interview footage)
-Straczynski MIT Lecture: youtube.com/watch?v=OMNtVURpLzM
-Dwayne McDuffie Interview Footage: youtube.com/watch?v=e8c_1oOP25o
-Mark Millar Interview Footage: youtube.com/watch?v=pNL3REQPavY
-Jonathan Hickman SDCC Interview Footage: youtube.com/watch?v=lA8-r0Kh3aM
-My Fantastic Four video essay playlist: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHzs4gLtdGhErcF0TWV22b609kWjbMOyr&si=LHly13bxPhsRJaQj
Use of copyrighted material should fall under fair use for educational purposes or commentary.
#fantasticfour
CHAOS ENSUES MEDIA:
-Website: witsendpod.com
-YouTube channel: youtube.com/channel/UCwvSur7b4J_U3gMIA44OGWQ
-Support the channel on Patreon: patreon.com/thechaosensues
Full essay transcript is on my website: witsendpod.com/podcast-episodes/chaos-ensues-history-of-2000s-fantastic-four-comics
Chaos ensues with a new decade of Fantastic Four comics that make the series accessible for new readers.
Writer-artist Carlos Pacheco returns to the series for the first time since the 90s. He’s channeling classic 60s FF by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby with some 1980s John Byrne energy but going in his own direction with it. In this run, the FF go back to basics and face off against Diablo the Alchemist, the Gideon Trust, Paste Pot Pete (Trapster) and later, Galactus. This run features a diabolical issue where Johnny Storm recruits Dr. Doom to help Sue with Valeria.
Karl Kesel always has thoughtful Fantastic Four stories, including an issue that dives into Ben Grimm’s Yancy Street upbringing and Jewish heritage.
The following run by Mark Waid, Mike WIERINGO and Karl Kesel is absolutely required reading for FF fans new and old. It shows why the FF are as important as the are, includes on of the most devious Doctor Doom stories where Reed needs to use magic. Also, the Human Torch becomes a herald of Galactus.
J. Michael Straczynski and Mikę McKone follow up with a Reed Richards focused run that brings a new twist to the cosmic rays origin story, putting Mr. Fantastic at the center of the Big Bang. Marvel’s Civil War event breaks up this run, though.
Dwayne McDuffie and Paul Pelletier do some cleanup from Civil War and present a cosmic FF run with Black Panther and Storm replacing Reed and Sue. Michael Turner did covers for this run. Introducing Reed’s 101st and his goal to “Solve Everything”.
The last run of the decade has Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch doing a summer blockbuster version of FF that develops Valeria’s character a little bit.
TIME CODES:
-0:00—The New Decade
-0:19—Carlos Pacheco run
-3:54—Imaginauts (Mark Waid, Mike Wieringo Karl Kesel)
-7:45—Reed run (Straczynski & McKone)
-10:02—Marvel Civil War
-11:14— McDuffie & Pelletier run
-13:22—Mark Millar & Bryan Hitch run
-14:58—Jonathan Hickman Fantastic Four run
-15:12—FF Comics For New Readers (2000s edition)
-19:55—Viewer Question
-20:07—Happy Ending (Important Information)
The playlist for my Fantastic Four comics history documentary style videos: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHzs4gLtdGhErcF0TWV22b609kWjbMOyr&si=LHly13bxPhsRJaQj
2000s FF SOURCES:
-Carlos Pacheco News Interview: youtube.com/watch?v=DAPcIpGwFi8
-Pacheco and Raphael Marin FF Scripts: kleefeldoncomics.com/2024/02/scripts-week-fantastic-four-47-49.html
-Clips from World’s Greatest Comic Magazine Fantastic Four Documentary (2007) (Karl Kesel & Mark Waid interview footage)
-Straczynski MIT Lecture: youtube.com/watch?v=OMNtVURpLzM
-Dwayne McDuffie Interview Footage: youtube.com/watch?v=e8c_1oOP25o
-Mark Millar Interview Footage: youtube.com/watch?v=pNL3REQPavY
-Jonathan Hickman SDCC Interview Footage: youtube.com/watch?v=lA8-r0Kh3aM
-My Fantastic Four video essay playlist: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHzs4gLtdGhErcF0TWV22b609kWjbMOyr&si=LHly13bxPhsRJaQj
Use of copyrighted material should fall under fair use for educational purposes or commentary.
#fantasticfour
