Warning: SPOILERS for Fantastic Four #47Marvel's as they fight the villain Doctor Doom. Unfortunately, Fantastic Four #47 reveals that one member of the team could easily do the work of the other three...so why won't Marvel allow the Invisible Woman to unleash her full power?
Fantastic Four #1 in 1961 introduced the world to Mr. Fantastic, the Invisible Women, the Human Torch and the Thing - but they were quite different from their modern incarnations. They wore no uniforms (though this was quickly changed within a few issues), did not operate out of the famous Baxter Building, and the Thing appeared more lumpy than his now-classic rocky orange color. Additionally, Sue Storm only possessed one power: the ability to turn invisible. This power was notoriously ineffective in a fight, so much so that the cover for the first issue depicts Sue in the clutches of a monster infamously crying "I can't turn invisible fast enough!" Sue would eventually gain the power to project shields around her and others - which is when her power level truly skyrocketed.
Fantastic Four #47, written by David Pepose with art by Juann Cabal, depicts Sue Storm in a Die Hard-esque situation within the Baxter Building. The issue takes place during the ongoing Judgment Day event, and Reed Richards locks himself in an impenetrable capsule to discover a solution to the problem. A team of assailants storm the Baxter Building, and while the Human Torch and the Thing appear, they're quickly defeated. Sue is alone...but that doesn't stop her from defeating every enemy single-handedly. She even defeats a foe who claims to have a weapon that can break through her force field...by simply creating a miniature shield that prevents him from firing in the first place.
The Invisible Woman's shields are the key to her power; she can use them to manipulate light, protect herself from deadly foes and even project them directly through structures (and even through opponents too). She is a one-woman army and even Doctor Doom has stated Sue is the member of the Fantastic Four whom he fears the most. Unfortunately, if Marvel let Sue unleash her true power for every fight, she would quickly overshadow the rest of the team, making them obsolete in seconds. The Fantastic Four are most interesting when the team is together, and Sue using 100% of her power all the time would stop the best stories from starting.
Sue began her life as the weakest member of the Fantastic Four but quickly grew into the strongest. If she truly wanted to, Sue Storm could kill nearly any villain as soon as they arrived (by expanding a force field inside their brain). Fortunately for them, Sue Storm is not vicious, and finds herself protecting the Fantastic Four more often than not - though she's perfectly capable of striking out on her own if she so desired.
