Summary
Warning: Spoilers for Fantastic Four (2022) #22 ahead!
The conclusion of theBlood Huntevent has shaken up the Marvel status quo: vampires no longer fear daylight,Doctor Doomis now Sorcerer Supreme, and (most curious of all)Reed Richardshas finally begun experimenting in the field of magic - kind of. This presents a fascinating potential scenario for Marvel wherethe title of Sorcerer Supreme is up for grabs, with none other than Reed Richards and Doctor Doom as the main contenders.
Fantastic Four (2022)#22 by Ryan North, Ivan Fiorelli, and Jesus Aburtov picks up after the previous issue’s cliffhanger, with vampires breaking into the shelter Reed and Alicia have created for the Blood Hunt’s survivors. While Reed stresses about creating a cure for vampirism, Alicia points out that he knows next to nothing about magic and needs to think smaller.
The trick works: using his scientific knowledge as a base,Reed creates a deviceto interfere with vamprically altered cells -which, technically, is his first foray into magical study.
Reed Richards Reaches Gory Limits of His Stretching Powers, as Fantastic Four’s Leader Finally TEARS
Reed Richards reaches the limits of his powers, as the Fantastic Four’s leader discovers the gory consequences of pushing himself too far.
Mr. Fantastic Is Branching Out Into Magic - And Just In Time
Fantastic Four#22 by Ryan North, Ivan Fiorelli, and Jesus Aburtov
Reed Richards and his nemesis, Victor von Doom, have long stood as polar opposites - kind of. Reed is an incredible scientist, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the Marvel universe; meanwhile, modern depictions of Doom show him as one of Earth’s strongest sorcerers. The disparity arises when one remembers that Doom isalsoone of Reed’s closest scientific peers, with their academic rivalry going as far back as Doom’s first appearance inFantastic Four (1961)#5. This means that Doom technically has the advantage over Reed, having mastered science and sorcery combined (though Reed is the better scientist).
Check out the classicFantastic Four(1961) #5 by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Joe Sinnott, and Stan Goldberg to see how this rivalry started!
Reed’s anti-vampire device marks his first foray into applying his technological know-how to magical principles, and the implications therein should not be overlooked. Reed is frequently hailed as one of the most intelligent people in the Marvel Universe, mastering advanced concepts and entire fields of study in the span of weeks (if not days, or even hours). While Reed admits that “my entire foundation of knowledge…simply doesn’t apply” to magic,his past history and instant success with his anti-vampire device suggests that he remains capable of learning magical principles at a frighteningly rapid pace.
Reed’s Magi-Science vs. Doom’s Sorcerery
AlthoughDoctor Doom has successfully swindled the station of Sorcerer Supremefrom Stephen Strange, the concluding panels ofFantastic Four#22 make it very clear that Reed and The Fantastic Four aren’t going to take Doom’s latest bid for world domination lying down. This is what makes Reed’s determination to create “anewscience - one based on tested and repeatable properties of magic” so exciting:it suggests that, for the first time, Reed is exploring options that will allow him to contest Doctor Doom in the field of sorcery.
Reed Richards and Doctor Doom have been rivals for over sixty years of comics publication; as such,it makes for delightful narrative symmetry for Reed to be the one to challenge Doom’s reign as Sorcerer Supreme. WhileDoctor Doomhas the advantage when it comes to magic,Fantastic Four#22 sews the seeds forReed Richardsto begin his own foray into the magical arts, elevating this classic Marvel rivalry to a whole new level.
