GRGR(31) - The Four F's

[David Morris]

The Fatally Flawed Floundering Four (4F's), have their anachronistic roots 
in the 1961 DC Comic's Fantastic Four:

1.  Dr. Reed Richards is a scientist, who, prior to Issue #1 had been
working on a space craft, which was about to have its funding cut off.  In a 
last ditch attempt to get the flight off the ground, Reed, his fiance (Sue 
Storm), his fiance's brother (Johnny Storm), and one of his college 
classmates and a test pilot (Ben Grimm), snuck through security to take the 
shuttle for a test flight.  Turns out that there wasn't enough shielding, 
and the Fantastic Four was born.

Reed is the brains behind the FF, and he was basically their leader for the 
first 381 Issues or so, until his "death".  Since then the team's leadership 
has come into question. He and Sue were married in Annual #3, and their 
child, Franklin was born in Annual #6.  Reed's father, Nathaniel Richards, 
was introduced in Issue #273.

Reed has the ability to stretch or reform his body in just about any way
that he chooses.  He can stretch to about 1500 feet before the onset of
pain.  He can use his body as a sort of a catapault for both objects and
people; this catapaulting ability can be used to fire projectiles back at
their original firer.  He often uses his body to wrap around people that he 
wishes to detain. He can reduce his molecular cohesion, and become a "blob" 
of sorts. He can expand his body and use it as a makeshift glider.  He can 
slim down enough for his body to fit through the eye of a needle.

Mr. Fantastic is often considered the weakest member of the group, although 
he must have some element of super strength, considering the people and 
items that he has picked up/catapaulted/ ferried, etc.

2.  Sue is Johnny's sister, Reed's Wife, Franklin's mommy, etc., etc., etc. 
She is older than Johnny, and younger than Reed. Initially, she didn't have 
much to do on the team than be a nurturing, etc, traditional female comic 
book character.  She would often faint after "overexerting" herself with one 
of her force fields.

Later, however, she became more independant, abandoning the title "The
Invisible Girl" in Issue #284 for the more appropriate "The Invisible
Woman."  Recently, when Reed died, she assumed leadership of the team (in
Issue #382).  Since Reed returned, the team's leadership has been in
question, though it was generally accepted that Reed would resume leading, 
we often see Sue calling the shots.

The Invisible Woman has two basic powers : the power to make things
invisible, and the power to create invisible force fields.  Lately, it has 
been under speculation that her powers originate from Hyperspace, and that 
she might be the strongest member of the team. As far as invisibility goes, 
she can make herself, or just about anything else, invisible to normal 
sight.  The larger the object, of course, the more strain it places upon 
her, and the shorter amount of time she can keep it up.  Some beings have 
the means to see her through means other than
sight.

3.  Johnny Storm is brother to Sue Storm Richards, brother-in-law to Reed
Richards, son of Franklin Richards, uncle to Franklin Richards II.  When
introduced in FF #1, Johnny Storm was a 17 year old "hothead" with an
affinity for fine (fast) automobiles.  He owns a Corvette, a sign of
his impetuousness, as the "kid" of the group.

In the letter which Stan Lee wrote stating the original bios and powers of 
the FF, he said that Johnny Storm's greatest power would be that he could 
fly, since the comics code would not allow him to burn people or throw 
fireballs (see Issue #358).  Originally he was only supposed to be able to 
fly for about five minutes before he "flamed off." Well, things have changed 
a little bit. He does throw fireballs (usually at unliving things), he does 
burn people (including Reed!  See Issue #358), and he can fly much longer.

When Johnny becomes the Human Torch, he usually yells "Flame On!"  Anyway, 
he needs oxygen to burn (obviously), so when he gets out of control, his 
sister can encase him in a force field until he uses up all of the oxygen. 
He can't fly unless he is aflame, so he can't fly in outer space.

His control of his flame and his flying are very precise.  He can melt the 
insides of a lock with out destroying it, can stop on a dime (literally), 
and can fly at speeds of up to 150 mph.

4.  Ben Grimm is the hideously misshapen monster known as the Thing. Once a 
World War II veteran and ace test pilot, his life was changed forever on 
that fateful day when he was goaded by "Suzie" to fly Reed's ship. Sue even 
gave him his frighteningly appropriate name; "Ben's turned into some kind of
a -- Thing!"

Early on (and between issues #238-245) Ben was a lumpy Thing, unlike the
rocky Thing we now know and love. Also, early on he was depicted as
something of a monster with an incredible temper. He never truly got over
being the Thing, although he did calm down -- a lot. Reed once theorized
that Ben could change between his human form and the Thing at will. However, 
Ben subconciously believed that Alicia Masters loved him only because he was 
the Thing, and therefore his subconcious blocked his ability to become human 
again.

To be contiued....
DM

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