The First Family of Marvel: The Fantastic Four Appreciation 2019

[U.N. Owen]

I want them to take some villains from the X-Office. Mr. Sinister, Selene, and Deathbird would be great villains for them to fight.

[Snoop Dogg]

The U-Foes were an obvious attempt to copy the FF. However, their origin was the same as the Red Ghost and his apes and their position is the same as that of the Frightful Four. The story's already been done with better designed characters and settings and the U-Foes offer nothing but a far more blatant copying.

True, Kragoff and the Zoo Crew were the first anti-F4, however--

1. Ivan and the monkeys are lame

2. Ivan and the monkeys are dead

3. The U-Foes are actual somewhat fleshed out characters

4. The U-Foes are a better anti-FF because they can show a warped version of the family dynamic that both groups share and the actual character archetypes

5. The U-Foes are super cool

6. They're called the U-Foes

7. The F4 need more villains

8. A conflict between them is already personal on one side, because everything bad that's happened to the U-Foes wouldn't have happened if Simon wasn't inspired by the F4

[Crimz]

True, Kragoff and the Zoo Crew were the first anti-F4, however--

1. Ivan and the monkeys are lame

2. Ivan and the monkeys are dead

3. The U-Foes are actual somewhat fleshed out characters

4. The U-Foes are a better anti-FF because they can show a warped version of the family dynamic that both groups share and the actual character archetypes

5. The U-Foes are super cool

6. They're called the U-Foes

7. The F4 need more villains

8. A conflict between them is already personal on one side, because everything bad that's happened to the U-Foes wouldn't have happened if Simon wasn't inspired by the F4

Plus you can go more into the dark mirror thing by having the U-Foes be the colonization and exploitation side of exploring. They explore for profit and taking as many resources as possible from the places they go to.

And I agree that Red Ghost and his monkey's are lame. He can stay dead and I won't miss him. The only way I can see Red Ghost being cool is by having a completely new and different character taking on the moniker.

The Frightful Four have always seemed really pathetic to me. Wizard hires whatever goons he can to try and one-up Reed and always fails in a lame way. It was fine in the 60s, but has run it's course. I think the Wizard still has potential, but not his Frightful Four.

[U.N. Owen]

The Frightful Four have always seemed really pathetic to me. Wizard hires whatever goons he can to try and one-up Reed and always fails in a lame way. It was fine in the 60s, but has run it's course. I think the Wizard still has potential, but not his Frightful Four.

The Lee-Kirby Frightful Four were a believable threat since the Fantastic Four basically lost had it not been for Alicia. After that, you can only go down.

As for a Frightful Four, I suppose Bentley can just start his own think tank of brilliant but evil kids in some kind of Frightful Foundation. Sure, the name sounds lame, but it could work. Plus, the Kilgore Inner Circle is still alive but fragmented, the dire wraith mutant Hybrid was never killed, and the Bastards of Evil are still running around waiting to get into someone's book and can work in theory.

[Crimz]

The Lee-Kirby Frightful Four were a believable threat since the Fantastic Four basically lost had it not been for Alicia. After that, you can only go down.

As for a Frightful Four, I suppose Bentley can just start his own think tank of brilliant but evil kids in some kind of Frightful Foundation. Sure, the name sounds lame, but it could work. Plus, the Kilgore Inner Circle is still alive but fragmented, the dire wraith mutant Hybrid was never killed, and the Bastards of Evil are still running around waiting to get into someone's book and can work in theory.

I think your first sentence kind of highlights the problem with some of the 60s villains. Villains like Mole Man, Frightful Four, and Red Ghost were threats back when the FF were still new to the hero thing. They were starter villains. As time went on the Fantastic Four became stronger and more experienced, but some of their villains didn't/couldn't grow with them. Red Ghost is a prime example as everything about him is so interwoven with the time he was created that to revamp him would take too much work and is likely to fail. You may as well create a new character with the same name.
I think there is still potential with many of the classic villains, but they need updating/revamping.


I like that with the upcoming issue the current Slott run two new villains (the Griever and Victorious) will have been introduced and that both are female, something that the team has a serious lack of.
Plus if I heard the interview during the stream correctly, Victorious has been imbued with cosmic level power. That's the right power level to be a threat to the current Fantastic Four without being a master planner.


EDIT: Also, today has had nothing new for Fantastic Four week. I hope the remaining two days have big announcements.

[Snoop Dogg]

Harvey is perfect as he is and doesn't need to change much. He can be the guy that reps the Silver Age. He's even a great character on his own. #MoleNation

The Frightful Four's issue is that they can be great again, but it would require a big story where Wizard comes up with a good plan. And maybe change some members. Pete can stay, but add someone who'll really make you think "Goddamn" when you first see 'em.

Thinker has the same problem as Wizard, but worse since he's visually and ability-wise really bland while Wiz is really strong in those areas. Maybe I just like my Mad Thinker as a teenage goth girl, though.

I dunno how to fix Diablo. Diablo's laaaaaaaaame.

[U.N. Owen]

Red Ghost is a prime example as everything about him is so interwoven with the time he was created that to revamp him would take too much work and is likely to fail. You may as well create a new character with the same name.
I think there is still potential with many of the classic villains, but they need updating/revamping.

I had to look up who Red Ghost was and then recalled he got beaten up by the combined efforts of Franklin Richards and the Power Pack father. Man, making him a threat to the FF is nothing but an uphill battle.

[JudicatorPrime]

Red Ghost is such a cool name that you have to at least try to bring him into the modern age and make him relevant. But do so only after you figure out what type of villain you want him to be. Not every villain has to be an end game boss. There's still a place for what I call the nuisance villains: they won't destroy the world with a wave of their hand, but if left unchecked, it's a death by a thousand fire ants sort of thing. These are usually the kind of villains that know that they're outmatched. Somehow you find yourself rooting for them against your better judgment and moral instincts. His back story is already known, but introduce a new life twist that makes him identifiable, if not altogether appealing. And make it something that make just about any of us snap.

[danielsan52]

True, Kragoff and the Zoo Crew were the first anti-F4, however--

1. Ivan and the monkeys are lame

2. Ivan and the monkeys are dead

3. The U-Foes are actual somewhat fleshed out characters

4. The U-Foes are a better anti-FF because they can show a warped version of the family dynamic that both groups share and the actual character archetypes

5. The U-Foes are super cool

6. They're called the U-Foes

7. The F4 need more villains

8. A conflict between them is already personal on one side, because everything bad that's happened to the U-Foes wouldn't have happened if Simon wasn't inspired by the F4

^^^^^^^This!^^^^^^^

[danielsan52]

The Frightful Four fought WITH the FF last time we saw them.

It would be cool if the became an anti-hero team instead of villains. An X-Force to the Fantastic Four.

[Iron Maiden]

I had to look up who Red Ghost was and then recalled he got beaten up by the combined efforts of Franklin Richards and the Power Pack father. Man, making him a threat to the FF is nothing but an uphill battle.

I think Brubaker did a good job with the Red Ghost and his Apes in his Winter Soldier. A good script by a good writer can do wonders. I also recall in Fall of the Hulks, he was part of the the Leader's Intelligencia and was assigned to capture Black Panther when they were gathering all of Marvel's geniuses.

[Shadowcat]

How I’d reinvent the Red Ghost would be to make it his son. Make him a part of the Red Room, and give him the apes, but also make him a part of government sanctioned team, like the Winter Guard. Red Guardian, Red Widow, Red Bear, etc. give him telepathic control over the Super apes, as well as his phasing powers. Make him very black ops, and international espionage.

[JudicatorPrime]

I dunno how to fix Diablo. Diablo's laaaaaaaaame.

But he's a classic villain. Marvel owes it to future fans to at least try.

[Ravin' Ray]

I dunno how to fix Diablo. Diablo's laaaaaaaaame.

Somebody should play up Diablo's deal with Mephisto. And as Marvel Knight 4 showed us, he can't cast spells, but he can read/modify incantations.

[The BaRoN]

Only 3 days left now

No merchandise so far and no season 2 of the 90s FF cartoon.