Marvel Comics just added an interesting new dynamic to the Fantastic Four. In Marvel Two-In-One #3, we discover that Marvel's First Family has a secret power source. As it turns out, the four of them are connected in a way that none of them ever imagined.
In 1961, the origin of the Fantastic Four marked the revival of superhero stories for Marvel Comics. Reed Richards, Johnny and Susan Storm, and Ben Grimm went up into space and were affected by radiation. The result was that all four were given extraordinary abilities. The story has been retold in comics and adapted for several cartoons and movies. Their comic book title was cancelled in 2015, but with the launch of Marvel Legacy, it appears that the Fantastic Four are about to make a comeback. Last year, Marvel brought back Marvel Two-In-One, a comic book series that starred the Thing. In the 1970s and '80s, each issue would feature an adventure with the Thing and a different superhero. This time, the Thing was teamed with the Human Torch.
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It should be noted that the Human Torch was seemingly killed off in "Avengers: No Surrender". However, it appears that the rebooted Marvel-Two-In-One series takes place before this event. The Human Torch discovered that his powers were fading for unknown reasons. In Marvel-Two-In-One #3, the Thing decided that they should seek out the advice of his "favorite non-Thor god", Hercules. Hercules lost his immortality and super strength in the 2010 event, Chaos War. When Hercules received his own comic book series in 2015, his powers returned without explanation. This plot hole was resolved when the Thing finally asks Hercules how he got his powers back. According to Hercules, a scientist helped him access his latent abilities.
The scientist explained to Human Torch and the Thing that both of them are losing their powers. Apparently, the Fantastic Four's power source is each other. If they live in separate universes for too long, their powers will dissipate until they're gone for good. It's a surprising revelation for heroes who have fought together in the same comic for over 50 years.
Fantastic Four fans know that Invisible Woman and Mr. Fantastic have been apart from the Marvel Universe for some time now. At the end of Secret Wars, the Fantastic Four had to part ways after Molecule Man imbued Mr. Fantastic with the ability to recreate reality. Human Torch and the Thing will have to venture into another universe if they hope to restore their full power and reunite Marvel's First Family.
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Marvel Two-In-One #3 is on sale now from Marvel.