After 64 years,Fantastic Four’sReed Richardshas revealed the real reason he gave himself the codename ‘Mister Fantastic.’ The revelation comes in a discussion with Captain America, and answers why such a reserved hero took the most bombastic, arrogant name he could think of. The proximity of this reveal toThe Fantastic Four: First Stepshints the revealcould be intended for inclusion in the MCU.
In today’sCaptain America #1- from Chip Zdarsky, Valerio Schiti, Frank Martin and Joe Caramagna - Marvel flashes back to the early weeks after Steve Rogers was unfrozen in the present. Unsure of his place in this new world and not yet ready to join up with the Avengers, Steve goes for a drink with a young Reed Richards, asking his advice on an upcoming mission in Latveria,the home of Doctor Doom.
Reed helps Captain America understand his nemesis, but when some fans approach them for an autograph, Reed uses his powers to subtly change his face, avoiding the attention. When Captain America asks about his dislike of fame, Reed admits he called himself ‘Mister Fantastic’ so that when people meet him in real life, they’ll never assume he’s the larger-than-life superhero -a way of giving himself a secret identitywhen he’s out in the world.
Reed has argued before that he turned his family into heroes to stop them being branded freaks…
Mister Fantastic’s Codename Is Meant to Hide Him in Real Life
Reed Knows That No-One Who Looks At Him Sees a Superhero
What’s so interesting about this moment is that Reed doesn’t just say this is a benefit of his codename - it’s the whole reason he came up with it. Reed’s choice of codename has never sat well with his personality. While his stretchy body and genius intellect indeed make him capable of amazing things, he’s one of Marvel’s more down-to-earth heroes, more concerned with discovery and exploration than with fame and adventure.
Reed has argued before that he turned his family into heroes to stop them being branded freaks(as he explained inFantastic Four volume 3 #60), and this new reveal makes that an even deeper decision.
It’s afundamental part of the Fantastic Fourthat they’re a public superhero team who are well-liked by the population - totally different from the constantly oppressed X-Men or the distrusted Spider-Man. This isn’t a coincidence, but rather Reed using his genius to chart the best possible path for his family after they gained powers that could have seen them ostracized from society.
It’s the perfect ‘Reed Richards’ detail to gain superpowers and instantly think up how to protect his familyandbuy himself a little privacy when he goes out as a civilian, as this flashback moment establishes. This line of thinking is also a useful retcon of Marvel lore because - asFantastic Fourfans have been pointing out for six decades - it reallyisunusual that someone as staid and unassuming asReed Richardswould pick a boastful name like Mister Fantastic just for the fun of it.
Fantastic Four
TheFantastic Fouris a superhero franchise centered on Marvel Comics' first family of superheroes. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the team made its comic book debut in 1961 and quickly became a cornerstone of Marvel’s success. The franchise follows four astronauts—Reed Richards, Susan Storm, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm—who gain superpowers after being exposed to cosmic radiation. Over the years,Fantastic Fourhas been adapted into several live-action films, animated series, and video games. The films have seen multiple reboots, with varying levels of success, and are now set to be integrated into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), with a new film slated for release in 2025.
