TheFantastic Fourare pillars of the Marvel Universe. Thanks to legendary creators Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, these heroes stand for the purity of the Marvel world. But over the years, they have transformed from a family with simple superpowers into the most brilliant team of the Marvel Universe with adventures as mind-bending asMister Fantastic’sstretching powers - and his powers can get awfully disturbing.
InAnnihilation: Scourge - Fantastic Four#1by Christos Gage, Diego Olortegui, Cam Smith, Scott Hanna, Juan Vlasco, Erick Arciniega, and Travis Lanham,the Fantastic Fourinvestigates a dimensional tear, only to find themselves pitted against the Ftaghn Four, the corrupted FF of the Cancerverse, transformed by the Many-Angled Ones. This dark version of Marvel’s favorite heroes is not just a connected family, but a mass of flesh held together by demonic tendrils.
But it gets even darker than that, as it turns out that this version ofMister Fantastic is the very source of corruption;like a puppetmaster, his stretching tendrils are controlling the Ftaghn Four, showing just how wicked his powers can be.
Mister Fantastic’s Not Just All Brains With His Stretching Powers
His Genius Has a Real Dark Side
Reed Richards is agenius who can rewrite the Multiverse. A brilliant scientist from his very creation alongside his super-team in 1961’sFantastic Four#1 by Lee and Kirby, his powers have always taken a back seat. Most often in his adventures, he’s dealing with trans-dimensional issues or time travel or even dealing with anotherevil version of himself who created the Ultimate Universe.Mister Fantastic is without a doubt one of the best minds of his generation- maybe every generation.
Reed Richards' powers aren’t just about plasticity but about stretching his body beyond its human limits and into the minds of others.
Compared to his brilliant mind, Reed’s powers often seem sillier and a relic of the sixties. Yet, as seen in this issue,his stretchiness might have more sway over the battle than previously thought. In this dark light, Reed Richards' powers aren’t just about plasticity but about stretching his body beyond its human limits and into the minds of others.This version of Mister Fantastic becomes a parasite that reaches into his companions' mindsand uses them as extensions of himself in a twist on his power never before seen.
Mister Fantastic’s Nightmarish Stretching Powers Show a Darker Side to His Genius
Fantastic Four#22 Cover by Alex Ross
While it’s not the first time thatReed Richards' powers have been disturbing, there’s a dichotomy constantly at play between Mister Fantastic’s brilliant mind and his unreal body horror. This duality between mental gymnastics and actual gymnastics showsthe two states of this hero: his enlightened form and a base, animal form.The only way to control how disturbing his powers can get, then, is by using his mind.
Reed Richards’ Hyperglove Is the Ultimate Heroic Answer to Thanos’ Infinity Gauntlet
One invention in Mister Fantastic’s future combines his genius with a predictive power that could render Thanos and other major threats obsolete.
Reed Richards from Earth 616 is the only one who is able to break the dark bond, as he reminds the controlled Ftaghn Four of the lives they could have lived without the parasitic influence. They break free of the wicked Reed’s corruption, and the Fantastic Four are able to save the dimension. But the nightmare fuel of what Reed Richards could be asMister Fantasticis enough to stick withFantastic Fourfans for a while, like an elastic hand reaching from a distance.
Fantastic Four
TheFantastic Fouris a superhero franchise centered on Marvel Comics' first family of superheroes. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the team made its comic book debut in 1961 and quickly became a cornerstone of Marvel’s success. The franchise follows four astronauts—Reed Richards, Susan Storm, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm—who gain superpowers after being exposed to cosmic radiation. Over the years,Fantastic Fourhas been adapted into several live-action films, animated series, and video games. The films have seen multiple reboots, with varying levels of success, and are now set to be integrated into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), with a new film slated for release in 2025.
