In Fantastic Four comics, Reed Richards is always trying to save the world, but he has also almost destroyed it more than once.

While cinema-goers have responded enthusiastically to many films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the history of the Fantastic Four is less heralded.

Fortunately, we've narrowed it down to just five of the most classic comic stories to read to get into the Fantastic Four before their MCU debut, so dig in and join Mister Fantastic, the Invisible Woman, the Human Torch, and the Thing on their cosmic explorations of the Marvel universe.

Despite that hesitant step into the genre, Fantastic Four became a sensation. Thanks to Kirby’s action-packed panels and boundless imagination and to Lee’s angsty, hip dialogue, Fantastic Four truly revitalized the superhero genre. The team launched the Marvel Age of comics, setting the stage for other grumpy heroes such as Spider-Man and The Hulk.

In a 1982 arc by John Byrne, Franklin gets frustrated trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube and uses his powers to age himself into an adult body, though he couldn’t actually gain more emotional maturity. He winds up going back to being a kid, placing restrictions on his own abilities to allow him to have something of a normal childhood.

Pedro Pascal is the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic, but he is not the new leader of the Avengers. At least that’s what the actor says… for now.

Someone's got to take charge of the two Avengers teams in their upcoming duology, just don't expect it to be Mister Fantastic.