Retro Comic Recap: The Thing #33

Happy Saturday, folks!

Hope all's well. Today's topic is the thirty-third issue of the Thing. You can barely see the titular character on the cover, as he's swarmed by more than a dozen female wrestlers. The story was called "Battle of the Sexes!" The issue had a publication date of March 1986.

The tale began in the wrestling ring, as the female fighter known as Battleaxe was eventually declared the winner in her match against the grappler called Titania. You may remember Titania and several of her comrades from a Project Pegasus storyline in Marvel Two-In-One.

With her triumph, Battleaxe boastfully stated that it was time that she take her rival's place as spokesperson for the Unlimited Class Wrestling Foundation's female grapplers, much to the chagrin of Titania. Ben had to jump into the ring to help separate the combatants and prevent further conflict.

Battleaxe chatted with the Thing for a while as Titania and her fellow Grapplers conferred in their locker room. They followed the advice of their trainer, Auntie, but some expressed concerns over how their group was viewed because of the original Grapplers' prison records. Titania finally decided that she'd heard enough and went to take a shower. 

The group soon dispersed. One of the stragglers, a newcomer who went by the name Golddigger, exclaimed she was going to try to calm Titania down. She entered the locker room alone and began assembling a weapon.

Meanwhile, Grimm and Battleaxe continued to talk as they walked past the ring setup. Ben was thinking about how he hadn't heard anything from Sharon Ventura since he visited her on the movie set (in issue #31), but when he did see her in the crowd, he walked past, promising he'd be back soon. 

Titania asked the new girl for another bar of soap, only to find the newbie standing before her with a rifle. She fired the gun and proclaimed that justice was served. Ben and Battleaxe heard the shot. Golddigger emerged from the locker room moments later, stating that a man had shot Titania and fled. 

Battleaxe ran to the shower, while the Thing opted to check around back. Battleaxe confirmed Titania's death and was angered because she was certain that her teammate had been murdered by a man. She even lashed out at Grimm for expressing doubt.

Auntie vowed to get to the bottom of the matter, as multiple Grapplers ganged up on the Thing. Eventually, Ventura entered the locker room and urged the ladies to back off. Auntie observed quietly, thinking that Sharon might have what it took to join their group. 

The ladies slowly dispersed, and learned after Battleaxe returned that the Thing was not the gunman, because she was with him when the shot had been fired. Everyone left the room, except for Auntie and Ventura. Auntie expressed interest in Sharon's fighting skills and gave her a card for the Power Broker. 

Some time later, Battleaxe met with UCWF's leader, Ed Garner, to express her interest in fighting a man. She wanted to battle Ben in the ring. Ed entertained the idea before discussing it with Grimm. Ben was not willing to participate, at least not at first. 

He joined Sharon for dinner at a nearby steakhouse afterward. He explained what had just happened before Ventura showed him the business card that Auntie had given her. Ben snatched the card, knowing that name as someone who had given other wrestlers additional strength and ability. He wanted to check it out, fearing for her safety. Sharon resented Ben's position, assuming he thought she couldn't take care of herself. Before storming off, she informed Grimm that she'd already called the Power Broker. 

Left alone, he stood in place for a few moments before finding the nearest phone. He called Garner and told him that he'd agreed to the match against Battleaxe. The contest was held the following week. Battleaxe was confident that she'd win. Grimm held his ground for as long as possible, refusing to return the punches that were thrown at him.

Battleaxe finally knocked Ben down and was declared the champion. Because Ben didn't fight back, she felt cheated and threw the championship belt down. She declared the match to be a forfeit. Grimm thought he had taken the right course of action, but now he was focused on learning more about the Power Broker.

I remember first reading this issue, which was part of a polybag comic book set. I didn't know much about the Grapplers at the time, but this was the second appearance of the Scourge in this series. The villain-killer would go on to eliminate different foes in various Marvel titles at the time, and was mainly featured in Captain America's comic. I was kind of surprised that we didn't see more of Titania's original allies, including Screaming Mimi, who was later known as Songbird in the first iteration of the Thunderbolts. 

That's all I have for you today. Tomorrow, I'll start the day with a discussion of the thirty-fourth issue of the Thing. Ben heads back into the ring until he runs across a couple of longtime rivals. Until then, have a great weekend, and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: The Thing #32

Happy Friday, folks!

I'm winding down this week with a recap of the thirty-second issue of the Thing. The cover showed Vance Astrovik battling Ben Grimm in the wrestling ring, with a gun pointed at the pair. The tale was titled "Home." The issue had a publication date of February 1986.

The story started with an airplane heading for Los Angeles that suddenly started to encounter some mechanical difficulties. The Thing was one of the many passengers on the commercial flight. He came to the rescue and helped the craft land on time. 

A short while later, Sharon Ventura met Ben outside the airport. She questioned his plans to resume his wrestling career, but let him continue on to his hotel. Grimm turned the key to his room and found a stranger ransacking the area that he shared with Vance Astrovik. 

Ben learned that the intruder was a private investigator hired by Vance's parents. He rushed the P.I. out of the room before collapsing on his bed. His headaches had returned, but right now he needed rest.

The next day, Grimm resumed his sparring sessions. He was introduced to a new challenger, who was obviously the 17-year-old Astrovik in a muscle suit. The two friends made their bout look convincing until the private investigator left the arena. 

Afterward, Vance admitted that he didn't want to go home because his father would beat him. It started not long after his powers first manifested. Grimm understood how the lad felt.

The next morning, Ben was being examined by the company physician when he heard gunshots. Grimm ran to the source of the noise, which was the P.I. firing a gun at Vance. Ben confronted the gunman, who was disarmed by another wrestler who broke the investigator's arm with a powerful chop.

Ben followed Vance, trying to convince him to listen. He only relented when his mother walked through the door. She explained that his father was going through therapy. Vance realized that his parents still loved him and was willing to head home. He'd miss his travel partner, but Ben was focused on the unusual strength that some of his fellow wrestlers exhibited after a round of brews, of course. 

It was obvious that Marvel was trying to make Vance a sidekick for the Thing in this series, but that concept didn't really stick, especially since he wasn't very involved with matters while Ben was in the ring. I wasn't a big fan of this storyline, but at least the future Guardian of the Galaxy had a peaceful homecoming, I hope.

That's it for today. Tomorrow, I'll cover the thirty-third issue of the Thing. Ben continues to face new foes in the ring, and Sharon Ventura returns, as does another recent menace who was known for knocking off certain super-villains at the time. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: The Thing #31

Happy Thursday, folks!

Time for me to talk about the thirty-first issue of the Thing. The cover depicted Ben Grimm in a heroic pose, as he appears to be right out of a Devil Dinosaur comic book. The tale was titled "Devil Dinosaur: The Movie." The issue had a cover date of January 1986.

The story started with Grimm in the wrestling ring taking on another Unlimited Class Wrestling Foundation opponent. The training session was interrupted by the arrival of a member of the National Safety Commission. The man had heard about incidents that had happened recently at UCWF events, and posed the possibility of shutting the league down.

Grimm wasn't about to let that happen, and made his concerns well known to the stranger. The official proposed constructing a transparent dome over the wrestling ring. Realizing he had to choose between that option or shutting down indefinitely, Grimm's boss Garner chose the former. 

The dome would take about two weeks to build. Ben decided to use some of that time to visit Sharon Ventura at the movie set she was working on. Grimm's travel companion Vance Astrovik was a bit wary about Ben's plans, but gave up the argument after Grimm started feeling weak all of a sudden during their conversation.

The Thing arrived on set a few days later. Sharon was glad to see him, and Ben basked in the attention he was getting from Ventura and her female friends. He was setting up a photo of the three women when he spied a large pink dinosaur behind them. 

Grimm leapt into action and took out the monster with one swift punch. He then learned that the creature was a robot, one that was going to be used in the Devil Dinosaur film. The director quickly learned of the mechanical being's fate and was incensed. He noted that the cost of its repairs would come out of Sharon's salary. 

Ben and Sharon took advantage of the downtime to walk along the beach together for a while. The next day, Sharon was in costume for the scenes that featured several primitive warriors facing off against large, winged dinosaurs. At one point, Grimm thought that Ventura was in danger again, and reached out to prevent her from falling off a cliff, not knowing that the scene called for her dropping onto an expensive airbag perched on the shore.

Ben was feeling pretty lousy for having messed things up twice, and went for a walk by himself later that evening. Sharon joined him, and they apologized to each other before returning to the camp for a nightcap. Grimm slept in the next morning, until he was roused from his slumber by the sounds of the crew bemoaning the many trees that had fallen down overnight.

Grimm was the usual suspect, but he swore that he had no knowledge of such an act. The director Trimble, knowing they were now on a time crunch, decided to shoot the big action scene where Sharon's character would be saved by Moon Boy.

Ben retreated to his camper, deciding to stay out of things no matter what. During the shoot, a large green dinosaur emerged from the water. It was apparently behind the destruction the night before. Trimble used his remote control to set his robotic creature against the beast. After biting the mechanized monster, the sea animal soon returned to the ocean. 

Grimm stepped out once things had quieted down. Sharon was right outside his door. They sat together on the beach that night. Ventura told Grimm what happened on set that day. Ben thought that he might know someone who could help with the beast, even if it meant contacting the Fantastic Four. The couple then talked about fantasy and reality for a while before sitting next to each other in silence for a while.

I have a few of Jack Kirby's Devil Dinosaur and Moon Boy comics from the 1970s in my collection, and I'm sure this issue made longtime fans of that short-lived series nostalgic. Devil Dinosaur has since returned to the main Marvel Universe, but I don't think we've heard much about Moon Boy since the title was cancelled after nine issues.

The green monster was one that Iron Man fought in his own mag, not long before this story was published. It was rumored to be Godzilla, who Marvel had the license for and ran a Godzilla title for 24 issues in the mid-Seventies. I'm assuming that they couldn't call this creature Godzilla because they didn't have the licensing rights at the time, but it was still an interesting clash between a few familiar titans. 

That's it for now. Tomorrow, I'll close out the workweek with a synopsis of the thirty-second issue of the Thing. Vance Astrovik makes his wrestling debut in a story that marks his exit from this series. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: The Thing #30

Happy Wednesday, folks,

Today's topic is the thirtieth issue of the Thing. The Secret Wars II tie-in issue showed Ben Grimm apparently about to attack the Beyonder. The story was called "Above and Beyond." The issue had a publication date of December 1985.

The tale began in a bar in Brooklyn, as the being known as the Beyonder told his tale to the bartender. He started with how an opening in a rift in space exposed him to Earth. Curious, the Beyonder brought several of its super-powered humans to a patchwork planet called Battleworld. Afterward, he went to Earth in human form to try and learn more about our species.

He was apparently dissatisfied with what he'd uncovered thus far. Meanwhile, a trio of scrupulous-looking characters in the tavern had their eyes locked on the stranger. They approached him. The two lackeys were taken out with one swing by each of the Beyonder's arms. The man in the middle introduced himself to the alien as a representative of Thurm and Associates, who were looking for new muscle to join the Unlimited Class Wrestling Foundation.

Meanwhile, Ben was working out in advance of his next match. His travel companion, Vance Astrovik, praised his friend for his rise to the top wrestler in the UCWF. Grimm still felt miserable, commenting on how lousy he felt after staying behind on Battleworld and losing the women he cared for. 

The man named Ethan convinced the Beyonder to attend a UCWF tryout. His strength was impressive, but Garner initially turned the new champion down. When Grimm learned of that, he was outraged. He'd been aching for a match against the Beyonder since he was first whisked away to the first Secret Wars by that enigmatic alien.

After a bit of negotiation, the Thing finally had his marquee match against the Beyonder. Ben was more than ready for the fight, but the Beyonder was much less enthusiastic. At one point, the omnipotent being allowed Grimm to have his way. Ben pummeled his foe until a familiar voice urged him to stop.

The voice belonged to Sharon Ventura, who had been in the crowd. She admitted that she'd been to every one of Ben's matches. Grimm was stunned by this revelation, thinking she was gone for good after he took her place temporarily on the Thunderiders (formerly Team America). 

Astrovik had spotted Ventura in the crowd and asked for her assistance. Ben came to his senses after hearing her out. She told him that what she'd witnessed wasn't the real Ben Grimm. Ben slowly admitted that. A few days later, the Beyonder returned to the same watering hole. The barkeep Joe was happy to oblige, after he'd secured his perishables, remembering what happened the last time that customer was in his establishment. 

I wasn't a big fan of the Secret Wars sequel, nor are many longtime Marvelites. When the Beyonder was absorbed into a Cosmic Cube, I thought that would be the last we'd hear of him. Several years later, he would return, probably for nostalgia's sake, if nothing else. This was the obligatory Secret Wars II tie-in, and it gave Ben a fight against the Beyonder, but it didn't accomplish much. The story itself was rather lackluster.

That's it for today. Tomorrow, I'll cover the thirty-first issue of the Thing. Ben follows Sharon to her movie shoot, which involves a character who debuted in a short-lived Jack Kirby Marvel series in the 1970s. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: The Thing #29

Happy Tuesday, folks,

It's time for me to talk about the twenty-ninth issue of the Thing. The cover showed Ben Grimm being knocked across the wrestling ring by an opponent called the Gator. The tale was titled "The Thing vs. Gator!" The issue had a publication date of November 1985.

The story started with Ben's continued exploits as an Unlimited Class wrestler. One of his recent victories was displayed on a screen during an interview Grimm had with his host, Mr. McKay. During the interview, Ben made it clear that his adventuring days in the Fantastic Four were over. One person watching the program from the comfort of his own home grew angered at Grimm's dream of becoming the best wrestler ever.

He was motivated to call into the program to express his disgust. The man identified himself as Gator Grant. Ben recognized the name as a wrestling legend, and thought during the call how dissatisfied he was with the cruelty of the business.

McKay dismissed the caller as a has-been, disclosing to Grimm that he'd been forced to end his career because of doctor's orders. Grant insisted that he could still participate, and threw a tantrum in his room, one that resulted in a smashed television and broken telephone line. He was ready to make sure that the world knew the name of Gator Grant again.

Ben started his practice session with Vance Astrovik the next morning. They were engrossed in the exercise until a loud noise interrupted them. The crash came from the office of the wrestling promoter Garner. Grant was demanding another chance, one which wasn't about to be granted.

Grimm stood up to Grant and Astrovik used his power to push the old man out of the office. He then ventured deep into the bayou that evening to seek out the aid of the female witch known as Jamala. Grant wanted his second chance so desperately that he would do anything to get it, including drinking the special potion that the woman concocted.

Ben engaged in a tag team match in New Orleans a couple of days later. In the middle of the contest, Grant sprinted down the corridor, asking for his shot in the ring. This time, the wrestler looked far greener than before.

Grimm gave him his chance, even as the former great continued to mutate further. Ben let him appear to have won, as the warrior ran from the arena, now more animal than man. Grimm brought his opponent to a zoo in his motorcycle and returned in time to claim the tag team championship.

This was an odd story featuring another one-and-done villain. It also foreshadowed some of the shady situations that were happening within the UWCF. I'm kind of surprised that Grant was diminished so quickly, knowing what I know about modern American wrestling, which seems to at least honor legends after their prime. 

Well, that's it for today. Tomorrow, I'll discuss the thirtieth issue of the Thing. This Secret Wars II crossover story has Ben facing off against the entity that was responsible for bringing him to Battleworld. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: The Thing #28

Happy Monday, folks!

It's time for me to talk about the twenty-eighth issue of the Thing. The cover showed Ben Grimm standing in front of a brick wall, where a poster advertising his Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation match against Demolition Dunphy that evening had been placed. The story was called "In This Corner." The issue had a cover date of October 1985.

The tale began with Grimm riding a motorcycle that had sidecars on either side of it. He was in an arena with his fellow Thunderiders, practicing a trick that allowed his teammates to abandon their own vehicles and form a human pyramid on Ben's bike, with the Thing in the middle. All the while, Grimm was thinking about how he'd joined the group a few weeks back after auditioning in the hopes of getting closer to a woman named Sharon Ventura, only to serve as her replacement on the team.

Afterward, the Thing's travel companion, a young Vance Astrovik, ran towards the group. He complimented the Thunderriders, most of whom left for dinner, leaving a disgruntled Ben behind, thinking about his predicament. He was worried that his exploits would get one or more of his colleagues killed.

Vance tried to reason with his friend. Ben had been struggling with a decision, but had apparently made up his mind after entering the locker room. He was about to leave a note when he spied a flier advertising his appearance with the team at the Thunderiders' next event. Moments later, Cowboy emerged from the shower, seeing that Ben had noticed the promotional piece.

He knew what Ben was going to say before he had the chance to tender his resignation. It was clear that Grimm's heart wasn't in the work. Cowboy tore up the poster, and Ben agreed to purchase the motorcycle that had been specially designed for him. He drove off with Vance a short while later. The two wound up sharing a hotel room several miles away that evening. 

They started talking for a while, until an advertisement appeared on television for the Unlimited Class Wrestling Foundation. Vance thought it was a perfect opportunity for Ben. Grimm wasn't so sure, but he arrived at tryouts in Las Vegas the next day.

Afterward, Ed Garner announced that the stars of the opening night's match would be the Thing and Demolition Dunphy. After Ben left the room, Garner approached Dunphy about throwing the match, a conversation that was overheard outside the window by Astrovik.

Vance told Grimm what he'd just heard, and Ben returned to confront him. The two wrestlers agreed to a fair fight, which began two weeks later before an eager in-person audience. True to their word, Grimm and Dunphy had a fair contest, which was won by the Thing.

This isn't the first time that the Thing engaged in a wrestling match, the most recent being against the extraterrestrial being known as the Champion in Marvel Two-In-One Annual #7. The UWCF would play a role in most of the issues in the remainder of this series' run. Dunphy would go on to be known as Demolition Man and become an ally of Captain America.

 I wasn't surprised to see Grimm leave the Thunderiders. He seemed to have lost interest after hearing that he would be Sharon Ventura's replacement on the team. I couldn't picture him as much of a motorcyclist, anyway. By the way, I'm just starting to read the original Team America series that I bought at a local comic convention over the weekend, and I've heard that another publisher has produced a new Team America book for the modern age. Haven't read that yet, but if you have, feel free to let me know what you think about it.

That's all for now. Tomorrow, I'll discuss the twenty-ninth issue of the Thing. Ben's wrestling career continues, as he takes on someone who sought a little assistance in acquiring the special abilities necessary to combat Grimm in the ring. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: The Thing #27

Good afternoon, folks,

Welcome to my 500th retro comic book article! The focus of this piece is the twenty-seventh issue of The Thing. The cover depicted Ben Grimm battling the mysterious Black Marauder, who was featured in the Team America series (the group was now known as the Thunderiders). The tale was titled "The Thing and the Thunderiders. The issue had a cover date of September 1985.

The story started with Ben being knocked from a roadway by the arrival of the aforementioned motorcycle group. Vance Astrovik tried to warn him, but by then, Grimm was already sailing across the street, after being pushed there by Vance's mutant powers. Astrovik helped his travel partner to his feet after the cyclists had passed by. 

Ben was convinced that the woman he'd seen on the circus poster (last issue) was riding with them. He set off on foot for her, with Vance in tow. A short while later, the Thunderriders reached their destination. They started talking about seeing the Thing, until he was right in front of them. 

Grimm made his way to the woman, but didn't say a word as he went right up to her. The two stared at each other for several moments before she walked away. One of her associates mentioned that they were looking for additional riders before offering him free tickets to their show that evening. He wasn't about to take no as an answer to his invitation either.

Afterward, Ben confided to Vance how confident he was that the woman was Tarianna, the adventurer that he'd met on Battleworld. Astrovik told him that the female was named Sharon Ventura. He encouraged Ben to participate in their rider tryouts.

The first participant in the Thunderiders' tryouts was Richie Champoulion, nicknamed the Champ. After his audition, the Thing was next. Despite his relative inexperience, Ben did quite well, until running into a bit of trouble before the landing, but he still pulled off an impressive performance.

Both challengers were asked to leave the auditorium so that the group could vote in private. Ben offered to buy his rival a beer at the tavern across the street, but Richie impolitely informed Grimm that he didn't drink. He and Astrovik went to the bar to wait things out.

Some of the Thunderiders expressed concerns about the Black Marauder who had appeared numerous times in the past. The rider could be anyone at any time. The votes were then cast, and the Thing was selected as their new rider. Wolf was displeased with the results of the election and disclosed the decision to Champoulion as he exited the arena.

Richie drove away in anger while Ben and Vance waited anxiously in the bar. Ben was certain that it would be just another rejection, one to add to the recent pile. He felt like he messed up meeting Ventura, and was lamenting the rejection of his former girlfriend Alicia Masters and even his old college roommate Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic) when the Black Marauder crashed through the saloon's front window. 

The mystery opponent made a beeline for the Thing before darting off. Several Thunderiders were on their bikes moments later, watching the Thing take off after their longtime nemesis. Ben went to one of the unoccupied motorcycles outside the bar and took off in hot pursuit. 

Grimm was eventually tackled by the erstwhile opponent and forced off the purloined bike. He stood up quickly and was assisted by Ventura, who sped toward him. Meanwhile, Cowboy made a phone call to the team's old associate Honch to inform him that the Marauder had returned. Honch figured that the link was active once more, but had no clue as to who the mystery rider was this time. 

Wolf spurred his comrades to action after Ben was slammed feet from where Cowboy stood. They took off and circled the foe. Astrovik used his mental powers to knock the rider off his bike, and the Thing delivered the finishing blow. As the rider collided with his motorcycle, his helmet cracked open, revealing that Richie was the Black Marauder this time.

Afterward, Wolf picked up the call with Honch and gave him the details. Honch concluded that their link could even attract evil. After the call ended, Wolf apologized to the Thing. He was happy to announce that Ben would replace Sharon in the group, much to Grimm's surprise.

I just purchased the complete Team America original series from my local comic book shop today, and I will cover this title in future articles. I remember reading a few of the issues earlier, which were based on a toy line and licensing with Ideal. After the series ended, the group appeared in several issues of the New Mutants, where they learned they were mutants who shared control of the Dark Rider identity, which reminds me of the first costume Snake-Eyes wore in G.I. Joe. The group renamed themselves as the Thunderiders, but haven't appeared in many Marvel mags since this story and the New Mutants storyline were published.

Sharon Ventura would go on to play a significant role in Ben's life. She gradually became his new love interest, and even joined the Fantastic Four after Reed and Sue Richards left to focus on taking care of their son, Franklin. She was later mutated into a She-Thing and returned to human form by Doctor Doom. At one point, she mutated again and fought the Fantastic Four, which by then had regained their original members. She was billed as the new Ms. Marvel, but we haven't seen much of her over the last decade.

That's it for today. Time for me to enjoy some NFL football and read some of the comics that I purchased during this weekend's collectibles convention. Tomorrow, I'll start the week with a discussion of the twenty-eighth issue of the Thing. Ben reluctantly fills Sharon's spot on the Thunderiders, but his attention soon turns to another interest, one that we've seen the Thing engage in at various times over the years. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another.