The Fantastic Four‘s genius leader Reed Richards isn’t the first name that comes to mind when thinking of Marvel’s richest character, but Mister Fantastic is secretly far wealthier than anyone would guess. While he isn’t on the same level as Black Panther or Iron Man, Reed Richards is one of Marvel’s richest heroes, having accrued billions of dollars with very little effort.
Reed Richards grew up rich, thanks to his scientist and SHIELD-agent father Nathaniel. In John Byrne’s Fantastic Four #271, it’s revealed that Nathaniel left Reed $2 billion, which he used to personally finance the rocket trip that gave his family their powers. The team’s many adventures swelled and depleted their coffers, with them even once getting a major cash injection from Namor the Sub-Mariner. However, all the time that Reed was exploring new worlds, he was constantly either inventing or discoveirng new technology, gradually making him a fortune in the background.
Reed Richards Had $2 Billion Before the Fantastic Four
By the time of Reed’s seeming death in 2015’s Secret Wars, he was worth billions. In Jim Zub and Sean Izaakse’s Uncanny Avengers #28, Reed’s executor comes to Johnny Storm, revealing that Reed wanted him to have his fortune. On his death, Reed had arranged for his various patents and licensing fees to be quickly resolved, resulting in a fortune of $5,196,353,518.41. Interestingly, when inflation is taken into account, this is close to the $2 billion his father left him in 1984. Surprisingly, Johnny uses the fortune responsibly, purchasing Avengers Mansion for the team and establishing various charitable interests.
Fantastic Four’s Reed Richards Is Secretly a Billionaire
Reed and the Fantastic Four’s fortunes vary wildly depending on the needs of any given stroy, but it seems that as a default, Marvel intends Reed to have around $5 billion in today’s money. This explains why Reed is able to build pretty much anything he wants (including an anti-Galactus suit) and maintain a towering headquarters in New York City. It also explains where Reed’s money comes from, as the genius is constantly churning out ideas which he has his legal team handle. Indeed, past stories have suggested that Reed is paid not to release certain inventions which would upend existing industries.
Reed Richards and the Fantastic Four care little about money, and Mister Fantastic isn’t a mogul like Tony Stark or the leader of a nation like T’Challa. However, it turns out that the smartest man on Earth has quietly accrued a gigantic fortune that leaves him free to pursue his personal projects. Reed Richards improves the world both as an inventor-philanthropist and as the leader of the Fantastic Four, and manages to make a huge profit doing it.
This story originally appeared on Screenrant
