Since 1962, the Skrulls have been Marvel's trademark shapeshifting aliens - now, Fantastic Four has introduced their much more terrifying replacements. It's a reinvention a long time coming, but one that captures what made the Skrulls so great when they were first introduced.
Fantastic Four's New Shapeshifters Make the Skrulls Look Sweet This Is No Secret Invasion, It's a Cannibal Apocalypse
In this week's Fantastic Four #4 - from Ryan North, Humberto Ramos, Victor Olazaba, Edgar Delgado and Joe Caramagna - the family's adopted dog Jellybean reveals its true form as the alien predator Th'rak. Controlling pareidolia (the misinterpretation of visual signals by the brain), this alien species has been steadily infiltrating Earth in the guise of beloved family pets.
Thankfully, blind sculptress Alicia Masters senses something is wrong with 'Jellybean,' prompting Reed Richards to build a device capable of exposing the species' true form. While the alien species aren't named in the issue, they're a far more terrifying take on the basic theme of the Skrulls: aliens which can take alternate forms in order to infiltrate Earth. However, while the Skrulls came as conquerors, Th'rak's species intended to turn the Earth into a larder.
Marvel's New Aliens Have Some Major Similarities to the Skrulls
Appearing in Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's Fantastic Four #2, the Skrulls first appeared in the form of an exploratory force investigating Earth for invasion. Shapeshifting into the Fantastic Four, the Skrulls intended to ruin their reputation in order to weaken Earth's defenses.
After defeating the Skrulls, Reed locked them in the form of cows in order to allow them to live out the rest of their lives in peace. Sadly, this action was taken as a great humiliation by the Skrull Empire, who came to loathe Mister Fantastic and obsess over defeating his family.
The introduction of Th'rak's species echoes the Skrull's debut. This time, the shapeshifters didn't just pretend to be the Fantastic Four - they actually infiltrated the family. And yet again, Reed humiliated them, exposing their true nature across the Earth and forcing them to flee in disgrace. It's highly likely that fans haven't seen the last of these disturbing new aliens, and that's great news.
Marvel Needs Scary Aliens Again
Over the last 63 years, the Skrulls have gone from scary aliens to a complex society in Marvel lore. There are heroic Skrulls on multiple Marvel teams and (until the recent events of Imperial) they were considered a neutral force in the galaxy - a stable part of the galactic community, albeit plagued by a faction of religious extremists obsessed with Earth.
While this complexity and balance have led to some great stories, time has distanced the Skrulls from the core concept of terrifying alien invaders who have secretly infiltrated Earth, echoing iconic sci-fi like Invasion of the Body Snatchers. The arrival of Th'rak's species returns this thrilling ingredient to Earth-616, with the alien's attempts to silence Alicia having a genuinely chilling horror tone.
While the Skrulls are an important and interesting part of Marvel lore, they've totally transformed from what they originally represented in Fantastic Four lore. Now, thanks to this new species, the Fantastic Four have introduced a brand new take on the alien invasion trope - this time with an even darker species whose ultimate plan is to eat humanity alive.
Fantastic Four #4 is available now from Marvel Comics.
Fantastic Four Created by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby First Film The Fantastic Four Latest Film Fantastic Four Upcoming Films The Fantastic Four: First Steps First TV Show The Fantastic Four First Episode Air Date September 9, 1967
The Fantastic Four is a superhero franchise centered on Marvel Comics' first family of superheroes. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the team made its comic book debut in 1961 and quickly became a cornerstone of Marvel's success. The franchise follows four astronauts -- Reed Richards, Susan Storm, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm -- who gain superpowers after being exposed to cosmic radiation. Over the years, Fantastic Four has been adapted into several live-action films, animated series, and video games. The films have seen multiple reboots, with varying levels of success, and are now set to be integrated into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), with a new film slated for release in 2025.
Expand Collapse