The universe's smallest aliens may also prove to be the most deadly in a preview of Fantastic Four #24

Earth faces a very unusual alien invasion in the next issue of Fantastic Four . With the end of the recent Blood Hunt event and Doom assuming the role of Sorcerer Supreme and then promptly vanishing, the FF were probably expecting a bit of a breather from world-threatening weirdness. No such luck!

In last month's Fantastic Four #23, they discovered that Earth was being bombarded by thousands of mysterious "OMG Particles." The FF shrunk themselves down to the subatomic level and used the Reducta-Craft to investigate the particle, only to discover that it was, in fact, a spacecraft carrying an alien lifeform.

In our preview of next Wednesday's issue, our heroes manage to make first contact with these microscopic invaders – but will they prove to be friend of foe? Check out the pages, plus covers by Alex Ross and Tom Reilly, in the gallery below.

"Earth is being invaded by subatomic particles from the other side of the universe — but what terrible secret do they hold inside?" asks Marvel's official synopsis for the issue. "As Mr. Fantastic discovers the horrifying truth, he finds out something worse: There're some things in the universe that even he and his family's powers can't stop! And when everyone in the Baxter Building is close to being overwhelmed, a voyage to the end of time and space may well be Mr. Fantastic's only option! Voyage from the subatomic to the intergalactic in this Reed-narrated issue!"

Fantastic Four #24, written by Ryan North, drawn by Carlos Gómez, colored by Jesus Aburtov, and lettered by Joe Caramagna is published by Marvel Comics on Wednesday, August 28.

Check out our guide to the best Fantastic Four stories of all time.