The Invisible Woman could be the Fantastic Four’s breakout star when the movie arrives, and that should have you keeping track of her key appearances.

Marvel Studios has been putting a bigger emphasis on strong female leads as of late. We’ve seen Captain Marvel, Scarlet Witch, and Black Widow taking center stage in recent MCU blockbusters while Kamala Khan and Kate Bishop have been hits with fans on Disney+. The studios’ next major female lead could likely be Sue Richards, aka the Invisible Woman. 

Sue and the rest of the FF have been a cornerstone of the Marvel Universe since day one, and Fantastic Four was Marvel Comics’ first hit series. Although its membership has changed over the years, Sue has remained to guide the ship. In the early days, she was oftentimes depicted as the “damsel in distress,” but she was given a stronger role beginning in the Bronze Age.

Elevating her with the new movie would be the natural progression, and it will make her one of the MCU’s hottest characters. With that comes collecting prospects.

FANTASTIC FOUR #22

I admit that FF #22 isn’t exactly affordable. Anything from the early FF run gets expensive, especially with the new movie in development. Compared to the bigger keys, these prices are a bargain, and it’s still a piece of Sue’s history.

Originally, her only power was invisibility, but she was upgraded to making powerful force fields here, and that would become a hallmark of her character.

Whereas the major keys will cost you a fortune for a higher grade, you can own an 8.0 for around $400. 

FANTASTIC FOUR #280

Scarlet Witch may have been the first woman to make the move from superhero to supervillain in the MCU, but Sue Storm was well ahead of her in the comics (if you don’t count Wanda Maximoff’s early days as a villain). This was toward the end of John Byrne’s legendary FF run after his stellar work on X-Men.

In 1985, he gave Sue the Dark Phoenix treatment. While grieving a miscarriage, the Psycho-Man preyed on Reed and Sue’s pain. He used his powers to amplify all of Sue’s sadness and anger, and it created the villainous alter-ego, Malice, the Mistress of Hate. After debuting as Malice in FF #280, she would make sporadic appearances for years to come.

This is a classic Byrne cover, and it is a great addition to your long boxes. Last year, the 9.8 sold for as much as $200, but 2022’s prices have been close to $130.

FANTASTIC FOUR #284

This could be a sleeper pick among the FF keys. In FF #284, after 24 years of being called “Invisible Girl,” Sue was officially given a name change to “Invisible Woman.” What makes me think this comic has potential is Avenging Spider-Man #9. That issue made waves because it marked the first time that Carol Danvers upgraded from Ms. Marvel to Captain Marvel. Thanks to her MCU career, that issue became a hot property. It could be a similar situation for Sue.

Graded sales have been few and far between. The most recent purchase was for a 9.8 in 2020 that brought $40, so you can get these at bargain prices at the moment.

THE HEART OF THE FANTASTIC FOUR

The defining characteristic of the Fantastic Four has always been family. It is the underlying theme for much of their comic career, particularly between the ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s. At the heart of that family has always been Sue. She remains the group’s moral compass despite not getting the limelight compared to Mister Fantastic, Human Torch, and Thing.

I anticipate a change in the status quo in that regard when they hit the MCU, and that will make all her keys more valuable.

Want more Fantastic Four spec?

*Any perceived investment advice is that of the freelance blogger and does not represent advice on behalf of GoCollect.