7 Worst Moments From Fantastic Four Comics

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I remember when I first discovered the Fantastic Four – they were Marvel’s very first superhero team! Their first comic, Fantastic Four #1, was the start of everything for Marvel. It introduced Reed Richards, Susan Storm, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm – the family who accidentally gained superpowers after a space trip gone wrong. They quickly became one of the most iconic teams in the Marvel Universe. But honestly, looking back, not everything they’ve done is something to be proud of. There are definitely moments they should probably cringe about!

This article explores the most problematic actions and interpersonal issues within the Fantastic Four, from their everyday interactions to truly unforgivable deeds.

7) Reed Richards’ Constant Demeaning of His Wife

Looking back at the early days of Marvel, one thing really bothered me – how female characters were written. It felt like heroes like Wasp were often reduced to just being interested in things like shopping and getting attention from the male heroes. And even in a team like the Fantastic Four, Sue Storm wasn’t really treated as an equal. It was frustrating to see Reed Richards constantly talk down to her, too. It just didn’t feel right.

Reed Richards is often considered a terrible husband in Marvel Comics, and his behavior towards his wife, Sue, makes him a difficult teammate as well. Sue has left him multiple times, and many fans believe she should have stayed away permanently, given his consistent disrespect. This poor treatment contributes to his reputation as one of Marvel’s most disliked heroes.

6) Fantastic Four Pulled The Thing Out of Heaven

In comic books, characters rarely stay dead, and that’s true for the Fantastic Four as well. During a fight with Doctor Doom, Doom managed to take over Ben Grimm’s body and almost killed Johnny Storm. Ben regained control and asked Reed Richards to kill him, but Reed refused. Instead of accepting Ben’s death, Reed embarked on a quest to travel to Heaven and bring him back to life.

Okay, so this story had one genuinely clever twist – the reveal of God as Jack Kirby was a fun little nod. But honestly, the core of it left me cold. It turns out Reed knew Ben had passed on, but chose to pull him out of Heaven just so he wouldn’t lose his teammate. It felt incredibly selfish, especially when the story revealed Ben couldn’t even get into Heaven in the first place because of a device Reed himself had created! It was a real roadblock to Ben finding peace, all so Reed could keep the Fantastic Four intact. It just didn’t sit right with me.

5) Human Torch’s Cheating Ways

Okay, let me tell you, as a huge Marvel fan, Johnny Storm – the Human Torch – really gets on my nerves sometimes. He’s just… incredibly unreliable. And honestly, his constant chasing after romantic interests has caused so many problems for the Fantastic Four. It feels like every mission gets complicated because he can’t control himself. The worst example? Definitely when he pursued Alicia Masters, knowing full well how deeply Ben Grimm loved her. It was a really low move, and it just showed a complete lack of respect for his teammate and a friend.

Things got even more difficult for Johnny when his actions had personal consequences. He attended Doctor Doom’s wedding in Latveria and ended up having an affair with Doom’s future wife, leading Doom to curse him with an inability to control his flames. On top of that, Johnny formed a deep connection with Kaila, only to end the relationship, and his history of casual relationships has consistently created more trouble than happiness.

4) Reed Richards Creates Negative Zone Prison

Throughout his history in Marvel Comics, Reed Richards has made some questionable decisions. One of his most criticized actions wasn’t related to the Fantastic Four, but rather his involvement in the Civil War storyline. Alongside Hank Pym and Tony Stark, Reed helped create a prison for superheroes in the Negative Zone, and they used it to detain any heroes who wouldn’t comply with the Superhero Registration Act.

The story had several major flaws. The depiction of the Civil War was off-base, with heroes battling each other over Iron Man’s insistence on unquestioning obedience to a government with a questionable track record. Reed Richards’ decision to imprison his friends and allies in the Negative Zone was shocking, and his creation of a Thor clone that killed Bill Foster ultimately led to his separation from Sue Storm.

3) Invisible Woman’s Possession by Malice

Although Reed Richards often needed to be challenged by Susan Storm, the story arc where she finally confronted him sparked a lot of debate. Marvel made a good decision allowing her to be known as the Invisible Woman instead of the Invisible Girl, but that same storyline unfortunately had her adopting overly revealing clothing and showing it off to her family without seeming to realize how inappropriate it was.

Her constant conflicts with Reed became so central to the Fantastic Four comics that they lost their focus on superhero adventures and felt more like a dramatic soap opera. Even when Marvel portrayed Sue asserting herself, it turned out to be due to possession by a villain named Malice, which ultimately undermined her strength and reduced her to a character needing rescue instead of being a powerful heroine.

2) Reed Richards Puts Franklin Into a Coma

Franklin Richards was born in the Negative Zone, and a unique combination of this environment and cosmic energy from his parents gave him incredible powers, making him one of Marvel’s strongest characters. Even as a young child, Franklin was beginning to control these abilities. In The Fantastic Four comics, he’s shown creating whole universes, complete with planets and life, within his own mind and in separate, smaller dimensions.

Okay, so in the latest comic run, things get really dark with Reed Richards and his son, Franklin. It turns out Franklin’s powers were escalating beyond anyone’s control, and Reed, in a truly shocking move, decided to take matters into his own hands. Without even talking to Sue, he essentially put Franklin in a coma with a special ray, hoping to find a way to dampen his abilities. Honestly, it was a terrible decision, and completely understandable why Susan left him right after. Seeing a parent do that to their child… it’s just heartbreaking, and a turning point in their relationship, to say the least.

1) The Council of Reeds

Reed Richards, a brilliant scientist, built a device called the Bridge that could travel between different universes. However, this technology wasn’t unique to his world – other versions of Reed Richards on alternate Earths also developed it. This led to a meeting with a council composed of Reeds from across the multiverse.

This organization was founded by three Reeds who each possessed an Infinity Gauntlet. They recruited other versions of themselves to secretly control events and safeguard the multiverse, believing they knew what was best. While the Reed from Earth-616 made a wise choice by refusing to join their Council, his refusal to destroy the Bridge proved problematic, as it allowed some rebellious Reeds to invade his reality. This demonstrated that, despite his brilliance, Reed could be a risky hero.

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2025-11-19 01:41