Posted in: Comics, Marvel Comics | Tagged: dan slott, fantastic four, mad thinker, Mark Buckingham, mcu

The Mad Thinker Is Rewritten For MCU Fantastic Four Origin (Spoilers)

How the Mad Thinker was renamed and rewritten for the MCU Fantastic Four: First Steps origin story (Spoilers)

Published Tue, 03 Mar 2026 06:11:08 -0600

Article Summary

Mad Thinker is reimagined as Professor Rene Rodin for the MCU Fantastic Four origin story.
Originally lacking a clear identity, Mad Thinker gains a new MCU-aligned backstory and motivation.
The MCU version features Mad Thinker as mentor to Reed Richards and architect of H.E.R.B.I.E.
Driven by jealousy, Rodin’s evolution from Great Thinker to Mad Thinker reshapes Fantastic Four lore.

The Mad Thinker was introduced by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee in Fantastic Four #15 in 1963 as a scientist with the ability to predict future events precisely, but without an origin or secret identity.

Mad Thinker To Be Tied Into The MCU Fantastic Four Origin Story — Stan Lee and Jack Kirby – Fantastic Four #15

He also created artificially intelligent robots to do his bidding, whoever he is. It would take until 2016 and Infamous Iron Man #2 by Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev for him even to get a first name, Julius.

But then, in the more recent Ryan North/Humberto Ramos Fantastic Four #7, we had another version of his identity, stating to himself that his name was René Rodin, as in the famous sculptor. Why the change? It may have to do with the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

In the opening movie montage, Mark Gatiss as talk show host Ted Gilbert mentions that "when the Mad Thinker tried to sabotage New York City, the Fantastic Four came to our rescue", showing the Human Torch saving a small girl from a falling metal beam. And it has been suggested that he might return in future Fantastic Four instalments. Is it possible that the movie bible backstory named him as René Rodin, and the comic books wanted to get in there first? In this month's Fantastic Four: First Foes #1 by Dan Slott and Mark Buckingham, set in the world of the MCU, as a comic book created for people to read about the adventures of the real-life FF, I understand that he will appear as the Great Thinker, named Professor Rene Rodin, and a mentor to Reed Richards.

: Fantastic Four: First Foes #1 by Dan Slott and Mark Buckingham

: Fantastic Four: First Foes #1 by Dan Slott and Mark Buckingham

Ground control for the Fantastic Four's first space mission, he's the one creating the algorithms on the fly, to see them return to Earth safely after hitting the cosmic storm, and working directly with H.E.R.B.I.E., also based on his A.I. work. But then, driven mad by jealousy, we get to find out how The Fantastic Four saved New York from him, and what led to his name change from Great Thinker to Mad Thinker… Fantastic Four: First Foes #1 is published at the end of the month.

Marvel To Launch Shalla-Bal: Silver Surfer In June 2026 — Fantastic Four: First Foes #1

Fantastic 4: First Foes #1
by Dan Slott, Ryan North, Phil Noto, Mark Buckingham
FROM THE WORLD OF THE CINEMATIC MASTERPIECE! Return to the universe of the legendary film in the first of a series of specials!! On Earth-828, a cosmic mishap has transformed four brave astronauts into the world's champions and protectors. They are the Fantastic Four – but one person isn't happy about things. He's known as the Mad Thinker, and he's determined to get his proper due by turning the city of tomorrow against its heroic patrons!

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