In a dark twist, the Marvel Universe is now under threat from an evil version ofFantastic FourleaderReed Richards. While the concept of an evil Mister Fantastic isn’t exactly new, the latest version is particularly disturbing in howhis powers echo Reed Richards' stretching powers, turning into more of an eldritch monster than a man.
InNew Avengers #2- from Sam Humphries, Ton Lima, Rain Beredo and Joe Sabino - Bucky Barnes' newteam take on the Killuminati- evil clones of iconic heroes including Black Panther, Professor X, Black Bolt and Mr Fantastic. The Winter Soldier ends up in battle with thedark Mister Fantastic, who names himself"Mr. Ouroboros."
Rather than a human with stretching powers, Mr. Ouroboros is a writhing mass of tentacles topped by a melting face. Like a gigantic snake, he wraps himself around his victims and squeezes until they suffocate, turning Reed Richards' powers into nightmare fuel. However, this is only the tip of the iceberg of the danger that Mr. Ouroboros poses to the Marvel Universe…
Mr. Ouroboros Turns Reed Richards' Stretching Into Nightmare Fuel
But His Inventions Are the Real Danger
InNew Avengers #1, the villainous Jackal cloned the Illuminati, unleashing a new group of monsters into the world. Each of the clones is a damaged copy of an iconic Marvel hero with a corrupted approximation of their abilities. While the New Avengers manage to kill Iron Apex and Bolt (the Tony Stark and Black Bolt clones), the others escape, becoming major problems for the entire universe.
Mr. Ouroboros is easily the most dangerous of the bunch due to his incredible genius, with Bucky noting that with Reed Richards' penchant for impossible inventions, Ouroboros"could end the world tomorrow.“Among the inventions Mr. Ouroboros muses about are a virus made from shapeshifting unstable molecules and an infinite prison(a reference toCivil War’s Prison 42, where the Pro-Registration forces imprisoned rebel heroes.)
While Reed Richards is an undeniable hero, his powers have always been slightly creepier than his fellow do-gooders. Indeed, Reed often leans on his genius far more than his stretching. In contrast, Mr. Ouroboros has a totally malleable body which he uses as an offensive weapon, costing the Winter Soldier a couple of ribs when Bucky gets too close to his snake-like grip.
In mythology, the Ouroboros is a symbol denoting eternity, and is generally represented by a snake eating its own tail. Mr. Ouroboros is averyliteral interpretation of this process - a malleable being whose body has no clear parameters. However, givenReed Richards' ability to whip up doomsday weaponson command, the villain could also embody the lasting destruction of the Marvel Universe.
The issue ends with the New Avengers reaching out to Bruce Banner, needing their own super-scientist to track down the Killuminati and head off the evil Reed Richards - hopefully, they bring down Mr. Ouroboros quickly, because with the intellect ofReed Richards, there’s almost no limit on what this twisted clone of theFantastic Fourhero can do.
Fantastic Four
TheFantastic Fouris a superhero franchise centered on Marvel Comics' first family of superheroes. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the team made its comic book debut in 1961 and quickly became a cornerstone of Marvel’s success. The franchise follows four astronauts—Reed Richards, Susan Storm, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm—who gain superpowers after being exposed to cosmic radiation. Over the years,Fantastic Fourhas been adapted into several live-action films, animated series, and video games. The films have seen multiple reboots, with varying levels of success, and are now set to be integrated into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), with a new film slated for release in 2025.
