Summary
- Reed Richards, aka Mister Fantastic, is not to be underestimated with his vast resources and brilliant mind.
- X-Men #33 shows that even one of Reed’s inventions can incapacitate experienced heroes, posing a real threat.
- If the X-Men ever face off against the Fantastic Four, they’ll need to bring their A-game to survive Reed Richards’ plans.
Warning: Contains SPOILERS for X-Men #33
As leader of The Fantastic Four, Reed Richards aka Mister Fantastic is one of the most influential heroes in the Marvel Universe, and one of the most dangerous. With incredible shapeshifting abilities and vast resources, Reed could simply coast on his powers to change the world. But fans know Mister Fantastic to be one of Marvel’s smartest characters – and he’s so smart that he can defeat the X-Men with only one gadget if necessary.
X-Men #33 by Gerry Duggan, Joshua Cassara, Romulo Fajardo Jr., and VC’s Clayton Cowles pits the mutants against Dr. Killian Devo of the anti-mutant organization Orchis. Unfortunately, the X-Men are immediately immobilized by Devo’s Negative Zone projectors – technology appropriated from Reed by Damage Control and later confiscated by Orchis.
Outgunned, the merry mutants have no choice but to call on Doctor Doom and his X-Men for backup – with the good Doctor all too obliging to outdo Reed’s “feeble accomplishments.” The X-Men are freed, but their being incapacitated by Reed’s tech paints an interesting picture of how they could ever actually take on Mister Fantastic.
Iron Man Reveals His Contingency Plan to Kill an X-Men Icon
While he’s famous for his armor, Iron Man’s true strength is his mind – and battle his plans for one key mutant prove he’s prepared for anything.
The Fantastic Four and X-Men Could Go To War
Reed Has Justifiable Beef With A Couple of Mutants
The Fantastic Four and the X-Men are currently allies in the battle against Orchis, but the two teams have had their share of friction in the past, particularly where Franklin Richards is involved. Back when Franklin was believed to still be a mutant, Reed Richards secretly developed technology to suppress his X-Gene, leading to no small amount of tension between the heroes of Krakoa and the world’s smartest man. The beef was largely squashed, but Professor X and Magneto still violated Richards’ mind to erase the engineering process behind his suppression tech – a violation that Richards still hasn’t entirely forgiven.
Should the X-Men ever again face off against Marvel Comics’ First Family, they’ll need to bring everything they have if they have a hope of surviving Reed Richards.
In the event that Reed and the X-Men come to blows over this betrayal, the mutants will have a real fight on their hands. Mister Fantastic is one of the smartest beings in the Marvel Universe, so it’s no surprise that even one of his inventions can stop a team of experienced heroes – including the mutant genius, Forge – in their tracks, but it’s not like this tech was specifically geared against the X-Men. If Mister Fantastic were to plan countermeasures against his mutant allies, they would be hard-pressed to counteract anything he throws at them, and they may not have Doom for backup.
Reed Richards’ Mind Is Marvel’s Most Dangerous
The X-Men Are In Trouble If He’s Prepared For Them
Hero-on-hero clashes are unfortunately a somewhat common occurrence these days, but with most of Marvel’s heroes on hand to take the battle to Orchis, they currently have a common foe. Unfortunately, things won’t stay this simple forever, and Professor X and Magneto both have amends to make with the hero called Mister Fantastic – along with the citizens of Krakoa. Should the X-Men ever again face off against Marvel Comics’ Fantastic Four, they’ll need to bring everything they have if they have a hope of surviving Reed Richards.
X-Men #33
is on sale now from Marvel Comics.
