Marvel Rivals fans have just wrapped up their first weekend with the new playable characters, Mister Fantastic and the Invisible Woman. However, some players are struggling to take Reed Richards as seriously as the other heroes in the game.
Mister Fantastic, also known as Reed Richards, made his debut with the launch of Season 1 on Friday, January 10. As one of Marvel Rivals' first post-launch heroes, he brings his elastic skills to the battlefield. Classified as a Duelist, his powers allow him to take long swings at one or multiple enemies at a time, while also giving him the option to expand his body and take on a more tank-like role. Players are still figuring out the best strategies to use Mister Fantastic against the rest of the roster, but until then, many can't help but focus on his goofy nature.
pic.twitter.com/SAtREw22fR
— Wong Updates (@WongUpdates) January 12, 2025
A character who can contort his body into strange shapes naturally carries a lot of meme potential. Comparisons to One Piece protagonist Monkey D. Luffy have already surfaced, thanks to Mister Fantastic's Elastic Strength ability. This has gained enough traction for the modding community to create a One Piece custom skin, despite NetEase's recent crackdown on modding. The idea of turning into a rubber bodybuilder is inherently funny, and some fans, including X/Twitter user @BOOMERANG_117, have gotten creative by imagining Marvel Rivals' Reed Richards without his new beard.
While slightly unsettling, few elements of the character have attracted as many jokes as his Reflexive Rubber ability. This useful tool can turn an enemy's damage against them, but it also looks almost too silly in motion. When using the move, Mister Fantastic grows to the size of a refrigerator, which is quite a sight to behold.
"Ngl I think Mr. Fantastic's design encapsulates everything great about this game," one Reddit user said. "He's stupid and silly and cheesy and the game just lets him be that and is better for it."
Waking up at 3am for a snack #marvelrivals pic.twitter.com/PQXsmAhqpA
— The Different Nerd (@nerd_different) January 11, 2025
I tried again! https://t.co/9Xqu0AR2AL pic.twitter.com/66AtQhyheN
— Boomer (@BOOMERANG_117) January 11, 2025
Mr Fantastic has massive meme potential from marvelrivals
While it remains to be seen if Mister Fantastic and the Invisible Woman will become fan favorites in Marvel Rivals, they have certainly made a strong impression during their first weekend. As Season 1 progresses, players can look forward to the addition of the remaining Fantastic 4 members, The Thing and Human Torch, in the second half of the season. When the rest of the team arrives, we can only hope they'll make just as much of an entrance.
In the meantime, be sure to check out the Marvel Rivals Season 1 patch notes and the official stats that reveal Marvel Rivals' pick and win rates in Quickplay and Competitive modes for Season 0. Don't forget to keep an eye on the latest Marvel Rivals codes for free skins, and participate in voting for the strongest Marvel Rivals characters in our community tier list.
