NEW YORK – With the Fantastic Four whittled to three after last month's death of the Human Torch, Marvel's longtime super group is changing names and adding a familiar face.

Spider-Man, New York's web-slinging guardian, is joining the group newly renamed The Future Foundation.

Starting in FF No. 1, he'll join with Mr. Fantastic, The Thing and the Invisible Woman in a bid to protect the Marvel universe from new threats, Marvel said Wednesday.

The first issue is due out March 23.

The Fantastic Four ended with issue No. 588 this month, after the Torch, aka Johnny Storm, died in issue 587. Like the former series, the new FF series is written by Jonathan Hickman and drawn by Steve Epting.