Meet the Fantastic Force – Fantastic Four's Army of Allies

The Fantastic Four just underwent a shocking evolution, as Marvel unleashes the Fantastic Force onto its Ultimate Universe. For months, Marvel has been teasing the Ultimate version of the Fantastic Four, but what emerges isn’t just a team – it’s an army.

Marvel Introduces the Fantastic Force

The Ultimate Universe’s Fantastic Four Are Way More Hardcore

In today’s Ultimates #17 (by Deniz Camp, Phil Noto and Travis Lanham), fans see Doom’s Project 4 finally comes to fruition. Having learned that he was destined to lead his family as the Fantastic Four (a fate snatched away from him by the Maker’s time travel), Doom sets about mastering cosmic radiation, creating an army of new superhumans. Throughout the comic, he trains his new militia, breaking them up into quartet teams, each of which he believes has the power to fight an army of regular humans.

Not every member is introduced, but these heroes have powers deriving from the fundamental forces of nature. Gravity Girl, the magnetism-controlling Magma and fiery Plasma are among Doom’s students, with others who wield radiation, plant-life and hydrokinesis. Importantly, Doom focuses not just on each member mastering their powers, but on combining abilities to make each team as effective as possible.

By the end of the story, the Fantastic Force are a success, giving the Ultimates Network an army with which to face the Maker.

The Fantastic Force Can Turn the Tide in Marvel’s Biggest War

For almost two years, the Ultimates have been preparing for the return of the Maker – the mad genius who broke their entire reality. They’ve destroyed his resources, defeated his servants and gathered their own allies across the globe. However, the team hit a major roadblock when they went up against the Hulk, who came close to killing their key members thanks to his small group of gamma-empowered henchmen. Despite all their work, the Ultimates still didn’t have the army they needed to win.

Now, with a single month remaining until the Maker’s return, Doom has finally given the Ultimates a fighting chance. This December, Marvel will end the Ultimate Universe line with Ultimate Endgame. With the Fantastic Force, Thor and Sif fighting to free Asgard, Captain America and America Chavez gathering a civilian army, and the Guardians of the Galaxy searching across time and space for help, the good guys finally have a force that might stand a chance against the Maker’s vast network and seemingly endless resources.

Our Take on the New Fantastic Force

The Fantastic Force are a great idea that shows just how high the stakes are for the Ultimates. In a world where the Maker has warped time itself to take control of everything, there’s no excuse for holding back. It makes total sense that Doom (a traumatized version of Reed Richards) would create as many superhumans as possible to try and win the day. This is the kind of big swing that’s only possible in the Ultimate Universe, where Marvel doesn’t have to worry about maintaining the status quo.

The Maker tried to mentally and physically destroy Reed Richards out of jealousy, but creating Doom may yet be his downfall, as the genius scientist works to break the Maker’s hold on reality. Without hope and family, it turns out Reed Richards is still a hero, and the Fantastic Force show what the Fantastic Four‘s leader can accomplish when everything is on the line.

Ultimates #17 is available now from Marvel Comics.