About Reading The Multiverse: A Marvel Comics Journey
Reading the Multiverse: A Marvel Comics Journey, explores the characters and the tales that built the Marvel Universe, issue by issue through Marvel’s comic history, starting with Fantastic Four #1.
Hosted by Joe from Muscles & The Multiverse, each episode blends story, commentary, and laid-back humor for a quick ride through Marvel’s ever-evolving world, from its cosmic beginnings to its modern chaos.
As a mostly first-time reader, Joe shares honest reactions to the art, writing, characters, the moments that still hold up, the ones that haven’t aged so well, and the surprises that make Marvel’s history so much fun to revisit.
Whether you’re an MCU fan who wants to know the source material or a lifelong comic reader up for a nostalgic re-read, this podcast brings you the stories, art, and chaos that shaped the Marvel Universe, one era & run at a time.
S1E17: Fantastic Four #60-63 - Reed Gets Sucked Into The Negative Zone & Dr. Doom Goes Power Cosmic
Send Joe a message through the Negative Zone In this episode of Reading The Multiverse: A Marvel Comics Journey, I finish out the Dr. Doom Power Cosmic arc, Reed gets sucked into the real Negative Zone, and we have a new villain, Blastaar, from the Negative Zone. Stories Covered In This Episode Fantastic Four 60, The Peril and the Power!, written by Stan Lee, Penciled by Jack Kirby, Inked by Joe Sinnot, and Lettered by Sam Rosen Fantastic Four 61, Where Stalks the Sandman?, written by Stan Le...
18 May 2026
S1E16: Fantastic Four #57-59 - Dr. Doom Steals The Silver Surfer's Powers
Send Joe a message through the Negative Zone Join the Earth's Mightiest Nerds Discord Channel by signing up for the Earth's Mightiest Nerds Newsletter (completely free and I promise you won't be spammed!) In this week's episode of Reading The Multiverse: A Marvel Comics Journey, I go over 3 issues of the Fantastic Four that mainly center around Doctor Doom stealing the Silver Surfer's Powers and if the Fantastic Four or really anyone else can stop him! Stories Covered In This Episode Fantasti...
2 Mar 2026
S1E15: Fantastic Four #55-56 & Annual 4 - The OG Human Torch Fights The Human Torch & Klaw Returns
Send Joe a message through the Negative Zone In this episode of Reading The Multiverse: A Marvel Comics Journey, Joe covers the return of the Silver Surfer who has a face-off against The Thing, the return of Klaw who appears to be too much for the Fantastic Four, and the original Human Torch, Jim Hammond, fights the Human Torch of the Fantastic Four. Stories Covered In This Episode Fantastic Four 55, When Strikes the Silver Surfer!, written by Stan Lee, Penciled by Jack Kirby, Inked by Joe Si...
16 Feb 2026
S1E14: Fantastic Four #51-54 - The First Appearance of Black Panther
Send Joe a message through the Negative Zone In this episode of Reading The Multiverse: A Marvel Comics Journey, Joe covers the fallout of the victory against Galactus and the Fantastic Four's travel to a mysterious new land, Wakanda! We also get some progress updates on what's happening with Inhumans as they are stuck in the Great Refuge. Stories Covered In This Episode Fantastic Four 51, This Man... This Monster!, written by Stan Lee, Penciled by Jack Kirby, Inked by Joe Sinnot, and Lettere...
3 Feb 2026
S1E13: Fantastic Four #47-50 - The Galactus Trilogy
Send Joe a message through the Negative Zone In this episode of Reading The Multiverse: A Marvel Comics Journey, Joe covers one of the most well-known Fantastic Four arcs in all of comics, the Galactus Trilogy. However, the episode does start off with wrapping things up, sort of, regarding meeting the Inhumans for the first time. From there we get introduced to the Silver Surfer and Galactus and the existential cosmic threat they bring to Earth. Stories Covered In This Episo...
26 Jan 2026
S1E12: Fantastic Four #43-46 & Annual 3: Reed & Sue's Wedding & The Inhumans Arrive
Send Joe a message through the Negative Zone In this episode of Reading the Multiverse, I go over Fantastic Four #43-46 and Annual 3, where we have the event we've all been waiting for, the wedding of Reed and Sue. We also wrap up the Frightful Four arc we've been going over and we get the formal introduction to the Inhumans including Black Bolt. Stories Covered In This Episode Fantastic Four 43, Lo! There Shall be an Ending!, written by Stan Lee, Penciled by Jack Kirby, Inked by Vince ...
19 Jan 2026
S1E11: Fantastic Four #39-42 - Daredevil, Doom, & Ben Leaves The Team
Send Joe a message through the Negative Zone In this episode of Reading the Multiverse, I go over Fantastic Four #39-42, where we see the Fantastic Four lose their powers, Doctor Doom strikes when they’re most vulnerable, and Daredevil unexpectedly steps in to guide the team through chaos. Also, Ben Grim walks away and the Frightful Four strike back making this stretch of issues where Stan Lee and Jack Kirby decided to trade neat endings for brutal cliffhangers that keep stacking. Stories Cov...
12 Jan 2026
S1E10: Fantastic Four #35-38 - The Frightful Four, Reed Proposes, & Skrull Revenge
Send Joe a message through the Negative Zone In this episode of Reading the Multiverse, I go over Fantastic Four #35-38, a stretch packed with big changes as Reed and Sue get engaged, new villains debut, and Marvel’s universe starts colliding in unexpected ways. From Dragon Man, to Skrull politics, and the debut of the Frightful Four, this episode highlights how much of Marvel’s future is quietly being set up. Stories Covered In This Episode Fantastic Four 35, Calamity on the Campus, written ...
5 Jan 2026
S1E9: Fantastic Four #31-34 - The Storm Family Tragedy & An Atlantean War
Send Joe a message through the Negative Zone In this episode of Reading the Multiverse, I go over Fantastic Four #31–34 where we learn about Sue and Johnny’s family history, the team faces the Invincible Man, they help Namor in his Atlantean war, and a billionaire nearly tears the team apart. Stories Covered In This Episode Fantastic Four 31, The Mad Menace of the Macabre Mole Man, written by Stan Lee, Penciled by Jack Kirby, Inked by Chic Stone, and Lettered by Sam Rosen Fantastic Four 32, D...
29 Dec 2025
S1E8: Fantastic Four #28-30 & Annual 2 - Origin of Doctor Doom & X-Men Chaos
Send Joe a message through the Negative Zone In this episode of Reading the Multiverse, I go over Fantastic Four #28-30 and Annual #2 where the team clashes with the original X-Men, revisits old enemies, meets Diablo for the first time, and we finally uncover the tragic origin of Doctor Doom. Stories Covered In This Episode Fantastic Four 28, We Have To Fight The X-Men!, written by Stan Lee, Penciled by Jack Kirby, Inked by Chic Stone, and Lettered by Artie Simek Fantastic Four 29, It Started...
22 Dec 2025
S1E7: Fantastic Four #24-27 - Hulk vs The Thing, Avengers Team-Up, & Namor Kidnaps Sue
Send Joe a message through the Negative Zone In this episode of Reading the Multiverse, I go over Fantastic Four #24-27, where we get a reality-warping alien baby causing havoc, the Hulk wages war on New York, the Avengers team-up and sort of collide with the Fantastic Four, and the love triangle between Namor, Sue, and Reed gets deeper. Stories Covered In This Episode Fantastic Four 24, The Infant Terrible!, written by Stan Lee, Penciled by Jack Kirby, Inked by George Bell, and Lettered by S...
15 Dec 2025
S1E6: Fantastic Four #20-23: Sue Storm's Power Upgrade & Doom's Master Plan
Send Joe a message through the Negative Zone In this episode of Reading the Multiverse, I go over Fantastic Four #20-23, introducing Molecule Man, tackling Marvel’s most overtly political story yet with the Hatemonger, expanding Sue Storm’s powers in a big way, and bringing Doctor Doom back with another elaborate master plan. Stories Covered In This Episode Fantastic Four 20, The Mysterious Molecule Man!, written by Stan Lee, Penciled by Jack Kirby, Inked by Dick Ayers, Colored by Stan Goldbe...
8 Dec 2025
S1E5: Fantastic Four #17-19 & Annual 1 - Namor Declares War, Skrulls Return, & Doom's Got Tricks
Send Joe a message through the Negative Zone In this episode of Reading The Multiverse, I dig into Fantastic Four #17–19 and Annual #1, where Doctor Doom pulls off another disguise scheme, the Skrulls unleash the first ever Super-Skrull, and Namor launches an all-out war on the surface world. This episode covers one of the most chaotic and world-expanding stretches of early Marvel, from cosmic power-ups to underwater politics to Jack Kirby drawing sea monsters like he’s trying to win a compet...
1 Dec 2025
S1E4: Fantastic Four #13-16 - Dr. Doom Is Back, Red Ghost, & The Mad Thinker
Send Joe a message through the Negative Zone In this episode of Reading The Multiverse, I dive into Fantastic Four #13–16, where the team races the Red Ghost to the moon, encounters the Watcher for the very first time, gets pulled into Namor and the Puppet Master’s undersea mind-control drama, battles the Mad Thinker and his unpredictable Android, and faces Doctor Doom’s microscopic kingdom in one of the strangest early FF arcs yet. Stories Covered In This Episode "The Fantastic Four vs the R...
28 Nov 2025
S1E1: Fantastic Four #1-4 - The Birth of the Marvel & MCU Revolution
Send Joe a message through the Negative Zone Join the Earth's Mightiest Nerds Discord Channel by signing up for the Earth's Mightiest Nerds Newsletter (completely free and I promise you won't be spammed!) In this debut episode, I kick off Reading the Multiverse with Fantastic Four #1–4. The explosive start of Marvel’s Silver Age and the spark that would ignite the entire MCU. From the team’s chaotic origin to their first encounters with Skrulls and the Sub-Mariner, these early adventures set ...
28 Nov 2025
S1E3: Fantastic Four #9-12 - Dr Doom Returns, Namor Schemes, and The Incredible Hulk
Send Joe a message through the Negative Zone Join the Earth's Mightiest Nerds Discord Channel by signing up for the Earth's Mightiest Nerds Newsletter (completely free and I promise you won't be spammed!) In this episode, I dive into Fantastic Four #9–12, where Reed Richards loses the team’s fortune, Doctor Doom returns for a mind-swapping revenge story, the Impossible Man makes his chaotic debut, and the Fantastic Four face the Incredible Hulk in their first major crossover. Stories Covered ...
28 Nov 2025
S1E2: Fantastic Four #5-8 - The First Appearance of Doctor Doom
Send Joe a message through the Negative Zone Join the Earth's Mightiest Nerds Discord Channel by signing up for the Earth's Mightiest Nerds Newsletter (completely free and I promise you won't be spammed!) In this episode, I dive into Fantastic Four #5–8, where Doctor Doom makes his first appearance, Namor returns for a diabolical team-up, Reed Richards’ “genius” starts to blur the line between hero and antihero, and we meet the Puppet Master and Alicia Masters. Stories Covered In This Episode...
15 Nov 2025
Reading The Multiverse: A Marvel Comics Journey - Trailer
Send Joe a message through the Negative Zone Reading the Multiverse: A Marvel Comics Journey, explores the characters and the tales that built the Marvel Universe, issue by issue through Marvel’s comic history, starting with Fantastic Four #1. Hosted by Joe from Muscles & The Multiverse, each episode blends story, commentary, and laid-back humor for a quick ride through Marvel’s ever-evolving world, from its cosmic beginnings to its modern chaos. As a mostly first-time reader, Joe share...
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
7 ratings
Contact Reading The Multiverse: A Marvel Comics Journey
Guest appearances
Does not typically book guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Host of Reading The Multiverse: A Marvel Comics Journey?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
