10 Things You Didn’t Know About The Fantastic Four

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The Fantastic Four is one of the most iconic and beloved teams in comic book history. From their inception in the early 1960s, the Fantastic Four changed the game in terms of what a superhero team could and should be. Their adventures were whimsical, packed with science-fiction intrigue, personal, and, most importantly, exciting.

Though the Fantastic Four haven’t retained their early popularity with contemporary fans and audiences, there are still plenty of modern FF stories that are just as good as their golden age. With so many decades worth of excellent stories, there are tons of storylines, facts about the team and its members, and points in their continuity that many fans don’t know about — but should.

Heroes from Across the Marvel Universe Have Joined The Fantastic Four

Although the core Fantastic Four team most commonly consists of Reed Richards, aka Mister Fantastic, Ben Grimm, aka the Thing, Johnny Storm, aka the Human Torch, and Susan Storm-Richards, aka the Invisible Woman, there have been dozens of additional members to Marvel’s First Family over the years. Whether it’s one member leaving for a while and having to be replaced, like when She-Hulk took the Thing’s spot for a while, or it’s the entire team having to be filled in for, like when Ghost Rider, Wolverine, Spider-Man, and the Hulk took over as the temporary Fantastic Four.

Since many casual fans only know the Fantastic Four from their lackluster live-action movie attempts, many aspects of the team and its roster go unnoticed. Many people don’t even know about Reed Richards and Susan Storm-Richards’ children, Franklin and Valeria, who are sometimes members of the team themselves. The Fantastic Four is beloved both within the Marvel Universe and among fans in the real world, and Marvel’s heroes are often eager to join the iconic team, even if only temporarily.

9

Doctor Doom Named Sue and Reed’s Daughter

Victor Von Doom Serves As the Godfather of Valeria Richards

The Fantastic Four have been facing off against the nefarious Doctor Doom almost as long as the team has been around. He has been their archnemesis and a constant thorn in the team’s side for decades, but their relationship is far more complicated than a simple hero/villain rivalry. Though Doom is a tyrannical villain, he does have a sort of moral code. He wants to defeat the FF and prove his superiority, but he will not stoop to just any means.

When Susan Storm is pregnant with her and Reed Richards’ second child, complications arise, and Reed is unavailable. Desperate for help, her brother Johnny seeks assistance wherever he can, which leads him to Victor Von Doom. With no other choice, the Fantastic Four entrusts the safety of Susan and the baby to their greatest enemy. Doom agrees to help Sue safely deliver the baby, but he has a condition. He successfully saves both mother and child, and when Reed finally returns, he finds Doom holding his newborn daughter, a child Doom names Valeria, after his long-lost love.

8

The Human Torch Was Temporarily a Herald of Galactus

Johnny Storm Was Given The Power Cosmic By The Planet-Eater

Galactus is one of Marvel Comics’ greatest threats, and the Fantastic Four seem to always have to be the ones to stop him from consuming the Earth. After having temporarily swapped powers with the Invisible Woman, Johnny Storm was scooped up by Galactus so he could use his newly acquired invisibility powers.

Though Johnny was far less experienced with the invisibility powers than his sister was, the power cosmic given to him by Galactus aided in his ability to serve as herald. One of the most powerful heralds of Galactus, Johnny used his buffed-up abilities to help the Fantastic Four and Quasar defeat the Planet-Eater and render him temporarily powerless.

The Low-Budget Fantastic Four Film Never Really Saw The Light of Day

Originally produced solely to retain theFantastic Fourfilm rights, 1994’s The Fantastic Four was never officially released. However, it remains a fascinating piece of Marvel movie history for hardcore fans, with its status as a “lost film” cementing its place in superhero cinema.

Though fans can view parts of the film through online clips and low-quality copies, there has never been any indication that it will receive an official release, even as its cult classic reputation grows. The film itself was a hyper-low-budget adaptation of the Fantastic Four‘s origin story and their first encounter with Doctor Doom. While it clearly didn’t impress producers enough to warrant a release, it’s an interesting part of the team’s long history in pop culture.

6

Each Member of The FF Has Also Been An Avenger

The Avengers and The Fantastic Four Have Shared Many Members

The Marvel Universe has existed for so long that pretty much any combination of characters working together has happened at least a few times. The Fantastic Four and the X-Men have teamed up time and time again, and Spider-Man is practically the fifth member of the FF. While the Fantastic Four roster has remained fairly consistent throughout history, the Avengers has been a constantly rotating roster of heroes from across the Marvel Universe.

With so many characters joining a myriad of Avengers rosters over the years, it’s no surprise that the Fantastic Four’s roster has joined the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in the past. Sue Storm and Reed Richards originally joined the team temporarily in Avengers #300 in 1989, while Ben Grimm was a member of multiple Avengers teams, including the New Avengers. Human Torch was the latest addition to the Avengers when he joined the Avengers Unity Division in 2014’s Uncanny Avengers #1.

5

The Ultimate Version of Reed Richards Is One of Marvel’s Greatest Villains

The Villainous Reed Richards of Earth-1610 Is Known As the Maker

When the original Ultimate Universe was introduced in the early 2000s, the Fantastic Four was one of the teams that received their very own book. Ultimate Fantastic Four depicted a number of alternate takes on classic FF stories, and the team’s interpersonal drama was much more intense than their mainline counterpart.

In the wake of a myriad of cataclysmic events in the Ultimate Universe, the Fantastic Four disbanded, and Reed Richards was slowly driven mad. Just as brilliant as his Earth-616 counterpart, this Reed became the Maker, a villain who has gotten a lot of play in recent Marvel comics, especially with the creation of the brand-new Ultimate Universe. The Maker is one of the most terrifying and compelling new villains in Marvel Comics history, and his connection to the heroic Fantastic Four makes his stories all the more interesting.

4

The Fantastic Four Once Disbanded and Became The Future Foundation

The Supposed Death of Johnny Storm Pushed The Fantastic Four In a New Direction

During Jonathan Hickman’s iconic and influential run on Fantastic Four, he introduced bold new ideas and concepts that reshaped the team and their stories. Most notably, the apparent death of Johnny Storm, aka the Human Torch, led the remaining members to rethink their roles as heroes and explorers.

Shifting toward a more scientific and educational approach—one better suited to the growing number of children under their care—the team abandoned their traditional superhero identity and focused on new forms of heroism. With new members like Spider-Man, Dragon Man, and the young mutant Leech, the Future Foundation became a bold new direction for Marvel’s First Family in the wake of tragedy.

3

Franklin Richards Is One of the Most Powerful Beings In Existence

The Son of Reed and Susan Is a Hyper-Powerful Mutant

While the core members of the Fantastic Four all control vast amounts of incredible power, their abilities are dwarfed by the young Franklin Richards, the firstborn child of Reed and Susan Storm-Richards. Since he was born with his powers, Franklin is classified as a mutant, and he is on the Omega-Level scale, making him one of the most powerful human beings on Earth.

Possessing incredible reality manipulation powers, as well as a myriad of lesser abilities, Franklin can create universes and reshape the fabric of existence. Though his youth makes his control over these abilities somewhat limited, numerous adult versions of Franklin have demonstrated their incredible power levels. He even once summoned Galactus himself as his very own herald — a feat that shocked readers and characters in-universe alike.

2

Ben Grimm Is Theoretically Immortal

The Thing’s Powers Allow Him To Live (Close To) Forever

Though Ben Grimm, aka the Thing, seems to have the simplest power set in the entire Fantastic Four, his rocky exterior and super strength provide him with much more than the resources to just tussle with the Hulk from time to time. In Fantastic Four #605, it is revealed in the far future that Ben Grimm is still breathing, kept alive by his non-human biology and DNA makeup.

Alongside a similarly nigh-immortal Franklin Richards, the Thing of the 51st century is still as lovable and heroic as ever, and though his powers have often been considered a curse, the chance to keep the legacy of Marvel’s greatest superhero team alive for centuries is a privilege for Ben Grimm.

1

The Fantastic Four Established Tons of Vital Marvel Lore

Many Aspects of the Marvel Universe That Fans Love Originated with The Fantastic Four

With the Fantastic Four being the core of the Marvel Universe for so long following their inception, it stands to reason that a large chunk of the Marvel Universe lends its existence to the FF. Characters like the Watcher, Silver Surfer, and Galactus all appeared first in Fantastic Four stories, and entire civilizations like the Skrulls and Inhumans were established in the pages of Fantastic Four.

Without the Fantastic Four, fans wouldn’t have epic events like Secret Wars, Secret Invasion, or Ultimate Invasion. The ever-popular Black Panther was first introduced in Fantastic Four, so fans wouldn’t be able to enjoy the Wakandan warrior on the big screen without Marvel’s First Family. There are so many facets of the world of Marvel that fans adore and owe everything to the foundation the FF built. They are Marvel’s most important superhero team, and they deserve the utmost respect from fans of anything in the Marvel Universe.

“}]] The Fantastic Four have had a long and complex history over the years, and there are tons of things about Marvel’s First Family that fans don’t know.  Read More