Reed Richards can often get lost in his work, with one of his defining character flaws being his inability to commit to his loved ones in the way he knows he needs to. But despite his sometimes apparent lack of any need for family, its that love that keeps him grounded and connected to the world. Without it, Reed is prone to veer wildly off the beaten path, and even go mad with anguish.
While the Earth-616 version of Reed Richards has been able to keep his family alive and himself under control, two versions of Reed from across What If? -- both of whom reveal versions of Mister Fantastic who lost his wife Susan in childbirth -- reveal just how dark things become for the Marvel Universe with an untethered and heart-broken Reed.
WHAT IF INVISIBLE GIRL DIED?
What If? Vol. 1 #42 by Peter B. Gillis, Ron Frenz, and Joe Sinnott revisits the fateful events of Franklin Richards' birth. With complications threatening the lives of both Susan and the baby, the rest of the team ventured into the Negative Zone to acquiring a control element necessary to stabilize her. In the core Marvel Universe, the team was successful in their mission, draining energy from the Nega-Rod and saving the day. But in this world, Annihulus was able to catch up to the heroes before they could escape with the energy source. While the three heroes did eventually succeed in making it home, they weren't able to get back in time to save Sue, who dies from complications after giving birth to Franklin. This loss shatters Reed -- who retreats even further inward, giving in to a deep depression.
The entire Marvel Universe is shaken by this event -- with even Doctor Doom deciding to give the Fantastic Four time to mourn in peace. At Sue's funeral, Reed quietly speaks in Sue's memory -- and worries Namor, who sees a deep well of darkness growing within the hero. Revealing that he's seen it too, the Thing allows Namor to remain at the Baxter Building. Namor, Thing, and Human Torch end up following a broken Reed Richards, into a suicide attack against Annihulus in retaliation for Sue's demise. Despite the best efforts of the assembled heroes, they can do nothing but watch as both Reed and Annihulus die in the attempt, Reed's brilliant mind reduced to ashes in the pursuit of petty revenge against a monster that had no idea how much had been taken from the hero.
WHAT IF THE FANTASTIC FOUR'S SECOND CHILD HAD LIVED?
In "What If The Invisible Woman Had Her Second Child?" -- one of the two stories from What If? Vol. 2 #30 by Jim Valentino, Dale Eaglesham, Pat Redding, and Ken Bruzenak introduced a world where the child who in other realities could have been Valeria Richards wasn't born with a brilliant mind -- but with a dark mind and a ravenous appetite for life force. The infant drains Susan of her strength during the pregnancy, leading to her death. Slowly, "Susie Richards" grows up and drains the life forces of everyone else in her life -- killing Alicia Masters, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm. Even when Franklin confronts his father, Reed refuses to listen. So absorbed in his grief over the losses he's suffered, Reed lashes out in denial -- even hitting Franklin in a rage. All he has is left is Susie, and it breaks his mind.
Franklin eventually turns to Doctor Doom for help, with the villain gleefully attacking Reed. In the process, Susie's true monstrous form is exposed -- with Reed barely having time to apologize to his son before dying. Doom soon follows suit, and Franklin only survives by tricking Susie into the Negative Zone. In this reality, Reed's grief blinded him enough to allow the rest of his family be destroyed from the inside out. It speaks to the depths of pain that could bring down Reed Richards if he suffered them -- and the sheer damage he could bring along the way.