Fantastic Four (Comic Book)/Awesome: Difference between revisions

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* [[Reed Richards Is Useless|Despite his general uselessness]], Reed Richards has his moments of awesome all the same.

** He has another when he manages to defeat Diablo, an immortal alchemist capable of summoning the four elements who had just beaten the entire team single-handedly, by {{spoiler|calmly stating the equation for calculating gravitational force. Diablo, who had been levitating for the past few issues as a demonstration of his increased power, crashes to the floor in horror, his powers completely gone.}}

** Walt Simonson's "Into the Time Stream" arc featured Reed shouting angrily at the [[Cosmic Horror|Black Celestial]], goading it to follow his team(including Iron Man and Thor) through time and space, finally tricking the Celestial into diving into a black hole created by Galactus. All this while he believed that his wife had just died.

** During the "Jersey Devil" two-parter in ''Marvel Knights'', he infiltrates an alien spaceship to rescue a couple of amateur film-makers, only for all of them to be sealed inside. While the guys he was trying to rescue panic, Reed remains completely calm, and proceeds to explain exactly how Ben and Sue (Johnny wasn't around) are going to rescue them, (predicting that Ben would ignore the fact Reed telling him to stay back earlier). Ben stops the initial takeoff, and Sue creates a forcefield above the ship, forcing the aliens to stop and negotiate before their engines overheat.

"But I doubt it." }}

* Of course, other people sometimes get one when opposing Reed, especially if they use magic, which Reed's incredible mind just can't comprehend. When confronted with Mephisto, Marvel's answer to the Devil, Reed's mind seizes up. He assumes that the Devil is little more than another supervillain to be defeated by the FF, explaining away the demon's demonstrations of power as 'tricks'. Mephisto responds with hysterical laughter and further demonstrations of how magically powerful he is.

** Claremont's run included a skirmish between Ben and the then current team of Avengers. Ben managed to disable the entire team, including Thor, within minutes, though he later admitted that both sides were holding back considerably.

* First arc of Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa's run - while the Fantastic Four lose their money, the narration shows everyone trying to adapt: Mister Fantastic becomes "Reed Richards. Stay-at-home father", Invisible Woman becomes "Susan Richards. Substitute teacher", Human Torch becomes "Johnathan Storm. Struggling actor". The Thing applies for a job in construction, and is about to be turned down... when there's an accident, and he rushes to help the workers. ''He'' gets referred to as follows:

* Let us not forget Doctor Doom. Special mention goes to ''Triumph and Torment'', where he managed to save his mother's soul by manipulating both Mephisto and Doctor Strange. Simultaneously. Or the time he got one over Reed Richards — by saving his wife, his daughter and his teammate when Richards couldn't do anything. And then rubbed it in his face by ''naming the newborn child.''

* Sue Richards has her big moments too. Like taking out the most recent incarnation of the Frightfull Four by herself. If there was any doubt about her being the strong member of the team then it has vanished after that.

** In the 80's when the X Men were fighting the FF in one issue, everything winds up okay and they all have a celebration dinner - at Victor Von Doom's penthouse. Doom postures, making an offhand remark telling how easy it would be to destroy them here, where he has had time to set up defenses. -- If he weren't peaceful -- You can hear a pin drop as the tension hits the roof. Sue breaks the silence with "Victor, you shouldn't be so careless. You know a lioness is at her most dangerous when she is protecting her family. How do you think it would go, if I were to use my force fields the way you use your technology? At killing intensity." The tension rises even higher. Doom's reaction "My technology versus your force fields. An interesting proposition." And promptly drops the subject. She has made it very clear EXACTLY what would happen in that instance.

* The iconic Silver Surfer gets one during John Byrne's legendary run. Tyros, a former herald of Galactus and wielder of the 'Power Cosmic', launches an attack on the Fantastic Four wrecking much of Queens, New York in the process . The Fantastic Four, minus Reed Richards who is MIA, are on the verge of defeat when the Silver Surfer swoops down from low Earth orbit. Then the Surfer, the first herald of Galactus, grabs Tyros off his feet by the beard:

** Then the Surfer carries Tyros high into the air on a winding flight and hurls him to the ground:

*** Pompous, melodramtic, and 100% pure awesome.

* The "Unthinkable" arc by [[Mark Waid]].

** Reed Richards acquires a magic weapon powered by his ability to admit that his own shortcomings. He proceeds to physically whale on Doomsy while verbally whale on himself.

** Doom loses Mister Fantastic for a second, giving him the time he needs to use the magic weapon to summon the rest of the team. Doom demands he say where he says, and he steps ouf the shadows.

** In the ensuing fight, Invisible Woman manages to hide Human Torch, just before Doom muzzles the other three. Doom realizes what must have happened.

''(Human Torch goes visible again, flamed on, ticked off, and [[Literal Genie|in melee striking distance of Doom]])''<br />

'''Human Torch:''' [[Pre-Ass-Kicking One-Liner|Done]]. }}

 

[[Category:Marvel Comics/Awesome]]