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Valeria Richards

Valeria Meghan Richards, originally von Doom, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is the daughter of Mister Fantastic (Reed Richards) and the Invisible Woman (Susan Storm-Richards) and goddaughter of Doctor Victor von Doom. She is the younger sister of Franklin Richards (though because of time travel she has sometimes been older than her brother). Valeria made her first appearance under the code name Marvel Girl and is currently using the name Brainstorm.[1][2]

Valeria Richards
Valeria Meghan Richards as seen in Secret Invasion: Fantastic Four #3.
Art by Alan Davis.
Publication information
PublisherMarvel Comics
First appearanceFantastic Four (vol. 3) #15 (March 1999)
Created byChris Claremont (writer)
Salvador Larroca (artist)
In-story information
Alter egoValeria Meghan Richards
(née von Doom)
Place of originManhattan, New York
Team affiliationsFantastic Four
Future Foundation
Notable aliasesBrainstorm
Marvel Girl
Val
AbilitiesGenius-level intelligence
Superhuman strength
Invulnerability
Invisibility
Time travel
Force field generation
Energy blasts
Limited telekinesis
Telepathy

Publication history

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Valeria von Doom first appeared in Fantastic Four (vol. 3) #50 (February 2002), during writer Chris Claremont and artist Salvador Larroca's run.[3] While Chris Claremont intended to resolve the storyline, he never got the chance, as Rafael Marín and Carlos Pacheco and Jeph Loeb took over Fantastic Four and brought Valeria back into the title, changing the character's origins. In the comics themselves, Roma professed to have cared for the girl, but the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe took the opportunity to tie up some loose ends by claiming that Valeria was actually raised in an alternate future as the daughter of Doctor Doom and Sue Storm.

Fictional character biography

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Mr. Fantastic, The Thing and the Human Torch were on the moon of an alternative future when they saw Susan Richards, appearing as the Baroness von Doom, with her children Franklin and Valeria.[4] Valeria von Doom later appeared in the main timeline by suddenly materializing in the Fantastic Four's headquarters, professing to be from the future, as well as being the daughter of Doctor Doom (Victor von Doom) and the Invisible Woman. This was very disturbing to the Fantastic Four, but after an initial period of conflict, the Invisible Woman accepted Valeria into the FF's home[5] and she aided them on several missions.

It was unknown how Doctor Doom and the Invisible Woman would come together in the future, and how Mister Fantastic would be removed from the picture. Things seemed to be coming together when Mister Fantastic became trapped in Doom's armor,[6] and publicly pretended to be the villain, remarrying Sue and making her his baroness shortly after Valeria is sent to Haven, a safe house at the end of the universe, for her own protection,[7] but as events proceeded, Reed was freed from the armor,[8] again calling Valeria's future into question.

She was revealed to be the second, unborn child of Reed and Sue Richards, whom Sue had seemingly miscarried years before,[9] and who had originally been named Valeria Meghan Richards.[10] Under the guidance of Roma, Franklin had used his powers to save the child, taking her from her native reality and sending her "someplace else" where she was raised by another Invisible Woman who had married a now heroic Doctor Doom after the death of her first husband. As the FF went up against the cosmic menace of Abraxas, she was summoned by Roma and fulfilled her purpose by merging her powers with Franklin and reconstituting Galactus to stop Abraxas. In the restructuring of reality that ensued, Valeria regressed to an unborn fetus.[11]

As had occurred during the first time she was born, the cosmic rays that gave the Fantastic Four their superpowers made the delivery of Valeria extremely difficult, and because Mister Fantastic was busy solving a world-threatening crisis, the Human Torch was forced to call Doctor Doom to help.[12]

In exchange for his help, the Fantastic Four allow Doom to name the child Valeria, after his previous love, and protect her. Unknown to the Fantastic Four, Doom also places a spell on Valeria, making her his familiar.[13]

Due to the numerous supervillain attacks on the Baxter Building, New York City's Child Protective Services questioned the safety of Franklin and Val. After much reluctance, Reed and Sue decided to relinquish custody of their children. However, they re-obtain custody after the safehouse that the children were staying in is destroyed.[volume & issue needed]

In Jonathan Hickman's Secret Wars (2015), Valeria is confirmed to be Doom's biological child and becomes his head of science.[14] In the Secret Wars: The Runaways crossover, Valeria is the headmistress of the Victor von Doom Institute for Gifted Youths in Latveria's capital, Doomstadt.[15] After Victor deposes himself as God-Emperor, Valeria leaves to explore the multiverse with Franklin, Reed, and Sue, returning at an older age similar to her original appearance.

Some years later, the Fantastic Four and Future Foundation battle the Griever at the End of All Things. During this time, Valeria has taken up the codename of Brainstorm.[1]

Powers and abilities

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Valeria possesses no superhuman abilities, but possesses remarkable intelligence that she claims surpasses her father's. This enabled her to solve a Rubik's Cube at a young age and create advanced technology, such as an artificially intelligent toy and a special belt that recreates her mother's force fields.[16][17][18][19] The device also allows her to neutralize her brother's powers and travel through time.[20][21] Valeria also used an armored costume that mixed elements of the Fantastic Four's uniform and Doctor Doom's armor. She could summon the armor, apparently through the metallic paint of Doom's mask on her fingernails.[22]

In Marvel Knights 4, Johnny Storm encounters an alternate timeline variant of Valeria who developed Sue's invisibility.

Reception

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In 2021, CBR.com ranked Brainstorm 2nd in their "Marvel: 10 Smartest Female Characters" list.[23]

Other versions

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What If...?

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Two alternate universe variants of Valeria Richards appear in What If...? (vol. 2) #30.

  • In the first version, taking place on Earth-91111, the child is born under the name Susan Richards II, but is revealed as an energy-draining monster which kills the Fantastic Four and Doctor Doom before Franklin banishes her to the Negative Zone.
  • In the second version, taking place on Earth-91112, Susan and her baby, who is named Mary after her grandmother, survive the childbirth process. As she ages, Mary gains healing powers and becomes a political activist. Under orders of the incumbent President, Henry Peter Gyrich attempts to assassinate Mary, but she survives and eventually becomes President.

Marvel Zombies

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An alternate universe variant of Valeria Richards from Earth-2149 appears in Marvel Zombies: Dead Days #1. She and Franklin are killed by a zombified She-Hulk, driving Reed insane and leading him to infect himself and the Fantastic Four.

Doctor Strange and the Sorcerers Supreme

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An alternate universe variant of Valeria Richards from Earth-13729 who became Doctor Doom and an enemy of Sorcerer Supreme Billy Kaplan appears in Doctor Strange and the Sorcerers Supreme.

Old Woman Laura

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An alternate universe variant of Valeria Richards from Earth-18366 appears in All-New Wolverine #33.[24]

In other media

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  • Valeria Richards appears in the Mad episode "Fantastic Four Christmases", voiced by Rachel Ramras.

References

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  1. ^ a b Fantastic Four (vol. 6) #2. Marvel Comics.
  2. ^ "[EXCLUSIVE] Marvel Preview: Fantastic Four #2". Adventure is in Poor Taste. September 6, 2018. Retrieved September 6, 2018.
  3. ^ DeFalco, Tom; Sanderson, Peter; Brevoort, Tom; Teitelbaum, Michael; Wallace, Daniel; Darling, Andrew; Forbeck, Matt; Cowsill, Alan; Bray, Adam (2019). The Marvel Encyclopedia. DK Publishing. p. 297. ISBN 978-1-4654-7890-0.
  4. ^ Fantastic Four (vol. 3) #15 (March 1999)
  5. ^ Fantastic Four (vol. 3) #22 (November 1999). Marvel Comics
  6. ^ Fantastic Four (vol. 3) #25 (January 2000)
  7. ^ Fantastic Four (vol. 3) #26 (February 2000)
  8. ^ Fantastic Four (vol. 3) #31 (July 2000)
  9. ^ Fantastic Four #267 (June 1984)
  10. ^ Fantastic Four (vol. 3) #22 (October 1999)
  11. ^ Fantastic Four (vol. 3) #49
  12. ^ Fantastic Four (vol. 3) #54 (June 2002)
  13. ^ Fantastic Four (vol. 3) #67–70 and Fantastic Four #500 (May–September 2003)
  14. ^ Secret Wars (vol. 2) #1-9
  15. ^ Secret Wars: The Runaways #1-4
  16. ^ The Mighty Avengers #24
  17. ^ Fantastic Four #558
  18. ^ Fantastic Four (vol. 3) #26
  19. ^ Fantastic Four vol. 3 #22
  20. ^ Fantastic Four (vol. 3) #24
  21. ^ Fantastic Four (vol. 3) #20,22
  22. ^ Fantastic Four (vol. 3) #20
  23. ^ O'Brien, Megan Nicole (May 9, 2021). "Marvel: 10 Smartest Female Characters". CBR. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
  24. ^ All-New Wolverine #33. Marvel Comics
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