FANTASTIC FOUR'S FIRST MAJOR VILLAINS
In addition to exploring the unknown and discovering new frontiers in science, the Fantastic Four save the world from some of the most dangerous villains in the Marvel Universe. The Fantastic Four have clobbered, scorched, and outsmarted these threats to lay a better foundation for the future. Here are a few of the Fantastic Four's major villains from their early days as heroes.
Fantastic Foes
In Fantastic Four (1961) #5
Victor Von Doom makes his grand entrance to the Marvel Universe in this issue, where he forces the Fantastic Four to go back in time in search of Blackbeard's treasure by holding Invisible Woman hostage. As one of the smartest people in the universe, a master of the mystic arts, and the tyrannical leader of Latveria, Doctor Doom may be the most dangerous man alive.
In Fantastic Four (1961) #48
Silver Surfer makes first contact with Earth to herald Galactus' debut in this issue. As the last survivor of a dead universe, Galactus is an ancient cosmic being who must consume worlds to survive and maintain the universe’s life cycle.
In Fantastic Four (1961) #1
Harvey Elder debuted alongside the Fantastic Four in their very first issue, where he sends a monster up through the Earth's crust as part of his plan to take over the world. Using advanced technology, Mole Man often attacks the surface world to get revenge for various perceived wrongs.
In Fantastic Four (1961) #30
Born centuries ago to an aristocratic family in Spain, Esteban Corazon de Ablo became obsessed with transforming elements through alchemy and ultimately sold his soul to Mephisto in exchange for immortality. In this issue, he frees himself from imprisonment by tempting the Thing with a way to restore his humanity. With expertise in science and magic, Diablo menaces the Fantastic Four and other heroes like Spider-Man.
In Strange Tales (1951) #102
Feeling upstaged by the Human Torch, the Wizard turns to a life of villainy in his debut issue. After making several unsuccessful attempts to get revenge, the Wizard assembles the Frightful Four, an ever-changing group of villains. Despite his few accomplishments, the Wizard is profoundly arrogant, which causes most of his plans to fail.
In Fantastic Four (1961) #8
For his first trick, Puppet Master attempts to seize control of the Thing! After he causes a lab explosion that inadvertently blinds his stepdaughter Alicia, Thing's future wife, the Puppet Master develops a way to take over someone’s mind by making sculptures of them with magic-infused, radioactive clay from the base of Wundagore Mountain.
In Fantastic Four (1961) #13
After accidental exposure to cosmic rays gave the Fantastic Four superhuman powers, a scientist named Ivan Kragoff tries to recreate their fateful trip with three ape passengers in tow. He develops intangibility powers, while his Super-Apes receive abilities like super-strength and shape-shifting.
In Fantastic Four Annual (1963) #5
Bursting out of a sub-atomic realm called the Microverse, Psycho-Man tries to build his Control-Box—which can influence anyone’s feelings of anger, doubt, and hate—in the regular-sized Marvel Universe. The Fantastic Four manages to stop him, but Psycho-Man later uses a robot called the Hate-Monger to transform the Invisible Woman into a cruel and hateful version of herself called Malice.
In Fantastic Four (1961) #18
The shape-shifting alien Skrulls were some of the Fantastic Four’s earliest enemies, and the Skrulls’ strongest warrior became one of the team’s most dangerous foes in this issue. Thanks to Skrull genetic engineering, the Super-Skrull has the powers of all four members of the Fantastic Four and can expertly combine them in lethal ways.
In Fantastic Four Annual (1963) #6
In the Negative Zone, a harsh dimension filled with insectoid creatures, Annihilus serves as a vicious ruler with an army he commands through his Cosmic Control Rod. For his debut, he poses as an obstacle that stands between Mister Fantastic and a cure for Invisible Woman's troubled pregnancy. Also featuring Franklin's debut!