Summary
Often called Marvel’s first family, theFantastic Fourare one ofthe most beloved teamsin all of comics. Individually known as Mr. Fantastic, The Invisible Woman, The Human Torch, and The Thing, the Fantastic Four are just as famous for their “family trips” into strange locales as they are for their crime-fighting escapades. Their adventures on both ends of this spectrum have won them one of the most eclectic rogues galleries in all comics.
The Fantastic Four have squared off against everything from costumed criminals, to mad scientists, to interdimensional warlords. This wide menagerie of villains helps color the team’s adventures and makes them interesting. Even among this fascinating group of ne’er-do-wells, a few stand atop the heap.
Updated on Jul 05, 2025, by Blaise Santi: 2025 is going to be an exciting year for fans of The Fantastic Four, given that their proper Marvel Cinematic Universe debut is coming this summer with The Fantastic Four: First Steps. The first teaser trailer for the film promises an exciting adventure for fans of Marvel’s First Family, including the appearances of iconic villains like Galactus, Silver Surfer, Mole Man, Red Ghost, and, of course, a possible cameo from Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom. With the future of the MCU at stake with the introduction of The Fantastic Four, let’s take a look at a few other iconic villains who were part of the team’s early comic book history, some of whom have already appeared in the MCU before in a much different capacity.
Super-strength, super-speed, sound manipulation
First Appearance
Fantastic Four#53 (1966)
Fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe likely know Ulysses Klaue asan arms dealer who appears inBlack Panther,played by Andy Serkis, but the character is very different in the comics. Originally a physicist raised by Nazis, Klaw creates a device to manipulate sound by stealing vibranium from Wakanda, using it as a replacement for his missing hand.
Although he’s as much an antagonist of Black Panther as he is the Fantastic Four’s, Klaw’s first appearance was up against the First Family. Nevertheless, he’s rarely fought the team solo, usually enlisting the help of a supervillain team like the Masters of Evil, or, on occasion, other Fantastic Four antagonists like Molecule Man and Doctor Doom, the latter even helping strengthen Klaw’s powers.
Genius intellect, mind projection
Fantastic Four#15 (1963)
When the Mad Thinker was first introducednear the start of The Fantastic Four’s comic book history, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby envisioned him as a genius scientist who was able to predict probabilities down to the last second. Desiring to steal Reed Richards' technology for his own nefarious purposes, he’s one of the more obscure and grounded villains of the superhero team.
Among his greatest creations is a living computer, Quasimodo, which he uses to antagonize the Silver Surfer. He’s almost never gotten the best of The Fantastic Four, despite his countless schemes to escape imprisonment and yet again steal Mr. Fantastic’s tech. Nevertheless, he earns his spot on this list just for his sheer determination to keep being evil.
Emotional manipulation, genius intellect, powered armor
Fantastic Four Annual#5 (1967)
MCU fans might be familiar with the Quantum Realm, an entire dimension that exists in microscopic spaceexplored inAnt-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania, but Marvel Comics has its own name for it: the Microverse. On one of these planets, Traan, originates a frequent villain of The Fantastic Four, known only as “Psycho-Man,” a mad scientist who leads a cruel technocracy.
With his “Control Box,” Psycho-Man is capable of remotely manipulating the emotions of his enemies, causing them to experience hallucinations and even death. Although his attempts to invade Earth have been thwarted by the likes of The Fantastic Four, he remains an incredibly potent threat to the Marvel universe, having amassed a lot of power in his subatomic domain.
Genius intellect
Strange Tales#102 (1962)
Despite his name,Wizarddoesn’t actually have any magical ability to speak of. Rather, he is a technological genius who used his gadgets for stage magic before he turned to a life of crime. He fancies himself a rival to the Fantastic Four, so much so that he createshis own evil version.
Wizard is perhaps most famous for leading a team called the Frightful Four, which had a rotating roster of supervillains meant to challenge the Fantastic Four. While they’ve never succeeded in beating them, the group has proven a worthy rival to the Four on several occasions. Wizard’s tenacity and mastery of high-tech gadgets make him an excellent Fantastic Four villain.
Magic, mineral body
Fantastic FourVol. 1, #8 (1962)
In terms of physical strength,Puppet Masterisn’t going to send anyone crying to their mothers. Fortunately for him, his true strength lies in his excellent artistic skills. Using a special radioactive clay, Puppet Master can control anyone as long as he can carve their likeness.
This allows him to use civilians as human shields, creating scenarios that the Fantastic Four can’t simply fight their way out of. He also has a history of manipulating heroes to fight against each other. On top of that, he’s the stepfather of the Thing’s wife, Alicia Masters, thus complicating his relationship with the heroes.
Doom’s army
Omnipotence, energy manipulation, molecule manipulation, reality warping
Fantastic FourVol. 1, #20 (1963)
Molecule Man is one of many integral Marvel villains who actually debuted early on in The Fantastic Four’s history. In their 20th-ever issue, the superhero team faces off against a scientist who, as a result of a nuclear accident, became the incredibly powerful Molecule Man, who poses a huge challenge for the team due to his molecule-affecting abilities.
However, the four disarm Molecule Man by taking away his wand, although future iterations of the character can’t be so easily beaten. Molecule Man has been known to possess the bodies of many Marvel heroes, including Reed Richards himself, and has evenmade allies with multiversal threats, making him one of the F4’s most difficult enemies.
Hair control, super-strength, super-speed
Fantastic FourVol. 1, #36 (1964)
Medusa is notable for being the queen of the Inhumans and the wife of the silent but deadly Black Bolt. Her power is pretty unique as far as Marvel characters go, with the ability to have psychic control over her hair as a result of the Terrigen mist. Despite her long history in the comics, her original appearance established her as a frequent enemy of the Fantastic Four.
Alongside the likes of the Wizard, Sandman, and Paste-Pot Pete, Medusa assembled a team known as the “Frightful Four,” though they were quickly defeated by the original squad. Even when she initially joined the Inhumans, her primary goal was to defeat The Fantastic Four, though she’s also allied with the team against intergalactic threats like the Kree or Thanos.
Heightened senses, genius intellect, martial arts
Fantastic FourVol. 1, #1 (1961)
Mole Manwas the first supervillain the Fantastic Four ever fought, and he has remained one of their most iconic villains since. Mole Man doesn’t have any superpowers of his own, aside from heightened senses and skill with a staff. His true strength lies in his ability to marshalkaiju-like monstersto his side.
Mole Man is the ruler of the underground kingdom of Subterranea, which is inhabited by mole-like monsters. Some of these are as tall as a building, which comes in handy for his war on the surface world. It also leads to some incredible encounters with the Fantastic Four.
Super-strength, super-speed, force blasts, flight
Fantastic FourVol. 1, #62 (1967)
Also known as “The Living Bomb-Burst,”Blastaaris a warlord residing in the Negative Zone. With the Fantastic Four frequently voyaging there, they regularly come into conflict with him. While Blastaar isn’t the most dangerous threat in the Negative Zone, he’s definitely one to steer clear of.
On top of being a highly-trainedwarrior and strategist, Blastaar is capable of firing concussive blasts from his hands. He’s able to use these blasts to fly and is very skilled at doing so. He may not get as much attention as he deserves, but Blastaar is one of the Fantastic Four’s most impressive villains.
Marvel’s First Mutant Is A Frequent Fantastic Four Nemesis
Aliases
Namor McKenzie, King Namor, The Sub-Mariner, Prince of Atlantis, The First Mutant, Sealord
Mutant physiology, underwater breathing, telepathy, flight, super-strength, super-speed, aquatic healing
Motion Pictures Funnies Weekly, #1
In the Golden Age of comics,Namorwas one of the first superheroes Marvel created, and some credit him as the first antihero. Despite this, Namor has frequently clashed with the Fantastic Four as an occasional villain, though he’s usually swayed to the side of good by his love for his people… and Susan Storm.
As the King of Atlantis, Namor has the abilityto breathe underwaterand superhuman strength and durability. He also has wings on his ankles that allow him to fly. This, plus his arrogance and complicated code of honor, make him more than just the simple Aquaman clone some fans accuse him of being.
