Who will be the Fantastic Four’s MCU villain? While most collectors take aim at Doom and Galactus, keep your eyes on the Maker.

When it comes to Marvel variants, the Fantastic Four practically invented the concept. They have been venturing through time since the Silver Age before going into the Multiverse. We’ve seen variants galore in the pages of FF. Reed Richards has so many variants, they formed their own team, the Council of Reeds, but his most interesting alternate is the Maker.

The Maker is the evil Reed Richards from Earth-1610, otherwise known as the Ultimate Marvel Universe. The maligned Fantastic Four movie from 2015 was loosely based on the Ultimate FF, and Reed was portrayed by Miles Teller. If Marvel Studios goes the Maker route, it could produce something never seen in an FF film. Potentially Teller could play a villainous Mister Fantastic. That would make the ‘15 FF movie his origin story and worth giving a second watch. It also would give you a reason to collect these Ultimate FF issues.

ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR #1

The first time we met the future Maker was, fittingly, in Ultimate FF #1. Of course, readers didn’t know that this version of Reed would eventually turn evil mastermind. Then again, that’s what made the Ultimate Universe so much fun; it allowed for complete 180-degree turns for classic characters. 

Like many of the Ultimate comics, UFF #1 is completely overlooked. There has only been one graded 9.8 sold online this year, and that was in January for $46. Prices were higher last year when an October sale brought $140 and December saw another go for $81.

ULTIMATE DOOM #4

In the Ultimate universe, Reed Richards took a turn toward the dark side and became The Maker. While the first appearance of Ultimate Mister Fantastic would also be the Maker’s debut, Ultimate Doom #4 is when he truly became the villainous Reed. Here, Johnny Storm burns part of Reed’s face, and that disfigurement would lead to the Maker’s distinctive look that echoes Doctor Doom. 

If you are building your Maker set, this one needs to be on the list. There are no graded sales on record, but a raw copy brought $10.99 on May 2.

ULTIMATE COMICS: THE ULTIMATES #2

The cycle was completed in this issue from 2011. The transition from good guy Reed Richards to the evil Maker in Ultimates #2. After his burns from Human Torch, Mister Fantastic was formally addressed as the Maker, a name that would stick from that moment forward. Even after he arrived on Earth-616, the moniker would help separate him from the classic Reed Richards. 

Maker had been defeated earlier, but he returned here, having created The City and led an army of superhumans called the Children of Tomorrow. While trapped in the N-Zone, Reed spent 1,000 years in the distant future, but his powers kept him from aging. It’s also when he got his xenomorph-inspired helmet because he literally stretched his head to allow his brain to grow larger. 

Again, here’s another addition to your Maker collections that you can find in the dollar bin. There are no graded sales on record, and raw copies sell for less than $5 on eBay.

STAR IN THE MAKING

Marvel Studios could have its next major villain on its hands. Miles Teller as the Maker wreaking havoc in the MCU would be magical. He could be Marvel’s answer to Lex Luthor, but instead of focusing on one hero, the Maker could be a threat to them all. 

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