10 Heartbreaking Times The Fantastic Four Broke Up
Marvel's First Family have disbanded more times than you may realise...
One of the most devastating moments in comics is when a superteam throws in the towel. At some point or another, the X-Men, the Justice League, or the Avengers called it quits for any given reason.
Although this is always a sad time, it feels especially heartbreaking when it happens to the Fantastic Four. They aren't just a group of superheroes - they were the launching pad for Marvel Comics. And they're not just teammates or friends. They're a family.
And because they are a family, they're tighter than any other superhero team. Even though they've watched each other get married, have children, and laid their life on the line for one another countless times, that doesn't mean the Fantastic Four are unbreakable.
Over the years, Marvel's First Family have gone their separate ways after the government split them up, one of their members died, or the group had a falling out.
Even though they truly love each other, there are times where even the Fantastic Four said enough is enough. Let's have a look at the ten times the Fantastic Four were no more.
10. Mad Thinker Encouraged The FF To Disband - Fantastic Four #15 (1963)
Fantastic Four #15 was the first time the FF tussled with their recurring foe, The Mad Thinker.
As Thinker prepared to take over the world, he was warned by mobsters that the Fantastic Four will interfere with his plan. Using his advancing computing machines (which is what they called computers back then), Thinker reasoned the best way to beat the superheroes was to encourage them to break up.
Thinker orchestrated events so the Human Torch joined the circus, Reed took a position in an electronics company, Thing became a wrestler, and Sue ventured to Hollywood to pursue acting. The quartet found these new roles more fulfilling than playing superhero and decided to quit the team.
But when they learned their headquarters have been invaded by the Thinker, only then did the Four realise the deranged supervillain manipulated them to disband. Joining forces once more, the gang defeated Thinker and his army of Awesome Androids and agreed never to break up again (which was totally not true).
The Fantastic Four may have got back together by the end of the same issue but Fantastic Four #15 is significant since it is the first time the team split up.