Today, comic book writers take four to six issues to tell a complete story. But back in the 1960s, each issue contained anywhere from one to three full stories. So when Kirby and Lee devoted Fantastic Four #48–50 to a tale, you know it was a big deal. Incredibly, the Galactus Trilogy justified the space it demanded, introducing not just the world-devourer who gives the arc its name, but also his herald, the Silver Surfer.

Even now, the Galactus Trilogy makes for an awesome read. When the Surfer arrives on Earth to herald its destruction, the Fantastic Four do everything they can to dissuade the coming of Galactus, a cosmic being who must feed on planets to survive. Already the most dynamic artist in the genre, Kirby experiments with mixed media across the three issues, using the different forms to show just how out of depth the FF—and the reader—are when dealing with Galactus. Obviously, the team saves the planet, but not in any way that can be called a victory, making the Galactus Trilogy one of the more haunting superhero stories ever told.