I Love How Marvel Just Revealed Reed Richards' Hidden Superpower (The Opposite of Invisible Woman's)

Summary Reed and Sue Richards' unique perspectives, one seeing everything and the other hiding it, complement each other.

Reed's scientific mind is tested against supernatural foes in Blood Hunt, forcing him to adapt and utilize his surroundings.

The Fantastic Four's dynamic showcases how they fill in each other's gaps, with Reed and Sue excelling at different approaches.

Warning: Contains spoilers for Fantastic Four #22!!Since the moment the Fantastic Four were bombarded with cosmic rays, they've learned to work in unison. What one lacks, another fills in, and that's especially the case for Mister Fantastic and the Invisible Woman. It isn't all about superpowers, though, and I can't help but admire the way Reed sees what exists in a space while Sue is so adept at hiding the same thing.

In Fantastic Four #22 by Ryan North, Ivan Fiorelli, Jesus Aburtov, and Joe Caramagna, Reed Richards and Alicia Masters continue to fight against Blood Hunt's vampires. Without the Baxter Building or any of his usual resources, Mister Fantastic is forced to take a different approach. All he has is his mind and what's in front of him, which means taking careful stock of everything around him.

The moment is an excellent representation of how Reed's mind works, and I couldn't help but notice the parallel with his wife, the Invisible Woman. Sue's incredible abilities allow her to hide practically everything from sight, while Reed is always driven to take in everything.

Mister Fantastic and the Invisible Woman Influence the World in Different Ways

Fantastic Four #22 by Ryan North, Ivan Fiorelli, Jesus Aburtov, and Joe Caramagna

Reed Richards is a scientist through and through, and he's always in a state of analyzing something. Blood Hunt puts him well outside his comfort zone, as he is forced to deal with magical, supernatural creatures with no real scientific foundation. The unusual situation is an excellent reminder of who he is at his core, and we are all able to watch Reed make something out of nothing by utilizing whatever he, Alicia, and fellow survivors can pull together from the depths of the stadium. It is an "unknown to be explored" - a familiar concept at the heart of the F4.

This idea unites the whole team, but it rings particularly true for Reed and Sue. They've always been explorers together, and that means drinking in the world and universe side-by-side. At their best, they both see everything, differing only in what they do with it. All of us F4 fans know that Susan doesn't miss anything, because we've seen her use her light-bending to remain utterly in control of what anyone else sees. They're both brilliant, observant people who share ideas and find ways to make them work, yet they sometimes interact with the world in truly opposite ways.

Reed and Sue Bring Out the Best in Each Other

Close

While Reed and Sue can certainly influence a space very differently, it doesn't put them in opposition with each other. The entire Fantastic Four has grown adept at filling in the gaps for each other and using their individual powers and personalities to bolster their teammates when possible. Reed and Sue take that to another level, and I appreciate Blood Hunt offering an inadvertent window into that dynamic. Mister Fantastic and the Invisible Woman both see the full spectrum of what a space has to offer, but they play to their strengths and masterfully tackle it in opposite ways.

Fantastic Four #22 is available now from Marvel Comics.

Fantastic Four #22 (2024) Writer: Ryan North

Artist: Ivan Fiorelli

Colorist: Jesus Aburtov

Letterer: Joe Caramagna

Cover Artist: Alex Ross