Startling Stories: Fantastic Four—Unstable Molecules

    (Marvel, 2003)
™ and © Marvel Characters, Inc.

Before Reed Richards, Susan Storm, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm were the Fantastic Four, they were just four individuals with fairly normal lives, complete with the kind of problems all people face. Reed’s subatomic research is sidetracked by a top-secret military request. Susan struggles to have her own life while being both a girlfriend to Reed and mother to younger brother Johnny, who is bullied at school. Ben lives a blue-collar life in a world of easy women and rough boxers. What are the events that will conspire to bring together Marvel’s legendary team?

Purporting to tell the “true history” of Marvel’s first family and the real-life individuals who became comics’ Fantastic Four, this thoughtful and clever tale is written by James Sturm and drawn in a throwback, ‘60s style by Guy Davis.
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  • 1
    #1
    Mar 2003
    Cover: $2.99
    W: James Sturm  ·  A: Guy Davis
    4 copies from $1.99
  • 1/NS
    #1 Newsstand Edition
    Newsstand Edition with cover by Craig Thompson
    Mar 2003
    Cover: $2.99
    W: James Sturm  ·  A: Guy Davis
    No copies available
  • 2
    #2
    Apr 2003
    Cover: $2.99
    W: James Sturm  ·  A: Guy Davis
    4 copies from $0.85
  • 2/NS
    #2 Newsstand Edition
    Newsstand Edition with cover by Craig Thompson
    Apr 2003
    Cover: $2.99
    W: James Sturm  ·  A: Guy Davis
    No copies available
  • 3
    #3
    May 2003
    Cover: $2.99
    W: James Sturm  ·  A: Guy Davis
    2 copies from $1.67
  • 3/NS
    #3 Newsstand Edition
    Newsstand Edition with cover by Craig Thompson
    May 2003
    Cover: $2.99
    W: James Sturm  ·  A: Guy Davis
    No copies available
  • 4
    #4
    Jun 2003
    Cover: $2.99
    W: James Sturm  ·  A: Guy Davis
    3 copies from $2.85
  • 4/NS
    #4 Newsstand Edition
    Newsstand Edition with cover by Craig Thompson
    Jun 2003
    Cover: $2.99
    W: James Sturm  ·  A: Guy Davis
    No copies available
  • Bk 1
    Book #1
    Cover: $13.99
    W: James Sturm, Stan Lee  ·  A: Guy Davis, Jack Kirby
    Collects #1-4 and Fantastic Four (Vol 1) #1; ca. 2003
    No copies available
  • Bk 1-2
    Book #1 - 2nd printing
    Cover: $13.99
    W: James Sturm, Stan Lee  ·  A: Guy Davis, Jack Kirby
    2nd print; Collects #1-4 and parts of Fantastic Four (Vol 1) #1; ca. 2005
    1 copy for $49.99