Posted in: Comics, Mad Cave Studios, Marvel Comics | Tagged: asterix, fantastic four

Today's Fantastic Four #12 Does Asterix The Gaul (Spoilers)

Today's Fantastic Four #12 by Ryan North and Patrick Boutin does Asterix The Gaul (Spoilers)

Published Wed, 03 Jun 2026 06:57:09 -0500

Today's Fantastic Four #12 by Ryan North and Patrick Boutin sees The Fantastic Four – or at least two of them – go back in time to fight the aliens currently invading the Earth across various timelines. After all, he who controls the past, controls the present…

Peter Parker, Aunt May, Uncle Ben And His Cousin (Spider-Man Spoilers) — Fantastic Four #12 by Ryan North and Patrick Boutin

But it's another comic book that seems to be channelled by The Fantastic Four today.

As well as Mister Fantastic using his power in an entertaining new way to join in with Johnny Storm in a hirsute Gaullish look.

And well as the inspiration for this new look…

Vercingetorix was a Gaulish chieftain who united the warring tribes in an attempt to oppose the Roman conquest. However, he was eventually defeated by Julius Caesar at the historic battle of Alesia. And he comes up a lot in another comic book, a certain Asterix the Gaul.

Today's Fantastic Four Does Asterix The Gaul (Spoilers) — Asterix And The Chieftain's Shield, Goscinny and Uderzo

Set during the Roman occupation of Ancient France, and the small village holding out against the Romans, and the most popular comic book in the world. Or rather, most places aside from America. Which also explains how well Johnny Storm will fit in with the local look these days…

Not the first time, Action Comics #579 by JM Lofficier and Keith Giffen took Jimmy Olson and Superman back to a very similar past…

Today's Fantastic Four #12 Does Asterix The Gaul (Spoilers) — Action Comics #579 by JM Lofficier and Keith Giffen

… with some very similar looks…

… even if Jimmy Olsen declines to grow a moustache for the occasion.

And even gets dosed with the magic potion… and Obelix becomes Columnix…

A favour returned in Asterix And The Falling Sky by Albert Uderzo some years later…

And yes, I know why I think about the Roman Empire an utterly normal amount of times for a citizen of a country invaded and occupied by the Roman Empire, and who travels on Roman roads and sees Roman buildings in London, a city founded by the Romans, every day. Still not sure why American men think about it so much…

I'm just surprised that, given all that, Asterix still isn't as popular in the US as it should be. Maybe Papercutz should stop trying to sell Asterix to young American boys, and pivot to older men on social media… Fantastic Four #12 by Ryan North and Patrick Boutin is published by Marvel Comics today.

Fantastic Four #12 by Ryan North and Patrick Boutin
Aliens have invaded Earth and been rebuffed by the Fantastic Four many a time before, and finally, one of them got wise and invaded Earth where the FF couldn't defend it: They're attacking our world in the past, in ANCIENT ROME. Johnny and Reed are the only two who make it back in time before all of history is erased, but it's okay! As long as they can defend Earth, push the aliens back AND reset history to how it once was, everything should be fine, right? Good thing that, when left alone, Johnny and Reed don't get into ANY sort of problems on the regular. Plus: Reed stretches in a new way in this one! He does that in a lot of our issues, but this one is particularly fun.

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