Warning! Spoilers for Fantastic Four: Life Story #3 & Spider-Man: The Spider's Shadow #5 ahead!
Marvel's First Family, The Fantastic Four, haven't even had their grand introduction into the Marvel Cinematic Universe yet, and they've just lost half of their team. Mr. Fantastic, the Thing, Human Torch, and Invisible Woman became the first iconic superhero team in Marvel, and they have a complex history. Writers frequently send them into iconic cosmic realms, and their stories often include instant classic characters, like Galactus, Dr. Doom, and the Skrulls. The Fantastic Four also get countless spin-off interpretations, where they interfere with catastrophic events. Many times, it has proven to be the end of them.
It's not rare for the Fantastic Four to exchange members. She-Hulk, Spider-Man, and even their robot Herbie have replaced the original team members at one point or another. After some time, something in comics has to reunite the classic team, so it's safe to say none of them will ever really die permanently... Or will they? Many big-name characters have remained dead in the central Marvel continuity, such as Karen Page, Ben Parker, and even a superhero—Goliath.
Reed Richards, the smartest man in the Marvel Universe, and Johnny Storm, the hothead celebrity superhero, have just been killed off in two different miniseries. Both faced their ends with a heroic sacrifice, but in two completely separate timelines. Because the Fantastic Four is more like a family than many other superhero clubs, there are sure to be some upcoming heartfelt moments for the team. Even though characters in the FF tend to return, it is highly unlikely they will come back in these respective continuities.
Johnny Storm, AKA the Human Torch, is the only member of the Fantastic Four who can fly without the team's Fantasticar. So when the Mad Thinker sends some rogue missiles flying over Manhattan in Fantastic Four: Life Story #3 by Mark Russell and Sean Izaakse, Johnny is the city's only hope. With some help from Iron Man, Thor, and Spider-Man, the heroes stop all the missiles... except one. The Human Torch flies up as fast as he can and receives the explosion by himself. After this heroic feat, he tumbles down, spitting some classic Johnny closing narrations: "Life is a party... and the key to being a good party guest is not to stay too long."
Spider-Man: The Spider's Shadow #5 by Chip Zdarsky and Pasqual Ferry just wrapped up its "What if...?" story, imagining a world where Peter Parker keeps his black symbiote costume instead of destroying it. He eventually goes to Mr. Fantastic and asks him to examine the costume. Reed explains the science behind the symbiote, stating what most fans know—it is leeching off of Peter. Eventually, the symbiote attaches itself to Mr. Fantastic, and the epic finale takes place. Just before the Four and Spider-Man finish the symbiote off, the alien stabs Reed through the chest. The story ends with Spider-Man becoming the new Mr. Fantastic.
One could say it's ironic how famous the Fantastic Four are in the comic book community compared to the TV and movie-based MCU fandom. Stan Lee and Jack Kirby introduced so many Marvel characters into the universe through these four blue-suited heroes. Fantastic Four: Life Story continues for a few more issues. After readers have already seen Mr. Fantastic and the Human Torch lose their lives, only time will tell if more members of the Fantastic Four will meet their end.