It's clobberin' time! We all know the ever-lovin' blue-eyed Thing, probably the most recognizable member of the Fantastic Four. Other than his iconic look, super-strength, and signature catchphrase, how much do we really know about Ben Grimm, his Aunt Petunia's favorite nephew?
The character has a rich backstory that has been filled out in the decades since his first appearance in 1961. From going toe-to-toe with the Hulk to being constantly pranked by that lousy Yancy Street Gang, these personal details help explain why the musclebound Thing has remained such a fan-favorite character over the years.
10 His Early Life Was Based on Jack Kirby
Legendary artist Jack Kirby frequently mentioned that he viewed the Thing as an alter ego for himself, as the two shared a gruff but sensitive demeanor and a fondness for cigars. This especially shows in the character's early life. Both Ben Grimm and Kirby were born to working-class Jewish immigrant families in the Lower East Side of Manhattan.
Like Kirby, Grimm's early years were frequently filled with rough and tumble brawls and chases in the streets, with both young men dreaming of making it out of their neighborhood and making a name for themselves. Happily, (for them, and readers) they were both successful.
9 He's a Veteran
After attending college at Empire State University with future teammate Reed Richards, Grimm served as a pilot in the U.S. Air Force. Originally, he was supposed to have served during the Second World War, but with Marvel's sliding timeline, this has been retconned to the fictional Siancong War that several other important characters served in, including Frank Castle.
During his service, Grimm was even enlisted by Nick Fury to fly a top-secret surveillance mission to the Russian city of Vladivostok along with Carol Danvers and James Howlett (You know, Wolverine!)
8 He Was The Marvel Universe's Version of Blackbeard
In Fantastic Four #5, after Doctor Doom kidnaps the Invisible Woman he forces the rest of the Fantastic Four to travel back in time to the 18th century in order to retrieve Blackbeard's treasure chest in exchange for her freedom.
Disguising themselves as pirates, the Fantastic Four takes control of a ship with the Thing earning the undying allegiance of its crew declares him their new captain. They call him "Blackbeard," and it becomes apparent that the Thing is, in fact, the legendary basis for the famous pirate. While he doesn't want to leave his new identity as a pirate captain, the time machine catapults them back to the future.
7 He Was Originally Supposed to Be in Love With the Invisible Woman
In the landmark Fantastic Four #1, we see the origin of the Fantastic Four. After the four amateur astronauts crash land back on Earth, their powers begin to manifest for the first time. Ben Grimm doesn't realize his changing form at first but becomes increasingly angry, lashing out at his best friend Reed Richards.
As he attacks Richards, he angrily asks Sue Storm how she can love such a "weakling" and tells her he will show her how she fell in love with the wrong man. Maybe we can attribute this to the dose of cosmic rays because the feelings he expresses towards her are never brought up again.
6 He Had a Second Bar-Mitzvah
The Thing's Jewish heritage had been hinted about for years, but never explicitly mentioned. It is finally revealed in Fantastic Four vol. 2 #56, where he recites the Sh'ma, a Hebrew prayer, over the deathbed of an old shopkeeper he knew when he was younger.
In The Thing vol. 2 #8, he tries to get back in touch with his Jewish roots and meets with a Rabbi. After their discussion, he decides to have a second Bar Mitzvah, this one to commemorate the thirteen years that have passed since he began his new life as the Thing.
5 He's Met God
When the Thing died after being possessed by Doctor Doom, the rest of the Fantastic Four traveled to the afterlife in an effort to bring their friend back to life. In Fantastic Four #511 after discovering that the Thing has been barred from entering Heaven, they find a way inside which leads directly to God's office.
They find that to them, God resembles a short middle-aged man (who looks suspiciously like Jack Kirby) working on a drawing board and talking on the phone with a mysterious collaborator. He tells the Thing that he still has plenty of adventures left in store and proceeds to use his pencil to literally draw him back into existence.
4 He Lost His Older Brother
Growing up on Yancy Street, the young Ben Grimm's idol was his older brother Dan. With their father constantly out of work, Dan kept the family financially stable. The only trouble was that to do that, he had to turn to a life of crime.
He eventually became the leader of the Yancy Street Gang, only to die in a knife fight with a rival group of hoods. His death shattered the family, his parents dying shortly after, and young Ben was sent to live with his Uncle Jacob and Aunt Petunia.
3 He Used to Lead the Yancy Street Gang
After Dan's death, a troubled young Ben Grimm followed in his footsteps and joined the Yancy Street Gang, soon becoming its leader just as his brother had done before him. After he was forced to move in with his Aunt and Uncle, his former gang denounced him for abandoning them and the old neighborhood.
This rejection sent him on the path to a new life, and he began excelling at football eventually earning a scholarship to Empire State University. He would return to his old stomping grounds on Yancy Street to establish the Grimm Youth Center in honor of his older brother.
2 He's Basically Immortal
The Thing's stony physiology has a number of bizarre aspects that give him abilities besides for super-strength. Over time, it has been revealed that he only ages during his occasional returns to his human form. This renders him, if not technically immortal, capable of living an extremely long life at the very least.
In Fantastic Four #605, a time-traveling Mr. Fantastic travels three thousand years in the future to find an older but still very much alive Thing, sadly going about his day, tending his garden, and reminiscing about the friends he has lost. Despite his melancholy tone, he appears to have lived a full and purposeful life.
1 He Used To Be Much Sadder
While the Thing is known for his angst over his monster-like appearance, the original Fantastic Four stories took this to a whole other level. Many issues of the early Silver-Age run of the comic saw him being positively self-loathing about his physical transformation.
Stories would often open with the Thing shouting at his teammates (particularly Mr. Fantastic) for their inability to help him return to his human form. Even his relationship with Alicia Masters made him self-conscious, believing that she could never love someone who looked the way he did. This self-consciousness also made him extremely jealous, with one issue centering around him attacking the Silver Surfer after believing Alicia had fallen in love with him.