After several years away the Fantastic Four are ready to return to the pages of Marvel Comics. Writer Dan Slott and artist Sara Pichelli will reunite Marvel’s first family in their own series once again on August 8th, providing them new opportunities to explore the universe, the microverse, and everything in between. While there is already a lot of excitement about seeing everyone back together, especially Reed and Sue Richards returning from their “deaths,” the return of the Fantastic Four also marks a number of other opportunities. There are some obvious examples, the most notable being a new Future Foundation with the likes of Dragon Man, the Moloids, and so many others returning to invent solutions and cause mischief. Yet one concept that some may not have imagined returning with the original Fantastic Four is a certain fan-favorite spinoff: The New Fantastic Four.

The New Fantastic Four was first assembled in the pages of Fantastic Four #347 by writer Walt Simonson and artist Arthur Adams. It was part of Simonson’s epic run that took the team to the extremes of action and adventure as they encountered all forms of cosmic and time traveling lunacy. The New Fantastic Four is a perfect example of this as a replacement team assembled from Marvel’s most popular anti-heroes. A Skrull impersonating Sue Richards convinced Wolverine, Spider-Man, The Hulk, and Ghost Rider to unite and avenge the (faked) deaths of the Fantastic Four in order to serve her own nefarious ends. It was a blast of a story playing up each of the characters unique anti-social tendencies, as well as their powerful combinations.

In spite of the many reasons this team should not have worked though, the original story was a hit with fans and inspired many reunions and alternate realities down the road. The concept of a New Fantastic Four filled with an oddball assortment of replacements has become a motif of the series over the years. Readers simply can’t seem to get enough of this alternative foursome, and they’ve been absent even longer than the original Fantastic Four.

A New Age for the Fantastic Four

Now that the Fantastic Four are returning, it’s a perfect time to celebrate both their history and the end of their absence with a brand-new New Fantastic Four. Slott and Pichelli’s series serves as a great starting point, but it shouldn’t be the only series or story that embrace the Fantastic Four franchise. The continuation of Marvel Two-In-One is a good start, but there are chances for a new FF series and more based on the team’s closest allies and projects. When you consider that Marvel A-listers like Black Panther and Silver Surfer got their start in the pages of Fantastic Four, it’s obvious that this story is bigger than one series.

A new New Fantastic Four would make for an excellent addition to the roster, delivering adventures that were more about brawn than brain. Even as a miniseries, this idea could highlight what makes the originals unique while having lots of fun on its own. Incredibly powerful individuals like The Hulk and Ghost Rider might make for a tough fight, but they lack the imagination and heart that keeps the Fantastic Four together. Their own struggles offer plenty of chances for wild action while also emphasizing what makes the Fantastic Four great, and with no need for longevity.

A Reimagined Quartet

If a new New Fantastic Four were to be assembled based on the original lineup, then each of the characters involved will have come a long way since they first tried to fill the Baxter Building. Wolverine is still recovering from the effects of being dead and Spider-Man is learning to be broke all over again. While these two are just returning to their status quo, both The Hulk and Ghost Rider have undergone much more substantial changes.

The Hulk has also been dead for several years and was recently returned to readers in the pages of The Immortal Hulk. That new spin has shifted his status quo back to the early 1960s when The Hulk was a monster that only came out at night. Bruce Banner is doing his best to hide from the world, while his alter-ego looks for excuses to wreak havoc and break bodies. There is an implied ethical code, but it is as much an excuse for sadism as any form of justice. This is a more powerful and disconcerting take on the Mr. Fixit personality, one that would play even more poorly in a team setting. It’s also possible that new iterations of The Hulk’s supporting cast, like Robert Maverick of the U.S.Avengers, could provide another interesting take.

Ghost Rider opens up even more possibilities, as Robbie Reyes and his fire-spitting car have taken the lead role in Marvel Comics. Not only is Robbie now the youngster of a potential New Fantastic Four, but he would also be splitting time with the newest iteration of The Avengers. Whereas everyone else would at least be familiar, Robbie would become the wild card on the team, one capable of bringing them all together or tearing them apart.

A Walk on the Wild Side

What’s obvious looking at the current state of these characters and the original stories to feature the New Fantastic Four is that their return is warranted for its own sake. Making the second half of 2018 at Marvel Comics focus on all of the Fantastic Four properties is really just an excuse to bring back this incredibly fun concept. The New Fantastic Four trace their roots as much to The Defenders or The Champions as their actual namesake. They are an oddly constructed team that never should have existed in the first place. Their creation revealed untold possibilities, stories filled with action and team drama.

The New Fantastic Four might have less staying power than most similar concepts. Three of the four original characters are just as likely to kill one another as any foes (good luck, Spidey), and that’s the fun of it. Whether as a miniseries or ongoing with a rotating cast, the New Fantastic Four is a surefire promise of testosterone-driven team drama every month. It’s a great concept that works alongside the Fantastic Four and on its own. That’s why the time is right to bring these characters back together, if only for the briefest of reunions.