Devil's Reign - Superior Four pays homage to a classic Fantastic Four line-up

cover of Superior Four #2 — (Image credit: Marvel Comics)

Doctor Octopus once took Peter Parker's place as Spider-Man, and now it seems he'll be taking over Peter's long-time role as a substitute member of the Fantastic Four in February's Devil's Reign: Superior Four #2, but with a twist.

As shown in January's Superior Four #1, Doc Ock will assemble his own team of alt-versions of himself from around the Multiverse. But his Multiversal meddling seems to have much more serious ramifications than simply bringing together his own team, as the solicitation for Superior Four #2, released via AiPT, states that Doc Ock "irrevocably altered the Multiverse" with a "relentless assault on reality."

As such, the so-called Superior Four - seemingly comprised of mash-ups of Doc Ock and Ghost Rider, Hulk, and Wolverine, alongside Otto Octavius himself - will have to set right the issues caused by Doc Ock's Multiversal meddling.

That line up of Octopized versions of Wolverine, Hulk, and Ghost Rider may seem a little off for a team labeled the Fantastic Four, but it's actually reminiscent of a classic substitute line-up for the team introduced way back in Walt Simonson's Fantastic Four #350, consisting of Spider-Man, Hulk, Wolverine, and Ghost Rider.

Though the original concept of the 'New Fantastic Four' was slightly tongue-in-cheek, drawing on the popularity of the characters involved as a way to goose sales of almost any title by adding them as guest stars, the concept stuck with fans, being revisited a few times over the years.

As for how Doc Ock has the power to alter the Multiverse and create a team of his own doppelgangers, well, that may come down to the Infinity Stones, which were hinted at in the solicitations for Devil's Reign: Superior Four #1.

Stay tuned to Newsarama for Marvel's full February 2022 solicitations, coming later this month.

Doctor Octopus will play a major role in Amazing Spider-Man next year. Stay on top of all the new Spider-Man comics planned for release in 2021 and beyond with our handy-dandy guide.

I've been Newsarama's resident Marvel Comics expert and general comic book historian since 2011, and now I'm the Entertainment Writer at GamesRadar+. I've also been the on-site reporter at most major comic conventions such as Comic-Con International: San Diego, New York Comic Con, and C2E2. Outside of comic journalism, I am the artist of many weird pictures, and the guitarist of many heavy riffs. (They/Them)