Meet the Strangest Fantastic Four Yet: Sharks, Skrulls, and More!

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As a passionate movie enthusiast, I find myself captivated by the intriguing predicament the Fantastic Four find themselves in with “One World Under Doom”. The world is now under the rule of Doctor Doom, and every time the Fantastic Four and the Avengers have attempted to challenge him, they’ve been defeated, appearing as mere fools before the formidable Doom.

In a move that initially seemed benevolent, Doom managed to cure the Thing of his powers in “Fantastic Four” #31, an action that would later prove to be a significant problem for the team. The loss of the Thing’s power poses a threat to the existence of the Fantastic Four as their own powers start to malfunction.

The reason behind this predicament was unveiled in 2017’s “Marvel Two-In-One” — if the team members are separated for too long, they lose their powers. This includes instances where one member loses their power because their cosmic radiation seems to feed off itself within their bodies. This dire circumstance forces the team to make a desperate decision.

The particular cosmic rays, responsible for bestowing the Fantastic Four with their superpowers, are extremely elusive, leading the team to conclude that there’s only one place – the past – where they can almost certainly encounter such radiation again. Yet, instead of returning to their own past, they opt to journey through different universes’ pasts, aiming to expose Ben and restore his powers without tampering with the timeline. However, their plan takes a chaotic turn when they discover that not every Fantastic Four in other dimensions resembles them.

There are Some Wild Fantastic Four Variants Out There

The Fantastic Four opted to dive into multiple dimensions instead of merely traveling through time, as a precaution against accidentally altering their own origin narrative. Typically, they encounter alternate versions of themselves, with unusual twists – like Sue and Johnny instantly clashing, attempting to eliminate each other. In one universe, Sue’s ability to become invisible goes out of control, compelling her to wear a mask so others can see her. In another, Reed’s elasticity causes his body to weaken the more he stretches. There are also universes where they witness various interpretations of their team, struggling repeatedly to restore Ben Grimm’s powers.

In one universe, the Skrulls have a counterpart to the Fantastic Four, but it’s unclear if this is due to the Skrulls taking over Earth or because this version of the team are infiltrators. In another universe, the Fantastic Four aren’t humans, but rather sentient sharks. There’s also a universe where Ben Grimm is the only original member remaining, with Reed Richards replaced by Wolverine who can stretch his claws, Bruce Banner transformed into Hulk Torch, and Thor gaining Invisible Woman’s powers. This version of the Fantastic Four is particularly strange, as the Hulk and Wolverine have been team members before, but their presence on this space mission and acquisition of these specific powers is unusual. Similarly, Thor’s inclusion in the team is unexpected. Despite its peculiarities, this team composition is quite intriguing.

All of the Fantastic Four’s Caution Doesn’t Matter

The strategy devised by the Fantastic Four to restore the Thing’s powers demonstrates an exceptional degree of carefulness. Since they can’t obliterate their own history, venturing into the multiverse appears to be a wise move. Yet, as they traverse one universe after another, Ben Grimm never recovers his abilities. This prolonged period without his powers leaves him increasingly despondent — transforming his sadness over losing them into utter hopelessness. In desperation, he decides to lead the team on a risky journey — back into the past of the 616 universe.

In the story, The Thing manages to restore his powers just in time to shield Marvel-1 from a cosmic ray tempest. The Fantastic Four’s spacecraft touches down on Earth, but they lack their usual abilities. Overcome by despair, Ben makes a regrettable decision that results in the elimination of the Fantastic Four. As the comic concludes, the world has undergone significant transformation, but there remains a glimmer of hope: Valeria Richards retains her memories and survives in this new reality.

Fantastic Four #31 is on sale now.

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2025-05-04 01:39