====== Sue Storm ======
===== Part 1: The Dossier: An At-a-Glance Summary =====
  *   **Core Identity: As the Invisible Woman, Susan Storm-Richards is the compassionate heart, protective matriarch, and arguably the most powerful member of Marvel's First Family, the [[fantastic_four]].**
  *   **Key Takeaways:**
  * **Role in the Universe:** Originally the "Invisible Girl," Sue Storm has evolved from a supporting character into the formidable and decisive cornerstone of the Fantastic Four. She serves as the team's emotional center and a powerful force for good, capable of defending against cosmic-level threats. Her influence extends across the hero community, from the [[avengers]] to the kingdom of [[atlantis]].
  * **Primary Impact:** Sue's character arc represents one of the most significant evolutions in comic book history. She transformed the archetype of the superhero's girlfriend and "damsel in distress" into that of a complex, self-actualized hero, wife, and mother whose psionic abilities make her one of Earth's most powerful protectors. Her journey set a precedent for the development of female characters in the genre.
  * **Key Incarnations:** The **Earth-616** Sue Storm is defined by decades of history, including her marriage to [[reed_richards]], raising two uniquely powerful children ([[franklin_richards]] and [[valeria_richards]]), and a gradual, astonishing growth in the mastery of her force fields. In contrast, a prime **Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)** version has yet to be established, with prior non-MCU film adaptations offering varied origins and characterizations focused on her scientific acumen rather than her deep-seated familial role.
===== Part 2: Origin and Evolution =====
==== Publication History and Creation ====
Susan "Sue" Storm first appeared in **''The Fantastic Four'' #1**, published in November 1961. Created by the legendary duo of writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, she was a foundational character of the burgeoning Marvel Age of Comics. Lee and Kirby sought to create a superhero team that felt different—a family, complete with internal squabbles, financial troubles, and relatable human flaws.
Initially, Sue Storm, as the "Invisible Girl," embodied many of the gender tropes common in early 1960s popular culture. She was often depicted as the group's most passive member, frequently needing rescue and serving primarily as Reed Richards' love interest and a calming influence on the hot-headed [[johnny_storm]] and gruff [[ben_grimm]]. Her powers of invisibility, while useful for stealth, were far less visually dynamic or overtly powerful than the abilities of her male teammates.
However, over the decades, and particularly under the pen of creators like John Byrne in the 1980s, Sue underwent a profound transformation. Byrne was instrumental in developing her secondary ability—the generation of psionic force fields—and exploring its near-limitless potential. He also oversaw her name change from "Invisible Girl" to the more mature and commanding "Invisible Woman," a symbolic shift that reflected her growth in confidence, power, and narrative importance. This evolution cemented her place not just as a member of the team, but as its most powerful and often most essential protector.
==== In-Universe Origin Story ====
The story of how Sue Storm gained her incredible powers is central to the birth of the Marvel Universe's modern heroic age. While the core elements remain consistent, the details differ significantly between the primary comics and various adaptations.
=== Earth-616 (Prime Comic Universe) ===
Susan Storm grew up on Long Island, New York. Her childhood was tragically marred when her mother, Mary Storm, died in a car accident. Her father, renowned surgeon Dr. Franklin Storm, was unable to save her, and the trauma sent him into a downward spiral of gambling and debt. He was eventually imprisoned for accidentally killing a loan shark, leaving a teenage Sue to effectively raise her younger brother, Johnny. This early responsibility forged a deep, protective, and resilient nature within her.
While still a teenager, she met a brilliant, older university student named Reed Richards, who was a tenant at her aunt's boarding house. The two quickly fell in love. Sue supported Reed's ambitious scientific dreams, including his project to build an experimental starship capable of interstellar travel. When the government threatened to pull funding and shelve the project, Reed made a fateful, impulsive decision to launch the ship himself on an unauthorized test flight.
Driven by a mix of loyalty, love, and a shared sense of adventure, Sue accompanied him. Her brother Johnny insisted on coming along, and Reed's best friend, the gruff but reliable pilot Ben Grimm, was persuaded to fly the vessel. As their ship passed through the Van Allen belts, it was bombarded by an unprecedented storm of "cosmic rays"—a mysterious, high-intensity radiation of unknown origin. The ship's shielding proved woefully inadequate. The four were saturated with the radiation and forced to crash-land back on Earth.
They soon discovered the cosmic rays had mutated their bodies, granting them extraordinary powers. Reed gained the ability to stretch his body, Johnny could engulf himself in flame and fly, and Ben was transformed into a monstrous creature of rock-like hide. Sue, to her initial dismay, gained the ability to turn herself completely invisible. In that moment, they became the Fantastic Four, and Sue took the codename **Invisible Girl**. Her powers, initially limited and seemingly passive, would later evolve to make her the team's most formidable member.
=== Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) & Other Film Adaptations ===
As of this writing, Sue Storm has not made her official debut in the prime timeline of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The MCU's version of the Fantastic Four is highly anticipated, but their origin remains a mystery. A variant of [[reed_richards]] appeared in `''Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness''` as a member of Earth-838's Illuminati, mentioning he had a wife and children, but Sue herself was not seen.
To understand how her origin has been handled on screen, we must look to previous, non-MCU film franchises. These adaptations significantly altered her backstory to align with more modern sensibilities and cinematic storytelling.
> **2005 ''Fantastic Four'' Film Series (portrayed by Jessica Alba):** In this continuity, Sue Storm is not a young aspiring actress but the Director of Genetic Research at Von Doom Industries and a brilliant scientist in her own right. She is Reed Richards' ex-girlfriend and a colleague. The origin is changed from a private rocket launch to a mission on Victor Von Doom's privately-owned space station. The team, including benefactor Victor and pilot Ben Grimm (here, an astronaut, not a test pilot), is exposed to a cosmic cloud in orbit. The adaptation grounds her character in the scientific world from the outset, making her a peer to Reed and Victor rather than just a supportive partner.
> **2015 ''Fant4stic'' Film (portrayed by Kate Mara):** This reboot offered the most radical departure. Susan Storm is a brilliant analyst from Kosovo, adopted by Dr. Franklin Storm (here, the director of the Baxter Foundation). She is a leading expert in pattern recognition and is instrumental in bringing Reed Richards' interdimensional travel device, the Quantum Gate, to fruition. She does not travel with the initial team to the alternate dimension known as "Planet Zero." Instead, she gains her powers from the energy wave released when the team returns. This version emphasizes her intellect above all else, but removes the core "family road trip" element of the classic comic book origin.
These cinematic changes reflect a consistent effort to update Sue's character, moving away from the 1960s model and establishing her as an intellectual and scientific contributor from the very beginning. It is highly probable that the official MCU introduction will synthesize elements, blending the classic cosmic ray origin with a more modern portrayal of Sue as a capable scientist or leader in her own field.
===== Part 3: Abilities, Equipment & Personality =====
Sue Storm's powers are psionic in nature, derived from her ability to tap into and manipulate energy from the dimension of hyperspace. Her control over this energy has grown exponentially over the years, making her one of the most powerful beings on Earth.
=== Earth-616 (Prime Comic Universe) ===
Sue's abilities are twofold, both stemming from the same psionic source but manifesting in distinct, incredibly versatile ways.
==== Psionic Invisibility ====
This is her original and namesake power. It is far more complex than simple light-bending.
  * **Light Wave Manipulation:** Sue can psionically bend all wavelengths of visible, infrared, and ultraviolet light around herself or any target, rendering it completely invisible to the naked eye and most forms of electronic detection.
  * **Selective Invisibility:** She can make all of herself, parts of herself, or other people and objects invisible. She can make a wall invisible to see through it or render only an opponent's armor invisible to disorient them.
  * **Invisibility Projection:** Her control is precise enough to project invisibility onto massive objects, such as buildings or city blocks, though this requires immense concentration.
  * **Revealing the Unseen:** She can also reverse the effect, gathering ambient light waves to illuminate things that are naturally or artificially invisible.
  * **Weaknesses:** While visually undetectable, she can still be perceived by other senses (sound, smell, temperature) or detected by specialized devices like thermal imagers or psionic scanners. Maintaining invisibility, especially over large areas, is mentally taxing.
==== Psionic Force Fields ====
This is her most potent and versatile ability, the one that truly defines her as a powerhouse. She generates invisible fields of psionic force, which she can shape and manipulate at will. Franklin Richards once described this power as her subconscious ability to manipulate the fundamental forces holding the universe together.
  * **Defense:** This is the most common application. She can create nearly impenetrable shields, bubbles, and walls. These fields have withstood blows from the Hulk, blasts from Galactus's heralds, and the crushing pressures of deep space and the ocean floor. She can filter the air within her fields, allowing her and others to survive in hostile environments.
  * **Offense:** Sue's offensive use of her powers is devastating.
    *   **Constructs:** She can shape her fields into any form she can imagine: battering rams, blades, spikes, platforms, and restraints.
    *   **Concussive Blasts:** She can project her fields as powerful concussive blasts of force, capable of leveling buildings.
    *   **Internal Expansion:** Her most lethal and rarely used technique involves projecting a tiny, rapidly expanding force field inside a target. By creating a field inside a person's blood vessels, lungs, or brain, she can cause instantaneous and catastrophic damage. This demonstrates that the primary limit on her power is her own moral restraint.
  * **Mobility and Utility:** She can create invisible platforms and ramps, allowing herself and others to levitate and fly through the air. She can use her fields to contain explosions, fires, or radiation, and to manipulate objects with fine telekinetic-like control.
==== Personality ====
Sue is the emotional bedrock of the Fantastic Four. While Reed is the mind, Ben the body, and Johnny the spirit, Sue is unequivocally the heart.
  * **Compassionate and Empathetic:** She is a deeply caring individual, driven by a desire to protect the innocent. She often acts as the team's diplomat and moral compass.
  * **Fiercely Protective:** When her family—be it her husband, brother, children, or teammates—is threatened, her compassion gives way to a formidable and often terrifying resolve. It is a common understanding among their enemies that threatening Sue's family is the surest way to face the full, unrestrained fury of the Invisible Woman.
  * **Inner Strength and Growth:** Having evolved from a state of self-doubt, Sue possesses immense inner strength. She has overcome psychological manipulation (most notably from the Psycho-Man) and has led the Fantastic Four in Reed's absence. She struggles with the immense lethal potential she wields and the constant worry for her family's safety, but she never breaks.
=== Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) & Other Film Adaptations ===
Without an official MCU version, analysis is based on past film interpretations, which generally depicted a less powerful and less explored version of her abilities.
> **2005/2007 Film Series:** Sue's powers in these films are primarily focused on invisibility for stealth and force fields for defense. The shields are durable but their upper limits are not tested against the cosmic-level threats seen in the comics. Her offensive use is limited to creating force "pushes" and containing the Human Torch's supernova. Her personality is presented as the responsible, slightly stressed "mom" of the group, mediating conflicts between Johnny and Ben.
> **2015 ''Fant4stic'' Film:** This version's powers are visually similar, though her force fields are shown to be powerful enough to contain a massive energy vortex. Her personality is more withdrawn and analytical, a reflection of her scientific background in this continuity. The nurturing, maternal aspects of the comic character are largely absent.
Cinematic adaptations have consistently simplified her powers for visual storytelling, emphasizing defensive shields over the more complex and devastating constructs she employs in the comics. Her character is often streamlined to fit within a two-hour narrative, focusing on her role as a scientist and peacemaker rather than the full depth of her comic book persona as a battle-hardened leader and mother.
===== Part 4: Key Relationships & Network =====
Sue Storm's relationships define the landscape of the Marvel Universe, grounding cosmic adventures in very human connections.
==== Core Allies ====
  * **[[reed_richards|Reed Richards (Mister Fantastic)]]:** Reed is the love of her life, her husband, and her intellectual partner. Their relationship is one of Marvel's most enduring, but also one of its most complex. She is the emotional intelligence that grounds Reed's often cold, detached logic. They have faced marital strife over his secrets (such as his involvement with the Illuminati) and differing ideologies (their split during [[civil_war]]), but their bond, forged in the crucible of countless crises, remains the foundation of the Fantastic Four.
  * **[[johnny_storm|Johnny Storm (Human Torch)]]:** As her younger brother, Johnny is the person Sue has known the longest and protects most fiercely. Their dynamic is a classic sibling relationship: she is the responsible, often exasperated older sister trying to rein in his impulsive, attention-seeking nature. Beneath the bickering, however, lies an unbreakable bond of love and loyalty.
  * **[[ben_grimm|Ben Grimm (The Thing)]]:** Ben is Sue's closest friend and a surrogate older brother. Their relationship is one of pure, uncomplicated affection and trust. She sees past his monstrous exterior to the gentle soul within, and is often the only one who can truly comfort him or calm his rages. Ben is the godfather to both of her children, a testament to his place in their family.
  * **[[namor|Namor the Sub-Mariner]]:** Namor's relationship with Sue is one of the longest-running and most complicated romantic triangles in comics. The King of Atlantis has been infatuated with Sue since their first meeting, seeing her as a queen worthy of his kingdom. While Sue's loyalty ultimately lies with Reed, she has at times shown a complicated affection and deep respect for Namor. This dynamic has made him both a powerful, if arrogant, ally and a dangerous, spurned suitor.
==== Arch-Enemies ====
  * **[[doctor_doom|Doctor Doom (Victor Von Doom)]]:** The Fantastic Four's greatest nemesis. Doom's conflict with Sue is deeply personal and obsessive. He holds a twisted respect for her, viewing her as an equal and the only woman worthy of standing by his side. He scorns Reed for, in his eyes, not appreciating her true value. This obsession has led him to attack the FF through her, to attempt to win her over, and, in a bizarre turn of events, to become the godfather of her daughter, Valeria, adding a deeply disturbing layer to their eternal conflict.
  * **Annihilus:** As the ruler of the Negative Zone, Annihilus represents a threat on a cosmic scale. His conflict with Sue became intensely personal when he attempted to use her unborn second child, Valeria, as a host. Later, during the `''Annihilation''` event, the Annihilation Wave devastated the universe, and Sue played a key role in the war against him. He is a monster who directly threatened her role as a mother, earning her absolute enmity.
  * **Psycho-Man:** This microscopic tyrant from the Microverse wields technology that allows him to manipulate the emotions of others. He has targeted Sue on multiple occasions, preying on her insecurities and emotional depth to turn her against her teammates. His most infamous attack transformed her into the villainous **Malice**, forcing Sue to confront her own inner darkness and emerge stronger than ever.
==== Affiliations ====
  * **[[fantastic_four|Fantastic Four]]:** A co-founding member and the team's undeniable soul. While Reed is the typical field leader, Sue's command of the battlefield through her force fields often dictates the flow of a battle. She has also formally led the team on several occasions.
  * **[[avengers|Avengers]]:** Sue and Reed served as members of the Avengers for a time, bringing their experience and power to Earth's Mightiest Heroes.
  * **Future Foundation:** When the Fantastic Four was rebranded as the Future Foundation, focused on educating a new generation of young geniuses, Sue took on a maternal and leadership role for the entire student body.
===== Part 5: Iconic Events & Storylines =====
Sue Storm's journey is marked by several key storylines that have defined her character and legacy.
==== The Galactus Trilogy (Fantastic Four #48-50) ====
In this seminal Silver Age story, Sue and the FF confront the world-devouring entity, [[galactus]], and his herald, the [[silver_surfer]]. While her powers were less developed, her role was pivotal. She used her invisibility to protect civilians and infiltrate the Baxter Building past the Watcher. More importantly, it was her genuine compassion and plea to the Silver Surfer that convinced him to turn against his master, appealing to the humanity he had left behind. This moment established her role as the team's conscience.
==== The Malice Saga (Fantastic Four #280-284) ====
This 1980s storyline by John Byrne is perhaps the single most important arc for Sue's character development. Exploited by the Psycho-Man, Sue's darkest insecurities and frustrations are amplified, transforming her into the hateful and powerful villain, Malice. As Malice, she attacks her friends and family with a viciousness they had never seen. To defeat the persona, Reed forces her to confront her own rage and hate, and in doing so, she accepts these darker parts of herself. After expelling the Psycho-Man's influence, she sheds the name "Invisible Girl" forever, adopting the more powerful and mature title of **Invisible Woman** to signify her newfound self-awareness and strength.
==== Civil War ====
The superhero [[civil_war]] event created a deep, painful schism in her marriage to Reed. While Reed became a chief architect of the Superhuman Registration Act, believing it was a logical necessity, Sue was horrified by its implementation, particularly after a battle resulted in the death of a fellow hero. She broke from Reed and joined Captain America's underground Secret Avengers, using her powers to hide the resistance fighters. This storyline showcased her unwavering moral compass, demonstrating she would stand against her own husband to do what she believed was right.
==== Hickman's Fantastic Four / FF Run (2009-2012) ====
Jonathan Hickman's sprawling epic is considered a modern masterpiece and a defining run for Sue Storm. In this story, she is portrayed as a master of her abilities and a central figure in cosmic events. She serves as an ambassador to Namor's undersea kingdom, leads the Future Foundation in Reed's absence, and single-handedly holds back a fleet of Celestials from an alternate universe. This run solidified her reputation among fans and creators as not just a member of the FF, but as one of the most powerful and competent heroes in the entire Marvel Universe.
===== Part 6: Variants and Alternative Versions =====
Across the vast Marvel Multiverse, numerous versions of Sue Storm exist, each offering a different reflection of the core character.
  * **Ultimate Universe (Earth-1610):** In this modernized continuity, Susan Storm is a child prodigy and brilliant biochemist at the Baxter Building think tank. She gains her powers alongside Reed and Johnny from a teleportation experiment gone wrong. This version is more scientifically-minded and initially more assertive than her classic counterpart. Her romantic relationship with Reed is far more turbulent and ultimately ends, leading her to become a prominent agent and scientist for S.H.I.E.L.D.
  * **Marvel Zombies (Earth-2149):** A horrifying version where Sue, along with the rest of the Fantastic Four, is infected by a zombie plague. They retain their intelligence and powers but are driven by an insatiable hunger for living flesh. After devouring their universe's Silver Surfer, they gain a portion of the Power Cosmic, becoming a galactic-level threat.
  * **Age of Apocalypse (Earth-295):** In this dark reality ruled by [[apocalypse]], Sue and her family died trying to escape Magneto's forces during his attack on Cape Citadel. Ben Grimm was the only survivor, and he harbored a deep grudge against Magneto's X-Men for their failure to save the Storms.
  * **MC2 (Earth-982):** In this future timeline, Sue is a veteran hero. After being exposed to the Negative Zone, she begins to slowly die. To save her, she merges with her force fields, becoming a being of pure psionic energy and taking on a new role as the protector of the Negative Zone.
===== See Also =====
  * [[fantastic_four]]
  * [[reed_richards]]
  * [[johnny_storm]]
  * [[ben_grimm]]
  * [[doctor_doom]]
  * [[franklin_richards]]
  * [[valeria_richards]]
  * [[namor]]
===== Notes and Trivia =====
((Sue Storm was the first female superhero created by Marvel in the Silver Age of Comics.))
((Initially, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's concept for Sue's powers was based on the 1933 film ''The Invisible Man''. Her force field powers were not introduced until ''Fantastic Four'' #22 (January 1964) and were not fully explored until John Byrne's run in the 1980s.))
((The name change from "Invisible Girl" to "Invisible Woman" occurred in ''Fantastic Four'' #284 (November 1985).))
((There is frequent fan debate about whether Sue's power level qualifies her as an "Omega-Level" threat. While the term is typically reserved for mutants, her demonstrated ability to affect matter on a molecular level and shield against Celestial-class beings places her in the highest echelons of power on Earth-616.))
((Sue has served as the leader of the Fantastic Four on multiple occasions, most notably when Reed was believed to be dead. Her leadership style is more pragmatic and empathetic than Reed's.))
((In the unreleased 1994 ''The Fantastic Four'' film produced by Roger Corman, Sue was portrayed by actress Rebecca Staab.))
((Her children, Franklin and Valeria, are two of the most significant beings in the Marvel Universe. Franklin is a beyond-Omega-level mutant with vast reality-warping powers, and Valeria possesses a super-genius intellect that rivals or even surpasses her father's.))