Fantastic Four Just Made the Team's Unofficial Fifth Member Official
After decades being associated with the team, the Fantastic Four's unofficial fifth member is welcomed aboard like never before. That's because his arrival just officially turned them into the 'Fantastic Five,' with a new logo to show it.
Debuting in 1961 and starting the Marvel Universe as fans know it, the Fantastic Four have a lot of famous allies who eventually became members, including Black Panther, She-Hulk and the Inhumans' Medusa. Their kids and eventually the Thing's longtime love Alicia Masters also became official members.
Even some of the FF's enemies became part of their family, from 'Uncle Doom' and close ally the Silver Surfer to the clone sons of the Wizard and the Impossible Man. However, before all of them, the Fantastic Four encountered their 'fifth member.'
Spider-Man Is the Fantastic Four's Fifth Member
In the recent Queen in Black #3 - from Al Ewing, Paco Medina, Iban Coello, Guru-eFX and Clayton Cowles - Spider-Man swings across New York to meet up with the Fantastic Four. When he arrives, Reed is handing out new '5' logos, stating that with the Human Torch and the Thing out fighting, the quintet of Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Spider-Man, Venom and Codex will have to do.
Elsewhere, Human Torch is shocked to see his costume's '4' logo transform into a '5,' exclaiming "Fantastic Five?" However, he immediately deduces that the symbol change means Spider-Man has reached the Baxter Building.
For sixty-three years, Spider-Man has been considered the Fantastic Four's unofficial fifth member, but this issue couldn't make it clearer that the position IS official. Not only is Spider-Man literally handed a 'Fantastic Five' logo by Reed, but as soon as the number increases, Human Torch knows exactly who just joined the team.
Why Spider-Man Is Considered the Fantastic Four's Fifth Member
Spider-Man's reputation as the Fantastic Four's unsung fifth member began in 1963's The Amazing Spider-Man #1, where Stan Lee and Steve Ditko depicted him attempting to join the team. Peter was dejected after learning they didn't pay a salary, but kept in touch with his fellow New York heroes from that moment on.
Marvel's first ever What If...? story asked what would have happened if Spidey had successfully joined the FF, introducing the concept of the Fantastic Five.
Spider-Man has been on a ton of adventures with the Fantastic Four, and even joined multiple iterations of the team. Spidey was one of the members of the short-lived New Fantastic Four (aloing with Wolverine, Ghost Rider and Hulk) and joined the Future Foundation after the Human Torch's apparent death.
Peter Parker also has a particularly extensive friendship with Johnny Storm in and out of costume, and has gone to the FF for help in some of his biggest stories - they even helped him remove the Venom symbiote when he discovered the costume's true nature... which makes it all the more surprising that Venom seemingly just joined the team.
Did Mary Jane Watson and Venom Just Officially Join the Fantastic Four?
Human Torch's reaction makes it clear that Spider-Man is ALREADY considered a de facto member of the Fantastic Four, but what about Mary Jane Watson's Venom and Dylan Brock's Codex? Both are seemingly handed logos by Reed, who implies that the '5' refers to the quintet of heroes present.
It seems like MJ's Venom and Codex just joined the Fantastic Four, or at least founded the 'Fantastic Five' with Reed, Sue and Spider-Man. It won't be official enough for some fans, but the FF have proved themselves to be a lot less formal about membership than the Avengers or X-Men. If Reed is handing out logos, it seems pretty conclusive that he just recruited two symbiotes to the First Family.
It's likely next issue will settle whether Marvel considers this official (especially if MJ and Dylan are shown wearing the logos) but for now, it seems like Fantastic Four history was just made with two brand-new members.
Queen in Black #3 is available now from Marvel Comics.