The Fantastic Four's
Friends/Allies/Whatever

Scott Lang, Ant-Man

Ant Man was originally introduced in Tales to Astonish #27. Back then he was Hank Pym (who, oddly enough, is now Giant Man). Later, a reformed con, single father, and electronics expert named Scott Lang took the reigns as Ant-Man. Ant-Man's powers are basically that he can use shrinking and enlarging gas (which shrink and enlarge!) and he has compressed air jets in his boots. He has often considered himself too weak a super hero to do anything other than battling small time theives, but recently proven his value as a sort of a replacement for the then-thought-dead Reed Richards.

Lyja the Lazer Fist

Lyja is a Skrull. She masqueraded for quite a while as Johnny's wife, Alicia Masters. While she and Johnny were married, she made the fatal mistake of falling in love (Issue #358). She has been around since the Secret Wars Era, Issue #265, but we didn't actually know that it was her until much later, namely Issue #357. She supposedly died in issue #358 protecting Johnny on the Skrull War World. We learn in Issue #371 that this is untrue, as Lyja has returned to Earth with the ability to shoot lasers out of her fists and a desire to finish off Johnny herself. She eventually joins the FF team.

Alicia Masters

She was first introduced in issue #8, the blind sculptress who also happened to be the step daughter of the Puppet Master. She fell in love with Ben Grimm, the Thing, and was his longtime girlfriend. The two never wed, however, as Ben was afraid to. Ben often suspected that Alicia loved him only because he was the Thing. Alicia was kidnapped in issue #265 and replaced with a Skrull, Lyja, whose duty was it to infiltrate the Fantastic Four. Lyja, posing as Alicia, fell in love with and married Johnny (she had originally intended to stay with Ben, but since he decided not to come back to Earth in Secret Wars #12, she decided to try for Johnny, a known womanizer). It was revealed that she was a Skrull in issue #357. Issue #358 recaps all of these events. It turns out that the real Alicia was kidnapped by the Skrulls and was being held on the Skrull War World. The real Alicia returned, and was never the same again (see Issue #394).

Namor, the Sub-Mariner, Prince of Atlantis

Namor was originaly introduced in Motion Picture Funnies Weekly #1 way back in 1939. He also had his own Golden Age comic book, Sub Mariner comics. He was re-introduced in the silver age in Fantastic Four #4, and had his own comic again in 1968. He also had another shortlived series just recently, ending in 1995. When introduced in FF #4, he was originally an enemy, kidnapping Sue Storm and taking her to Atlantis to become his queen. He remained an enemy for a while, but recently he has assisted the team. He came to console and move in on Sue immediately after Reed's death in Issue #381. He stayed with the team, the entire time trying to take advantage of the recently widowed Sue Richards. In Issue #412, after Reed returned, he and Reed battled, Namor throwing the fight and allowing Reed to win, after which Namor departed. Namor's powers include super strength, the ability to fly via winged feet (ala the messenger god Mercury), and the ability to breathe underwater. If he is not irrigated for a period of time, he will lose his strength and eventually die.

Norrin Radd, the Silver Surfer

The Surfer hasn't spent a great deal of time in the pages of the Fantastic Four, but he was introduced in the FF, in issue #48. He was bestowed the power cosmic (which is basically the power to do just about anything) by Galactus, the world devourer, as part of being one of Galactus' heralds. In being a herald, the Surfer was required to scout out worlds for Galactus to feed on. In issue #48 the Surfer came to earth and battled the FF. The Surfer was granted his own series (for 18 issues) in 1968, a miniseries in 1982, and finally a long term series in 1987 to the present day.

Frankie Raye, Nova

Frankie Raye was introduced in Issue #160 as yet another one of Johnny's girlfriends. It was revealed in issue #238 that she was a human torch as a result of an accident in her step father's lab when she was fourteen. She went on a few missions with the Fantastic Four until Issue #244, in which she agreed to be Galactus' herald in order to save Earth, and became Nova.

Franklin Richards

Franklin Richards is son to Reed and Sue Richards. He was born in FF Annual #6 after complications with Sue's pregnancy. It has been known for a while that Franklin has Mutant powers due to his parent's own bizzare mutations. He had used his powers a couple of times to save his parents (Notable in FF #237 and #277) until he himself installed dampers in his mind that would stop him from using his power (See Issue #245, this is long and complicated). In issue #375 he is kidnapped by his grandfather, Nathaniel Richards, taken to the future, and returned as a teenager. It was here that we finally learned that his mutant power was the ability to probe people's minds. He was the founding member of the Fantastic Force.

Nathaniel Richards

Nathaniel was introduced as Reed's father in issue #273. He has a tendancy to "take things that he likes" as Sue so gracefully puts it, this includes his grandson. Recently he has masqueraded as Doctor Doom (while he was dead).

Kristoff Vernhard

Kristoff was introduced in issue #278 as a replacement for the then deceased Doctor Doom. All of Doc Doom's knowledge and experiences were fed into the youth by some strange contraption. He then destroyed the Baxter Building. He has recently joined the Fantastic Four, so that he would be able to search for his master. Kristoff is an arrogant thirteen year old youth, who considers himself (and often makes it known that he thinks he is) superior to both Ben and Scott (Lang).

Jennifer Walters, the She-Hulk

Jennifer Walters is the cousin of Bruce Banner, who is famous for being the Incredible Hulk. In a similar gamma ray accident, Jen was granted great strength, green skin and hair, and about seven feet of height. She was introduced in her own series, The Savage She Hulk in 1980, and later joined the Avengers. In Issue #12 of Secret Wars, she agreed to take the place of the Thing in the FF, and was officially brought into the FF in issue #265. She left when the Thing came back in issue #296. She later had another series of her own, The Sensational She Hulk, starting in 1989, which lasted for 62 issues. She made a cameo in Fantastic Four #394, her most recent guest appearance.
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