Sixty-two years after their comic debut, a classic Marvel villain is finally entering MCU canon. However, the character’s official design – recently released by Marvel – is a major departure from their comic roots, making them far more intimidating.
Fantastic Four Prequel Reveals Awesome Android Redesign
In March 2026, Marvel will publish Fantastic Four: First Foes – an official, in-canon prequel comic to the iconic Fantastic Four: First Steps movie. In the comic, the family will go up against the Mad Thinker – mentioned but not seen in the 2025 movie. And art from Phil Noto and Kaare Andrews’ variant covers show they’ll also be tangling with his enforcer – the ultra-powerful Awesome Android.
Fantastic Four: First Foes #1 is coming March 4 from Dan Slott and Mark Buckingham.
In the comics, the character has a large, hammer-shaped head, but the MCU is reinventing the villain with green armor and yellow glowing eyes. The movie design is far closer to classic Iron Man foe the Titanium Man.
While the issue’s summary doesn’t mention the Awesome Android by name, the robot is clearly Mad Thinker’s most famous creation, with Phil Noto’s cover recreating the cover to Fantastic Four #15, with both robots in the same place and pose.
Who Is Fantastic Four’s Awesome Android?
First appearing in Fantastic Four #15, the Awesome Android is a superstrong, shapeshifitng robot that can duplicate the powers of any superhuman in its vicinity. Even stronger than the Thing and even Thor, the Awesome Android has a mechanical healing factor and can emit powerful blasts of air, even before absorbing the powers of those around it.
While the Awesome Android was originally enslaved by the Mad Thinker, it later developed its own sentience and broke from its creator. A longtime friend and ally of She-Hulk, today the Awesome Android goes by ‘Awesome Andy’ and works for Mallory Book’s law firm.
Marvel Is Finally Merging the MCU and Comics In a Smart Way
Fantastic Four: First Foes #1 is part of a series that will release across 2026, revealing the past adventures of the team. It’s a brilliant way of expanding the movie’s lore, especially because fans already know the movie has cut scenes starring the team’s villains, meaning MCU-quality work has already been done on their designs and lore.
Fantastic Four: First Foes isn’t the first comic to tie into the MCU, but it does appear to be of a far higher quality. Past comics like Captain America: Road to War and The Avengers Prelude: Black Widow Strikes have gone out of their way to create absolutely no narrative problems for future movies, which means no real character development or big villain debuts were allowed.
Partly because it takes place in its own universe and partly because the movie teased several classic villains as already existing, Fantastic Four has proved uniquely suited to comic expansion. Early next year, fans will meet the Mad Thinker and the Awesome Android, learning how the MCU‘s Fantastic Four handled their classic villains in movie continuity.
Fantastic Four: First Foes #1 is coming March 4 from Marvel Comics.
