Invisible Woman
Encyclopedia
Susan "Sue" Storm Richards (also known as Invisible Girl and later, Invisible Woman) is a fictional character
, a Marvel Comics
superheroine created by writer Stan Lee
and artist/co-writer Jack Kirby
. The character first appeared in Fantastic Four #1 in November 1961, and was the first female superhero created by Marvel in the Silver Age of Comics. Like the other founding members of the Fantastic Four
, Sue received her powers after being exposed to a cosmic storm. Her primary power deals with light waves, allowing her to render herself and others invisible
. However, she can also project powerful fields of invisible psionic energy which she uses for a variety of offensive and defensive effects. Sue plays a central role in the lives of her brother, her husband, her children (Franklin Richards
and Val Richards
), and her friend, Ben Grimm
.
An object of infatuation for Doctor Doom
, and, most notably, Namor the Sub-Mariner, Sue's passive invisibility power translated into her frequent deployment as a damsel in distress
during the team's early adventures. However, upon developing the ability to project powerful fields of energy, Sue Storm became a more powerful member of the Fantastic Four
, and the team's second-in-command. While Sue operated somewhat in the shadow of her hot-headed brother, Johnny Storm
, and her brilliant husband Reed Richards
in the early years, she is now the soul of the Fantastic Four and one of the premiere heroes in the Marvel Universe
.
The Invisible Woman is portrayed by Jessica Alba
in the 2005 film
Fantastic Four
and its 2007
sequel, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
.
edition of the first ten issues, handled Susan's powers similarly to the Universal Pictures
's "Invisible" series, which required her to take off her clothes, but noting concern that that might be "too sexy" for a comic book. Sue was initially presented as the sole reason for Ben Grimm, a bad guy, remaining on the group, which was significantly toned down in the published series.
Invisible Woman has primarily appeared in issues of Fantastic Four. Susan's initial power of invisibility
proved to be of minor consequence in the team's early missions, especially compared to the abilities of the others in the group. Eventually, the creators expanded Sue's abilities, giving her the power to render other objects and people invisible and create strong force fields and psionic blasts. Despite her enhanced abilities, Susan served primarily as an assistant and second-in-command
to Reed in the early years of the series. This changed when John Byrne began his run on the title. Under his authorship, Sue became more confident and assertive in her abilities which became more versatile and impressive. For instance, she found she could use her force field abilities to manipulate matter through the air, immobilize enemies, or administer long-range attacks. Susan changed her nom de guerre to Invisible Woman, and is now recognized as one of the more powerful characters in the Marvel Universe.
grew up in the town of Glenville, Long Island
, children of a physician
named Franklin Storm and a woman named Mary. The parents left their kids alone one night to travel to a dinner honoring Dr. Storm. On the way, a tire blew out but only Mary was injured. Franklin escaped injury and insisted on operating on his wife. He was unable to save her and she died. After his wife's death, Dr. Franklin Storm became a gambler and a drunk, losing his medical practice, which led him to the accidental killing of a loan shark
. Franklin did not defend himself in court, because he still felt guilty over Mary's death. With their father in prison
, Susan had to become a mother figure for her younger brother.
While living with her aunt, Susan, at the young age of 17, met her future husband
, Reed Richards
, a house guest who was attending college
. When she graduated high school
as the award-winning captain of her Girls' Varsity
Swim Team
, she moved to California
to attend college, where she pursued an acting career and encountered Richards again. They began to become romantically involved with each other.
Reed Richards, working in the field of Aerospace engineering
, was designing a spacecraft
for interstellar travel. Everything was going well until the government stopped the funding of his project. Richards, wanting to see his project through, decided to make an unscheduled test flight. Originally, it was only going to be Reed and his best friend, Ben Grimm
, involved, but Susan was instrumental in persuading Reed in letting her brother and herself join them on the dangerous space mission. In space, the quartet was exposed to massive amounts of cosmic radiation
. As a result, they had to abort the mission and return to Earth. After the crash landing, they realized that they gained superhuman powers; hers was the ability to become invisible at will. Realizing the potential use of their abilities, the four of them became the Fantastic Four, for the benefit of mankind. Susan adopted the code name "Invisible Girl".
in Manhattan
. The first supervillain they battled was the Mole Man
, followed soon after that by the Skrull
s. The Fantastic Four encountered many villains in the early part of their career, but none of them contended for Susan's affections more than Namor the Sub-Mariner. Sue felt an amount of attraction to Namor, but her heart belonged with Reed. Soon after that, the Fantastic Four encountered Doctor Doom
for the first time.
Initially, her powers were limited to making herself invisible. However, before long Sue discovered she could make other things invisible as well as create force fields of invisible energy. After Susan is injured in battle with the Mole Man, her father escaped from prison and operated on her to save her life. Franklin made amends with his children before returning to prison; however, the Super-Skrull
found a way to kidnap Dr. Storm, mimic his appearance, and then fight the Fantastic Four as the Invincible Man. In the process of defeating the Super-Skrull, Dr. Storm sacrificed his own life to protect the Fantastic Four from a Skrull booby trap
.
Reed and Sue's relationship progressed, with the two of them deciding to get married. The wedding
was the event of the century, with several of New York City
's preeminent superheroes in attendance. Even several supervillains wanted to attend, if only for the chance to attack the Fantastic Four. Not long after that, Susan and the Fantastic Four encountered Galactus
and the Silver Surfer
for the first time. Sue later became pregnant
with her first child. As a result, she took time off as an active member of the team. Johnny's then-girlfriend, the Inhuman
elementalist known simply as Crystal
, joined the team, taking over Susan's roster spot.
Susan's cosmic ray irradiated blood cells served as an obstacle for her in carrying the unborn child to term. Knowing this, Reed, Johnny, and Ben journeyed into the Negative Zone
to acquire the Cosmic Control Rod from Annihilus
. Effectively utilizing the device, the baby was safely delivered and was named Franklin
, in memory of Susan's father. Due to the genetically altered structure of his parents, Franklin was born a mutant
, possessing vast powers of the highest possible potential. Seeking to use the boy's talents for his own sadistic purposes, Annihilus returned and successfully triggered a premature full release of Franklin's latent abilities, which were already in the process of gradual emergence. Fearing that his son could very well release enough psionic energy to eliminate all life on Earth, Reed was forced to shut Franklin's mind down, feeling there was no immediate alternative. Angry with Reed for not seeking her input in the matter, Susan left the Fantastic Four and had a marital separation
from Reed. Taking her roster spot was Medusa
, of the Inhumans. With the help of Namor, Susan reconciled with Reed and returned to the Fantastic Four accompanied by Franklin.
due to Susan having been exposed to radiation
inside the Negative Zone on a previous trip. A depressed Susan was later manipulated by events set into motion by Psycho-Man
into becoming Malice. As Malice, Susan attacked her friends and family in the Fantastic Four, utilizing her abilities at power levels she had never displayed previously. She effortlessly defeated She-Hulk
and Human Torch; luckily, Reed was able to save Susan by forcing her to hate him legitimately. Freed of Psycho-Man's influence, Susan (off-panel) did something to Psycho-Man, causing him to let out a terrifying scream. After she rejoined her teammates, Susan stated that Psycho-Man would never hurt anyone ever again. Susan found herself profoundly affected by the entire episode, and decided to change her code name from "Invisible Girl" to "Invisible Woman". Along with Reed, she briefly left the Fantastic Four. Finding a life outside the Fantastic Four, Reed and Sue were invited into the membership of the Avengers
. The two of them were Avengers briefly, but rejoined the Fantastic Four before long.
During the Infinity War
, Susan was forced to face off against Malice, who had reemerged in Sue's subconscious. After defeating Malice, Susan absorbed Malice into her own consciousness. Subsequently, Susan's personality was influenced by Malice, causing her to become more aggressive in battle, even creating invisible razor-like force fields she used to slice enemies. She also took to wearing a more revealing costume, which included a cut-out "4" in the chest, showing her cleavage. Her son Franklin, who had traveled forward and back in time, had become the adult hero Psi-Lord, and he was able to free his mother and absorb the influence of Malice into himself. He eventually defeated Malice by projecting her into the mind of the Dark Raider, an insane alternate universe counterpart of Reed Richards who later died in the Negative Zone.
After the apparent death of Reed, Susan found herself becoming a capable leader. Around this time, Susan, who felt Reed was still alive, kept searching for him, despite romantic advances from her old flame, Namor the Sub-Mariner. The Fantastic Four eventually rescued the time-displaced Reed, who found himself temporarily losing confidence in his leadership skills, since Susan was also a capable leader.
Following their return to their Earth of origin, the Fantastic Four encountered Valeria von Doom
. This new Marvel Girl came from an alternate future, where she was the child of Susan and Doctor Doom
. Susan eventually came to accept the young girl as a friend. During a conflict with Abraxas
, Franklin revealed that he used his abilities to save Susan's original stillborn child and placed it in another alternate future. After the ordeal involving Abraxas, Marvel Girl was restored to a baby again inside Susan's womb
.
This time around, Susan, yet again, had a difficult birthing. Due to the help of Doctor Doom
, Susan was able to give birth to a healthy baby girl, which Doom named Valeria, his price for helping Sue ... or so she thought. Doom placed a spell on the baby, which made her his familiar spirit
, to be used against the Fantastic Four. The Fantastic Four wrestled Valeria free from Doom's control and defeated him.
refugee
s, kidnaps Susan. His intent was to use her powers to hide planets from Galactus. Reed finds a way to fool Zius, by switching Susan and Johnny's powers. Susan assists in an adventure where Johnny becomes a herald of Galactus. Wielding a cosmic version of her powers, Johnny is able to see through people to the very cores of their personality.
Both Sue and Johnny gain a newfound respect for each other and how they deal with their powers. Soon, Reed tries to switch the powers back. The entire FF's powers are granted to four random civilians before being restored to their rightful wielders.
This parallels an earlier torture by Doom, where Sue was given an extremely painful version of Johnny's pyrokinetic ability.
Although Sue was initially part of the Pro-Registration force supporting the Superhuman Registration Act, she defects after the Thor
Clone, created by her husband Mister Fantastic
and Tony Stark
, kills famed superhero Bill Foster
. In the midst of the battle, Sue arrives and creates an invisible force shield around Captain America
's Secret Avengers, protecting them from Thor's lightning blasts and allowing them to escape whilst she held him off - developing a nose bleed in the process.
Later that night, Sue leaves the Baxter Building and meets Johnny. She has left a note for the sleeping Reed, informing him that the children are entirely in his care, since she intends to go underground and join Captain America's resistance forces. Her final injunction to her husband is a heartfelt request: "Please fix this."
The Storm siblings narrowly escape a team of S.H.I.E.L.D.
agents bent on capturing them in Civil War #5. The two further elude detection by operating under fake husband and wife identities provided by Nick Fury, becoming members of Captain America's Secret Avengers.
Before storming the Negative Zone prison, Sue visits Namor to plead for assistance. He refuses and indicates she is still attracted to him, an accusation she does not deny.
During the final battle depicted in Civil War #7, as Susan is about to be shot by Taskmaster
, Reed Richards jumps in front of her and takes the brunt of the attack, sustaining a major injury. Outraged, Susan beats Taskmaster into the ground, leaving a large circular indentation in the Earth. Following the end of the war, Susan helps with the clean-up of New York City
. She, along with the other Secret Avengers, has been granted amnesty, and she returns home to Reed. Seeking to repair the damage done to their marriage as a result of the war, Sue and Reed take time off from the Fantastic Four, but ask Storm and the Black Panther
to take their places in the meantime.
, the Fantastic Four confront the Hulk
. Reed has designed a machine that recreates the Sentry
's aura. The Hulk, only momentarily calmed, discovers the ruse. Sue deploys her force fields to defend Reed against the Hulk, who shatters her protective fields with such force that she collapses, leaving Reed vulnerable. Reed suffers a vicious beating at the hands of the Hulk; Sue telephones the Sentry for help.
The Hulk transforms Madison Square Garden into a gladiatorial arena. Sue and the other defeated heroes are held captive in a lower level. The heroes are outfitted with the same obedience disks that were used to suppress the Hulk's powers and force him to fight his companions on Sakaar.
, the future Sue goes to apologize to him, and is electrocuted by Doom.
posing as Mister Fantastic ambushes her, applying pressure to her skull with an invisible force field and knocking her out cold. Then, a Skrull infiltrates the Baxter Building disguised as Susan and opens a portal into the Negative Zone
, forcing the top three floors of the building into the Negative Zone, and in turn trapping herself, Johnny, Ben, and the two Richards children there. The Skrull impersonating her is later revealed to be Johnny's ex-wife Lyja
, who once infiltrated the Fantastic Four by impersonating Ben Grimm's love interest Alicia Masters
.
The real Susan Richards is recovered alive from a downed Skrull ship after the final battle of the invasion.
to effectively block variations of light such as laser-beams
, or make them semipermeable to filter oxygen from water though the latter is mentally taxing.
Sue can shape her psionic force fields into invisible constructs, usually simple shapes such as barriers, columns, cones, cylinders, darts, discs, domes, platforms, rams, ramps, slides and spheres. By generating additional force behind her psionic constructs, Sue can turn them into offensive weapons, ranging from massive invisible battering rams to small projectiles such as spheres and darts. She can generate solid force constructs as small as a marble or as large as 100 feet (30.5 m) in diameter, and her hollow projections such as domes can extend up to several miles in area. By forming one of her force fields within an object and expanding the field, Sue can cause her target to explode. She can also travel atop animated constructs such as ramps, stairs, slides, columns and stepping discs, enabling her to fly. She can manipulate the energy of her force fields around other objects to simulate telekinetic abilities. It has been said on numerous occasions, including by the Fantastic Four's greatest opponent, Doctor Doom, that Sue is the single-most powerful member of the quartet and she is one of the only beings able to rupture the shell of a Celestial
. She is capable of generating and manipulating multiple force fields simultaneously. This power is only limited by her concentration; once she stops concentrating on a field, it simply ceases to exist.
Susan is also a competent hand-to-hand combatant and martial artist, having been trained by Iron Fist, and having received additional coaching from both the Thing
and She-Hulk
. Her unparalleled sense of compassion and common sense makes her a natural-born leader, and she usually acts as the Fantastic Four's second-in-command, usually taking over complete leadership of the team during Mr. Fantastic's absence.
, Susan Storm is a member of the Four from the Fantastick, in reference to the ship upon which she and three others gained their powers in the Sargasso Sea
. Unlike in the Marvel Universe, she is weightless and cannot become visible. She is related to the alchemical element of air
as stated by Neil Gaiman
.
At the start of Marvel 1602: Fantastick Four
, Susan is visibly pregnant with Sir Richard Reed's child. He forbids her to join him in his pursuit of Otto von Doom while in this condition, but she goes anyway. Much to Miss Doris Evans' shock, Sir Richard and Susan are not married. In the course of the story, Susan develops her ability to create invisible force shields, which causes her to turn visible when using it. However, she could not render her clothes invisible, and at one point she accidentally reappeared completely naked in front of Sir Benjamin Grimm and Miss Doris, much to her embarrassment. She also is coveted by Numenor, the ruler of Bensaylum, before returning to England with Sir Richard.
, Susan never became the Invisible Woman, instead she helped her boyfried Reed Richards in his attempt to evacuate a large group of humans from Manhattan when Apocalypse came into power. Along with Ben Grimm as the pilot and her brother Johnny as crew, they used one of Reed's prototype rockets to fly off the island. The ship was full of a contingent of human refugees, however, a mutant sabotaged the launch and both Reed and Johnny sacrificed themselves to let the others blast off safely.
Susie and Ben joined the Human High Council as hired muscle. They were sent to the Eurasian Security Field Command Center to retrieve Bruce Banner, the scientist who worked on the nuclear warhead project that made the Council's pre-emptive nuclear strike possible. But they found the facilities barraged and run over by a Thing. The two were able to defeat the monster and retrieve Banner so that they could board Mikhail Rasputin's mothership as one of a few select representatives allowed to board the Horseman's vessel as part of a false peace convoy. The humans were hoodwinked and held captive on the ship until Tony Stark, another captive on Mikhail's vessel, short circuited the craft with his mechanized heart. After they were freed, Ben and Susan helped with the evacuation of the humans, piloting the ships after Banner to unify all the transfer arks into a single fleet used to flee from Earth.
. First, she was married to Black Bolt
and helped him defeat that reality's tyrannical dictator Iron Man. More recently, another version of Sue has appeared as Madame Hydra, controller of Captain America
, Slaymaster
, and Wolverine
. She has even developed romantic feelings for Wolverine. This version of Sue has killed billions and plans to move onto other Earths. Along with the Exiles, she is opposed by that reality's Reed Richards
and Elektra
. After the Exiles defeated her, she escaped into another dimension and began recruiting villains defeated by the Exiles across various dimensions to form a team to defeat them.
, the Invisible Girl is an ape who unwillingly turns human after gaining her powers.
, the Invisible Girl is Sioux Storm. Her half-sister is Jonatha Storm. Sioux has near psychosis
-level emotional detachment
and may suffer from Borderline personality disorder
. In order to get her to fight—or show any interest in what is going on—Reed has her suit dump near-overdoses
of battle stimulants and aggressor hormone
s into her bloodstream. She is a member of the Megascale Metatalent Response Team Fantastic Four. The team uses power packs that allow them to manifest at mecha-sized levels. Sioux projects a 200 ft (61 m) tall "invisible friend" constructed from her invisible force fields. The team fights Godzilla
-sized monsters from various alien xenocultures that attack Earth in order to put an end to experiments that endanger all of reality. In Mangaverse volume 1 the team destroys a mecha
-like Annihilus.
In New Mangaverse Sioux is murdered by ninja assassins dispatched by the Hand
.
universe's version of Reed Richards deliberately infected his team, including Sue, with the zombie virus, following madness from the murder of their children at the hands of a zombified She-Hulk. The Zombie Fantastic Four subsequently made contact with their Ultimate counterparts
, attempting to escape into the Ultimate Marvel
universe. However, Zombie Reed was neutralized when the Ultimate Invisible Girl practically destroyed a chunk of his brain. After a brief period of imprisonment, the zombie Fantastic Four were beaten and finally killed by Ultimate Doctor Doom and then returned to their universe.
Sue was instrumental in battling Galactus
during the Last Planet Standing
miniseries in which she deployed psionic force fields to prevent a tsunami from leveling New York.
, little is known about Susan, except that she has had an affair with that reality's Havok. She is shown dead along with several other super heroes who attempted to stop the Beyonder
.
reality where mutants are hunted, Sue is the only free member of the Fantastic Four left after she betrayed the other three to the government for haboring a mutant after the mutant
attacked Franklin. Unlike some of her colleagues in the mutant-hunting Avengers, Sue merely wishes to contain mutants rather than kill them, and evenually sacrifices herself to save the hutant retreat from a suicide bombing by her former teammate, the Hulk.
series Planetary
, written by Warren Ellis
, the main adversaries of the eponymous team of superpowered investigators are an evil version of Marvel's Fantastic Four called The Four . The Sue Storm analogue is Kim Suskind, who has exactly the same powers as the original, except that she has to wear a pair of goggles in order to see while invisible. The daughter of a Nazi scientist and lover of The Four's leader, Randall Dowling, Suskind destroys her opponents by rapidly expanding a force field inside their heads.
prodigy who has grown up in the Baxter Building in the gifted and talented program supervised by her father. Though her new found fame and incredible beauty has brought her unsought attention from the likes of billionaire playboy Tony Stark, the former Baxter Building scientist turned villain, Mole Man, the Atlantean criminal Namor, and even her own friend and teammate, Ben Grimm, she remains romantically attached to Reed Richards despite her concerns about his over devotion to science. Throughout the series, Sue has been a major player in events such as Ultimate Secret, and Ultimate Power. In Ultimate Salem's Seven, Sue Storm left Reed Richards and began to work over in Oregon looking at a bizarre sentient organism. It has been shown that this organism is responsible for creating the Salem's Seven
. She would later venture back to Oregon to destroy the creature with Namor, and the rest of her team. She then tells Johnny to destroy the creatures by going supernova
, as she and the group head for the surface. However, Reed was trapped in the of the inferno Johnny created and was to be engulfed by molten lava when Sue saves him with her invisible force field, reconciling with one another in the process. She would later play a part in the Ultimatum event where she pushes back a tidal wave that flooded New York with a colossal psionic field. She succeeds and ends up saving the city, however the mental strain needed to accomplish the feat leaves Sue unconscious and puts her into a deep coma. She would later be awoken from her coma through the combined efforts of Mole Man and the Thing, during the course of which it is revealed that Ben seems to harbor some romantic feelings towards Susan. After the Ultimatum Sue breaks up with Reed and follows in her mother's footsteps.
This version of Sue Storm is an accomplished scientist in her own right. Reed even describes her as "just a teeny bit smarter than him". It is Sue who does research into the biomolecular basis of the Fantastic Four's powers and she manages to understand how Reed's and her brother Johnny's powers as Mister Fantastic and the Human Torch work.
, counterparts of the Fantastic Four hijack an experimental spaceship in order to be the first humans in space. Man-Beast negates the affects of the cosmic radiation for all of them except Reed Richards
who succumbs to the affects a decade later. When their craft crashes, Sue Storm goes into a coma from which she does not awake.
in the 2005 film
The Fantastic Four
. Sue, a brilliant scientist, leads Victor Von Doom's Department of Genetic
Research. She is dating Von Doom at the beginning of the film. Immediately prior to the arrival of the cosmic storm which grants her the ability to manipulate light (allowing her to disappear and generate semi-visible force fields), Victor proposes to her: she turns him down. Unlike in other media, Sue was not able to render her normal clothes invisible which resulted in an embarrassing moment when Sue tried to disrobe to sneak through a crowd, only to reappear while still in her underwear. Although her powers are influenced by her emotions, she manages to control her abilities during the team's climactic battle with Von Doom. Sue accepts Richards' proposal of marriage at the end of the film.
, Sue Storm's wedding to Mister Fantastic
is interrupted by the arrival of the Silver Surfer
. When her powers are temporarily switched with Johnny's, Sue burns all of her clothes off and, upon switching powers back, is left laying completely naked on the sidewalk outside her building, photographed by the crowd, muttering "Why does this always happen to me?". Sue reminds the Silver Surfer of the woman he loved back on his homeworld
. This association, and the friendship with Sue which follows, leads the Surfer to turn against his master, Galactus
.
While attempting to shield the Silver Surfer with a force field, Sue is stabbed through the chest by a spear created by a cosmic-powered Doctor Doom, and she dies in Reed's arms. However, Silver Surfer uses his cosmic powers to heal Sue, tarnishing himself in the process. Before leaving to confront Galactus, Silver Surfer tells Reed to treasure every moment with Sue.
Reed and a kimono
-clad Sue are married in a ceremony in Japan
at the end of the film, moments before jetting off with Ben and Johnny to save Venice
from sinking.
magazine. IGN
also ranked the Invisible Woman as the 66th greatest comic book hero of all time stating that the Fantastic Four are nothing if not a dysfunctional family, and they need someone to hold that family together. That someone tends to be Susan Richards.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
, a Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
superheroine created by writer Stan Lee
Stan Lee
Stan Lee is an American comic book writer, editor, actor, producer, publisher, television personality, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics....
and artist/co-writer Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby , born Jacob Kurtzberg, was an American comic book artist, writer and editor regarded by historians and fans as one of the major innovators and most influential creators in the comic book medium....
. The character first appeared in Fantastic Four #1 in November 1961, and was the first female superhero created by Marvel in the Silver Age of Comics. Like the other founding members of the Fantastic Four
Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four is a fictional superhero team appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The group debuted in The Fantastic Four #1 , which helped to usher in a new level of realism in the medium...
, Sue received her powers after being exposed to a cosmic storm. Her primary power deals with light waves, allowing her to render herself and others invisible
Invisibility
Invisibility is the state of an object that cannot be seen. An object in this state is said to be invisible . The term is usually used as a fantasy/science fiction term, where objects are literally made unseeable by magical or technological means; however, its effects can also be seen in the real...
. However, she can also project powerful fields of invisible psionic energy which she uses for a variety of offensive and defensive effects. Sue plays a central role in the lives of her brother, her husband, her children (Franklin Richards
Franklin Richards
Franklin Richards is a fictional comic book character appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, usually as a supporting character in Fantastic Four.Franklin is an Omega-Level mutant with vast psionic and reality-manipulating powers...
and Val Richards
Valeria Richards
Valeria Meghan Richards is a fictional character of Marvel Comics, the daughter of Mister Fantastic and the Invisible Woman , husband and wife and two original members of the superhero team the Fantastic Four. She is the younger sister of Franklin Richards...
), and her friend, Ben Grimm
Thing (comics)
The Thing is a fictional character, a founding member of the superhero team known as the Fantastic Four in the Marvel Comics universe. He was created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee in The Fantastic Four #1...
.
An object of infatuation for Doctor Doom
Doctor Doom
Victor von Doom is a fictional character who appears in Marvel Comics publications . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Fantastic Four #5 wearing his trademark metal mask and green cloak...
, and, most notably, Namor the Sub-Mariner, Sue's passive invisibility power translated into her frequent deployment as a damsel in distress
Damsel in distress
The subject of the damsel in distress, or persecuted maiden, is a classic theme in world literature, art, and film. She is usually a beautiful young woman placed in a dire predicament by a villain or monster and who requires a hero to achieve her rescue. She has become a stock character of fiction,...
during the team's early adventures. However, upon developing the ability to project powerful fields of energy, Sue Storm became a more powerful member of the Fantastic Four
Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four is a fictional superhero team appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The group debuted in The Fantastic Four #1 , which helped to usher in a new level of realism in the medium...
, and the team's second-in-command. While Sue operated somewhat in the shadow of her hot-headed brother, Johnny Storm
Human Torch
The Human Torch is a fictional character and superhero appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, he is a member of the superhero team the Fantastic Four, debuting in The Fantastic Four #1...
, and her brilliant husband Reed Richards
Mister Fantastic
Mr. Fantastic is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero and a member of the Fantastic Four. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby, he first appeared in Fantastic Four #1 ....
in the early years, she is now the soul of the Fantastic Four and one of the premiere heroes in the Marvel Universe
Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...
.
The Invisible Woman is portrayed by Jessica Alba
Jessica Alba
Jessica Marie Alba is an American television and film actress. She began her television and movie appearances at age 13 in Camp Nowhere and The Secret World of Alex Mack . Alba rose to prominence as the lead actress in the television series Dark Angel...
in the 2005 film
2005 in film
- Highest-grossing films :Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top-grossing films that were first released in the United States in 2005...
Fantastic Four
Fantastic Four (film)
Fantastic Four is a 2005 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics comic Fantastic Four. It was directed by Tim Story, and released by 20th Century Fox. It is the second live-action Fantastic Four film to be filmed. The previous attempt, a B-movie produced by Roger Corman only for the...
and its 2007
2007 in film
This is a list of major films released in 2007.-Top grossing films:Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top grossing films that were first released in the USA in 2007...
sequel, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer is a 2007 American superhero film, and the sequel to the 2005 film Fantastic Four. Both films are based on the Fantastic Four comic book and were directed by Tim Story...
.
Publication history
Stan Lee's original 2-page plot summary for the first issue of The Fantastic Four, reprinted in the Marvel MasterworksMarvel Masterworks
Marvel Masterworks are a American collection of hardcover and trade paperback comic book reprints published by Marvel Comics. They are printed in full color and feature various titles from the Golden Age, Pre-Code , Silver Age, and Bronze Age of comics.The collection started in 1987 with volumes...
edition of the first ten issues, handled Susan's powers similarly to the Universal Pictures
Universal Pictures
-1920:* White Youth* The Flaming Disc* Am I Dreaming?* The Dragon's Net* The Adorable Savage* Putting It Over* The Line Runners-1921:* The Fire Eater* A Battle of Wits* Dream Girl* The Millionaire...
's "Invisible" series, which required her to take off her clothes, but noting concern that that might be "too sexy" for a comic book. Sue was initially presented as the sole reason for Ben Grimm, a bad guy, remaining on the group, which was significantly toned down in the published series.
Invisible Woman has primarily appeared in issues of Fantastic Four. Susan's initial power of invisibility
Invisibility
Invisibility is the state of an object that cannot be seen. An object in this state is said to be invisible . The term is usually used as a fantasy/science fiction term, where objects are literally made unseeable by magical or technological means; however, its effects can also be seen in the real...
proved to be of minor consequence in the team's early missions, especially compared to the abilities of the others in the group. Eventually, the creators expanded Sue's abilities, giving her the power to render other objects and people invisible and create strong force fields and psionic blasts. Despite her enhanced abilities, Susan served primarily as an assistant and second-in-command
Second-in-command
The Second-in-Command is the deputy commander of any British Army or Royal Marines unit, from battalion or regiment downwards. He or she is thus the equivalent of an Executive Officer in the United States Army...
to Reed in the early years of the series. This changed when John Byrne began his run on the title. Under his authorship, Sue became more confident and assertive in her abilities which became more versatile and impressive. For instance, she found she could use her force field abilities to manipulate matter through the air, immobilize enemies, or administer long-range attacks. Susan changed her nom de guerre to Invisible Woman, and is now recognized as one of the more powerful characters in the Marvel Universe.
Fictional character biography
As detailed in The Marvel Saga: Official History of The Marvel Universe #16, Susan Storm, and her younger brother, JonathanHuman Torch
The Human Torch is a fictional character and superhero appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, he is a member of the superhero team the Fantastic Four, debuting in The Fantastic Four #1...
grew up in the town of Glenville, Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, children of a physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
named Franklin Storm and a woman named Mary. The parents left their kids alone one night to travel to a dinner honoring Dr. Storm. On the way, a tire blew out but only Mary was injured. Franklin escaped injury and insisted on operating on his wife. He was unable to save her and she died. After his wife's death, Dr. Franklin Storm became a gambler and a drunk, losing his medical practice, which led him to the accidental killing of a loan shark
Loan shark
A loan shark is a person or body that offers unsecured loans at illegally high interest rates to individuals, often enforcing repayment by blackmail or threats of violence....
. Franklin did not defend himself in court, because he still felt guilty over Mary's death. With their father in prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
, Susan had to become a mother figure for her younger brother.
While living with her aunt, Susan, at the young age of 17, met her future husband
Husband
A husband is a male participant in a marriage. The rights and obligations of the husband regarding his spouse and others, and his status in the community and in law, vary between cultures and has varied over time...
, Reed Richards
Mister Fantastic
Mr. Fantastic is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero and a member of the Fantastic Four. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby, he first appeared in Fantastic Four #1 ....
, a house guest who was attending college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
. When she graduated high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
as the award-winning captain of her Girls' Varsity
Varsity team
In the United States and Canada, varsity sports teams are the principal athletic teams representing a college, university, high school or other secondary school. Such teams compete against the principal athletic teams at other colleges/universities, or in the case of secondary schools, against...
Swim Team
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
, she moved to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
to attend college, where she pursued an acting career and encountered Richards again. They began to become romantically involved with each other.
Reed Richards, working in the field of Aerospace engineering
Aerospace engineering
Aerospace engineering is the primary branch of engineering concerned with the design, construction and science of aircraft and spacecraft. It is divided into two major and overlapping branches: aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering...
, was designing a spacecraft
Spacecraft
A spacecraft or spaceship is a craft or machine designed for spaceflight. Spacecraft are used for a variety of purposes, including communications, earth observation, meteorology, navigation, planetary exploration and transportation of humans and cargo....
for interstellar travel. Everything was going well until the government stopped the funding of his project. Richards, wanting to see his project through, decided to make an unscheduled test flight. Originally, it was only going to be Reed and his best friend, Ben Grimm
Thing (comics)
The Thing is a fictional character, a founding member of the superhero team known as the Fantastic Four in the Marvel Comics universe. He was created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee in The Fantastic Four #1...
, involved, but Susan was instrumental in persuading Reed in letting her brother and herself join them on the dangerous space mission. In space, the quartet was exposed to massive amounts of cosmic radiation
Cosmic ray
Cosmic rays are energetic charged subatomic particles, originating from outer space. They may produce secondary particles that penetrate the Earth's atmosphere and surface. The term ray is historical as cosmic rays were thought to be electromagnetic radiation...
. As a result, they had to abort the mission and return to Earth. After the crash landing, they realized that they gained superhuman powers; hers was the ability to become invisible at will. Realizing the potential use of their abilities, the four of them became the Fantastic Four, for the benefit of mankind. Susan adopted the code name "Invisible Girl".
Invisible Girl
As the Fantastic Four, the team found themselves setting up their first headquarters in the Baxter BuildingBaxter Building
The Baxter Building is a fictitious 35-story office building in Manhattan whose five upper floors house the Fantastic Four's headquarters in the Marvel Universe.-Publication history:...
in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
. The first supervillain they battled was the Mole Man
Mole Man
The Mole Man is a comic book supervillain that exists in Marvel Comics' main shared universe. He first appeared in Fantastic Four #1, and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.-Fictional character biography:...
, followed soon after that by the Skrull
Skrull
The Skrulls are a fictional race of extraterrestrial shapeshifters that appear in publications by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:The Skrulls first appeared in Fantastic Four #2 and were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby....
s. The Fantastic Four encountered many villains in the early part of their career, but none of them contended for Susan's affections more than Namor the Sub-Mariner. Sue felt an amount of attraction to Namor, but her heart belonged with Reed. Soon after that, the Fantastic Four encountered Doctor Doom
Doctor Doom
Victor von Doom is a fictional character who appears in Marvel Comics publications . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Fantastic Four #5 wearing his trademark metal mask and green cloak...
for the first time.
Initially, her powers were limited to making herself invisible. However, before long Sue discovered she could make other things invisible as well as create force fields of invisible energy. After Susan is injured in battle with the Mole Man, her father escaped from prison and operated on her to save her life. Franklin made amends with his children before returning to prison; however, the Super-Skrull
Super-Skrull
The Super-Skrull is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:The character first appeared in Fantastic Four #18 The Super-Skrull (Kl'rt) is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:The...
found a way to kidnap Dr. Storm, mimic his appearance, and then fight the Fantastic Four as the Invincible Man. In the process of defeating the Super-Skrull, Dr. Storm sacrificed his own life to protect the Fantastic Four from a Skrull booby trap
Booby trap
A booby trap is a device designed to harm or surprise a person, unknowingly triggered by the presence or actions of the victim. As the word trap implies, they often have some form of bait designed to lure the victim towards it. However, in other cases the device is placed on busy roads or is...
.
Reed and Sue's relationship progressed, with the two of them deciding to get married. The wedding
Wedding
A wedding is the ceremony in which two people are united in marriage or a similar institution. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes...
was the event of the century, with several of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
's preeminent superheroes in attendance. Even several supervillains wanted to attend, if only for the chance to attack the Fantastic Four. Not long after that, Susan and the Fantastic Four encountered Galactus
Galactus
Galactus is a fictional character appearing in comic books and other publications published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist and co-plotter Jack Kirby, the character debuted in Fantastic Four #48 , the first of a three-issue story later known as "The Galactus...
and the Silver Surfer
Silver Surfer
The Silver Surfer is a Marvel Comics superhero created by Jack Kirby. The character first appears in Fantastic Four #48 , the first of a three-issue arc that fans call "The Galactus Trilogy"....
for the first time. Sue later became pregnant
Pregnancy
Pregnancy refers to the fertilization and development of one or more offspring, known as a fetus or embryo, in a woman's uterus. In a pregnancy, there can be multiple gestations, as in the case of twins or triplets...
with her first child. As a result, she took time off as an active member of the team. Johnny's then-girlfriend, the Inhuman
Inhumans
The Inhumans are a fictional race of superhumans, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. This race appears in various comic book series published by Marvel Comics and exists in that company's shared universe, known as the Marvel Universe....
elementalist known simply as Crystal
Crystal (comics)
Crystal is a fictional character, a superhero in the . She is a member of the Inhumans and the younger sister of Medusa....
, joined the team, taking over Susan's roster spot.
Susan's cosmic ray irradiated blood cells served as an obstacle for her in carrying the unborn child to term. Knowing this, Reed, Johnny, and Ben journeyed into the Negative Zone
Negative Zone
The Negative Zone is a fictional setting, an antimatter universe depicted in publications from Marvel Comics, most frequently in Fantastic Four and Captain Marvel. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, it first appeared in Fantastic Four #51 .-Fictional description:The Negative Zone in the Marvel...
to acquire the Cosmic Control Rod from Annihilus
Annihilus
Annihilus is a fictional character in Marvel Comics' Marvel Universe. In 2009, Annihilus was ranked as IGN's 94th Greatest Comic Book Villain of All Time.-Publication history:...
. Effectively utilizing the device, the baby was safely delivered and was named Franklin
Franklin Richards
Franklin Richards is a fictional comic book character appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, usually as a supporting character in Fantastic Four.Franklin is an Omega-Level mutant with vast psionic and reality-manipulating powers...
, in memory of Susan's father. Due to the genetically altered structure of his parents, Franklin was born a mutant
Mutant (Marvel Comics)
In comic books published by Marvel Comics, a mutant is an organism who possesses a genetic trait called an X-gene that allows the mutant to naturally develop superhuman powers and abilities...
, possessing vast powers of the highest possible potential. Seeking to use the boy's talents for his own sadistic purposes, Annihilus returned and successfully triggered a premature full release of Franklin's latent abilities, which were already in the process of gradual emergence. Fearing that his son could very well release enough psionic energy to eliminate all life on Earth, Reed was forced to shut Franklin's mind down, feeling there was no immediate alternative. Angry with Reed for not seeking her input in the matter, Susan left the Fantastic Four and had a marital separation
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
from Reed. Taking her roster spot was Medusa
Medusa (comics)
Medusa is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:Medusa first appeared in Fantastic Four #36 , and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.-Fictional character biography:...
, of the Inhumans. With the help of Namor, Susan reconciled with Reed and returned to the Fantastic Four accompanied by Franklin.
Invisible Woman
Susan eventually became pregnant for a second time. However, the trauma of her first pregnancy paled in comparison to that of her second for several reasons. This second child was stillbornStillbirth
A stillbirth occurs when a fetus has died in the uterus. The Australian definition specifies that fetal death is termed a stillbirth after 20 weeks gestation or the fetus weighs more than . Once the fetus has died the mother still has contractions and remains undelivered. The term is often used in...
due to Susan having been exposed to radiation
Radiation
In physics, radiation is a process in which energetic particles or energetic waves travel through a medium or space. There are two distinct types of radiation; ionizing and non-ionizing...
inside the Negative Zone on a previous trip. A depressed Susan was later manipulated by events set into motion by Psycho-Man
Psycho-Man
Psycho-Man is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:The character first appears in Fantastic Four Annual #5 Psycho-Man is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:The character first...
into becoming Malice. As Malice, Susan attacked her friends and family in the Fantastic Four, utilizing her abilities at power levels she had never displayed previously. She effortlessly defeated She-Hulk
She-Hulk
She-Hulk is a Marvel Comics superheroine. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist John Buscema, she first appeared in Savage She-Hulk #1 ....
and Human Torch; luckily, Reed was able to save Susan by forcing her to hate him legitimately. Freed of Psycho-Man's influence, Susan (off-panel) did something to Psycho-Man, causing him to let out a terrifying scream. After she rejoined her teammates, Susan stated that Psycho-Man would never hurt anyone ever again. Susan found herself profoundly affected by the entire episode, and decided to change her code name from "Invisible Girl" to "Invisible Woman". Along with Reed, she briefly left the Fantastic Four. Finding a life outside the Fantastic Four, Reed and Sue were invited into the membership of the Avengers
Avengers (comics)
The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers...
. The two of them were Avengers briefly, but rejoined the Fantastic Four before long.
During the Infinity War
Infinity War
The Infinity War is a six-issue comic book limited series published by Marvel Comics in 1992. The series was written by Jim Starlin and penciled by Ron Lim, Ian Laughlin, Al Milgrom, Jack Morelli and Christie Scheele....
, Susan was forced to face off against Malice, who had reemerged in Sue's subconscious. After defeating Malice, Susan absorbed Malice into her own consciousness. Subsequently, Susan's personality was influenced by Malice, causing her to become more aggressive in battle, even creating invisible razor-like force fields she used to slice enemies. She also took to wearing a more revealing costume, which included a cut-out "4" in the chest, showing her cleavage. Her son Franklin, who had traveled forward and back in time, had become the adult hero Psi-Lord, and he was able to free his mother and absorb the influence of Malice into himself. He eventually defeated Malice by projecting her into the mind of the Dark Raider, an insane alternate universe counterpart of Reed Richards who later died in the Negative Zone.
After the apparent death of Reed, Susan found herself becoming a capable leader. Around this time, Susan, who felt Reed was still alive, kept searching for him, despite romantic advances from her old flame, Namor the Sub-Mariner. The Fantastic Four eventually rescued the time-displaced Reed, who found himself temporarily losing confidence in his leadership skills, since Susan was also a capable leader.
Following their return to their Earth of origin, the Fantastic Four encountered Valeria von Doom
Valeria Richards
Valeria Meghan Richards is a fictional character of Marvel Comics, the daughter of Mister Fantastic and the Invisible Woman , husband and wife and two original members of the superhero team the Fantastic Four. She is the younger sister of Franklin Richards...
. This new Marvel Girl came from an alternate future, where she was the child of Susan and Doctor Doom
Doctor Doom
Victor von Doom is a fictional character who appears in Marvel Comics publications . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Fantastic Four #5 wearing his trademark metal mask and green cloak...
. Susan eventually came to accept the young girl as a friend. During a conflict with Abraxas
Abraxas (comics)
Abraxas, sometimes called the Dark Man, is a fictional cosmic entity in the Marvel Multiverse. He first appeared in Fantastic Four 2001...
, Franklin revealed that he used his abilities to save Susan's original stillborn child and placed it in another alternate future. After the ordeal involving Abraxas, Marvel Girl was restored to a baby again inside Susan's womb
Uterus
The uterus or womb is a major female hormone-responsive reproductive sex organ of most mammals including humans. One end, the cervix, opens into the vagina, while the other is connected to one or both fallopian tubes, depending on the species...
.
This time around, Susan, yet again, had a difficult birthing. Due to the help of Doctor Doom
Doctor Doom
Victor von Doom is a fictional character who appears in Marvel Comics publications . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Fantastic Four #5 wearing his trademark metal mask and green cloak...
, Susan was able to give birth to a healthy baby girl, which Doom named Valeria, his price for helping Sue ... or so she thought. Doom placed a spell on the baby, which made her his familiar spirit
Familiar spirit
In European folklore and folk-belief of the Medieval and Early Modern periods, familiar spirits were supernatural entities believed to assist witches and cunning folk in their practice of magic...
, to be used against the Fantastic Four. The Fantastic Four wrestled Valeria free from Doom's control and defeated him.
Sue, the Human Torch
Zius, leader of a group of GalactusGalactus
Galactus is a fictional character appearing in comic books and other publications published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist and co-plotter Jack Kirby, the character debuted in Fantastic Four #48 , the first of a three-issue story later known as "The Galactus...
refugee
Refugee
A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...
s, kidnaps Susan. His intent was to use her powers to hide planets from Galactus. Reed finds a way to fool Zius, by switching Susan and Johnny's powers. Susan assists in an adventure where Johnny becomes a herald of Galactus. Wielding a cosmic version of her powers, Johnny is able to see through people to the very cores of their personality.
Both Sue and Johnny gain a newfound respect for each other and how they deal with their powers. Soon, Reed tries to switch the powers back. The entire FF's powers are granted to four random civilians before being restored to their rightful wielders.
This parallels an earlier torture by Doom, where Sue was given an extremely painful version of Johnny's pyrokinetic ability.
Anti-Registration Movement
Sue's brother Johnny, enjoying a night on the town with a date, is beaten up in front of a nightclub by locals angered because his superhero/celebrity status affords him easy entry into the club while they are forced to wait in line, along with thinking he isn't worthy of his status anymore in the aftermath of the Stamford incident.Although Sue was initially part of the Pro-Registration force supporting the Superhuman Registration Act, she defects after the Thor
Thor (Marvel Comics)
Thor is a fictional superhero who appears in publications published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83 and was created by editor-plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciller Jack Kirby....
Clone, created by her husband Mister Fantastic
Mister Fantastic
Mr. Fantastic is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero and a member of the Fantastic Four. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby, he first appeared in Fantastic Four #1 ....
and Tony Stark
Iron Man
Iron Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, first appearing in Tales of Suspense #39 .A billionaire playboy, industrialist and ingenious engineer,...
, kills famed superhero Bill Foster
Bill Foster (comics)
Dr. Bill Foster, also known as Black Goliath, the second Giant-Man, and the fourth Goliath, is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the Marvel Comics universe.-Publication history:...
. In the midst of the battle, Sue arrives and creates an invisible force shield around Captain America
Captain America
Captain America is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 , from Marvel Comics' 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby...
's Secret Avengers, protecting them from Thor's lightning blasts and allowing them to escape whilst she held him off - developing a nose bleed in the process.
Later that night, Sue leaves the Baxter Building and meets Johnny. She has left a note for the sleeping Reed, informing him that the children are entirely in his care, since she intends to go underground and join Captain America's resistance forces. Her final injunction to her husband is a heartfelt request: "Please fix this."
The Storm siblings narrowly escape a team of S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fictional espionage and a secret military law-enforcement agency in the Marvel Comics Universe. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in Strange Tales #135 , it often deals with superhuman threats....
agents bent on capturing them in Civil War #5. The two further elude detection by operating under fake husband and wife identities provided by Nick Fury, becoming members of Captain America's Secret Avengers.
Before storming the Negative Zone prison, Sue visits Namor to plead for assistance. He refuses and indicates she is still attracted to him, an accusation she does not deny.
During the final battle depicted in Civil War #7, as Susan is about to be shot by Taskmaster
Taskmaster
Taskmaster is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. The character is primarily a supervillain but is often portrayed as an antihero. The Taskmaster first appeared in Avengers vol.1 #195 and was created by David Michelinie and George Pérez...
, Reed Richards jumps in front of her and takes the brunt of the attack, sustaining a major injury. Outraged, Susan beats Taskmaster into the ground, leaving a large circular indentation in the Earth. Following the end of the war, Susan helps with the clean-up of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. She, along with the other Secret Avengers, has been granted amnesty, and she returns home to Reed. Seeking to repair the damage done to their marriage as a result of the war, Sue and Reed take time off from the Fantastic Four, but ask Storm and the Black Panther
Black Panther (comics)
The Black Panther is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and penciller-co-plotter Jack Kirby, he first appeared in Fantastic Four #52...
to take their places in the meantime.
World War Hulk
In the second issue of World War HulkWorld War Hulk
"World War Hulk" is a comic book crossover storyline that ran through a self titled limited series and various other titles published by Marvel Comics in 2007, featuring the Hulk....
, the Fantastic Four confront the Hulk
Hulk (comics)
The Hulk is a fictional character, a superhero in the . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1 ....
. Reed has designed a machine that recreates the Sentry
Sentry (Robert Reynolds)
The Sentry is a fictional character in the . The character first appears in The Sentry #1 and was created by Paul Jenkins and Jae Lee, with uncredited conceptual contributions by Rick Veitch.-Creation:...
's aura. The Hulk, only momentarily calmed, discovers the ruse. Sue deploys her force fields to defend Reed against the Hulk, who shatters her protective fields with such force that she collapses, leaving Reed vulnerable. Reed suffers a vicious beating at the hands of the Hulk; Sue telephones the Sentry for help.
The Hulk transforms Madison Square Garden into a gladiatorial arena. Sue and the other defeated heroes are held captive in a lower level. The heroes are outfitted with the same obedience disks that were used to suppress the Hulk's powers and force him to fight his companions on Sakaar.
The Death of the Invisible Woman
Some time after World War Hulk, but before Secret Invasion, the Richards' have hired a new nanny for their kids, Tabitha Deneuve. At the same time, a mysterious new group, calling themselves the New Defenders, commits robberies, and one of their members, Psionics, starts a relationship with Johnny. After a bad break-up, Johnny is kidnapped by the Defenders, along with Doctor Doom and Galactus, to power a massive machine that is designed to apparently save the people of the future 500 years from now, a plan orchestrated by Tabitha, who is revealed to be Susan Richards from 500 years in the future. Eventually, the present Fantastic Four are able to save both the present Earth and the future Earth by sending the future inhabitants to the Earth Trust's private duplicate Nu-Earth, but after freeing Doctor DoomDoctor Doom
Victor von Doom is a fictional character who appears in Marvel Comics publications . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Fantastic Four #5 wearing his trademark metal mask and green cloak...
, the future Sue goes to apologize to him, and is electrocuted by Doom.
Secret Invasion: Fantastic Four
While Susan is on a lecture tour in Vancouver, B.C., a SkrullSkrull
The Skrulls are a fictional race of extraterrestrial shapeshifters that appear in publications by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:The Skrulls first appeared in Fantastic Four #2 and were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby....
posing as Mister Fantastic ambushes her, applying pressure to her skull with an invisible force field and knocking her out cold. Then, a Skrull infiltrates the Baxter Building disguised as Susan and opens a portal into the Negative Zone
Negative Zone
The Negative Zone is a fictional setting, an antimatter universe depicted in publications from Marvel Comics, most frequently in Fantastic Four and Captain Marvel. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, it first appeared in Fantastic Four #51 .-Fictional description:The Negative Zone in the Marvel...
, forcing the top three floors of the building into the Negative Zone, and in turn trapping herself, Johnny, Ben, and the two Richards children there. The Skrull impersonating her is later revealed to be Johnny's ex-wife Lyja
Lyja
Lyja is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. As a Skrull, she possesses the ability to shapeshift into almost any humanoid or animal form. Modifications on her body gave her the power to generate energy blasts.-Fictional character biography:...
, who once infiltrated the Fantastic Four by impersonating Ben Grimm's love interest Alicia Masters
Alicia Masters
Alicia Reiss Masters is a supporting character to the Marvel Comics superheroes the Fantastic Four and Silver Surfer. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, she first appeared in The Fantastic Four #8 ....
.
The real Susan Richards is recovered alive from a downed Skrull ship after the final battle of the invasion.
Powers and abilities
As the Invisible Woman, Susan can render herself wholly or partially invisible at will. She can also render other people or objects invisible, affecting up to forty thousand cubic feet of volume. She achieves these feats by mentally bending all wavelengths of light in the vicinity around herself or the target in question, and she does this without causing any visible distortion effects; she also directs enough undistorted light to her eyes to retain her full range of vision while invisible. She can also use her powers to turn objects of similar size that are invisible by other means visible. Sue can also mentally generate a psionic field of invisible force apparently drawn from hyperspace, which she manipulates for a variety of effects. Most commonly, Sue generates near-indestructible invisible force fields around herself or other targets. She can vary the texture and tensile strength of her field to some extent, rendering it highly rigid or as soft and yielding as foam; softer variations on the field enable her to cushion impacts more gently, and are less likely to result in a psionic backlash against Sue herself (in rare cases, sufficiently powerful attacks on her psionic fields can cause her mental or physical pain). She is also able to make her shields opaque or translucent like Milk glassMilk glass
Milk glass is an opaque or translucent, milky white or colored glass, blown or pressed into a wide variety of shapes.First made in Venice in the 16th century, colors include blue, pink, yellow, brown, black, and the white that led to its popular name....
to effectively block variations of light such as laser-beams
Laser
A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of photons. The term "laser" originated as an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation...
, or make them semipermeable to filter oxygen from water though the latter is mentally taxing.
Sue can shape her psionic force fields into invisible constructs, usually simple shapes such as barriers, columns, cones, cylinders, darts, discs, domes, platforms, rams, ramps, slides and spheres. By generating additional force behind her psionic constructs, Sue can turn them into offensive weapons, ranging from massive invisible battering rams to small projectiles such as spheres and darts. She can generate solid force constructs as small as a marble or as large as 100 feet (30.5 m) in diameter, and her hollow projections such as domes can extend up to several miles in area. By forming one of her force fields within an object and expanding the field, Sue can cause her target to explode. She can also travel atop animated constructs such as ramps, stairs, slides, columns and stepping discs, enabling her to fly. She can manipulate the energy of her force fields around other objects to simulate telekinetic abilities. It has been said on numerous occasions, including by the Fantastic Four's greatest opponent, Doctor Doom, that Sue is the single-most powerful member of the quartet and she is one of the only beings able to rupture the shell of a Celestial
Celestial (comics)
The Celestials are a group of fictional characters that appear in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The characters first appear in Eternals #1 and were created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....
. She is capable of generating and manipulating multiple force fields simultaneously. This power is only limited by her concentration; once she stops concentrating on a field, it simply ceases to exist.
Susan is also a competent hand-to-hand combatant and martial artist, having been trained by Iron Fist, and having received additional coaching from both the Thing
Thing (comics)
The Thing is a fictional character, a founding member of the superhero team known as the Fantastic Four in the Marvel Comics universe. He was created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee in The Fantastic Four #1...
and She-Hulk
She-Hulk
She-Hulk is a Marvel Comics superheroine. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist John Buscema, she first appeared in Savage She-Hulk #1 ....
. Her unparalleled sense of compassion and common sense makes her a natural-born leader, and she usually acts as the Fantastic Four's second-in-command, usually taking over complete leadership of the team during Mr. Fantastic's absence.
1602
In the miniseries Marvel 1602Marvel 1602
Marvel 1602 is an eight-issue comic book limited series published in 2003 by Marvel Comics. The limited series was written by Neil Gaiman, penciled by Andy Kubert, and digitally painted by Richard Isanove; Scott McKowen illustrated the distinctive scratchboard covers...
, Susan Storm is a member of the Four from the Fantastick, in reference to the ship upon which she and three others gained their powers in the Sargasso Sea
Sargasso Sea
The Sargasso Sea is a region in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by ocean currents. It is bounded on the west by the Gulf Stream; on the north, by the North Atlantic Current; on the east, by the Canary Current; and on the south, by the North Atlantic Equatorial Current. This...
. Unlike in the Marvel Universe, she is weightless and cannot become visible. She is related to the alchemical element of air
Air (classical element)
Air is often seen as a universal power or pure substance. Its supposed fundamental importance to life can be seen in words such as aspire, inspire, perspire and spirit, all derived from the Latin spirare.-Greek and Roman tradition:...
as stated by Neil Gaiman
Neil Gaiman
Neil Richard Gaiman born 10 November 1960)is an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books, graphic novels, audio theatre and films. His notable works include the comic book series The Sandman and novels Stardust, American Gods, Coraline, and The Graveyard Book...
.
At the start of Marvel 1602: Fantastick Four
Marvel 1602: Fantastick Four
Marvel 1602: Fantastick Four is a five-issue comic book limited series published by Marvel Comics in 2006. It was the second sequel to the successful Marvel 1602 series, the other sequels being 1602: New World and Spider-Man: 1602...
, Susan is visibly pregnant with Sir Richard Reed's child. He forbids her to join him in his pursuit of Otto von Doom while in this condition, but she goes anyway. Much to Miss Doris Evans' shock, Sir Richard and Susan are not married. In the course of the story, Susan develops her ability to create invisible force shields, which causes her to turn visible when using it. However, she could not render her clothes invisible, and at one point she accidentally reappeared completely naked in front of Sir Benjamin Grimm and Miss Doris, much to her embarrassment. She also is coveted by Numenor, the ruler of Bensaylum, before returning to England with Sir Richard.
Age of Apocalypse
In the alternate reality known as the Age of ApocalypseAge of Apocalypse
"Age of Apocalypse" is a 1995 - 1996 comic book crossover storyline published in the X-Men franchise of books by Marvel Comics. The Age of Apocalypse briefly replaced the universe of Earth-616, although it was later retconned as having occurred in the alternate universe of Earth-295, it had...
, Susan never became the Invisible Woman, instead she helped her boyfried Reed Richards in his attempt to evacuate a large group of humans from Manhattan when Apocalypse came into power. Along with Ben Grimm as the pilot and her brother Johnny as crew, they used one of Reed's prototype rockets to fly off the island. The ship was full of a contingent of human refugees, however, a mutant sabotaged the launch and both Reed and Johnny sacrificed themselves to let the others blast off safely.
Susie and Ben joined the Human High Council as hired muscle. They were sent to the Eurasian Security Field Command Center to retrieve Bruce Banner, the scientist who worked on the nuclear warhead project that made the Council's pre-emptive nuclear strike possible. But they found the facilities barraged and run over by a Thing. The two were able to defeat the monster and retrieve Banner so that they could board Mikhail Rasputin's mothership as one of a few select representatives allowed to board the Horseman's vessel as part of a false peace convoy. The humans were hoodwinked and held captive on the ship until Tony Stark, another captive on Mikhail's vessel, short circuited the craft with his mechanized heart. After they were freed, Ben and Susan helped with the evacuation of the humans, piloting the ships after Banner to unify all the transfer arks into a single fleet used to flee from Earth.
Exiles
Sue has appeared many times in the pages of ExilesExiles (Marvel Comics)
The Exiles are a group of fictional characters that feature in three Marvel Comics series, Exiles, New Exiles, and Exiles vol. 2. The Exiles consists of characters from different dimensions, or realities, which have been removed from time and space in order to correct problems in various alternate...
. First, she was married to Black Bolt
Black Bolt
Black Bolt is a fictional character that appears in publications by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Fantastic Four #45 Black Bolt (Blackagar Boltagon) is a fictional character that appears in publications by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Fantastic Four #45 Black...
and helped him defeat that reality's tyrannical dictator Iron Man. More recently, another version of Sue has appeared as Madame Hydra, controller of Captain America
Captain America
Captain America is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 , from Marvel Comics' 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby...
, Slaymaster
Slaymaster
Slaymaster is a fictional comic book character from Marvel Comics's Captain Britain series.-Publication history:The Slaymaster's first appearance was in Super Spider-Man and Captain Britain #243 , a weekly Marvel UK title which featured a mix of reprint and original material.He was created by Jim...
, and Wolverine
Wolverine (comics)
Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...
. She has even developed romantic feelings for Wolverine. This version of Sue has killed billions and plans to move onto other Earths. Along with the Exiles, she is opposed by that reality's Reed Richards
Mister Fantastic
Mr. Fantastic is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero and a member of the Fantastic Four. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby, he first appeared in Fantastic Four #1 ....
and Elektra
Elektra (comics)
Elektra Natchios, usually referred to only by her first name Elektra, is a fictional character in publications from Marvel Comics.Elektra is a kunoichi – female ninja assassin – of Greek descent. She wields a pair of bladed sai as her trademark weapon. She is a love interest of the superhero...
. After the Exiles defeated her, she escaped into another dimension and began recruiting villains defeated by the Exiles across various dimensions to form a team to defeat them.
Marvel Apes
In the alternate universe of Marvel ApesMarvel Apes
Marvel Apes is a four-issue limited series by comics publisher Marvel Comics which started publication in October 2008. The series is written by Karl Kesel with art by Ramon Bachs and covers by John Watson....
, the Invisible Girl is an ape who unwillingly turns human after gaining her powers.
Marvel Mangaverse
In the alternate universe of the Marvel MangaverseMarvel Mangaverse
The Marvel Mangaverse is a series of comic books published by Marvel Comics from 2000 to 2002, with a sequel "New Mangaverse" released in late 2005 and early 2006....
, the Invisible Girl is Sioux Storm. Her half-sister is Jonatha Storm. Sioux has near psychosis
Psychosis
Psychosis means abnormal condition of the mind, and is a generic psychiatric term for a mental state often described as involving a "loss of contact with reality"...
-level emotional detachment
Emotional detachment
Emotional detachment, in psychology, can mean two different things. In the first meaning, it refers to an "inability to connect" with others emotionally, as well as a means of dealing with anxiety by preventing certain situations that trigger it; it is often described as "emotional numbing" or...
and may suffer from Borderline personality disorder
Borderline personality disorder
Borderline personality disorder is a personality disorder described as a prolonged disturbance of personality function in a person , characterized by depth and variability of moods.The disorder typically involves unusual levels of instability in mood; black and white thinking, or splitting; the...
. In order to get her to fight—or show any interest in what is going on—Reed has her suit dump near-overdoses
Drug overdose
The term drug overdose describes the ingestion or application of a drug or other substance in quantities greater than are recommended or generally practiced...
of battle stimulants and aggressor hormone
Hormone
A hormone is a chemical released by a cell or a gland in one part of the body that sends out messages that affect cells in other parts of the organism. Only a small amount of hormone is required to alter cell metabolism. In essence, it is a chemical messenger that transports a signal from one...
s into her bloodstream. She is a member of the Megascale Metatalent Response Team Fantastic Four. The team uses power packs that allow them to manifest at mecha-sized levels. Sioux projects a 200 ft (61 m) tall "invisible friend" constructed from her invisible force fields. The team fights Godzilla
Godzilla
is a daikaijū, a Japanese movie monster, first appearing in Ishirō Honda's 1954 film Godzilla. Since then, Godzilla has gone on to become a worldwide pop culture icon starring in 28 films produced by Toho Co., Ltd. The monster has appeared in numerous other media incarnations including video games,...
-sized monsters from various alien xenocultures that attack Earth in order to put an end to experiments that endanger all of reality. In Mangaverse volume 1 the team destroys a mecha
Mecha
A mech , is a science fiction term for a large walking bipedal tank or robot, including ones on treads and animal shapes.-Characteristics:...
-like Annihilus.
In New Mangaverse Sioux is murdered by ninja assassins dispatched by the Hand
Hand (comics)
The Hand is a fictional supervillainous organization in the Marvel Comics universe.The Hand is an order of evil mystical ninja who are heavily involved in organized crime and mercenary activities such as assassination plots. The Hand covets power above all other objectives. They are primarily based...
.
Marvel Zombies
The Marvel ZombiesMarvel Zombies
Marvel Zombies is a five-issue limited series published from December 2005 to April 2006 by Marvel Comics. The series was written by Robert Kirkman with art by Sean Phillips and covers by Arthur Suydam. It was the first series in the Marvel Zombies series of related stories...
universe's version of Reed Richards deliberately infected his team, including Sue, with the zombie virus, following madness from the murder of their children at the hands of a zombified She-Hulk. The Zombie Fantastic Four subsequently made contact with their Ultimate counterparts
Ultimate Fantastic Four
Ultimate Fantastic Four is a superhero comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The series is a modernized re-imagining of Marvel's long-running Fantastic Four comic book franchise as part of its Ultimate Marvel imprint...
, attempting to escape into the Ultimate Marvel
Ultimate Marvel
Ultimate Marvel is an imprint of comic books published by Marvel Comics, featuring reimagined and updated versions of the company's superhero characters, including Spider-Man, the X-Men, the Avengers, and the Fantastic Four. The imprint was launched in 2000 with the publication of the series...
universe. However, Zombie Reed was neutralized when the Ultimate Invisible Girl practically destroyed a chunk of his brain. After a brief period of imprisonment, the zombie Fantastic Four were beaten and finally killed by Ultimate Doctor Doom and then returned to their universe.
MC2
In the MC2 universe, Sue and Reed recently returned from space, where Sue had been holding back a rift in reality with her force powers.Sue was instrumental in battling Galactus
Galactus
Galactus is a fictional character appearing in comic books and other publications published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist and co-plotter Jack Kirby, the character debuted in Fantastic Four #48 , the first of a three-issue story later known as "The Galactus...
during the Last Planet Standing
Last Planet Standing
Last Planet Standing is a 5-issue comic book limited series, published by Marvel Comics in 2006. It was written by Tom DeFalco and drawn by Pat Olliffe . It stars many characters from the MC2 Universe...
miniseries in which she deployed psionic force fields to prevent a tsunami from leveling New York.
Mutant X
In the darker reality of Mutant XMutant X (comics)
Mutant X was a comic book published by Marvel Comics featuring Havok, a mutant and former member of the X-Men, who was transported into a parallel dimension. It was written by Howard Mackie....
, little is known about Susan, except that she has had an affair with that reality's Havok. She is shown dead along with several other super heroes who attempted to stop the Beyonder
Beyonder
The Beyonder is a fictional character in . Created by Jim Shooter and Mike Zeck, the immensely powerful Beyonder first appeared in Secret Wars vol. 1 #1 as an unseen force. He reappears in Secret Wars II #1 , which was created by Jim Shooter and Al Milgrom.-Publication history:The Beyonder was a...
.
Age of X
In the Age of XAge of X
"Age of X" is a comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics which features an alternate reality of the X-Men. The first issue of the storyline, Age of X: Alpha, was published in January 2011. Publication continued in February, March, and April 2011...
reality where mutants are hunted, Sue is the only free member of the Fantastic Four left after she betrayed the other three to the government for haboring a mutant after the mutant
Wolfsbane (comics)
Wolfsbane is a Marvel Comics superheroine, associated with the X-Men.A Scottish mutant, Wolfsbane possesses the ability to transform into a wolf or into a transitional state somewhere between human and wolf...
attacked Franklin. Unlike some of her colleagues in the mutant-hunting Avengers, Sue merely wishes to contain mutants rather than kill them, and evenually sacrifices herself to save the hutant retreat from a suicide bombing by her former teammate, the Hulk.
Planetary
In the WildstormWildstorm
WildStorm Productions, or simply WildStorm, published American comic books. Originally an independent company established by Jim Lee and further expanded upon in subsequent years by other creators, WildStorm became a publishing imprint of DC Comics in 1999...
series Planetary
Planetary (comics)
Planetary is an American comic book limited series created by writer Warren Ellis and artist John Cassaday published by the Wildstorm imprint of DC Comics...
, written by Warren Ellis
Warren Ellis
Warren Girard Ellis is an English author of comics, novels, and television, who is well-known for sociocultural commentary, both through his online presence and through his writing, which covers transhumanist themes...
, the main adversaries of the eponymous team of superpowered investigators are an evil version of Marvel's Fantastic Four called The Four . The Sue Storm analogue is Kim Suskind, who has exactly the same powers as the original, except that she has to wear a pair of goggles in order to see while invisible. The daughter of a Nazi scientist and lover of The Four's leader, Randall Dowling, Suskind destroys her opponents by rapidly expanding a force field inside their heads.
Ultimate Sue Storm
The Ultimate version of Susan Storm is an attractive and highly-talented eighteen year old biochemistryBiochemistry
Biochemistry, sometimes called biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes in living organisms, including, but not limited to, living matter. Biochemistry governs all living organisms and living processes...
prodigy who has grown up in the Baxter Building in the gifted and talented program supervised by her father. Though her new found fame and incredible beauty has brought her unsought attention from the likes of billionaire playboy Tony Stark, the former Baxter Building scientist turned villain, Mole Man, the Atlantean criminal Namor, and even her own friend and teammate, Ben Grimm, she remains romantically attached to Reed Richards despite her concerns about his over devotion to science. Throughout the series, Sue has been a major player in events such as Ultimate Secret, and Ultimate Power. In Ultimate Salem's Seven, Sue Storm left Reed Richards and began to work over in Oregon looking at a bizarre sentient organism. It has been shown that this organism is responsible for creating the Salem's Seven
Salem's Seven
Salem's Seven was a team of magical supervillains in the Marvel Comics universe. They were foes of the Scarlet Witch and the Fantastic Four. All seven were the children of Nicholas Scratch and the grandchildren of Agatha Harkness...
. She would later venture back to Oregon to destroy the creature with Namor, and the rest of her team. She then tells Johnny to destroy the creatures by going supernova
Supernova
A supernova is a stellar explosion that is more energetic than a nova. It is pronounced with the plural supernovae or supernovas. Supernovae are extremely luminous and cause a burst of radiation that often briefly outshines an entire galaxy, before fading from view over several weeks or months...
, as she and the group head for the surface. However, Reed was trapped in the of the inferno Johnny created and was to be engulfed by molten lava when Sue saves him with her invisible force field, reconciling with one another in the process. She would later play a part in the Ultimatum event where she pushes back a tidal wave that flooded New York with a colossal psionic field. She succeeds and ends up saving the city, however the mental strain needed to accomplish the feat leaves Sue unconscious and puts her into a deep coma. She would later be awoken from her coma through the combined efforts of Mole Man and the Thing, during the course of which it is revealed that Ben seems to harbor some romantic feelings towards Susan. After the Ultimatum Sue breaks up with Reed and follows in her mother's footsteps.
This version of Sue Storm is an accomplished scientist in her own right. Reed even describes her as "just a teeny bit smarter than him". It is Sue who does research into the biomolecular basis of the Fantastic Four's powers and she manages to understand how Reed's and her brother Johnny's powers as Mister Fantastic and the Human Torch work.
Adam Warlock
On Counter EarthCounter-Earth (comics)
In the fictional Marvel Universe, there have been three versions of the hypothetical planet known as Counter-Earth, each one a near-duplicate of Earth.-Publication history:...
, counterparts of the Fantastic Four hijack an experimental spaceship in order to be the first humans in space. Man-Beast negates the affects of the cosmic radiation for all of them except Reed Richards
Brute (Reed Richards)
Brute is a fictional character featured in Marvel Comics publications, most notably Fantastic Four.-Publication history:The Reed Richards of Counter-Earth first appeared in Marvel Premiere #2 , and was created by Roy Thomas and Gil Kane....
who succumbs to the affects a decade later. When their craft crashes, Sue Storm goes into a coma from which she does not awake.
Television
- The Invisible Woman is voiced by Jo Ann PflugJo Ann PflugJo Ann Pflug is a former American motion picture and television actress, who retired in the 1990s.Pflug's first major role was as U.S. Army nurse Lt. Maria "Dish" Schneider in 1970's MASH. Other notable roles include the voice of Invisible Girl in the 1967 animated version of Fantastic Four, Lt...
in the 1967 Fantastic FourFantastic Four (1967 TV series)Fantastic Four is an animated series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions and the first animated series based on Marvel's comic book series Fantastic Four. The program, featuring character designs by Alex Toth, aired on ABC from 1967 to 1970. It lasted for 20 episodes, with repeat episodes airing...
TV series. - The Invisible Woman is voiced by Ginny Tyler-Hilton in the 1978 Fantastic FourFantastic Four (1978 TV series)Fantastic Four is an animated series produced by DePatie-Freleng Enterprises and Marvel Comics Animation in the late 1970s.-Premise:It is the second animated series based on Marvel's comic book series Fantastic Four. The 1978 series replaced the character of the Human Torch with a robot named...
TV series. - The Invisible Woman appeared in the 1994 Fantastic FourFantastic Four (1994 TV series)Fantastic Four is the third animated television series based on Marvel's comic book series of the same name. Airing began on September 24, 1994, until ending on February 24, 1996...
animated series, voiced by Lori AlanLori AlanLori Alan , sometimes credited as Lori Allen, is an American voice actress who provides the voice of news anchor Diane Simmons on Family Guy, various voices on Hey Arnold!, and SpongeBob SquarePants as Pearl....
. - The Invisible Woman appears toward the end of the 1994 Spider-ManSpider-Man (1994 TV series)Spider-Man, also known as Spider-Man: The Animated Series, is an American animated series starring the Marvel Comics superhero, Spider-Man. The show ran on Fox Kids from November 19, 1994, to January 31, 1998. The producer/story editor was John Semper, Jr. and production company was Marvel Films...
TV series in the "Secret Wars" storyline voiced by Gail MatthiusGail MatthiusGail Matthius is an American actress and voice actress. She was a cast member of NBC's Saturday Night Live during its critical and ratings low point at the time , and co-anchored the Weekend Update segment with Charles Rocket in 1981.-Recurring characters:*Vicki, a Valley girl who,...
. She and the Fantastic Four are among the heroes Spider-Man summons to a planet to help him against the villains the BeyonderBeyonderThe Beyonder is a fictional character in . Created by Jim Shooter and Mike Zeck, the immensely powerful Beyonder first appeared in Secret Wars vol. 1 #1 as an unseen force. He reappears in Secret Wars II #1 , which was created by Jim Shooter and Al Milgrom.-Publication history:The Beyonder was a...
brought there. - Sue appears in Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Heroes which premiered on September 2, 2006 on Cartoon Network; she is voiced by Lara GilchristLara Gilchrist- Filmography :* Exes and Ohs - Gillian* The Seamstress - Dina* Bionic Woman - Carly* Battlestar Galactica - Paulla Schaffer* The Haunting of Sorority Row - Lacey Thorne* Blood Ties - Helen...
. It is the first Fantastic Four cartoon not to have Reed and Susan married at the beginning of the series. It is produced by French animation company MoonScoopMoonScoop GroupThe MoonScoop Group is a French company that creates and publishes animated television series with offices in U.K. and U.S.A.. It was established in 2003...
, in association with Taffy Entertainment. - The Invisible Woman appears in The Super Hero Squad ShowThe Super Hero Squad ShowThe Super Hero Squad Show is an American cartoon series by Marvel Animation. It is based on the Marvel Super Hero Squad action figure line from Hasbro, which portray the characters of the Marvel Universe in a cartoonish super-deformed-style...
voiced by Tara StrongTara StrongTara Lyn Strong is a Canadian actress, voice-over artist, singer, who is best known for her voice work in cartoons.-Early life and career:...
.
Fantastic Four (2005 film)
Sue is portrayed by Jessica AlbaJessica Alba
Jessica Marie Alba is an American television and film actress. She began her television and movie appearances at age 13 in Camp Nowhere and The Secret World of Alex Mack . Alba rose to prominence as the lead actress in the television series Dark Angel...
in the 2005 film
2005 in film
- Highest-grossing films :Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top-grossing films that were first released in the United States in 2005...
The Fantastic Four
Fantastic Four (film)
Fantastic Four is a 2005 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics comic Fantastic Four. It was directed by Tim Story, and released by 20th Century Fox. It is the second live-action Fantastic Four film to be filmed. The previous attempt, a B-movie produced by Roger Corman only for the...
. Sue, a brilliant scientist, leads Victor Von Doom's Department of Genetic
Genetics
Genetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms....
Research. She is dating Von Doom at the beginning of the film. Immediately prior to the arrival of the cosmic storm which grants her the ability to manipulate light (allowing her to disappear and generate semi-visible force fields), Victor proposes to her: she turns him down. Unlike in other media, Sue was not able to render her normal clothes invisible which resulted in an embarrassing moment when Sue tried to disrobe to sneak through a crowd, only to reappear while still in her underwear. Although her powers are influenced by her emotions, she manages to control her abilities during the team's climactic battle with Von Doom. Sue accepts Richards' proposal of marriage at the end of the film.
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007 film)
In Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver SurferFantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer is a 2007 American superhero film, and the sequel to the 2005 film Fantastic Four. Both films are based on the Fantastic Four comic book and were directed by Tim Story...
, Sue Storm's wedding to Mister Fantastic
Mister Fantastic
Mr. Fantastic is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero and a member of the Fantastic Four. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby, he first appeared in Fantastic Four #1 ....
is interrupted by the arrival of the Silver Surfer
Silver Surfer
The Silver Surfer is a Marvel Comics superhero created by Jack Kirby. The character first appears in Fantastic Four #48 , the first of a three-issue arc that fans call "The Galactus Trilogy"....
. When her powers are temporarily switched with Johnny's, Sue burns all of her clothes off and, upon switching powers back, is left laying completely naked on the sidewalk outside her building, photographed by the crowd, muttering "Why does this always happen to me?". Sue reminds the Silver Surfer of the woman he loved back on his homeworld
Shalla-Bal
Shalla-Bal is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.-Fictional character biography:Shalla-Bal is the Empress of her utopian planet, Zenn-La , and was the lover of Norrin Radd. When the planet-eating Galactus came to their planet, Norrin Radd volunteered to become the herald of Galactus in...
. This association, and the friendship with Sue which follows, leads the Surfer to turn against his master, Galactus
Galactus
Galactus is a fictional character appearing in comic books and other publications published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist and co-plotter Jack Kirby, the character debuted in Fantastic Four #48 , the first of a three-issue story later known as "The Galactus...
.
While attempting to shield the Silver Surfer with a force field, Sue is stabbed through the chest by a spear created by a cosmic-powered Doctor Doom, and she dies in Reed's arms. However, Silver Surfer uses his cosmic powers to heal Sue, tarnishing himself in the process. Before leaving to confront Galactus, Silver Surfer tells Reed to treasure every moment with Sue.
Reed and a kimono
Kimono
The is a Japanese traditional garment worn by men, women and children. The word "kimono", which literally means a "thing to wear" , has come to denote these full-length robes...
-clad Sue are married in a ceremony in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
at the end of the film, moments before jetting off with Ben and Johnny to save Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
from sinking.
Video games
- Sue Richards has appeared in numerous video games, usually accompanied by her brother and fellow teammates. She is one of the most important members of her team in the 1997 video game, which was for the original PlayStationPlayStationThe is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
. - She appeared as a playable character in the video games based on the films. She was voiced by Jessica Alba in the first one, and Erin MatthewsErin MatthewsErin Matthews is an American actress, and voice actress. During 2001 to 2003 she was married to actor Christian Campbell, whom she appeared with in the hit musical Reefer Madness: The Musical.-Life and career:...
in the sequelFantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (video game)Hypers Daniel Wilks commends the game for "being better than Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End". However, he criticises it for being "dull, repetitive and lazy".-External links:*...
, and Grey DeLisleGrey DeLisleGrey DeLisle is an American voice actress, singer-songwriter, and comedienne. To date, she has released four solo albums and has featured on the tribute album Anchored in Love: A Tribute to June Carter Cash and film soundtrack of Loggerheads...
voices "classic" Invisible Woman for bonus levels that can be unlocked in the first game. - She also has a cameo appearance in the Spider-Man gameSpider-Man: The Animated Series (video game)Spider-Man is a video game developed by Western Technologies and published by Acclaim in 1995, incorporating elements form the critically acclaimed Spider-Man: The Animated Series. The game was released for the Super Nintendo and the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis.-Gameplay:The gameplay was similar to...
based on his 1990s animated seriesSpider-Man (1994 TV series)Spider-Man, also known as Spider-Man: The Animated Series, is an American animated series starring the Marvel Comics superhero, Spider-Man. The show ran on Fox Kids from November 19, 1994, to January 31, 1998. The producer/story editor was John Semper, Jr. and production company was Marvel Films...
for Sega Mega DriveSega Mega DriveThe Sega Genesis is a fourth-generation video game console developed and produced by Sega. It was originally released in Japan in 1988 as , then in North America in 1989 as Sega Genesis, and in Europe, Australia and other PAL regions in 1990 as Mega Drive. The reason for the two names is that...
and Super NintendoSuper Nintendo Entertainment SystemThe Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
. By reaching certain levels of the game, she can be called a limited number of times for assistance. Here she makes SpiderMan temporarily invisible. - Sue Richards appears as a playable character in the Marvel: Ultimate AllianceMarvel: Ultimate AllianceMarvel: Ultimate Alliance is an action role-playing game developed for PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox and Xbox 360 by Raven Software and published by Activision. The game was simultaneously ported to the PlayStation Portable and Wii by Vicarious Visions, and to Microsoft Windows by Beenox...
video game, voiced by Danica McKellarDanica McKellarDanica Mae McKellar is an American actress, academic, and education advocate. She is best known for her role as Winnie Cooper in the television show The Wonder Years, and later as author of the three The New York Times bestsellers, Math Doesn't Suck, Kiss My Math, and Hot X: Algebra Exposed, which...
. She can serve a variety of in-game roles as either a booster or buffer, unseen melee attacker, or a mid-to-long range fighter. Her classic, Ultimate, New Marvel, and Original costumes are available. She has special dialogue with Jean GreyJean GreyJean Grey-Summers is a fictional comic book superheroine appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. She has been known under the aliases Marvel Girl, Phoenix, and Dark Phoenix and is best known as one of five original members of the X-Men, for her relationship with Cyclops, and for her...
, Black BoltBlack BoltBlack Bolt is a fictional character that appears in publications by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Fantastic Four #45 Black Bolt (Blackagar Boltagon) is a fictional character that appears in publications by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Fantastic Four #45 Black...
, Namor, VisionVision (Marvel Comics)The Vision is the name of three fictional characters that appear in comic books published by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:The first Vision was created by the writer-artist team of Joe Simon and Jack Kirby in Marvel Mystery Comics #13 The Vision is the name of three fictional characters that...
, and UatuUatuUatu, often simply known as The Watcher, is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and designed by artist Jack Kirby, he first appeared in The Fantastic Four #13 ....
. A simulation disc has Invisible Woman fighting Radioactive Man on the S.H.I.E.L.D.S.H.I.E.L.D.S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fictional espionage and a secret military law-enforcement agency in the Marvel Comics Universe. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in Strange Tales #135 , it often deals with superhuman threats....
HelicarrierHelicarrierThe Helicarrier is a fictional flying aircraft carrier specifically designed to be capable of independent powered flight in addition to the conventional functions of aircraft carriers...
. - Sue Richards is a playable character in Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2, with Danica McKellar reprising her role.
- She appears as a playable character in the Marvel Super Hero SquadMarvel Super Hero Squad (video game)Marvel Super Hero Squad is a video game developed by Blue Tongue Entertainment, Mass Media, and Halfbrick and published by THQ. It was released on October 20, 2009 for the Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable and Wii...
video game and its sequel Marvel Super Hero Squad: The Infinity GauntletMarvel Super Hero Squad: The Infinity GauntletMarvel Super Hero Squad: The Infinity Gauntlet is a continuation of the video game Marvel Super Hero Squad and it was released on November 16, 2010. Similar to the first game, it features cartoonish Super-deformed versions of the Marvel Comics characters, as seen in the Marvel Super Hero Squad toy...
, with Tara Strong reprising the role. - Invisible Woman is a playable character in Marvel Super Hero Squad OnlineMarvel Super Hero Squad OnlineMarvel Super Hero Squad Online is a MMOG for younger audiences based on the Marvel Super Hero Squad franchise.The MMOG officially was released as a open beta on April 29, 2011 and a closed beta was released in early 2011. The first debut trailer for Marvel Super Hero Squad Online was released on...
. - Invisible Woman is available as downloadable content for the game Little Big Planet.
- Invisibl Woman is a playable character in Marvel Super Hero Squad: Comic CombatMarvel Super Hero Squad: Comic CombatMarvel Super Hero Squad: Comic Combat is the first Marvel Comics video game to use the uDraw GameTablet. The game was developed by Griptonite Games, and published by THQ. With the cartoonish super-deformed characters returning, Marvel Super Hero Squad: Comic Combat will be the third video game in...
returns, voiced by Tara Strong.
Popular culture
- Invisible Woman appeared in the Robot ChickenRobot ChickenRobot Chicken is an American stop motion animated television series created and executive produced by Seth Green and Matthew Senreich along with co-head writers Douglas Goldstein and Tom Root. Green provides many voices for the show...
episode "Monstourage" voiced by Emmanuelle ChriquiEmmanuelle ChriquiEmmanuelle Sophie Anne Chriqui is a Canadian film and television actress. She is perhaps best known for her role on HBO's Entourage as Sloan McQuewick, as well as the love interest of Adam Sandler in the movie You Don't Mess with the Zohan...
. In the fight against Doctor Doom, she turned invisible only to be hit and dragged by a car. None of the other Fantastic Four members found out about this. - RugratsRugratsRugrats is an American animated television series created by Arlene Klasky, Gábor Csupó, and Paul Germain for Nickelodeon. The series premiered on August 11, 1991, and aired its last episode on June 8, 2004....
introduced a parody character, Miss Invisible, in the episode "Mega Diaper Babies"; Lil also creates a similar superheroine form in the same episode, calling herself "Dotted-Line Girl". - In The SimpsonsThe SimpsonsThe Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
Treehouse of Horror XIVTreehouse of Horror XIV"Treehouse of Horror XIV" is the first episode of The Simpsons fifteenth season and originally aired on November 2, 2003. In the fourteenth annual Treehouse of Horror episode, Homer takes on the role of the Grim Reaper , Professor Frink creates a Frankenstein-version of his deceased father and...
segment titled "Stop the World, I want to Goof Off!", there is a moment where the family is turned into members of the Fantastic 4. Maggie is the Invisible Woman. - Pamela AndersonPamela AndersonPamela Denise Anderson is a Canadian-American actress, model, producer, author, activist, and former showgirl, known for her roles on the television series Home Improvement, Baywatch, and V.I.P. She was chosen as a Playmate of the Month for Playboy magazine in February 1990...
appears as the Invisible Girl in Superhero MovieSuperhero MovieSuperhero Movie is a 2008 American spoof film written and directed by Craig Mazin, produced by David Zucker and Robert K. Weiss, and starring Drake Bell, Sara Paxton, Christopher McDonald, and Leslie Nielsen...
apparently having an affair with Professor XProfessor XProfessor Charles Francis Xavier, also known as Professor X, is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero known as the leader and founder of the X-Men....
.
Reception
Invisible Woman was ranked as the 99th greatest comic book character of all time by WizardWizard (magazine)
Wizard or Wizard: The Magazine of Comics, Entertainment and Pop Culture was a magazine about comic books, published monthly in the United States by Wizard Entertainment from July 1991 to January 2011...
magazine. IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
also ranked the Invisible Woman as the 66th greatest comic book hero of all time stating that the Fantastic Four are nothing if not a dysfunctional family, and they need someone to hold that family together. That someone tends to be Susan Richards.