Simply recommending "Hickman" seems to be a popular answer here, but I don't know if that's necessarily helpful for someone who requested a story arc. The guy did close to 30 issues, with a different writer in the middle of those 30. Maybe the recommendation is based on the fact that Fantastic Four #570-588 and #600-611 are easily accessible on Unlimited. I don't know.

I simply have to recommend the earlier stuff. Stan Lee and Jack Kirby stayed with FF for much longer than the other comics that they created together, so the cohesiveness of the storylines is really top-notch. They really shaped the Marvel Universe in ways that other writers didn't fathom at the time. #45 introduced the Inhumans, and #52 introduced the Black Panther, but guess what happened in-between?

The Galactus Trilogy from 1966's Fantastic Four #48-50 gets my vote for the best of the Lee-Kirby stories. It's also one of the first pure "story arcs" that Marvel ever produced. These three issues featured the Watcher and introduced new characters Galactus and the Silver Surfer to the Marvel Universe. Plus, the Ultimate Nullifier. Can't go wrong with that.

If you've seen the second FF movie, The Rise of the Silver Surfer, please try to forget it. The comic version is SO much better.

Finally, I want to suggest another storyline for you when you've finished the above. Check out John Byrne's most famous storyline, The Trial of Galactus, an arc that ran sporadically through FF #242-262. Ironically, this storyline is almost a sequel of sorts to the storyline in #48-50, even though the two stories were published twenty years apart. In the penultimate chapter, Reed Richards must ultimately face grave consequences for his past actions regarding Galactus. The Avengers, Dr. Strange, and many notable "cosmic" Marvel characters appear in this arc, making it a fun "crossover" of sorts (before crossovers were convoluted, expensive events that frustrated creators and fans alike).

This collected edition of The Trial of Galactus is the best way to read the story without purchasing all twenty-one comic books individually. You could also probably just read #261-262 and you would get a pretty good idea of the scope of the story.

So, there you go. At least five comics for you to read that will enhance your knowledge and appreciation of Marvel's First Family (and their rogue's gallery) immensely.

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