One massive problem which both Marvel and DC Comics have suffered from in recent years is the apparent desire to destroy any family connections between heroes. At Marvel's end this was spearheaded by Joe Quesada and pushed for the separation of countless longtime couples. Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson were divorced via a demon, Wasp was killed off to supposedly make Hank Pym more interesting without her, and Jean Grey was murdered (with a standing order to make this death permanent) leaving Scott Summers a widower. Even many long term connections have been increasingly strained with the X-Men and Avengers continually fighting among themselves it bitter and often petty feuds over the past several years. The Fantastic Four are the exception to this. While there has been the long-standing concern Marvel would divorce Sue and Reed or forcibly destroy the team's friendship, the group retains one of the most stable long-running relationships in comics. In addition to this, the group's members remain one of the few successful heroes to have sire children. Well, do so and have had them murdered in the name of drama or resigned to oblivion to make the group "more interesting" anyway. Something opened up a wealth of story opportunities with Franklin's growing power and responsibilities which come with him and Valeria. The group's entire history is littered with examples of how this can make for just as compelling drama as world shaking threats, and build very strong connections between the characters without detracting from any science fiction elements of a story. Even more so than the likes of other teams such as the X-Men, the Fantastic Four's close bond has only helped with their chemistry and remains a cornerstone in what helps them stand out. Everything from the runs of Stan Lee to Dwayne McDuffie were able to use this to create tales which were personal, engaging and fun even in the face of their increasingly dark universe. This is ultimately what makes the team truly unique and it's an angle no other comic still printed at Marvel has been able to truly replicate.
A gamer who has played everything from Daikatana to Dwarf Fortress. An obsessive film fanatic valuing everything from The Third Man to Flash Gordon. An addict to tabletop titles, comics and the classics of science fiction, whatever media they are a part of.
