Marvel & Disney: What If…? Mickey & Friends Became the Fantastic Four #1 Review: A Race to Retell!

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Mickey Mouse and Marvel Comics team up this week to ask one of readers’ favorite questions in Marvel & Disney: What If…? Mickey & Friends Became The Fantastic Four #1. Written by Steve Behling and Riccardo Secchi, and with art by Lorenzo Pastrovicchio, it’s a great take on this classic comic and fitting to see these iconic Disney characters transform into Marvel’s First Family.

If fans have read The Fantastic Four’s origin story, then they will find this near-panel-for-panel retelling very familiar. In many of the same ways, readers get to see how these heroes came to be: how Mickey can now turn himself into a slingshot, how Goofy can help save a BBQ contest with his flame powers, how strong Donald has become as The Thing and how Minnie must make terrible sacrifices as a hero and say goodbye to those precious cardamom cookies.

What If…? This Origin Was Hilarious

And Had Fun at Every Turn

The references, the homages, the straight recreations of these classic comic book moments throughout this issue range from cute and fanservice-y to downright inspired. What really works here is retooling the same premises into more comedic beats. It makes the retreads more palatable, but it also feels more fitting for these Disney characters. Instead of Goofy’s Human Torch being threatened by a warhead on his way to answer Mickey’s call for help, he gets distracted by needing to ignite a dozen BBQ pits at a cook-off contest in the park. Sidenote, wouldn’t Goofy be the Dog Torch or something…as opposed to the Human Torch? I digress. These retellings work in large part thanks to their imaginative reinterpretations. It’s the exact kind of stuff readers look for in a What If…? comic.

It’s a Modern Retelling

And It Works for a Modern Audience

And much like in Fantastic Four #1, the issue pauses and backtracks to get the heroes’ origins. There’s definitely a question of whether or not this was necessary in this case. Yes, it’s true to the original, but in 2025, readers are very familiar with The Fantastic Four, their origins, and also with whom these Disney characters are.

This could have easily felt like going through the motions. However, there are a couple of saving graces here. For starters, there are plenty of welcoming, tongue-in-cheek moments that make these beats feel new again and definitely more modern. The narration comments on the nature of the non-linear plot and Mole Pete’s minions comment on how tired they are about hearing his tired old story again. Secondly, the pace at which everything in this issue unfolds really helps the medicine go down.

A Brisk Pace Is a Pro

Missing Out Is a Con

The modern panel layout also plays into this. Instead of packing every page with nine-by-nine panel grids filled with lettering, readers get interesting, fun, and dynamic artwork. It takes up more of the page, but it’s well worth it. What gets sacrificed for this page real estate is more dialogue, more context, and more plotting. When that’s factored into the break-neck pace, this issue can definitely feel more like an abridgment or a beat sheet of this well-known story.

The Callback Is Welcomed

Minions Have Feelings Too

Ultimately, thanks to the levity throughout, this issue makes the best of the extra space and time to provide a really satisfying conclusion that might even give the original a run for its money. The 1961 issue spends a lot of time on the characters and their respective origins — it’s an important step to make sure everyone’s on the same page. But since this version doesn’t spend as much time doing that, there’s more space to see Mickey and Friends strategize and come up with a fun and clever way to defeat Mole Pete. On top of that, readers get to delight in the fact that Mole Pete’s minions are so sick of hearing about his origins that they decide to rebel against him and aid Mickey and Friends. It’s a great callback and hilarious as well.

All in all, this works really well. There’s not really anything in this that feels like it was shoehorned for company synergy’s sake. These Disney characters fit into this mold surprisingly well. While it’s not perfect, it’s cute, and it’s fun, and it’s a great companion to the re-release of the original Fantastic Four #1 that was released earlier this week.

Marvel & Disney: What If…? Mickey & Friends Became the Fantastic Four #1 is now available wherever comics are sold.

“}]] Mickey & Marvel team up to ask one of readers’ favorite questions in Marvel & Disney: What if…? Mickey & Friends Became The Fantastic Four #1!  Read More