Mister Fantastic's Meme Potential Stretched by Marvel Rivals Fans

Marvel Rivals fans recently experienced their first weekend with new playable characters Mister Fantastic and the Invisible Woman, but some are struggling to take Reed Richards as seriously as other heroes in the game.

Mister Fantastic made his debut with the launch of Season 1 on Friday, January 10, bringing his elastic skills to the battlefield as one of Marvel Rivals' first post-launch heroes. 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 more of a tank role. Players are still figuring out the best strategies to use Mister Fantastic against the rest of the roster, but for now, many are more focused on the humorous aspects of his character.

pic.twitter.com/SAtREw22fR

— Wong Updates (@WongUpdates) January 12, 2025

A character who can contort his body into strange shapes 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, like X/Twitter user @BOOMERANG_117, have taken it a step further by imagining Marvel Rivals’ Reed Richards without his new beard.

While his appearance can be slightly unsettling, it's Mister Fantastic's Reflexive Rubber ability that has attracted the most jokes. This useful tool can turn an enemy’s damage against them, but it also looks quite silly in motion. Using the move, Mister Fantastic grows to the size of a refrigerator, creating a comical visual.

Mr Fantastic has massive meme potential from marvelrivals

"Ngl I think Mr. Fantastic's design encapsulates everything great about this game," one Reddit user commented. "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

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 in their first weekend. As Season 1 progresses, players can look forward to the addition of the remaining Fantastic Four members, The Thing and Human Torch, in the second half of the season. When the rest of the team arrives, fans can only hope they'll make just as memorable an entrance.

In the meantime, check out the Marvel Rivals Season 1 patch notes, and official stats that reveal Marvel Rivals' pick and win rates in Quickplay and Competitive modes for Season 0. Keep an eye on the latest Marvel Rivals codes for free skins, and vote on the strongest Marvel Rivals characters in our community tier list.