REVEREND MILLER
Real Name: Miller (first name unrevealed)
Identity/Class: Human
Occupation: Clergyman
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: Fantastic Four (Mr. Fantastic/Reed Richards, Invisible Girl/Sue Storm, Human Torch/Johnny Storm, Thing/Ben Grimm), Alicia Masters
Enemies: Hydra agent (see comments)
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: His church in New York City
First Appearance: Fantastic Four I#37 (April, 1965)
Powers/Abilities: A minister from an unspecified denomination of the Christian faith, Reverend Miller was skilled at performing marriage ceremonies.
Height: 5' 9" (by
approximation)
Weight: 160 lbs. (by approximation)
Eyes: Unrevealed (obscured by eyeglasses)
Hair: Black (balding)
History:
(Fantastic Four I#35-36 - BTS) - At some point after Reed
Richards finally proposed to Sue Storm, or around the time they
announced their engagement, the couple made arrangements to have the
Reverend Miller conduct their wedding ceremony.
(Fantastic Four I#37) - Reverend Miller arrived at the Baxter Building, where he was greeted by Alicia Masters -- he had an appointment to conduct the wedding rehearsal for Reed and Sue. Although the FF were out at the time, Alicia assured him that they would be back soon (The FF were battling the Skrulls in the Andromeda Galaxy, seeking to punish Morrat for killing Franklin Storm).
Shortly afterward, Alicia heard the sound of an approaching rocket and knew that it was the team returning to Earth. After the Fantastic Four entered their headquarters, Reverend Miller proceeded with the rehearsal.
(Fantastic Four Annual#3 / Marvel: Heroes & Legends#1 - BTS) - When the day of the wedding arrived, Dr. Doom sought to disrupt the ceremony by using his Emotion Charger to influence dozens of super-villains to attack the Baxter Building. Although the horde of villains tried their best, they were opposed by the Fantastic Four, along with the Avengers, the X-Men, Spider-Man, Daredevil and S.H.I.E.L.D. agents.
(Marvel: Heroes & Legends#1) - At one point during the onslaught, the Thing went into the church where the wedding was to take place; he found Reverend Miller (see comments) held at gunpoint by a Hydra agent -- the agent ordered the Thing to surrender to the forces of Hydra, or else he would kill the minister. But Reverend Miller was saved by Alicia Masters, who used a candlestick holder to club the agent from behind.
(Fantastic Four Annual#3 / Marvel: Heroes & Legends#1) - The battle between the forces of good and evil continued, but as the appointed hour of the wedding service approached, Reed put an end to the attack by using a Sub-Atronic Time Displacer that he borrowed from Uatu the Watcher and sent all the villains back in time to before the Emotion Charger affected them, causing them and Doom to forget what had happened.
(Fantastic Four Annual#3 / Marvels#2 / Marvel: Heroes & Legends#1 (see comments)) - With the threat of the villains over, Reverend Miller successfully performed the wedding ceremony.
(Marvel: Heroes & Legends#1) - Photographer Phil Sheldon took a picture of the newlyweds kissing, and it appeared on the front page of the next day's edition of the Daily Globe newspaper -- a smiling Reverend Miller could be seen in the background.
Comments: Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
It was never confirmed that the minister the Hydra agent was
threatening was actually Reverend Miller, but since the resemblance was so
close -- eyeglasses and a balding head -- I'm just assuming it was him.
Judging by his dialogue in the Headshot Image, Reverend Miller seemed to
be unfamiliar with the Fantastic Four, and the wedding was his only known
association with them -- he probably didn't officiate at the funeral for
Franklin Storm, but perhaps he later conducted the christening ceremony
for baby Franklin Benjamin Richards (@
Fantastic Four I#94 (BTS)).
And although Fantastic Four: 40th
Wedding Anniversary Special (January, 2006) depicted a flashback scene
of the newlywed Mr. and Mrs. Richards kissing, Reverend Miller
was not seen at all -- but I guess he could still be considered to be
behind-the-scenes in that one.
Profile by Ron Fredricks.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Reverend Miller has no known connections to:
images: (without ads)
Fantastic Four I#37, p19, pan6 (Main Image - Reverend Miller, speaking to Alicia Masters)
Fantastic Four I#37, p20, pan4 (Headshot - Reverend Miller)
Marvel: Heroes & Legends#1, p23, pan3 (Reverend Miller, held hostage by Hydra agent; Thing (background))
Fantastic Four Annual I#3, p23, pan1 (Reverend Miller concludes the wedding ceremony)
Marvel: Heroes & Legends#1, p47, pan1 (Reverend Miller (in white circle) appears on front page of Daily Globe newspaper)
Appearances:
Fantastic Four I#37 (April, 1965) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Jack Kirby (pencils), Chic Stone (inks), Stan Goldberg (colors), Artie Simek (letters)
Fantastic Four Annual I#3 (October, 1965) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Jack Kirby (pencils), Vince Colletta (inks), Stan Goldberg (colors), Artie Simek (letters)
Marvels#2 (October, 1994) - Kurt Busiek (writer), Alex Ross (artist), Richard Starkings & John Roshell (letters), Marc McLaurin (editor)
Marvel: Heroes & Legends#1 (October, 1996) - Stan Lee & Fabian Nicieza (writers), several artists, Matt Idelson (editor)
First Posted: 02/13/2022
Last updated: 02/13/2022
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel
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