The first superhero comic book that Marvel Comics released after starting the imprint was The Fantastic Four. Not only did they call it the First Family of Marvel Comics, but they ensured that it included the first romantic relationship in the comic book line as well. The courtship and marriage of Reed Richards and Susan Storm was always a groundbreaking moment.

However, the comic book celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2021 and that is a lot of time to pass for the couple. To keep things moving and to offer up as much tension and intrigue as possible, Marvel put Reed and Sue’s marriage through the ringer more than once, but their relationship has remained intact through it all.

10 Reed Was Always Misogynistic To Sue

What the Invisible Woman saw in Mr. Fantastic puzzled most comic book fans. He treated her horribly. He had told her that wives were made for kissing and not talking. He often bossed her around and made snide comments about her being a woman when she should be a fighter.

What is most distressing about this is that Sue never said anything about it for a long time. She put up with it and just smiled. It was a product of its time, that is for sure, but the way Reed always treated her was terrible.

9 Mr. Fantastic Always Puts Work Before His Wife

If there is one thing that Mister Fantastic seems to love more than his family, it is his work. Reed often gets so distracted with his work that he neglects Sue and she is left raising their kids on her own. She even has to come up with resourceful ways to get him to stop working and spend time with her.

Reed has gotten so involved with his work in the past that it has driven Sue away into the arms of another man. He has even told her that she needs to be more of a mother to their kids so he can get his work done, and she seems to just put up with it more often than not.

8 Namor Almost Stole Sue From Reed

It only took a few issues before someone caught the Invisible Woman’s eye. This was Namor, the Sub-Mariner. He was an old hero that Marvel re-introduced into its new line of comics when Johnny Storm found him and helped him regain his memory.

When Namor wasn’t going on a rampage against the surface world for the apparent destruction of Atlantis, he was doing everything he could to try to get Sue to leave Reed for him. While he never succeeded, Sue kept a close relationship with Namor and she is still one of the only people he trusts.

7 Their Wedding Was A Major Comic Book Event

Mr. Fantastic and the Invisible Woman got married in Fantastic Four Annual #3. This was the first big wedding in Marvel Comics history and the entire issue surrounded the wedding. The ceremony was so important that everyone showed up to see the two wed.

This includes heavyweights like Iron Man, Nick Fury, Daredevil, and more. Doctor Doom gathered all the villains he could to attack. Even The Watcher showed up to help ensure Reed and Sue’s wedding went on without a hitch. The only two people not allowed into the wedding was Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, who were turned away at the end.

6 Sue Left Reed When He Shut Off Their Son’s Mind

In Fantastic Four #141, the Invisible Woman finally got tired of Mr. Fantastic making unilateral decisions without talking to her first. In this case, it was personal. Their son, Franklin Richards, was developing incredible powers and they were strong enough to possibly destroy the world.

Reed decided the only thing he could do to save his son was to shut down his mind. He did this without telling Sue, and when she found out, she was livid. Sue then left Reed on that day and she was gone for a long time until Reed finally reverted Franklin’s brain and the couple worked things out.

5 Invisible Woman Was Possessed By An Evil Spirit Against Reed

At one time, the Invisible Woman became highly sexualized. She had grown tired of Reed’s domineering ways and she decided it was time to become her own person. She created her own costume, with a cutout in the center of her shirt to show a little more skin, and bikini tights to show her legs.

Reed was shocked by this and tried to get her to change back, but all that did was push Sue back even more, to the point she was antagonistic to her husband every chance she got. This was because she was possessed by a villain named Malice.

4 Mr. Fantastic Slapped The Invisible Woman

One of the most infamous moments in Marvel Comics history came when Hank Pym slapped his wife, Janet. Since that time, Pym developed a reputation as a wife beater. However, he wasn’t the only superhero to slap his wife. Mr. Fantastic also slapped the Invisible Woman.

This happened during the time where she was possessed. He was trying to get her to snap out of it and he told her that she was the weakest member of the Fantastic Four that they had to carry and protect for years. He then slapped her across the face.

3 Reed Keeps Lots Of Secrets From Sue

The basis of a good marriage is trust, and there is none of that when it comes to Mr. Fantastic and the Invisible Woman. Susan is mostly honest, although she has hidden her activities as a S.H.I.E.L.D. secret agent from her husband. However, Reed has always hidden the truth from his wife.

For years, he was part of the Illuminati, a group formed to pull strings behind the scenes to protect the world. They almost destroyed the world, and Reed never told Sue he was a member. Reed also learned the cosmic rays that gave the Fantastic Four their powers was killing them, and he hid that from her as well.

2 Invisible Woman and Mr. Fantastic Were On Different Sides Of Civil War

During the Civil War storyline, Mr. Fantastic and the Invisible Woman had a difference of opinion in whose side to take. Reed believed that Iron Man was right, and joined his fellow smart Marvel ally. Reed even went as far as to create a prison for superheroes in the Negative Zone.

Susan, on the other hand, believed that the Superhero Registration Act was wrong and she took Captain America’s side. Reed was discouraged in Sue and had no problem with Iron Man putting a warrant out for her arrest, causing her to form her own Fantastic Four without Reed.

1 Sue Left Reed For The Thing In The Ultimates

When Marvel created the Ultimate Marvel Universe, the entire idea was to update the storylines for a younger audience. One of the things that they updated was the Fantastic Four, and the Ultimate Marvel version of the team never lasted. While they were heroes at the start, things got bad when Reed became more arrogant.

This is similar to Reed’s personality in the mainstream Marvel line, but in the Ultimate Universe, he took it too far. Sue ended up leaving him for Ben and that caused Mr. Fantastic to become The Maker, one of his world’s most dangerous villains.