The
Fantastic Four is a team of
comic book
A comic book, also called comicbook, comic magazine or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) simply comic, is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are of ...
superheroes in the
Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...
universe
The universe is all of space and time and their contents, including planets, stars, galaxies, and all other forms of matter and energy. The Big Bang theory is the prevailing cosmological description of the development of the universe. ...
. Although the name suggests the team only has four members, in reality a number of other characters have, at one point or another, been considered members. Bold indicates current team member.
Fantastic Four
Close associates
A number of characters are closely affiliated with the team, share complex personal histories with one or more of its members but have never actually held an official membership. They include but are not limited to:
*
Agatha Harkness
Agatha Harkness is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She is a powerful witch, typically portrayed as a friend and teacher of Scarlet Witch, Wanda Maximoff, as well as the mother of Nicholas Scratc ...
: Agatha is initially hired by the Richards as a nanny for Franklin, and she is a witch from the
Salem Witch Trials
The Salem witch trials were a series of hearings and prosecutions of people accused of witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts between February 1692 and May 1693. More than 200 people were accused. Thirty people were found guilty, 19 of whom w ...
.
*
Alicia Masters
Alicia Reiss Masters is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She is usually depicted as a supporting character to the superheroes the Fantastic Four and Silver Surfer. Created by Stan Lee and Jack ...
: Alicia is a
blind sculptress
Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable s ...
, stepdaughter of the
supervillain Puppet Master, and a longtime love interest of the Thing, as her blindness allows her to see the man inside rather than what he lookes like. She also has a close relationship with
Silver Surfer
The Silver Surfer is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character also appears in a number of movies, television, and video game adaptations. The character was created by Jack Kirby and first a ...
and travels with him for some time, and she is a frequent caretaker of Franklin and Valeria.
*
Doctor Doom: He and Mister Fantastic attended college together, and he blames Richards for an experiment gone wrong which scarred his face. As the
monarch
A monarch is a head of stateWebster's II New College DictionarMonarch Houghton Mifflin. Boston. 2001. p. 707. for life or until abdication, and therefore the head of state of a monarchy. A monarch may exercise the highest authority and power i ...
of
Latveria
Latveria is a fictional country appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is depicted within the storylines of Marvel's comic titles as an isolated European country ruled by the fictional Supreme Lord Doctor Doom, suppo ...
, he is the team's most deadly foe, although he sometimes helps them, such as when he aids in the birth of
Valeria Richards
Valeria Meghan Richards, originally von Doom, is a fictional character of Marvel Comics, the daughter of Mister Fantastic (Reed Richards) and the Invisible Woman (Susan Storm-Richards) and goddaughter of Doctor Victor von Doom. She is the young ...
.
*
H.E.R.B.I.E. (Humanoid Experimental Robot, B-type, Integrated Electronics): H.E.R.B.I.E. is a robotic ally who first appeared in the
1978 Fantastic Four animated television series before being introduced into regular Marvel Universe continuity. The original H.E.R.B.I.E. is destroyed fighting
Doctor Sun
Dagger
Dagoth
Dagoth is a demon who has clashed with Doctor Strange.
Daken
Dakimh the Enchanter
Damballah
Daniel Whitehall
Daniel Whitehall is a British intelligence agent also known as the Kraken.
An elite assassin and member of the t ...
. Reed Richards builds later generations of H.E.R.B.I.E.s to act as a nanny/guardian for Franklin and Valeria.
*
Inhuman Royal Family: Despite an initial conflict due to a misunderstanding, the Inhuman Royal Family is closely associated with the Fantastic Four, particularly
Medusa
In Greek mythology, Medusa (; Ancient Greek: Μέδουσα "guardian, protectress"), also called Gorgo, was one of the three monstrous Gorgons, generally described as winged human females with living venomous snakes in place of hair. Those ...
and
Crystal
A crystal or crystalline solid is a solid material whose constituents (such as atoms, molecules, or ions) are arranged in a highly ordered microscopic structure, forming a crystal lattice that extends in all directions. In addition, macro ...
, who have both been members of the team.
*
Kristoff Vernard
Kristoff Vernard (formerly known as Kristoff von Doom and Dr. Doom) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The adoptive son of Victor von Doom and biological son of Nathaniel Richards (and half-brot ...
: Kristoff is the former heir of
Doctor Doom. While under the delusion that he was the real Doctor Doom, Kristoff destroys the original
Baxter Building
The Baxter Building is a fictitious 35-story office building appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The building is depicted in Manhattan, and its five upper floors house the Fantastic Four's headquarters.
Publication hist ...
.
*
Lyja
Lyja is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. A Skrull, she possesses the ability to shapeshift into almost any humanoid or animal form. Modifications on her body give her the power to generate energy ...
: Lyja is a female
Skrull
The Skrulls are a fictional race of extraterrestrial shapeshifters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Skrulls first appeared in ''Fantastic Four'' #2 and were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. They originated fro ...
trained as an
espionage
Espionage, spying, or intelligence gathering is the act of obtaining secret or confidential information (intelligence) from non-disclosed sources or divulging of the same without the permission of the holder of the information for a tangib ...
agent. She secretly replaces Alicia between the events of ''The Thing'' #10 and ''Fantastic Four'' #265 (both April 1984). She falls in love with the Human Torch, and they eventually marry. Her identity was revealed in ''Fantastic Four'' #357–358 (October–November 1991), albeit as a
retcon
Retroactive continuity, or retcon for short, is a literary device in which established diegetic facts in the plot of a fictional work (those established through the narrative itself) are adjusted, ignored, supplemented, or contradicted by a subs ...
. Lyja helped the team recover the original Alicia to prove that she could be trusted. Her allegiances have since been divided between her native race and her new family, particularly her husband.
*
Namor the Sub-Mariner
Namor (), also known as the Sub-Mariner, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Debuting in early 1939, the character was created by writer-artist Bill Everett for comic book packager Funnies Inc ...
: Initially cured of
amnesia by the Human Torch, Namor has been both an ally and an enemy to the team. Namor and the Invisible Woman have occasionally been romantically attracted, though she eventually chooses to marry Mister Fantastic.
*
Roberta
''Roberta'' is a musical from 1933 with music by Jerome Kern, and lyrics and book by Otto Harbach. The musical is based on the novel ''Gowns by Roberta'' by Alice Duer Miller. It features the songs " Yesterdays", "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes", "Let ...
: An android (refers to herself as a "mechanized human") built by Reed Richards to function solely as the Fantastic Four's receptionist. She has proven to be a reliable ally and has shown to be capable of turning away protruders by force.
*
Silver Surfer
The Silver Surfer is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character also appears in a number of movies, television, and video game adaptations. The character was created by Jack Kirby and first a ...
: Silver Surfer was initially at odds with the Fantastic Four as a herald of Galactus when he comes to devour Earth. It is his encounter with the Fantastic Four that persuades him to rebel against his master and drive Galactus away from Earth. Since then, he is a friend and frequent ally of the team.
*
Molecule Man: Owen Reece was a weak and shy boy who was bullied by everyone. Later, when he grew up, he became a laboratory technician on a Nuclear plant, where he gained powers from a particle generator which bombarded him with an unknown form of radiation. The radiation had a mutagenic effect on Reece, releasing his potential for psionic powers on a cosmic scale. Reece could now control all matter, even down to the molecular level, and all energy. Using his newfound powers he went to take revenge on his bullies. He often came in conflict with the team, but at times, he also worked with them, acting as an
anti-hero
An antihero (sometimes spelled as anti-hero) or antiheroine is a main character in a story who may lack conventional heroic qualities and attributes, such as idealism, courage, and morality. Although antiheroes may sometimes perform action ...
.
*
Thundra
Thundra is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She is often aligned with the Fantastic Four. She is a powerful, red haired, amazon-like warrior, or Femizon, from a matriarchal, technologically a ...
: Thundra is a
Femizon warrior who originates from a
matriarchal technologically advanced society in an alternate reality's 23rd century. She initially appears as a member of convenience of the
Frightful Four
The Frightful Four are a group of fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. They serve as the antithesis to the Fantastic Four.
Publication history
The Frightful Four first appeared in ''Fantastic Four'' ...
, but her true purpose was to challenge the Thing as she believes he is the strongest male warrior in history. She goes on to become a frequent ally of the team and shows romantic interest in the Thing.
*
Uatu the Watcher: Uatu is a member of the Watchers, an
extraterrestrial race that monitors and records the activities of other planets, who are forbidden from interfering. Uatu has shown an affinity for humanity, particularly the Fantastic Four, and has occasionally broken this rule to assist them.
[''Fantastic Four'' #48 (March 1966)]
*
Wyatt Wingfoot: Johnny Storm's college friend,
Native American sometime-adventurer, and one-time love interest of
She-Hulk, Wyatt is the son of "Big Will Wingfoot," one of Empire State University's most legendary
football players.
New Fantastic Four
In ''Fantastic Four'' (1st series) #347–349 (December 1990 – February 1991) a female
Skrull
The Skrulls are a fictional race of extraterrestrial shapeshifters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Skrulls first appeared in ''Fantastic Four'' #2 and were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. They originated fro ...
alien
Alien primarily refers to:
* Alien (law), a person in a country who is not a national of that country
** Enemy alien, the above in times of war
* Extraterrestrial life, life which does not originate from Earth
** Specifically, intelligent extrater ...
who was both a
shape-shifter
In mythology, folklore and speculative fiction, shape-shifting is the ability to physically transform oneself through an inherently superhuman ability, divine intervention, demonic manipulation, sorcery, spells or having inherited ...
and a
telepath
Telepathy () is the purported vicarious transmission of information from one person's mind to another's without using any known human sensory channels or physical interaction. The term was first coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Frederic ...
managed to capture the team. Impersonating the Invisible Woman, she falsely reported the other members to be deceased and recruited four other heroes as a new Fantastic Four to avenge them, before dispatching them to try and steal a powerful weapon from the
Mole Man
The Mole Man (Harvey Rupert Elder) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Mole Man is a recurring foe of the Fantastic Four and was the first villain they ever faced. His schemes usually consist o ...
. Members of this short-lived team included:
*
The Hulk
The Hulk is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in the debut issue of ''The Incredible Hulk'' (May 1962). In his comic book ...
(in his grey "Mr. Fixit" persona)
*
Spider-Man. He had actually once applied for membership in the team in ''
The Amazing Spider-Man
''The Amazing Spider-Man'' is an ongoing American comic book series featuring the Marvel Comics superhero Spider-Man as its main protagonist. Being in the mainstream continuity of the franchise, it began publication in 1963 as a bimonthly per ...
'' (1st series) #1 (March 1963), but quit upon realization that he would not be paid. He and the Human Torch remain longtime friends.
*
Wolverine
The wolverine (), (''Gulo gulo''; ''Gulo'' is Latin for " glutton"), also referred to as the glutton, carcajou, or quickhatch (from East Cree, ''kwiihkwahaacheew''), is the largest land-dwelling species of the family Mustelidae. It is a muscul ...
*
Ghost Rider
Ghost Rider is the name of multiple antiheroes and superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Marvel had previously used the name for a Western character whose name was later changed to Phantom Rider.
The first s ...
(Danny Ketch)
In ''Fantastic Four'' (1st series) #374–375 (March 1993 – April 1993),
Dr. Strange brings this same team back together to arrest the
Human Torch
The Human Torch (Jonathan "Johnny" Storm) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is a founding member of the Fantastic Four. He is writer Stan Lee's and artist Jack Kirby's reinvention of a si ...
after he went nova and destroyed a whole quarter of the city. This story was the start for the ''
Secret Defenders
The Defenders are a set of superhero groups with rotating membership appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. They are usually presented as a "non-team" of individualistic "outsiders" who, in their prior adventures, are known ...
'' ongoing series.
In ''Wolverine'' #148 (January 2000) the team comes back together during the
Ages of Apocalypse
"The Ages of Apocalypse" is a series of sub-chapters to Marvel Comics' "The Twelve" saga, wherein En Sabah Nur finds himself trapped in the body of Scott Summers (Cyclops of X-Men) after a failed attempt to possess Nate Grey. Using his newfound ...
reality to fight
Arnim Zola
Arnim Zola is a supervillain appearing in American comic books by Marvel Comics. He is a master of biochemistry and a recurring enemy of Captain America and the Avengers. The character first appeared in '' Captain America and the Falcon'' #208 ...
,
Blastaar and
Annihilus
Annihilus () is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, primarily as an adversary to the Fantastic Four. The character debuted in ''Fantastic Four (comic book), Fantastic Four Annual'' #6, which was published i ...
with all four members wearing the popular blue FF costumes and the Hulk frequently switching between his various personalities. They also came together to battle a version of the
Wendigo
Wendigo () is a mythological creature or evil spirit originating from the folklore of Plains and Great Lakes Natives as well as some First Nations. It is based in and around the East Coast forests of Canada, the Great Plains region of the U ...
.
An alternate version of this team was temporarily summoned to the Marvel Universe by
Psycho-Man
Psycho-Man is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Publication history
Psycho-Man first appeared in '' Fantastic Four Annual'' #5 (Nov. 1967) and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.
Fictional cha ...
during the ''
Fear Itself'' storyline to defeat the Fearsome Four of
Howard the Duck
Howard the Duck is a fictional Character (arts), character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Steve Gerber and artist Val Mayerik. Howard the Duck first appeared in ''Adventure into F ...
,
She-Hulk,
Nighthawk
The nighthawk is a nocturnal bird of the subfamily Chordeilinae, within the nightjar family, Caprimulgidae, native to the western hemisphere. The term "nighthawk", first recorded in the King James Bible of 1611, was originally a local name in ...
, and
Frankenstein's Monster
Frankenstein's monster or Frankenstein's creature, often referred to as simply "Frankenstein", is a fictional character who first appeared in Mary Shelley's 1818 novel ''Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus''. Shelley's title thus compares ...
when Psycho-Man sought to turn
Man-Thing
The Man-Thing (Dr. Theodore "Ted" Sallis) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writers Stan Lee, Roy Thomas, and Gerry Conway and artist Gray Morrow, the character first appeared in ''S ...
into a fear bomb, but they were defeated by the use of Howard the Duck's secret weapon.
This team has also been shown in various ''
What If
What If may refer to:
Film
* ''What If'', a 2006 TV film starring Niall Buggy
* ''What If...'' (2010 film), an American film
* ''What If...'' (2012 film), a Greek film
* ''What If'' (2013 film) or ''The F Word'', a Canadian-Irish film
Telev ...
'' tales and a ''
Mini-Marvel'' one-shot.
A second team has appeared in the new ''
Venom
Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a st ...
'' series, the team's first appearance is in the six-part mini-series ''Circle of Four'' which started in ''Venom'' (Vol. 2) #13 (February 2012), the members of this team include:
*
Venom
Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a st ...
replacing Spider-Man.
*
Red Hulk
Red Hulk is an alias that is used by different fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. While the first two were created from members of the United States army, the third one is a form of Hulk's Joe Fixit ...
replacing the original Hulk.
*
X-23
Laura Kinney (born X-23; Pseudonym, codename Wolverine (character), Wolverine) is a fictional superhero appearing in media (communication), media published by Marvel Entertainment, most commonly in association with the X-Men. The character was cr ...
replacing Wolverine.
*
Ghost Rider
Ghost Rider is the name of multiple antiheroes and superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Marvel had previously used the name for a Western character whose name was later changed to Phantom Rider.
The first s ...
(Alejandra Jones) replacing Danny Ketch.
Starting with ''Ghost Rider'' Vol. 8 #1, a group of heroes form resembling that of the new fantastic four line-up with the
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
''Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'' is an American television series created by Joss Whedon, Jed Whedon, and Maurissa Tancharoen for ABC, based on the Marvel Comics organization S.H.I.E.L.D. (Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, an ...
as backup.
*
Silk
Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoons. The best-known silk is obtained from the ...
parallels Spider-Man.
*
Hulk (Amadeus Cho) parallels the original Hulk.
*
Wolverine
The wolverine (), (''Gulo gulo''; ''Gulo'' is Latin for " glutton"), also referred to as the glutton, carcajou, or quickhatch (from East Cree, ''kwiihkwahaacheew''), is the largest land-dwelling species of the family Mustelidae. It is a muscul ...
(Laura Kinney) parallels the original Wolverine.
*
Ghost Rider
Ghost Rider is the name of multiple antiheroes and superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Marvel had previously used the name for a Western character whose name was later changed to Phantom Rider.
The first s ...
(Robbie Reyes) parallels the Danny Ketch, Ghost Rider.
Fantastic Five
In the
MC2 alternate future, the team is known as the Fantastic Five and consists of the following members:
*Johnny Storm, the Human Torch
*Ben Grimm, the Thing
*Lyja Storm, Ms. Fantastic - Johnny's wife, a member of the shape-shifting Skrull race.
*Franklin Richards, Psi-Lord - Son of Reed and Sue.
*Jacob Grimm, Grim - The son of Ben Grimm and Sharon Ventura, he is similar in appearance to his father, and also possesses his strength levels.
*Big Brain (Earth-982) - Reed Richards built the robot Big Brain to act as a replacement for himself and his wife Susan, act independently but could also be operated remotely by Reed if his expertise was needed.
**Version 1.0: flight, generate force fields, and energy beams. Version 2.0: required a hovercart for flight and could not emit energy beams.
References
{{Fantastic Four
Fantastic Five Vol 1 #1
Published
October, 1999
Fantastic Four members, List of
Fantastic Four