4 Best Members of the Fantastic Four (Who Aren’t the Core Four)

The Fantastic Four are one of Marvel’s premier teams, and unlike other groups like the Avengers and the X-Men, they are best known for being manned by the same, specific characters. While other superhero teams may have a few characters that are expected to stick around in most incarnations, they tend to shuffle up their rosters fairly often. The Fantastic Four are mostly known as the opposite, with every member being essential and more family than team. However, even a group as tight-knit as the Fantastic Four have kept their roster the same for their entire existence. They’ve switched things up plenty, usually because one or more of their members wind up leaving or getting lost in some other realm for a short period of time. So let’s take a look at the four best members the Fantastic Four have ever had, not including Marvel’s First Family.

1) Ant-Man

Scott Lang, the second and current Ant-Man, grew close to the Fantastic Four after he fought alongside the Thing when he visited a micro-world in Marvel Two-In-One #87, and even briefly joined them when Mister Fantastic went missing. When the cosmic radiation that transformed the Fantastic Four started to decay, they were forced to go to another universe to fix it. Each member chose a hero to take their place while they were gone, because while they should have only been gone four minutes, we all know how these things go, as shown in volume two of FF. Mister Fantastic chose Ant-Man to lead the new Fantastic Four and Future Foundation in his stead, and Scott really stepped up to the plate. Ant-Man had just recently lost his daughter, and while leading the FF he channeled that pain into something constructive, growing as a hero and person. In the end, he even defeated Doctor Doom, saving the entire world from the machinations of the Council of Dooms. Ant-Man didn’t just defeat Doom either, he led a perfect victory that ensured nobody died and completely humiliated Latveria’s dictator, giving him one of the worst beatings he’s had up to then and since. Ant-Man showed exactly how spectacular a hero he is, and why he was chosen to lead his version of the Four.

2) She-Hulk

Jen Walters actually has an incredibly storied history with the Fantastic Four, having become a full-time member in Fantastic Four #265, after Thing left the team. She stood beside the team for several years, being both their muscle and go-to legal whiz. She-Hulk grew close with the team in ways that few other additional or temporary members did, connecting with them as friends and family. Her dynamic personality perfectly bounces off of Johnny’s quick wit, and she brought out the best sides in both Reed and Sue. She was supportive and supported within the team, and is always one of the first ones called when the Four need someone to fill a vacancy or need someone they can trust. She-Hulk’s history is so integrated with the Fantastic Four that she appears in all of their animated adaptations, and if that doesn’t show how interconnected with them she is, nothing will. Many consider Jen the de facto fifth member, and I have to agree and would love to see her join back up with the FF for more adventures in the future.

3) Spider-Man

Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four have been connected ever since Spidey’s first ever solo issue, where Pete tried to join the Fantastic Four, only to leave once he realized they operated as a nonprofit. Ever since then, Spider-Man has been a close ally to the Four, becoming Johnny Storm’s best friend in spite of their very rocky start, and is Franklin Richard’s favorite superhero. Peter helped him move past the guilt the young boy felt over not preventing his uncle’s death, something Peter can understand very well. After Johnny’s death in Fantastic Four #587, his posthumous wish was for Spider-Man to fill his spot on the team, which Peter did with no question. Spidey would again join the Fantastic Four when the entire group was thought dead, forming his iteration of the team alongside Black Panther, Hulk, and Ghost Rider, knowing the world would always need the Fantastic Four. Few people are trusted more by the Four than Spidey, and he is always one of the first people to jump in to help when they need it. He is the perfect mix of scientifically genius to connect with Reed and his plans, while also being funny enough to stand right next to the less serious members. His dynamic with the team is perfect.

4) Crystal

Crystal, sister to the Inhuman queen Medusa, was first introduced all the way back in Fantastic Four #45, and was Johnny Storm’s first longterm love interest. When Sue Storm became pregnant with Franklin, Crystal joined the team as a replacement until the Invisible Woman was suitable for the insanely dangerous missions of the Four once more. Although the team initially underestimated her, Crystal more than proved herself, defeating their longtime enemy the Wizard all on her own in Fantastic Four #81, and even stayed on as a member long after Sue was fit for combat once again. She was eventually forced to return to Attilan when the pollution of the world started to kill her, and had to quit the team. Over time, her relationship with the Four has deteriorated, but she was still one of their most trusted and capable comrades for a very long time. She definitely deserves to be remembered as one of their greatest members, even if her sister Medusa has joined the team just as many times.

So there we have four of the best non-original members of the Fantastic Four. The team has had plenty of additional help throughout the years, but still, there can only be one First Family, and at the end of the day the original Four will always return to their roles. Still, it’s really fun to see other heroes join up from time to time, and any one of these heroes could join again at any point, which would be great to see. Which additional FF member is your favorite, and who would you want to see join the Four next? Let us know in the comments below!

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