4. What If The Fantastic Four Had Not Gained Their Super-Powers?
Originally published What If? Vol. 1 #36 (1982) Uatu the Watcher has gone unmentioned until now - as the de facto host of the What If? series he bookends each issue with an introduction and a conclusion, aptly named the Watcher because all he does is float in space and observe other planets and species. He's largely unimportant, really, as his role never impedes on the action of the story, but the fact of his presence can on occasion impede the reader's enjoyment. Again, the title of "What If the Fantastic Four Had Not Gained Their Super-Powers?" almost negates the need for a plot overview. Based on the first appearance of the Fantastic Four, a slight tweak in a conversation between Ben Grimm and Sue Storm alters the events that lead to the existence of the Fantastic Four. The quartet undertakes an adventure that mirrors their original origin storyline, only powerless this time, and the differences and similarities between the two adventures makes for an exciting and surprisingly subtle What If? issue. Instead of stretching as the elastic Mister Fantastic, Reed Richards dislocates his shoulder instead. The Human Torch has trouble seeing in the dark by the feeble fire of his flare. Despite their powerlessness, the four band together to defeat their enemy all the same. The message that the person, not the powers, makes the hero is seemingly overdone, but perhaps never so directly and tactfully as in this issue. Here, the hypothetical scenario doesn't just feel like the Marvel writing team said something like "Hey€what if Spider-Man had NOT married Mary Jane? Am I right?" but instead had a story and a message that they wanted to convey and set out to tell an actual story. Uatu the Watcher nearly ruins this particular issue with some pompous and heavy-handed narration, but aside from that "What If the Fantastic Four Had Not Gained Their Super-Powers" is one of the best Marvel has ever offered.
