How Did The Fantastic Four Become Superheroes? It Was Far From an Accident
The Fantastic Four's origin explains their powers.
The Fantastic Four are widely considered one of the best teams within the Marvel Universe, and this is due in large part to the formidable powers they can each harness. From Mister Fantastic's stretching abilities to the Thing's overwhelming strength, these heroes are a true force to be reckoned with. Now, as their long-awaited MCU debut approaches, it's worth revisiting how the Fantastic Four developed superpowers to begin with.
Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm all underwent shocking transformations on an expedition into space, though they didn't venture out with the intention of developing powers. Over the years, there have been numerous proposed interpretations of how this shift occurred within them, and each contributes to the bigger picture of how the Fantastic Four came to be.
With Fantastic Four: First Steps slated to arrive in movie theaters later this year, now marks the perfect time to explore the origin story of the titular team and examine how their varying powers manifested in the first place.
The Fantastic Four Received Their Powers Due to Exposure From Cosmic RaysCosmic Rays Have Given Various Characters SuperpowersThe earliest portrayal of the Fantastic Four's origin story can be found in 1961's Fantastic Four #1 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, which serves as the team's first appearance in Marvel lore. Reed Richards proposes a trip to space against his better judgment in order to win the Space Race, and his confidence in the calculations he'd done in advance causes him to invite others along with him. The four explorers set out into space, only to be struck off course by cosmic rays. Upon landing after their encounter with the rays, the Fantastic Four members discover that they've unlocked superpowers.
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Cosmic rays have a history of bestowing superpowers upon targets, just as they do with the Fantastic Four, so this experience isn't a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence despite its apparent implausibility. For instance, in Marvel Boy #1 by Grant Morrison and J.G. Jones, the villain Doctor Midas manipulates cosmic radiation in order to unlock his own mutation. Additionally, the Red Ghost - one of the first villains the Fantastic Four fought - has replicated the results of the team's flight to attain powers for himself and his Super-Apes. These rays are a tried-and-true method of upgrading oneself with superhuman abilities, though its discovery by the Fantastic Four may not have been accidental.
In the Fantastic Four's Case, The Cosmic Rays Were Targeted At ThemOne Retcon Suggests That the Fantastic Four Were Intentionally StruckAlthough Reed Richards is often blamed for the Fantastic Four's radiation exposure, since the shielding he prepared to combat them ended up failing, Dan Slott and Sean Izaakse's Fantastic Four #16 suggests a different explanation for the rays targeting the heroes. In this issue, it's revealed to them that the people of the Spyre purposefully aimed cosmic rays at their ship in order to ward them off, believing them to be hostile invaders. Retconning the origin story of the Fantastic Four into an intentional attack rewrites the very basis of their narrative, making it no accident.
Fantastic Four #46 by Dan Slott and CAFU rectifies this change by having Reed Richards admit that he'd still had a hand in causing the cosmic ray event by initiating the trip in the first place, even if his calculations were retconned to be correct.
In most takes on the Fantastic Four's backstory, Reed Richards causes their inciting incident via his own miscalculations, and he's forced to live with the consequences of his ego. For all his genius, Reed is far from perfect. However, the retcon where the Spyricans are the source of the rays absolves Mister Fantastic of his mistake and sanitizes his character. The Fantastic Four's origin is meant to be a tragedy that could have been avoided, hence why most interpretations neglect this aspect in favor of the original premise. Still, they've made the most of it, and the Marvel Universe is better off now that they have powers.
The Fantastic Four's Cosmic Ray Exposure Made Them The Heroes They Are TodayRegardless of How the Cosmic Rays Occurred, Their Impact Is MassiveThe circumstances that granted the Fantastic Four their powers may differ from one creative team to another, but at the end of the day, what matters is that the cosmic rays have turned them from ordinary people into superheroes. Even if Reed's miscalculations uproot his friends' lives, he is no less heroic than he would be if he'd simply been a victim of the Spyricans. Nowadays, the Fantastic Four are beloved figures within their universe, and they've used their abilities to save countless worlds. Accident or otherwise, the Fantastic Four's origin is a vital piece of Marvel history that spawned some of the greatest heroes around.
Fantastic FourThe Fantastic Four is 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 Four has 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.
SummaryThe Fantastic Four is 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 Four has 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.
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