AsThe Fantastic Four: First Stepsbarrels towards its 25 July release date, Marvel fans have been treated to a first look at the villainous Mole Man. Seemingly played by Paul Walter Hauser, the villain was the FF’s first ever comic villain - a piece of lore that is making the transition to the MCU.
Paul Walter Hauser’s Mole Man is essentially a sympathetic character who becomes part of the wider FF family…
The comic appears to use the likeness of Paul Walter Hauser, who has been rumored as playing the villain in the movie, with art revealing how the Mole Man’s iconic comic design (above) has been translated to the MCU.
The Fantastic Four’s First Villain Debuts His Movie Look
A Realistic Redesign Keeps the Comic Basics
In the comic, Mole Man attacks New York in revenge for damage done to his underground realm of Subterranea.The villain is shown wearing welding goggles and a large green overcoat over a suit and tie- a more realistic twist on his comic jumpsuit, high-collared cape and blue goggles. Marvel’s Moloids are given a similar makeover, looking more like regular, stooped humans in mining gear than the yellow-skinned gnomes from the comics.
The Mole Man’s towering monster servants remain essentially comic accurate, and in a surprising twist, the Mole Man’s origin is probably the biggest change of all…
The MCU Gives Mole Man a Sympathetic Origin
The Villain Becomes a Fantastic Four Ally
In the comic, it’s revealed that theMole Man is an old friend of Sue Storm’s grandfather, J.F. Storm, who taught him the skills to become a union organizer. Mole Man took those skills underground, using them to band together the disparate inhabitants of Subterranea. While in the comicsMole Man is a cruel dictatorwho enslaves the Moloids using advanced technology, the MCU version genuinely wants what’s best for them, fighting to stop human advancement destroying those who live underground.
While the comic shows the team beating the Mole Man, it also shows them bonding with the villain and eventually setting up diplomatic links with Subterranea. As in the comics, this emphasizes the Fantastic Four’s role as explorers and diplomats, looking for ways to forge new links with the unusual people and places they discover.Paul Walter Hauser’s Mole Man is essentially a sympathetic character who becomes part of the wider FF family.
So far, it’s unclear how much of theFantastic Four: First Stepscomic will be recreated in the MCU, but whatever the answer, this storyismovie canon. Fans just got to see the hero team’s official origin, and along with it the ways in which the MCU is reinventing their first-ever villain, turning him from a stunted monster into a caring leader who quickly becomes a friend to theFantastic Four.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps #1is available now from Marvel Comics.
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.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Cast
The Fantastic 4: First Steps features Marvel’s First Family navigating their dual roles as superheroes and family members in a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world. They defend Earth from a formidable space god, Galactus, and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer, testing their familial bonds and heroic resolve.
