Frightful Four

The Frightful Four first appeared in Fantastic Four #36 (March 1965), and were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.^[2]

The team subsequently appears in Fantastic Four #94 (January 1970), #129 (December 1972), #148 (July 1974), #177 (December 1976), Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #42 (May 1980), The Amazing Spider-Man #214-215 (March–April 1981), Fantastic Four #326-328 (May–July 1989), Fantastic Four Unlimited #5 (March 1994), The Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #418 (June 1994), Deadpool vol. 3 #35 (December 1999), Fantastic Four vol. 3 #29 (May 2000), and Fantastic Four #514 (August 2004), and #547-549, and Superior Carnage #1-5 (2014).

The Frightful Four received an entry in The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Update '89 #3.

The Frightful Four first appears in Fantastic Four #36, consisting of Wizard, Sandman, Paste-Pot Pete (later called Trapster), and an amnesiac Medusa.^[3] The villains are originally fairly successful, almost defeating the Fantastic Four during Susan Storm and Reed Richards's engagement party in their first appearance. They capture all the members except the Human Torch, who frees the others.^[4]

Wizard uses a hypnosis device on the Thing to enslave him at Medusa's request. When the Fantastic Four attempt to rescue the Thing, they are overcome by the Frightful Four and captured. Human Torch and Invisible Woman manage to free themselves from their respective traps and counterattack the Frightful Four, allowing Mister Fantastic to free himself. However, the Human Torch is recaptured and brainwashed. The Frightful Four incapacitate the Human Torch, but learn that he had been pretending to be mind-controlled. Meanwhile, Mister Fantastic tries to use a device to reverse the brainwashing on Thing. However, Thing tries to destroy the machine to escape, causing an explosion that exposes him to a near-lethal dose of radiation. Although it worked and Thing is freed of the brainwashing, he is placed in a bed to examine the radiation's potential effects on him. The Frightful Four return to the Baxter Building and attack Mister Fantastic and Invisible Woman, showing them that they have taken Human Torch hostage. However, Thing revives just long enough to crush Wizard's body armor, giving Human Torch the chance to free himself from the gigantic anti-gravity disc he is tied to. The Fantastic Four defeat the Frightful Four and capture Wizard, Trapster, and Sandman while Medusa escapes.^[5]

After Medusa regains her memories, she leaves the Frightful Four, with Thundra taking her place.^[6] The Frightful Four capture the Fantastic Four and hold an audition to find a permanent member, with Texas Twister and Captain Ultra unsuccesfully auditioning. When Tigra arrives and frees the Fantastic Four, Wizard announces that whoever can defeat them can join the Frightful Four. Out of the villains that left, only Brute remains.^[7] Brute joins the Frightful Four and assists them in fighting the Fantastic Four.^[8][9]

Wizard later assembled Hydro-Man, Titania, and Klaw as the Frightful Four when attacking the Four Freedoms Plaza following Sandman's reform. During the battle, Thing regresses to his human form. The Frightful Four manage to take down the other members of the Fantastic Four as Klaw was defeated. When Dragon Man is brought in as Klaw's replacement, Thing rescues his teammates and stops the Frightful Four.^[10]

When the Fantastic Four's reputation was damaged by their attempted coup of Latveria to destroy Doctor Doom's arsenal, the Wizard assembles a new team consisting of himself, the Trapster, Hydro-Man (who now wears a costume made from the same material has Human Torch's costume), and his ex-wife Salamandra, seeking to take advantage of the team's current poor standing by defeating them on a live broadcast.^[11] With the aid of the Wizard and Salamandra's daughter Cole, the Frightful Four are defeated when Cole helps the Fantastic Four find her father's base.^[12]

Another version of the Frightful Four (consisting of Wizard, Hydro-Man, Titania, and Trapster) appears to challenge the Fantastic Four again, only to find themselves dealing with the additional presence of Black Panther and Storm, who had temporarily joined the Fantastic Four while Mister Fantastic and Invisible Woman were on a second honeymoon to work on their marriage after their separation during the "Civil War".^[13]

Wizard begins developing dementia due to punishment inflicted by Black Bolt, so he decides to create a new Frightful Four with Klaw, Karl Malus, and Carnage. He attempts to control Cletus Kasady's mind, but is unable to. He instead transfers his blood into Malus, transforming him into Superior Carnage.^[14] Wizard intends to take over NYC City Hall and impress his son, but is stopped by Superior Spider-Man.^[15]

Under the orders of a mysterious benefactor, Wizard forms another incarnation of the Frightful Four consisting of Wrecker, Thunderball, and Bulldozer.^[16] During a fight with the Fantastic Four, the Frightful Four demonstrated increased powers with which they almost defeat the heroes until the Future Foundation replacement team led by Ant-Man arrives to help them. As the Frightful Four are being taken into S.H.I.E.L.D. custody, Wizard revealed that the attack had been financed by a bigger enemy, and that they did their part.^[17]

Wizard is later freed by the same individual who financed his attack and is given more resources to reform the Frightful Four. Using Gazelle, Reptilla, and Vertigo of Salem's Seven, Wizard attacks Chicago to get the attention of Mister Fantastic. Mister Fantastic is almost defeated by the Frightful Four until Scarlet Witch appears to help him.^[18] After witnessing the scale of the Quiet Man's plans for revenge coupled with the "betrayal" of his clone Bentley 23, Wizard leads the new Frightful Four of She-Thing, Thundra and Sandman against the Quiet Man's invasion, concluding that this was not a world he wanted for his "son".^[19]

After Deadpool failed to deliver Dracula's bride Shiklah in time, Dracula creates a new Frightful Four consisting of Brood mercenary Xzax, Marcus the Centaur, N'Kantu, the Living Mummy, and Frankenstein's Monster. Except for Frankenstein's Monster, the entire team is apparently killed by Deadpool.^[20]

First appearing in Fantastic Four #36, and led by the Wizard, the team was put together to fight against the Fantastic Four.

• The Frightful Four appears in a self-titled episode of The New Fantastic Four, consisting of Wizard, Trapster, Medusa, and Sandman.^{[citation needed]}
• The Frightful Four appears in the Fantastic Four episode "And the Wind Cries Medusa", consisting of Wizard, Trapster, Medusa, and Hydro-Man.^{[citation needed]}
• The Frightful Four appears in the Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Heroes episode "Frightful", consisting of Wizard, Trapster, Klaw, and Dragon Man.^{[citation needed]}
• The Frightful Four appears in Ultimate Spider-Man, consisting of Wizard, Klaw, Thundra, and Trapster.^[24]