Being Marvel’s First Family, it’s no surprise that the Fantastic Four comic series is the starting point for a number of characters within the Marvel Universe, as appearing alongside this prestigious group was something of an initiation in those early days. Not only did iconic heroes like Spider-Man and Black Panther get their start fighting alongside the team, but also some of the most well-known villains in comic book history.
There are a few key factors that make a great comic book villain. Sometimes it’s related to their sheer power, while other times it's the personal connections they have to the heroes. But no matter what, the one thing that really sticks out in fans’ minds when it comes to the best villains in history, is their debut - and Fantastic Four comics have no shortage of those. Here are the Top 10 best villain debuts in Fantastic Four history.
10 Galactus
A villain who shows up out of nowhere and threatens to consume the planet, with only a universe-ending device (the Ultimate Nullifier) being the one thing that can hold him at bay, is definitely a villain that stands out. Galactus made his debut in Fantastic Four #48 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, and his presence was so impactful, that - by popular demand - Galactus would become a recurring villain throughout the entire Marvel Comics catalog, despite only being written as a one-time antagonist.
9 Silver Surfer
Before Galactus made his debut, the villain who’d become associated with the potential end of the world was the Silver Surfer, who made his first appearance right before Galactus in the very same issue of Fantastic Four #48. Silver Surfer was the one who brought Galactus to Earth, just as he’d done to countless other habitable planets across the cosmos. While it’s true that the Silver Surfer found redemption and would go on to be a hero, he certainly didn’t start out that way, as he was introduced as a villain who would bring about armageddon.
8 Annihilus
First appearing in Fantastic Four Annual #6 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, Annihilus would go on to make a huge splash in Marvel continuity in the epic crossover event Annihilation when he would lead his army - the Annihilation Wave - from the Negative Zone to conquer the positive matter universe. However, before Annihilation, Annihilus made a huge impact within his debut issue, as Annihilus held the very element that would save the life of Reed and Sue’s baby in the palm of his hand - one he refused to hand over. Annihilus held command over an entire plane of existence, yet still had a deeply personal impact on the Fantastic Four, making his debut worth remembering.
7 Psycho-Man
Fantastic Four Annual #5 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby introduced fans to Psycho-Man, a villain who was so formidable that it took the combined effort of a number of Marvel heroes to take him down. The issue was something of a mini-crossover event, as it took the Fantastic Four, Black Panther, and the Inhumans to fight Psycho-Man - and for good reason. Psycho-Man has the power to literally alter someone’s brain chemistry, bending their emotions to his will. A truly terrifying ability that was brilliantly conveyed upon his very first appearance.
6 Super-Skrull
The latest supervillain to join the ranks of the MCU, Super-Skrull’s origin in the comics was as a Skrull named K’lrt who wielded all four powers of the Fantastic Four. Debuting in Fantastic Four #18 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, Super-Skrull was sent to Earth to conquer the planet, and destroy any threat that might hinder that mission - including and especially the Fantastic Four. K’lrt exhibited a mastery of the FF’s powers right from the start, and has become an iconic figure that’s remained relevant (in both the comics and MCU) to this day.
5 Psychopomp
Debuting in the Thing’s standalone series Clobberin’ Time by Steve Skroce, Ogdu Fraize aka Psychopomp is a villain from a desolate future who blames the superheroes of the past for the downfall of his world. So, after manipulating and torturing a Watcher, Psychopomp gained the ability to slide through the timestream, collecting artifacts of immense cosmic power. He then brought those artifacts to the moment in time when the big bang was about to happen, in the hopes he could use them right at the spark of the universe to rewrite reality in his image. While perhaps the least-known villain on this list, Psychopomp definitely had one amazing debut.
4 Molecule Man
While Molecule Man would go on to be something of an avatar for the Beyonder whose multiversal existence is to act as a universe-ending bomb meant to bring an end to all reality, his debut was decidedly less cosmic, though still incredibly impactful. First appearing in Fantastic Four #20 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, Owen Reece aka Molecule Man is such a huge potential threat as soon as he gets his powers, that he makes the Watcher break their rule (again) about interfering with the lives of mortals, as Uatu warns the Fantastic Four that they have to stop him before his molecule-altering powers bring about cataclysmic destruction. Sure, he’s not immediately presented as someone who would be used to end the multiverse, but Molecule Man is still an immense threat right from the start.
3 Rama-Tut
Before Kang the Conqueror was introduced in Avengers #8, the Fantastic Four introduced Pharaoh Rama-Tut, who is one of Nathaniel Richards’ most ruthless and dangerous variants - something that’s made clear upon his debut. In Fantastic Four #19 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the FF go back in time to meet Rama-Tut after Reed learns that - during his rule - Egyptian society had a cure for blindness, which is something that clearly didn’t exist in the present day. This tipped them off that Rama-Tut wasn’t an ordinary Pharoah, but rather someone from the future who found himself stuck in the past. Unfortunately, they discovered this too late, and they found themselves face-to-face with a truly terrifying foe. While it wasn’t established that Rama-Tut was a Kang variant right from the start, it would later be confirmed that he was the first iteration of Kang, something that unquestionably made sense just by the level of villainy Rama-Tut brought to his debut issue.
2 Doctor Doom
One of the greatest comic book villains of all time, Doctor Doom’s start perfectly paved the way for his iconic and ever-growing legacy. First appearing in Fantastic Four #5 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, Victor von Doom is established as a former college classmate and scientific colleague of Reed Richards, proving his brilliance immediately. Then, the comic displays his ruthlessness, as Doom kidnaps Sue Storm and sends the other three members of the Fantastic Four on a heist through time to steal mystical treasure Doom hoped to use to make him invincible. A deep-rooted connection to the leader of the team, with time-travel technology at his disposal, and a wicked character design makes Doctor Doom’s debut incredibly memorable, and totally justifies his current villainous status.
1 Frightful Four
This team of villains certainly didn’t stand the test of time in terms of popularity with readers, but that doesn’t diminish their initial impact upon their debut. Fantastic Four #36 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby introduced the Frightful Four - consisting of Wizard, Paste-Pot Pete, Sandman, and Medusa - who are presented as the evil-opposites of the Fantastic Four. This issue shows them putting up a great fight against Marvel’s First Family, but beyond the details of their debut, the Frightful Four were impactful simply because of what they represented. The Fantastic Four was the greatest superhero team in Marvel history, and perhaps in the history of comic book fiction at that point in time. So, to have a team of villains who matched them hit-for-hit was incredibly exciting.
While not every one of these villains are very well known today (with a few of them who even turned over a new leaf entirely to become heroes themselves), they certainly made an impact upon their first appearances, making these the Top 10 best villain debuts in Fantastic Four history.