Like many good things sometimes they have to come to an end. Even though we might not want them to it is often the case that a story and characters have run their course.

So it is with Marvel’s Fantastic Four who, after the recent tragic death of Johnny Storm (aka The Human Torch) are nearing the end of their comic book run. Of course, Marvel isn’t going to let them go out with a whimper. From the Marvel release:

Huge choices that dramatically impact the Marvel Universe are made this February in Fantastic Four #588, from the superstar creative team of Jonathan Hickman, Nick Dragotta and Mark Brooks! Following up on the sold-out hit Fantastic Four #587, Marvel is pleased to present your first look at the FINAL issue of the long-standing series, guest starring all your favorite Marvel heroes!

But the story isn’t over yet because where one door closes, another opens. It’s now up to Reed, Sue, and Ben to make life-changing decisions of their own volition that set them on a course destined to change the Marvel Universe in Johnny’s honor!

“The reaction from fans and retailers to Fantastic Four #587 was overwhelming and we’re excited to show fans, who have been chomping at the bit, to see what’s next!” exclaims SVP of Sales, David Gabriel. “It may be the end of the series, but it’s the beginning of something much bigger.”

Look for this comic to hit store shelves on February 31st. In the meantime, check out some preview pages after the jump.

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When I think awesome WWII adventure, one group that comes to mind is The Invaders. Really, any comic that managed to combine Captain America, the Human Torch, Namor and more into one super-team was always okay in my book.

Over the years The Invaders have undergone a few transformations and have dealt with many issues. Now, Marvel and Dynamite have teamed to create a brand new comic featuring these mighty heroes and have dubbed it Invaders Now. Created by Alex Ross with writer Christos Gage and artist Caio Reiss, the original Invaders are alive and all active at the same time.

When a mysterious force from the past brings the Invaders together, they must do battle like never before. Never before? I’m guessing they’ve probably battled quite a few times like this before. But still, doesn’t mean I’m not going to pick this comic up when it comes out. Yes, I’m a fan. Sue me.

Be sure to check out the gallery of preview images for this comic after the jump. Invaders Now #1 hits comic stores on September 9th.

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When you think of comics and comic history, one name probably comes to mind pretty quickly: Stan Lee. Having created or co-created some of the most famous and popular characters in comics history, his name has become synonymous with comics and Marvel, the company he helped put on the map.

Now, “The Man” is lending his talents to a new project for Marvel, the Marvel Digital Holiday Special. This four-part comic is available only online and features a story by Stan lee himself. For more info on the comic and where to get it, check out the official press release. And, be sure to check out some pages and a cover from the comic after the jump.

‘Tis the season to celebrate! And what better way to do so than with the 2009 Marvel Digital Holiday Special – an exclusive, four-part comic available only at Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited (www.marvel.com/digitalcomics). The legendary Marvel founding father Stan “The Man” Lee makes his Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited exclusive debut, penning a special Fantastic Four tale with art by Nick Dragotta that could only be called Marvel Digital Holiday Special: Rock of Ages. Check out a free preview right HERE!

The Thing teaches the rest of Marvel’s First Family all about Chanukah, and in turn, they impart some lessons of their own on some would-be street toughs. All this plus an art cameo by Lee’s FF co-creator Jack Kirby in a one-of-a-kind story that should not be missed!

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It should come as no surprise that in addition to the big announcements yesterday, especially the Disney Marvel deal, there was other news. One such piece that may please many Marvel fans out there who were less than thrilled with the way the first two movies turned out is the late breaking revelation that Fox is rebooting The Fantastic Four franchise. But wait, don’t get too excited because Akiva Goldsman, the man who wrote the two worst Batman films in history (Batman and Robin and Batman Forever) and the feature film version of Lost In Space featuring Matt Leblanc is in charge of the reboot for the studio.

Fortunately, he’s not actually writing the script and is just a producer. Michael Green, co-executive producer of Heroes, co-writer of the new Green Lantern and creator of the short-lived series Kings is the one tapped to write the new script. So, that may mean good things for the new Fantastic Four franchise. In case you don’t recall, 2005′s Fantastic Four and the 2007 sequel Rise of the Silver Surfer were directed by Tim Story and starred Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans and Michael Chiklis. Since the details of the reboot are still being worked out, it is unclear if any of them will return. Or, if they should.

To be honest, I wouldn’t mind if nobody from the first films returned. I wasn’t a big fan of Tim Story’s direction nor most of the performances except for Gruffudd and Chiklis. Starting over fresh is not a bad idea and now that Iron Man and The Dark Knight have clearly shown the way to make really great comic book movies, maybe Michael Green can turn The Fantastic Four into something great also. Let’s hope so because these characters deserve a better cinematic treatment then they’ve gotten so far.