[Frank Richards]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Black Arbor

Not to pull nerd-rank here, but since the Watcher appeared first in FF #13, he's *technically* an FF character. It's the same deal with the Skrulls: even though they're now a general nuisance in the Marvel universe, since they first appeared in FF, they're considered part of the FF brand. That's why they had to use the Chitauri in the Avengers. Or maybe 'cause they didn't want to introduce the concept/ can of worms of shapeshifters...

I'm not trying to be argumentative or disrespectful, but what you're inadvertently alluding to here is that Wolverine is “technically” a Hulk character, or that Sabretooth is an Iron Fist character.
There are a lot of Marvel characters that can't really be classified by their first appearance.

Yeah, sure, to avoid licensing conflicts, when Marvel and the various studios with whom they've worked with in the past were drawing up their contracts, yeah, certain characters were lumped into certain brands, typically reflecting the comics the movies were based on. However, the Marvel comic universe is a little too dynamic and ever-changing to be viewed so narrowly.

Black Panther, The Inhumans, The Kree, Kang (as Rama Tut), and soooo many others all initially appeared in the Fantastic Four comics, but they've moved beyond the label of just “Fantastic Four characters”.
Black Panther has become too significant, and if anything, is typically regarded as an independent hero, like Daredevil or Iron Fist. Also, Kang is largely identified as an Avengers villain, while the Kree, the Inhumans, and even Annihilus are largely lumped into the Cosmic Marvel pantheon.
With the exception of Jonathan Hickman's all-encompassing run, characters like Ronan (and the Kree in general), The Inhumans, the Skrulls (who weren't even in his run, if memory serves), Annihilus, etc... haven't even been in an issue of F4 for years. Meanwhile, many of them have been featured quite prominently in other corners of the Marvel U.
When a character or alien race, once considered Fantastic Four characters, lacks a significant or prominent presence in the Fantastic Four comic (mini-series aside) for a decade (or longer), but has a Marvel "Event" centered around them, I think it's safe to assert that they have become overarching "Marvel characters", as opposed to just "Fantastic Four characters".

Again, I'm honestly not trying to be rude or anything, just expressing an opinion.
Sorry for my long-windedness Back to the Legends figures !