Franklin Storm
| Franklin Storm | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Fantastic Four #31 (Oct 1964) |
| Created by |
Stan Lee (writer) Jack Kirby (artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Dr. Franklin Storm |
| Abilities | Gifted surgeon |
Franklin Storm is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Publication history
Franklin Storm first appeared in Fantastic Four #31 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.
Fictional character biography
Dr. Franklin Storm, the father of Susan and Johnny Storm, was an accomplished surgeon. While driving to a dinner being held in his honor, one of the tires in his car blew out and the car swerved off the road and crashed, fatally injuring his wife Mary. Dr. Storm operated on Mary Storm in a desperate attempt to save her life, but he was unable to save her and he blamed himself for her death. He gave up his career and turned to gambling, eventually borrowing money from a loan shark. When Dr. Storm was unable to pay, one of the loan shark's men threatened Storm and his children and Storm grappled with the man. During the fight, the man accidentally shot himself and Storm was sent to prison for 20 years for manslaughter. Upon his request, Susan did not visit him while in prison and told Johnny that he was dead. Susan and Johnny subsequently gained superhuman powers and became members of the Fantastic Four. Franklin Storm escaped from prison early in the Fantastic Four's career. When he learned that Susan had been seriously injured while escaping from the Mole Man's lair, he came out of hiding and operated on her, saving her life. After the operation, Dr. Storm was returned to prison. Shortly thereafter, the Super-Skrull came to Dr. Storm in his cell and used his shapechanging powers to take Storm's appearance. Franklin Storm was teleported to the Skrull homeworld and held captive there. The disguised Super-Skrull took on the name "the Invincible Man", claiming to be Dr. Storm with newly acquired superhuman powers, and broke out of prison. The Super-Skrull confronted the Fantastic Four, hoping to demoralize them by tricking them into thinking that Dr. Storm was attacking them. Reed Richards was able to recognize the impostor and forced the Skrull leaders to exchange their agent for the real Dr. Franklin Storm.[1]
Death
Under the advice of the Skrull Warlord Morrat, the Skrulls attached a concussive energy beam projector to Dr. Storm's chest. The projector was set to go off the moment he saw the Fantastic Four. When Storm appeared, he warned the heroes to stay away and rolled over on the floor, taking the full force of the deadly concussive blast on himself. Franklin Storm's death was avenged when Morrat was killed as a result of Invisible Woman deflecting the lasers shot by the Skrulls that nearly hit Emperor Dorekk VII's daughter Anelle. When the Fantastic Four asked for the life of the one responsible for Franklin Storm's death, Emperor Dorekk VII presented them with Morrat's body, settling their debt and dismissing the Fantastic Four back to the safety of their planet.[2]
Legacy
Susan Storm later named her son Franklin after her father in honor of his memory.[3]
Other versions
Secret Wars
In the history of Battleworld during the 2015 Secret Wars storyline, the Battleworld version of the Fantastic Four had Franklin Storm lead the team instead of Reed Richards. Ben Grimm, Sue and Johnny followed Franklin in many scientific-adventures until God Emperor Doom came to power and Franklin died in battle.[4]
Ultimate Marvel
In the Ultimate Marvel Universe, Franklin Storm is a scientist. For a time, he worked on the "super soldier" project alongside Hank Pym, Bruce Banner and Richard Parker. He is "poached" to lead the Baxter Building project.[5]
At a later point during his children's younger ages, Franklin divorced his wife as she left her family on her scientific foray to discover Atlantis. He lied about this fact to his children, explaining that she died in an accident.[6]
He removes Dr. Arthur Molhevic from the project for experimenting with creating biological life.[7] After the creation of the Fantastic Four and the rearrangement of the Baxter Building's funding to support them, he took on the role as their mentor and supervisor. His relationship with his children Sue and Johnny is strained at times due to his instincts to protect them from danger conflicting with Reed's continuously dangerous scientific explorations and the Four's superhero adventures. He is proud of Sue's academic achievements and brilliance but less supportive of Johnny's slacking. The revelation that their mother had not died in a car crash as he had told them, but in fact had left the family on a scientific foray to discover Atlantis with no illusions of returning, briefly distanced himself from his children although the family would later reconcile. He continues to play a part in the day-to-day operations of the Baxter Building and be a father figure to Reed Richards.
During the Ultimatum storyline in "Ultimate Fantastic Four" #58, Franklin Storm was killed when a tidal wave tore through Manhattan and slammed through the Baxter Building itself.[8]
In other media
Television
- Franklin Storm appeared in the 1994 Fantastic Four episode "Behold, A Distant Star" voiced by Richard McGonagle. Just like the comics, Franklin Storm lost his wife in an accident and an altercation with a loan shark led to an accidental murder. When Invisible Woman had a shrapnel in the lower part of her brain after a recent Skrull attack, he had to come out of hiding to perform the surgery. He turned himself over to the arriving cops after performing the surgery. After being freed from his volcanic prison, Super-Skrull replaced him in prison and took on the guise of the Invincible Man who broke out of prison and went on a rampage on the city and ran afoul of the Fantastic Four. They soon realize that Franklin Storm is Super-Skrull in disguise. Warlord Morrat had a concussive energy beam projector attached to Franklin Storm's chest. The projector was set to go off the moment he saw the Fantastic Four. When Franklin Storm appeared, he warned the Fantastic Four to stay away and rolled over on the floor taking the full force of the deadly concussive blast on himself.
Film
- Franklin made his live action debut in Fantastic Four, portrayed by Reg E. Cathey.[9] This version is an African-American man who is the director of the Baxter Foundation, a government-sponsored research institute for young prodigies. Franklin first appeared when he discovered Reed Richards and Benjamin Grimm. After Richards, Grimm, and Susan and Johnny Storm all get their powers, he acts as a mentor to them. He had misgivings about Sue and Johnny being used as weapons by the U.S. government, although his objections fell on deaf ears. Franklin Storm later learns that Victor von Doom is alive on Planet Zero as some people sent there retrieved his body. Upon Victor von Doom going on a rampage while trying to return to Planet Zero, Franklin Storm confronted him near the transport device to Planet Zero in an attempt to reason with him. This fails as Victor von Doom kills Franklin in front of the Fantastic Four.
References
- ↑ Fantastic Four Vol. 1 #31
- ↑ Fantastic Four Vol. 1 #32
- ↑ Fantastic Four #94 (January 1970)
- ↑ Secret Wars #6 (October 2015)
- ↑ Ultimate Origins #3 (2008)
- ↑ Ultimate Fantastic Four #24
- ↑ Ultimate Fantastic Four #2
- ↑ Ultimate Fantastic Four #58
- ↑ Siegel, Tatiana (May 8, 2014). "Fox's 'Fantastic Four' Reboot Adds 'The Wire's' Reg E. Cathey (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 8, 2014.
External links
- Franklin Storm at Marvel.com
- Franklin Storm at the Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe