List of Fantastic Four members

The Fantastic Four is a team of comic book superheroes in the Marvel Comics universe. Although the name suggests the team only has four members, in reality a number of other characters have, at one point or another, been considered members.

Fantastic Four

New Fantastic Four

In "Fantastic Four" (1st series) #347- 349 (December 1990 - February 1991) a female Skrull alien who was both a shape-shifter and a telepath managed to capture the team. Impersonating the Invisible Woman, she falsely reported the other members to be deceased and recruited four other heroes as a new Fantastic Four to avenge them, before dispatching them to try and steal a powerful weapon from the Mole Man. Members of this short-lived team included:

*The Incredible Hulk
*Spider-Man: He had actually once applied for membership in the team in "Amazing Spider-Man" (1st series) #1 (March 1963), but quit upon realization that he wouldn't be paid. He and the Human Torch remain longtime friends.
*Wolverine
*Ghost Rider (Daniel Ketch)

In "Fantastic Four" (1st series) #374- 375 (march 1993 - April 1993) Dr. Strange brings this same team back together to arrest the Human Torch after he went nova and destroyed a whole quarter of the city. This story was the start for the Secret Defenders ongoing series.

In "Wolverine" #148 (January 2000) the team comes back together during the Ages of Apocalypse reality to fight Arnim Zola, Blastaar and Annihilus with all four members wearing the popular blue FF costumes and the Hulk frequently switching between his various personalities. They also came together to battle a version of the Wendigo.

Close associates

A number of characters are closely affiliated with the team, share complex personal histories with one or more of its members but have never actually held an official membership. They include but are not limited to:

*Namor the Sub-Mariner: Was cured of amnesia by the Human Torch in "Fantastic Four" (1st series) #4 (May 1962). He has at times been an ally and at other times an enemy of the team. Namor and the Invisible Woman have occasionally been romantically attracted, though she eventually chose Mister Fantastic to marry.
*Doctor Doom: He and Mister Fantastic attended college together, and he blames Richards for an experiment gone wrong which scarred his face. As the monarch of Latveria, he is the team's most deadly foe, although he has sometimes helped them, such as when he aided in the birth of Valeria Richards.
*Alicia Masters: Blind sculptress, stepdaughter of the supervillain Puppet Master. She was introduced to the team along with her stepfather in "Fantastic Four" vol. 1 #8 (November 1962). Longtime love interest of the Thing, as her blindness meant she was able to see the man inside rather than what he looked like.
*Lyja the Skrull. Female Skrull, trained to impersonate Alicia Masters as an espionage agent. Replaced Alicia in "Fantastic Four" vol. 1 #265 (April 1984). She fell in love with the Human Torch and they married in "Fantastic Four" vol. 1 #300 (March 1987). Her identity was revealed in "Fantastic Four" (1st series) #357-358 (October-November 1991), though in truth this was a retcon. Lyja helped the team recover the original Alicia to prove that she could be trusted. Her allegiances were since divided between her native race and her new family, particularly her husband. Whereabouts unknown as of "Fantastic Four" (1st series) #416 (September 1996).
*H.E.R.B.I.E., robotic ally who first appeared in "Fantastic Four" #209. First created for Saturday morning cartoon but later added to comic book; original destroyed fighting Dr. Sun. Reed Richards has built later generations of H.E.R.B.I.E.s to act as a nanny/guardian for Franklin and Valeria.
*Kristoff Vernard, the former heir of Doctor Doom.
*Wyatt Wingfoot, Johnny Storm's college friend, a Native American sometime-adventurer, and one-time love interest of She-Hulk. Son of "Big Will Wingfoot", one of Empire State University's most legendary football players.

Fantastic Five

In the MC2 alternate future, the team is known as the Fantastic Five and consists of the following members:
*Reed Richards (Big Brain)
*John Storm (the Human Torch) (team leader)
*Franklin Richards (Psi-Lord)
*Ben Grimm (the Thing)
*Lyja Storm (Ms. Fantastic)This version appears frequently in "Spider-Girl" and were the focus of a "Fantastic Five" limited series.