Marvel Comics released a new image that teases a retcon to the Fantastic Four origins. Not only does it tease a retcon of the Fantastic Four, but it states Marvel history will also be destroyed.
All of this is supposed to happen next year in March in what looks to be a major event the comic book publisher.
The Fantastic Four’s origin story is one of the most famous in all of comic book history. A group of space explorers during the Cold War are determined to beat the commies to space and hastily launch their rocket into orbit despite the danger of cosmic rays that could kill them. Despite the risks the soon to be members of the Fantastic Four launch into space where their rocket is quickly bombarded by the mysterious cosmic rays. The rays penetrate the ship’s shielding and begin to drastically affect the members physically altering their bodies. The cosmic rays grant each member unique powers.
Given the teaser poster, it definitely looks like the cosmic rays that gave the Fantastic Four their powers will no longer be treated as a natural phenomenon, but will be the ploy of some cosmic being. It no longer looks like their origin will be an accident, but rather a willful act.
In the current Marvel Universe in the comics, Marvel has been creating a lot of backstory to the ancient history of the Marvel Universe. It all started in Jason Aaron’s Marvel Legacy #1 when they introduced an ancient team of Avengers that have been on planet Earth since 1,000,000 B.C. The team led by Odin consisted of the Sorceror Supreme Agamotto, the first Ghost Rider, the first Black Panther, the first Iron Fist, Lady Phoenix, and the first Starbrand.
They would take on a Celestial and eventually defeat it, but it would create a chain events that would have long-lasting repercussions. In fact, after being defeated the Celestial’s body would decay into the Earth and influence the evolution of the current Marvel Universe including the arrival of superpowers and supernatural creatures.
As for the phrase “Marvel history is destroyed,” it’s unclear what exactly that means and if it is just limited to the history of the Fantastic Four. It’s quite possible it could be the history of the entire Marvel Universe or at least a certain universe. With the return of the Fantastic Four to their own series, the team has been traveling from universe to universe, but these aren’t just normal universes. They are universes created by Franklin Richards. Given he can create brand new universes, it’s highly possible he might create a similar Marvel Universe with a radically different history.
What’s also really interesting is when this history is expected to rewritten. Marvel makes it clear this will happen in March. March is also when the Marvel Cinematic Universe will once again take over the box office with the introduction of Captain Marvel in her new movie. It’s possible Captain Marvel might play a key role in the altering of the Fantastic Four’s origin. I wouldn’t be surprised if the person who grants them their powers might be revealed to be the next big bad in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
And given what we know from the MCU and that it plans to go cosmic, it’s quite possible we might see the Celestials become the new focus of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. They’ve already been introduced in the Guardians of the Galaxy with Knowhere. Who knows maybe we see the One Above All revealed to be the entity who grants them their powers?
What do you make of this announcement from Marvel? Are you looking forward to Marvel retconning the Fantastic Four? Who do you think might have given the Fantastic Four their powers?