Orange You Glad You're The Idol 'O Millions?

I feel like I've been a bit too harsh, or at the very least judgmental, about Marvel product lately.  (To give you a sneak peek, I'll be riding that train again, come tomorrow.)  So to balance out some negativity, I wanted to discuss one of my favorite Marvel characters, and give him his moment in the sun.  ... And he can take his time in the sun, since he doesn't have much skin... in the traditional sense... to burn!

Benjamin J Grimm may not have been my first Marvel character introduction, but he's been an unflagging reliable character in my estimation.  Born on the roughshod streets of Yancy, as a street tough, to college football star, to fighter pilot, Ben lived a full life even BEFORE the fateful rocket test launch that Reed Richards instigated.  After that, Ben transformed into a creature with a rough orange rocky hide, developing enhanced strength... but also crippling self doubt at times, and a hair-trigger temper.  Now when The Thing first debuted in "Fantastic Four #1", he was pretty much in the same mold Stan Lee wrote ALL of his "bruiser" hero characters for the first few years; quick to anger at the "normals", bemoaning his fate, which means us readers should feel sympathy for the man under the monster.

But over time, the Thing's personality started to develop some genuinely likable quirks.  Sure, he did still have bouts over his being a "freak" of the team, but he started to joke more, show off more of his vulnerable side, and be the gruff... yet loveable... Ben Grimm we still essentially have to this day.  But the funny thing about Ben Grimm is, despite his design evolutions, he has retained the same developed characteristics for over 50 years of comic existence.  Take, for example, his first "smoothing over" of his lumpy appearance:

This is considered the "traditional" Thing appearance; distinctly larger than life, but with the pronounced eyebrows, and "humanization" of his physique, it allowed Jack Kirby, and subsequent artists, to provide Ben with more expression and emotion.  Heck, this appearance even stuck around when circumstance called for Ben to be transformed back to human for a stretch of time, and had to make use of an exoskeletal suit of Thing "armor" to be part of the Fantastic Four!  We then jump into the 80's for the Thing's next evolution.

It's not just solely Ben's more "spiky" appearance that changed with the time period; for a stretch of continuity, Reed and Sue Richards left the team, so Ben was declared leader.  (I'm sure Johnny Storm was a HUGE fan of that decision... but who gives a toss what that jerk thinks?  Yes, in a future article, I plan on discussing my general beefs with the Human Torch.)  It was a bit of an appearance departure, and the leadership role did create an interesting dynamic... especially when that team's Ms. Marvel was transformed into a "She-Thing", and Ben had to act as a therapist for her.  One more appearance digression bears mention: the 90's Thing "helmet".

Oh yes... Whatever most creative teams were hopped up on in the 90's also carried over into the Fantastic Four.  (Need I mention Invisible Woman's "boob window" costume?)  Y'see, in a particular story, the temporary FF team of Hulk, Spider-Man, Ghost Rider, and Wolverine came back to fight the traditional FF.  And because Logan can generally be a jerk, he took a chunk of stone from Ben's face, leaving him with an unhealing scar.  ... Because that was a brilliant creative direction...  Ahem...

Regardless of the phases that Benjamin J Grimm has went through over the years, he's also been a... pardon the pun... rock for the Marvel Universe.  I know that when the Thing shows up for a story, I'll experience a spectrum of satisfying character moments... along with some kick-butt fight sequences!  (If Marvel made a trade entirely of the Thing/Hulk showdowns, they may as well just immediately take my dwindling resources of money at that very moment.)  And it's because the Thing is one of the most unique characters in the Marvel Universe that he was also gifted with one of the greatest team-up titles of all time "Marvel Two-In-One" along with a few solo series.  I'd even dare say he's a character that mixed media interpretations manage to keep the essential spirit of.  Maybe not always necessarily the spirit, but cartoons and movies tend to do Aunt Petunia's nephew right for the core characteristics. 

I believe it's the fact that we've all had moments of feeling like the "monster" of a group, but also carrying a wry sense of humor about the cards life has dealt us, that makes Ben Grimm so popular with comic fans.  He's a character I didn't mind also being allowed into the Avengers ranks... and we can't forget his catch phrases!  For cripes' sake, if CM Punk can use "It's clobberin' time!" as part of his WWE ring entrance, you've hit the big time, Benjy!  This hump-day, Benjamin J Grimm, you're given a solid tribute courtesy of Metal Mikey.  ... Thankfully, not in care of the Yancy Street Gang!