When an experimental space flight exposes four astronauts — Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Johnny Storm and Ben Grimm — to cosmic rays, they become forever changed with superhuman abilities, leading them to become Marvel’s “first family.”
Before the Marvel family suits up for the upcoming film “The Fantastic Four: First Steps,” coming to theaters July 25, here is a guide to understanding the family of superheroes, from their comic beginnings to the various movies they have been featured in over the years.
The history behind the Fantastic Four
Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch and The Thing made their first appearance in November 1961, when Stan Lee and Jack Kirby produced the comic book “Fantastic Four #1,″ according to CBR.
Their arrival started a new era of comic books, as well as the Marvel Age of Comics. As the team of four adventurers fought off various villains that threatened their world, they quickly became the world’s most famous and influential family of superheroes, per CBR.
However, the Fantastic Four began to struggle in the 1990s, as new mutants were introduced to Marvel Comics. Fans deemed the heroes “old-fashioned and uncool.”
They resurfaced over the years multiple times, but without much success until 2018’s “Fantastic Four #1″ comic brought Reed and Sue back to Earth after they set out into the Multiverse to repair the damage done at the end of 2015’s “Secret Wars.”
CBR stated that if it wasn’t for the original success of Marvel’s first family, there may not have been the Avengers or the X-Men.
Members of the Fantastic Four
Meet the members of the superhero family, from who they were before their adventures in space to the abilities they received afterward, according to Marvel’s official website.
Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic
With a specialty in robotics, aviation and quantum physics, Reed Richards is considered one of the world’s most intelligent humans. He uses this brilliance to better the world while also exploring what’s beyond his knowledge.
After being exposed to cosmic rays during the expedition to space, Reed became able to manipulate his limbs and body to stretch to various lengths, as well as mold to any form and to various degrees of densities. He also has superhuman durability.
Sue Storm/Invisible Woman
After losing her parents at a young age, the intelligent Sue Storm became a mother figure to her younger brother, Johnny Storm. She first met Reed while he was living at her aunt’s home, and since then, they have been inseparable. Together, they founded the Fantastic Four.
Upon returning from the space expedition, Sue discovered she had various abilities, with her ability of invisibility being the source of her superhero name, Invisible Woman.
Additionally, her powers include energy shields created by bending wavelengths of light, psionic forcefields, telepathic defense, invisible constructs, explosions and levitation.
With these abilities, the Invisible Woman eventually rose above the rest, becoming the most powerful member of the family of superheroes.
Johnny Storm/Human Torch
Younger brother to Sue Storm, Johnny Storm is more of a wild soul who yearns for adventure, whether he can find it with the Fantastic Four, other super groups or by himself.
Johnny returned from the space expedition with the ability to light himself on fire, thus giving him the name Human Torch.
But it doesn’t stop there. Johnny can manipulate his fire-wielding ability by temperature and density, allowing him to be able to blanket a large area or do more detailed work.
Ben Grimm/The Thing
Best friend to Reed Richards and a talented pilot, Ben Grimm can fly almost any kind of craft and has a heart of gold.
Out of all the Fantastic Four members, Ben was affected the most drastically by the space expedition — he woke up with a rocky exterior, and the public gave him the title of The Thing.
But it wasn’t all bad, as he still had his pilot skills and received superhuman strength and durability.
Enemies of the Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four have many enemies throughout the comics, but here are three that can be seen in previous films as well as the upcoming film, according to Marvel’s official website.
Doctor Doom
Victor Von Doom is a brilliant scientist from a small European nation called Latveria. He has his eye on world domination, but living in the shadow of Reed Richards makes this much harder than he would like.
Victor first met Reed at America’s State University in New York. This is also where an experiment with one of his devices blew up in his face, leaving small scars on his face and causing him to get expelled.
Despising his scars, Victor went to Tibet and learned secrets from a group of monks, who created his suit of armor and iron mask that were made for war.
His scientific knowledge continued to help him as he created an army of robot soldiers, known as Doombots, that do his bidding. He also created a heavily fortified and technologically sophisticated Kingdom of Latveria.
Doctor Doom is the first villain the Fantastic Four encounter in both the 2005 and 2015 films. In “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer” (2007), Doom is recruited by the team to help them stop the Silver Surfer, but he also has other plans brewing.
Galactus
Known as the Devourer of Worlds, Galactus is the most feared being in existence as he travels the universe devouring planet after planet.
At first, this gigantic being only grew hungry every few centuries and only fed on uninhabited planets. But when his appetite increased, he began to consume inhabited planets, rationalizing this by deeming himself to be a superior being.
While the heroes are warned about Galactus coming to devour Earth in the 2007 film, “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer,” he is never actually seen in the film. However, he will make an appearance in “The Fantastic Four: First Steps.”
Silver Surfer
The Silver Surfer is a herald for the mighty Galactus, who seeks out new worlds for the World-Eater to consume.
Originally, the Silver Surfer is from the planet Zenn-La, where he was given the name Norrin Radd, but when Galactus threatened to consume his planet, Norrin made a deal with Galactus to save his planet.
Norrin became the Silver Surfer after Galactus transformed him into a cosmic-powered super-being with silver skin.
This Silver Surfer appears in “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer,” while a different version of the character will be in “The Fantastic Four: First Steps.”
‘Fantastic Four’ movies
The Fantastic Four have been featured in various movies and TV shows over the years, but the following three movies — though they aren’t all connected by a multiverse — are more well known than others.
‘Fantastic Four’ (2005)
Rating: PG-13
Streaming: Disney+
Starring Ioan Gruffudd as Reed Richards, Jessica Alba as Sue Storm, Chris Evans as Johnny Storm and Michael Chiklis as Ben Grimm, “Fantastic Four” follows the team of superheroes as they learn to manage their powers after being exposed to cosmic radiation in space.
But the four astronauts weren’t the only ones affected. Their sponsor, Victor Von Doom, was also affected and becomes a dangerous enemy. Now the Fantastic Four must work together to stop him before it’s too late.
‘Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer’ (2007)
Rating: PG
Streaming: Disney+
With Reed and Sue finally ready to tie the knot, things seem to be going well for the team. That is, until a mysterious man on a floating board — known as the Silver Surfer (Laurence Fishburne) — crashes the ceremony to warn the heroes that the Devourer of Worlds, Galactus, is coming.
In this sequel to the 2005 film, the Fantastic Four band together to stop the Devourer of Worlds, but first they will have to recruit the help of an old foe, according to IMDb.
‘Fantastic Four’ (2015)
Rating: PG-13
Streaming: Disney+
Professor Franklin Storm (Reg E. Cathey), the director of a government-sponsored research institution for young prodigies, recruits Reed Richards (Miles Teller) and his best friend Ben Grimm (Jamie Bell) to help create a teleportation device called the “Quantum Gate” alongside scientist Sue Storm (Kate Mara), engineer Johnny Storm (Michael B. Jordan) and designer Victor Von Doom (Toby Kebbell), according to IMDb.
After finishing the device, Reed, Ben, Johnny and Victor travel to a parallel universe where they explore the landscape of the new planet. But when things become dangerous, only Reed, Ben and Johnny are able to make it back, with the help of Sue on the other side. But a blast leaves all four of them with superhuman abilities that they must learn to use together to stop a former friend they believed to be dead, per IMDb.
What’s coming in ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’
In “The Fantastic Four: First Steps,” the family of superheroes will have to learn how to balance their new roles as heroes and their family bond as they face their biggest threat yet — the world-eating space god, Galactus (Ralph Ineson).
As the film takes on a 1960s-themed, retro-futuristic look, Pedro Pascal will star as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic alongside Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/Human Torch and Edon Moxx-Bachrach as the invincible Ben Grimm/The Thing.
Director Matt Shakman described the film as “a combination of Marvel and ‘Apollo 11,′“ according to The Wrap.
“We are our own universe, which is wonderful and liberating,” Shakman told Empire. “There’s really no (other) superheroes. There’s no Easter eggs. There’s no running into Iron Man or whatever. They’re it in this universe. I love the interconnected Marvel Universe, but we get to do something so new and so different.
“Eventually this world will meet up with other worlds — but for now this is our own little corner,” he adds.
Marvel’s first family has been confirmed to appear in the company’s upcoming film, “Avengers: Doomsday,” according to Discussing Film on X.
Watch the trailer for the upcoming film featuring the superhero family, which will be in theaters July 25.
Catch up on the legacy of the Fantastic Four before their new movie hits theaters. Read More
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