Susan Storm Richards, the Invisible Woman, is a longstanding hero in Marvel Comics. Often regarded as one-fourth of a powerful team, she’s easily one of the most powerful characters in Marvel Comics—so why doesn’t she get the credit for it? As a member of The Fantastic Four, she has saved the world dozens, if not hundreds, of times. Over the years, her character has grown as she’s become a leader, a role model, an international spy, a mother, and so much more. Yet she is so often overshadowed by her teammates, especially her husband, Reed Richards. Knowing Sue Storm, there’s a chance she allows this, as she’s far more tactical than most people realize.
Most fans know Sue Storm as the Invisible Woman, though in earlier days she went by the Invisible Girl. She, along with the rest of her team, was affected by intense cosmic rays, turning them into the superheroes we all know and love. This gave Sue her iconic powers: invisibility and force field project. Now, a lot of people, other heroes included, would look at that power set and think there’s a natural limitation to what Sue can pull off. They’d be surprised, as the Invisible Woman has consistently proven that a creative mind can help push the boundaries of any skill.
Pushing Invisibility to the Limits
When Sue Storm first gained her powers, they were admittedly more limited and less impressive than they are today. However, she has worked hard to improve, increasing her skills and abilities in the process. Sue can make herself wholly or partially invisible at will. More notably, Sue can stretch this ability to affect other objects and people. Her range varies, depending partially on the time and who’s writing her story.
On that note, let’s talk about some of the ways Sue has used her invisibility to save the day. There’s the obvious, such as the many times she would go invisible and clobber an enemy. However, Sue Storm has also gotten more creative in her ways of tackling fights, such as the time she turned The Wizard’s clothing and skin invisible to make his heart and organs visible. She seriously freaked him out there, winning the day in surprising fashion.
Her invisibility tricks have also been used to put a stop to even iconic heroes of Marvel, such as Wolverine. During the events of Enemy of the State, Wolverine was brainwashed and sent on the attack, which we all know is never a good thing. While Sue Storm didn’t permanently put a stop to Wolverine, she did blind and incapacitate the hero for a time.
Sue Storm’s Force Fields Are Next Level
Sue Storm may be more famous for her invisibility, probably thanks to her moniker, but her force fields are truly next level. Her force fields are considered to be near indestructible, and that’s not some wild claim. For example, her force fields famously held back the likes of the Sentry, who was hitting them with all he had (Annihilation Scourge #1). Her shield withstood several heavy blows from the Senry, holding up until backup had time to appear on the scene.
Her shields work to keep out more than physical blows, as they also act like a telepathic barrier. Think about that for a moment. Psionic attacks can’t get through the shield, allowing Sue to shield against telepathic enemies. This adds surprising layers to Sue Storm’s defensive abilities. In some continuities, Sue pushes this even further, having access to her own range of telekinetic attacks.
Finding More Creative or Offensive Solutions
Sue holding off a powerful character like the Sentry is but one example of what her shields can do, but as always, Sue Storm is looking for more creative applications. For example, she was specifically trained in hand-to-hand combat to help improve her use of force field armor and weaponry. When it comes to using her force fields in battle, Sue Storm is a terrifying sight to behold. During Civil War #7, Sue Storm came up against Taskmaster, and the villain knew when he had met his match. She mercilessly stomped Taskmaster into the ground, in a very literal sense.
At the end of the day, Sue Storm is an absolute powerhouse in Marvel Comics. She’s faced off against Celestials, the full force of the Sentry, and countless other dangers, and she’s lived to tell the tale. She does all of this while putting others first, proving that she’s a hero through and through. Despite all of this, Sue Storm is often overlooked and overshadowed, proving that in some ways, she really is the Invisible Woman. No matter how we look at it, Sue Storm is the hero Marvel Comics deserves, as we need to see more like her.
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