The Fantastic Four has one of the most powerful individuals in the Marvel Universe as its founding member, and yet, the Invisible Woman is one of the most under-utilized characters in all of Marvel’s vast pantheon of heroes.
Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, Susan Storm Richards is the first female superhero in Marvel Comics and her character and abilities have changed significantly since she was first introduced. Her role in the Fantastic Four started as just being the girlfriend of Reed Richards, leading to her frequently becoming the stereotypical damsel in distress. However, her role has significantly expanded since then. Sue has led the Fantastic Four and her powers have evolved to create almost indestructible force fields. This new power was only limited by her determination and made Invisible Woman a galactic level powerhouse.
Although Sue’s powers have frequently been explored in the decades of adventures, she still remains a wasted potential. In terms of her role, Susan has been used mostly as a plot device instead of a rich character in her own right. She is seen as the nagging wife, pleading with her husband to get out of the lab. Or the bossy big sister telling the Human Torch and the Thing to quit wrestling. And the concerned mom trying to make sure her kids are safe during the latest villain’s attack. If she isn’t filling those roles in a story, then they use Sue for romantic intrigue. Not only did Susan date other people like Spider-Man before marrying Reed, she frequently had amorous encounters with Namor throughout the series. He frequently came into the picture whenever Sue and Reed were having marital problems. Outside of this and Susan’s role as wife, mother, and sister, there is almost nothing known about her as a person.
Sue was finally given a solo mini-series in 2019 by Mark Waid and Mattia De lulis where it was revealed that she used to be a spy for Nick Fury. She tries to help a former partner with the aid of Black Widow. Given her powers of invisibility, it makes sense that she would be perfect for stealth missions. The short 5 issue series didn’t have time to explore more of her personality and life outside of the Fantastic Four. With the core members of the Fantastic Four being replaced currently in the series, now would be the perfect time for the Invisible Woman to go off on her own.
As the first female superhero in Marvel Comics, Sue has had more opportunities than most for her personality to be developed. Instead, she has been left within the constraints of only being regarded as a member of the Fantastic Four. With her power level, there is so much more that she has to offer in the greater Marvel Universe. Maybe it’s time that Invisible Woman strike out on her own to find out who she is without the Fantastic Four.
About The Author