Vanessa Kirby’s Fantastic Four Character Inspired by Obscure Marvel Villain

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Vanessa Kirby is set to make a stunning appearance as the latest portrayal of Susan Storm-Richards, also known as the Invisible Woman, in the upcoming movie “The Fantastic Four: First Steps”. We’re confident that this will mark the most captivating live-action Sue Storm yet. Kirby has immersed herself in Marvel Comics lore to prepare for her role, a role she will continue in “Avengers: Doomsday.” In a chat with Entertainment Weekly, Kirby revealed that she will portray a pregnant Sue Storm in the upcoming Fantastic Four film and hinted at drawing inspiration from one of Sue’s comic book alter-egos, the villainous Malice. Here’s what she shared about her character:

Matt and I recognized that the traditional superhero archetypes for women often lacked portrayals of mothers with babies. One aspect of Sue’s character that intrigued me greatly was her transformation into Malice, revealing her darker side. I was captivated by this phase in her life. Therefore, I aimed to incorporate elements of Malice throughout her character, ensuring she wasn’t just the typical sweet and good mother stereotype.

Initially in the iconic Lee/Kirby comics, Sue Storm was initially known as the Invisible Girl, even though she was an adult woman from her debut. Stan Lee characterized her abilities as merely becoming invisible, and frequently, she served as the captive member within the team. Later authors amplified her power levels, granting her the capacity to create powerful invisible force fields. By the 1980s, she had a kindergarten-aged son, but her nickname remained “Invisible Girl“. The reasons behind her changing her name to Invisible Woman stemmed from her adopting a more complex personality, starting with her metamorphosis into Malice, Mistress of Hate.

In the year 1985, Malice made her debut in issue #280 of “Fantastic Four,” during John Byrne’s highly acclaimed tenure as writer and artist. Dressed provocatively in a sleek black leather ensemble, Malice embodied the dark aspect of Sue Richards. Manipulated psychically by their adversaries, Psycho-Man and the Hate Monger, she was born out of the team’s perceived weaknesses. This fueled her pent-up resentment, which in turn amplified her powers and her fury.

In the storyline, Malice, in character, aggressively targeted her own family. Reed Richards resorted to a seemingly sexist verbal provocation, shouting “Shut up, Susan!” at one point and even physically striking her. It’s surprising that the brilliant man behind the Fantastic Four would resort to physical violence to restore his wife’s original persona, considering there might have been less harmful methods available.

Following the events of the Malice incident, Sue Storm embraced her powers fully instead of restricting them, making her the most potent member of the Fantastic Four. She also decided to adopt the name Invisible Woman, a change from Invisible Girl that she had been using for 25 years. The Malice persona resurfaced sporadically afterwards, but not frequently. Writer John Byrne has a penchant for exploring the darker aspects of original female Marvel characters, as seen in his work with Jean Grey in “The Dark Phoenix Saga” from Uncanny X-Men. Similarly, he delved into Scarlet Witch’s dark side in Avengers West Coast. However, Sue’s stint as Malice was less frequently revisited compared to Jean and Wanda. Lately, the Malice persona has gained new admirers as a playable character for Sue in Marvel Rivals.

In “The Fantastic Four: First Steps,” we don’t anticipate Sue Storm transforming into Malice, nor will she be seen in a revealing bondage outfit. However, Vanessa Kirby’s fondness for this side of Sue’s history might influence the portrayal of Malice or her traits in a potential sequel. After Jean Grey and Wanda Maximoff undergoing dark transformations in their respective X-Men films, it seems this trope has become somewhat overused. Yet, there’s hope that Matt Shankman and Marvel Studios will introduce a fresh take on these themes.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps opens in theaters on July 25.

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2025-04-11 16:03