Warning: Contains spoilers for X-Men #27!!
The Fantastic Four have worked with plenty of teams since they gained their powers, but they have a particularly tumultuous relationship with the X-Men. During a recent face-off between the teams, one new member of the mutant squad rubbed Thing and Human Torch the wrong way. After a confrontation, the two of them agreed that they are not remotely fond of Rasputin IV.
In X-Men #27 – by Gerry Duggan, Phil Noto, and Clayton Cowles – a small group of the remaining mutants visit the Fantastic Four on Ben Grimm’s farm.
Adamant that they speak to Reed Richards, seeking his help to disguise their X-genes, Rasputin will let nothing stop in her way – leading her to knock out both Ben Grimm and Johnny Storm.
Rasputin Earns A Spot On The Fantastic Four’s Bad Side
Rasputin, one of Sinister’s mutant chimeras, gets straight to the point in X-Men #27. She’s there for the information they need and nothing less. The Thing and Human Torch both attempt to confront her, and she knocks each of them out – leaving the two agreeing that they’re “not a fan” of the X-Men’s latest heavy hitter. Over the years, the Fantastic Four have made the rounds with Marvel’s other superhero teams – and sometimes gone rounds with them, too. This is especially true with the X-Men; at one point, the suspicion that Franklin Richards could be a mutant left things particularly tense between the groups.
Reed Richards found a way to disguise the X-Gene in an attempt to protect his son, but Professor X and Magneto entered his mind to take that information. Given that Rasputin and the other X-Men went to the farm seeking that technique, it was already a tense subject – one that Rasputin did not help with her blunt, forceful approach. As the other mutants attempt to reign in the situation, Rasputin proceeds to knock Thing out with a single punch and puts Human Torch to sleep. While those feats on their own are impressive, it isn’t exactly conducive to fostering good relations between the teams.
The X-Men And The Fantastic Four Need Each Other’s Support
Fortunately for the mutants, the Invisible Woman and Mr. Fantastic did not share their teammates’ dislike for Rasputin enough to refuse their request. The Fantastic Four are picking up a mess of their own, and they recognize that they need to give (and get) support, especially since they and the X-Men have a common enemy in Orchis. Rasputin’s brash tactics didn’t stop them from doing what they could to aid them, and Sue even reminds the unimpressed Ben and Johnny that the X-Men “suffered a great loss – again.” The Fantastic Four are offering the X-Men empathy and help, despite Rasputin making an incredibly poor impression on half the team.
Check out X-Men #27, available now from Marvel Comics!
