History Awesome / FantasticFour

** In ''Wolverine: Enemy Of The State'', while Wolverine is being controlled by HYDRA, he successfully isolates or eliminates each member of the Fantastic Four... until he gets to Sue, the only one he admits scares him. She proceeds to trap him in a forcefield, blind him by ''turning his optic nerves invisible'', and threatens subdue him by ''crushing his lungs'' individually if he tries anything, since she knows it'll heal eventually anyway. That's what he gets [[MamaBear for threatening her family.]]

* When ''The Comics Journal'' decided to celebrate the New Millennium by naming the Top 100 Comics of the 20th Century, Lee and Kirby's original run on ''Fantastic Four'' was one of just five mainstream superhero comics to make the list [[note]] Lee and [[Creator/SteveDitko Ditko's]] ''[[ComicBook/SpiderMan The Amazing Spider-Man]]'', Jack Cole's ''ComicBook/PlasticMan'', C.C. Beck's ''[[ComicBook/{{Shazam}} Captain Marvel]]'', and Creator/AlanMoore's ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}'' also made the list, if you're curious.[[/note]]--and it was the highest-ranked superhero comic on the list, at #30. Mind you, ''The Comics Journal'' didn't just base their choices on books' popularity and level of recognition, but also on the level of artistic and literary merit demonstrated by the contributions of individual cartoonists and writer-artist teams (which is likely why ''ComicBook/{{Superman}}'' and ''ComicBook/{{Batman}}'' weren't honored). So ''Fantastic Four'' was honored on the same Top 100 list as ''ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes'', ''ComicBook/LilAbner'', ''ComicBook/{{Pogo}}'', ''ComicBook/{{Maus}}'', and the cartoons of Al Hirschfeld. It's just a shame that Creator/JackKirby didn't live long enough to see his life's work honored like that.

[[caption-width-right:350:Did he just [[SuperEmpowering power-up]] the CosmicEntity PlanetEater and make him '''his''' [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome herald?!!]]]]

** This chunk of heroes? These are heroes who have either worn the "4" in some manner or are literally part of their family: Wolverine, Hulk and Ghost Rider of the "New Fantastic Four", Spider-Man (not only part of the New Fantastic Four, but an honorary member of the Richards family and hand-picked by Johnny Storm to replace him in his will), Medusa of the Inhumans (who started out as a foe before temporarily replacing Sue) and her daughter Crystal, Luke Cage (who replaced Thing temporarily), She-Hulk (another Thing replacement), She-Thing, Nova, Black Panther, Storm (the latter two joining the team after ''Civil War''), Ant-Man, Ms. Thing, Iceman and even H.E.R.B.I.E.!

* In issue # 2 of Dan Slotts Fantastic Four The Griver At The End Of All Things (yes that’s he title) after wiping the floor with Franklin and the rest of the Future Foundation declares she is unimpressed by the rumored all powerful Fantastic Four. Reed tells her that if the whole team was there they could defeat her. She calls Reed bluff and allows him to use a device to transport Johnny and Ben to their location. However much to the Grievers shock and rage Reed doesn’t just bring them but a good chunk of the heroes of the marvel universe.

* Let's face it: Galactus would have won if not for the interference of Uatu the Watcher, in what is perhaps the most worthwhile instance of his FrequentlyBrokenUnbreakableVow. His attempt to fool the Silver Surfer by disguising the earth as a lifeless world may have failed, but he did help Johnny Storm infiltrate the homeworld of Galactus and get the Ultimate Nullifyer in order to convince Galactus to spare humanity. Without the key role of the Watcher, there wouldn't be much to the Marvel Universe today.

** Toward the end of Creator/GrantMorrison's "1234" FF mini-series, as Doctor Doom attempted to "regain control of the board" after his [[TheChessmaster attempts at manipulating the FF failed]], Sue conked him on the head with a candlestick, shouting, "Shut up!" She then [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech berated him for wasting his intellect on revenge schemes]], "when you should be curing cancer or taking your people to the stars," and then warning him that if he tried anything like that again, she would use her force fields to give him an aneurism. Not many people can force Doom to live through a HumiliationConga, but Sue pulled it off.

** Walt Simonson's "Into the Time Stream" arc featured Reed shouting angrily at the [[SufficientlyAdvancedAlien Black Celestial]], goading it to follow his team(including Iron Man and Thor) through time and space, finally tricking the Celestial into diving into a black hole created by Galactus. All this while he believed that his wife had just died.

* In the animated series episode [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin "Super Skrull"]], after the title character has just defeated Reed, Sue, & Johnny...
-->''Super Skrull:'' With you three defeated, I-
-->''Thing:'' Hey pal, [[BigDamnHeroes it's]] [[CatchPhrase clobberin']] [[PreAssKickingOneLiner time!]]

** Speaking of the Hulk, Ben has stood up to him on numerous occasions, despite the fact that he's never won a single fight against him. During World War Hulk, when Hulk was more angry and powerful than he'd ever been, Ben still went toe-to-toe with him. Informed that he couldn't possibly win, Ben responded "People been tellin' me that all my life, fella. But Mama Grimm's blue-eyed boy never walks away when it's ''clobberin' time.''"

*** ''They marked the sky victorious--the Earth stood, her heroes the difference. They had endured together. Old friends. New ones. And the generation to follow. They watched until the second sun flickered out...the light extinguished. The sign of the abandoned. The left behind...and the lost. But it also meant a second chance. It singaled a new day--a future...regained. For if we live, there is hope. And if we hope, there is tomorrow. And if tomorrow...then...forever.

** fantastic four #40 Crushing Dr. Doom's hands in battle, dealing the megalomaniac a defeat he would obsess over for years.

* Let us not forget Doctor Doom. Special mention goes to ''Triumph and Torment'', where he managed to save his mother's soul by manipulating both Mephisto and Doctor Strange. Simultaneously. Or the time he got one over Reed Richards — by saving his wife, his daughter and his teammate when Richards couldn't do anything. And then rubbed it in his face by ''naming the newborn child.''
* Sue Richards has her big moments too. Like taking out the most recent incarnation of the Frightfull Four by herself. If there was any doubt about her being the strong member of the team then it has vanished after that.

* Fantastic Four vs. the X-Men (1987)

** The first few issues are Doctor Doom's. After acquiring magic armour [[spoiler:[[PoweredByAForsakenChild made from his childhood sweetheart]]]], he proceeds to beat on the FF while belittling Reed Richards.

** Crushing Dr. Doom's hands in battle, dealing the megalomaniac a defeat he would obsess over for years.

** The first few issues are DoctorDoom's. After acquiring magic armour [[spoiler:[[PoweredByAForsakenChild made from his childhood sweetheart]]]], he proceeds to beat on the FF while belittling Reed Richards.

* When ''The Comics Journal'' decided to celebrate the New Millennium by naming the Top 100 Comics of the 20th Century, Lee and Kirby's original run on ''Fantastic Four'' was one of just five mainstream superhero comics to make the list [[note]] Lee and [[Creator/SteveDitko Ditko's]] ''[[ComicBook/SpiderMan The Amazing Spider-Man]]'', Jack Cole's ''ComicBook/PlasticMan'', C.C. Beck's ''ComicBook/CaptainMarvel'', and Creator/AlanMoore's ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}'' also made the list, if you're curious.[[/note]]--and it was the highest-ranked superhero comic on the list, at #30. Mind you, ''The Comics Journal'' didn't just base their choices on books' popularity and level of recognition, but also on the level of artistic and literary merit demonstrated by the contributions of individual cartoonists and writer-artist teams (which is likely why ''ComicBook/{{Superman}}'' and ''ComicBook/{{Batman}}'' weren't honored). So ''Fantastic Four'' was honored on the same Top 100 list as ''ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes'', ''ComicBook/LilAbner'', ''ComicBook/{{Pogo}}'', ''ComicBook/{{Maus}}'', and the cartoons of Al Hirschfeld. It's just a shame that Creator/JackKirby didn't live long enough to see his life's work honored like that.

[[AC:The film]]
* Johnny using the DieOrFly method to escape Doom's missile:
-->'''Sue''': Don't even think about it.
-->'''Johnny''': Never do. ''(jumps off the building)'' FLAME ON!
** Cue awesomest CrowningMusicOfAwesome.
* Dr. Doom ends up on the wrong end of most of them:
** "You missed me."
** And:
--->'''Dr. Doom''': Susan, let's not fight.
--->'''Invisible Woman''': No. Let's!
** And:
--->'''Dr. Doom''': It's time to end this!\\
''[Thing punches through the wall behind him]''\\
'''[[BigDamnHeroes The Thing]]''': Actually, Vic - [[MythologyGag it's clobberin' time!]] (punch) ''Damn'', I've been waiting to do that!
*** And that's ''after'' Ben willingly transformed back into The Thing after being restored to human form, just so he could save his friends.
*** Just to clarify the above line - after saying it, Ben then punches Doom ''across the room'', into the opposite wall, which then cause the (rather large) logo of Doom's company to fall on top of him.
** And then Reed leads the team in their defeat of Doom. WITH SCIENCE.
* The movie itself is not the greatest, but ''Film/FantasticFour: Rise of the Silver Surfer'' provides Reed Richards with one of the greatest moments he's had in any medium (although it should be noted that it was [[WarrenEllis stolen from a comic book]]):
-->'''General Hagen''': Let me make it clear for you and your pack of freaks here. I'm the quarterback. You're on my team, got it? But I guess you never played football in high school, did you Richards? \\
'''Reed Richards''': No, you're right, I didn't. I stayed inside and studied, like a good little nerd. And fifteen years later, I'm one of the greatest minds of the 21st century, I'm engaged to the hottest girl on the planet, and the big jock who played quarterback in high school? Well he's standing right in front of me asking me for my help. And I say he's not gonna get a damn thing, unless he does exactly what I tell him, and starts treating my friends and me, with some respect. \\
''[Pause]'' \\
'''General Hagen''': Give him what he wants. \\
''[The general storms off]'' \\
'''Susan Storm''': I am so hot for you right now. \\
'''Johnny Storm''': [[EvenTheGuysWantHim Me too]].
** Which is pretty much taken word for word from the Ultimate Galactus mini-series where he said this to Nick Fury.
* Johnny taking on all four of their abilities to take on Dr. Doom.
-->'''Johnny''': To quote a friend of mine... *becoming visible* It's clobberin' time!

** Another moment of Reed Richards not being useless comes from the 2nd issue, where the Skrulls first made their appearance. How did he convince the leader of the Skrull invasion fleet ''not'' to invade Earth? By showing him photos that were clipped out of ''Strange Tales'' and ''Journey into Mystery'', two Marvel comics still in circulation at the time, and passing them off as photos of "Earth's most powerful warriors (a group of monsters), hidden space mines, and an army of giant, monstrous insects (really, just super-sized ants)." The leader of the Skrulls, convinced, asked Richards to go with them, but Richards stayed behind voluntarily, an action that earned him a medal commemorating his bravery. After capturing the three Skrulls that still were on the loose, he managed to convince them that they would be happy living their lives off as '''''cows.''''' And they did so, without any argument (though that would come back to bite Reed later when their milk and meat ended up in the food supply...).

** Toward the end of GrantMorrison's "1234" FF mini-series, as Doctor Doom attempted to "regain control of the board" after his [[TheChessmaster attempts at manipulating the FF failed]], Sue conked him on the head with a candlestick, shouting, "Shut up!" She then [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech berated him for wasting his intellect on revenge schemes]], "when you should be curing cancer or taking your people to the stars," and then warning him that if he tried anything like that again, she would use her force fields to give him an aneurism. Not many people can force Doom to live through a HumiliationConga, but Sue pulled it off.

** Sue Storm figures out it must have been Doom behind the diary which leads to this awesome confrontation at the victory part when Kitty's saved:

--> '''Sue''': Be careful, Victor. A lioness is most dangerous... defending mate and cub and den.

*** Pompous, melodramtic, and 100% pure awesome.
* The "Unthinkable" arc by MarkWaid.

** Doom loses Mister Fantastic for a second, giving him the time he needs to use the magic weapon to summon the rest of the team. Doom demands he say where he says, and he steps ouf the shadows.