Frightful Four
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Frightful Four are a group of fictional characters in Marvel Comics who serve as the opposite number to the Fantastic Four.
Contents |
[edit] Original group
The Frightful Four first appeared in Fantastic Four #36, consisting of the Wizard, The Sandman, Paste-Pot Pete, and Medusa. The villains were originally fairly successful, almost defeating the Fantastic Four in their first appearance and even robbing the Fantastic Four's powers which later almost killed them in their second appearance.
[edit] Members
Led by the Wingless Wizard, the team has had many different incarnations, none of which have lasted long due to the team's conflicting egos.
Members have included the Trapster, The Sandman, Medusa, Thundra, Klaw, Titania, Hydro-Man, Dragon Man, Electro, Llyra, Man-Bull, Dreadknight, She-Thing, Red Ghost, Constrictor, Taskmaster, Deadpool, the alien android called the Punisher, Quicksand, and Salamandra. The Thing was once made a member via mind control, and Captain Ultra applied for membership, but he was rejected.
[edit] Alternate versions
[edit] Ultimate Frightful Four
In the Ultimate Marvel universe, the Frightful Four are zombified counterparts of the Fantastic Four from the Marvel Zombies dimension. They possess all the powers of the Fantastic Four, along with many more years of experience, but are in a state of gradual decay, and a hunger for living flesh. They have repeatedly stated their goal is to spread the virus they carry on to the superhumans of the Ultimate universe.
The Four were captured upon their arrival to the Ultimate Universe, and have been kept in a special holding cell designed by Ultimate Mister Fantastic to contain the Hulk. They escaped in Ultimate Fantastic Four #31, but they were quarantined to the top 40 levels of the Baxter Building. They are currently reconfiguring a portal Ultimate Mister Fantastic was working on to allow their "friends" from the zombie universe into the Ultimate one. It should be noted that Zombie Reed himself was the one who named his team, and he did so with a sarcastic tone.
In Ultimate Fantastic Four #32, The Ultimates gathered at the foot of the Baxter Building as plans were made to drop the field and attack the zombies, when Doom in Mister Fantastic's body returned. Claiming that his first priority was helping Johnny Storm, he cast a spell to remove the creature that was killing him. However he miscast the spell, having partially translated it wrong, and the creature, while being drawn out of Johnny successfully, was not sent back to the Negative Zone. It remained on Earth, and immediately sought out a powerful host. Most thought it was Thor, but the parasite bypassed the Thunder God completely, possessing Reed in Doom's body, Reed having followed the FF back to the city. He went in to confront the Frightful Four; the zombies were pleased that they did not need to call their friends and thus share the 'food.' Reed killed the undead Human Torch first, releasing a chemical from his mouth that encased and crushed him in concrete-like 'vomit.' The undead Thing attacked next, mockingly asking if Doom was a hero in this reality, but Reed used Doom's strength to easily rip off the undead Thing's arm and shatter him with it. The undead Mister Fantastic and Invisible Woman attacked next, but Invisible Woman's powers seemed to have no effect on him, Doom's steel body protecting Reed from her force fields. He used Doom's magic to speed up the rate of the undead Invisible Woman's decay, rotting her to bones and dust rapidly. The zombie Mister Fantastic, panicking and enraged, demanded to know what was going on. Reed responded by using Doom's magic again, summoning hordes of maggots and other bugs and creatures that eat necrotic flesh to devour his undead counterpart from within.
[edit] Marvel 1602
The Marvel 1602 miniseries 1602: The Fantastick Four, includes the Four Who Are Frightful, comprising Jacobean versions of the four original members. The Sandman resembles his Earth 616 counterpart, except for pale skin and glowing eyes, and can conjure up nightmares; a reference to another comic book Sandman, created, like the 1602 universe, by Neil Gaiman[1]. Medusa has snakes for hair, and can turn men to stone like her namesake. The Trapster wears forester's clothes, and is described by the Wizard as an "expert huntsman".
[edit] Other Media
The Frightful Four appeared in the 1978 Fantastic Four cartoon series where the line-up consists of Wizard, Trapster, Medusa and Sandman.
The Frightful Four appeared in the 1994 Fantastic Four cartoon series where the line-up consists of Wizard, Trapster, Medusa and Hydro-Man.
The Frightful Four appeared in the 2006 Fantastic Four cartoon series where the line-up consists of Wizard, Trapster, Klaw and Dragon Man.
