Warning: Spoilers for Fantastic Four (2022) #17 ahead!Their name may be “The Fantastic Four,” but Alicia Masters-Grimm is just as much a member of both the team and the family as her husband, Ben Grimm, aka the Thing. Alicia has proven herself to be a crucial member of the Fantastic Four’s plans and stratagems to the point where, if not for her involvement, the team would have been slain outright by a proto-Kang the Conqueror.
Ryan North, Carlos Gómez, Jesus Aburtov, and Joe Caramagna’s Fantastic Four #17 sees Sue Storm and Reed Richards caught in a deadly prehistoric ambush by Kang (in his Rama-Tut identity). Kang counters the Fantastic Four’s every move and slays them with their own weaponry – except this turns out to be a ruse Sue and Reed planned all along.
While feeding Kang misinformation out loud, Sue and Reed instead use braille to communicate their plans to each other in secret. If not for the family learning braille in solidarity with Alicia, Kang’s victory would have been assured.
Fantastic Four Confirms a Gross Detail About Reed Richards’ Stretching Powers
As the Fantastic Four investigates a mysterious time travel murder, Reed Richards’ inhuman biology is exposed with a surprising secret.
Alicia Masters-Grimm Is The Unsung Fifth Member of The Fantastic Four
Fantastic Four has done an excellent job of making sure that Alicia is depicted as an equal member of the family, even including her name alongside the rest of the Fantastic Four on the credits page. She is rarely absent during battles with supervillains and is often a key part of solving whatever mystery is at hand. Issue #9 (by Ryan North, Ivan Fiorelli, Jesus Aburtov, and Joe Caramagna) is a particularly strong showcase of Alicia’s talents, in which she uses her sculpting skills to guide Sue’s force fields and Johnny’s fire to fend off a mind-controlled Reed and Ben.
Using braille in the fight against Kang in Fantastic Four #17 shows that Alicia’s contributions are more than a one-way street: The Fantastic Four are just as committed to giving back to her as they are having her assistance. Learning braille in solidarity with Alicia is a beautiful gesture of love and appreciation for a woman who is as much part of the family as she is a vital teammate, and that love is rewarded when Kang attempts his ambush. It simply confirms that Alicia is the fifth member of the team, despite their un-updated name.
The Fantastic Five’s Love Makes Them Stronger Than Ever
By acknowledging Alicia Masters-Grimm as an equal and not treating her blindness as a handicap, the Fantastic Fourhave been able to face Marvel’s greatest challenges. Their love and support for each other makes Fantastic Four one of the most entertaining and heartwarming titles to read, and leaves even villains like Kang the Conqueror completely outmatched.
Fantastic Four #17 is available now from Marvel.
Fantastic Four #17 (2022) | |
|---|---|
 |
|
