Retro Comic Recap: The Thing #11

Good afternoon, folks,

Welcome to my eight hundredth blog post! This article will be dedicated to the eleventh issue of the Thing and the loving memory of my aunt Dorothy, who passed away on Monday. I'm taking some time afterwards to properly mourn her and remember other family members that we've lost over the years. Rest in peace, auntie. 

The cover showed Ben Grimm riding a flying lizard, with the image of the Thing's face in the background. The tale was titled "Rocky Grimm, Space Ranger." The issue had a cover date of May 1984.

The story started right after the events of the first Secret Wars. Ben had opted to stay behind on Battleworld, with She-Hulk taking his place on the Fantastic Four. Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic) surmised that the planet's unique nature allowed Ben to change back and forth from the Thing at will, and left his old friend a control that he could use to return to Earth when he wanted to.

Ben tossed the remote in the air, only to have it snatched by an alien riding a large winged creature. Grimm set off after it, but saw it disappear into a large tower-like structure. Ben entered a local cantina and learned that his device was now the property of the takers. 

While he was trying to figure out how to gain access to the top of the tower, Grimm was approached by a young woman named Llrrllllnnllyrrl. She had hoped to retrieve an item that the takers had stolen from her, and had approached the tall human for assistance. Even though everything in his current surroundings seemed relatively new, he accepted the story that the girl's personal possession had been taken some sixteen years prior and agreed to help.

She led him to a lair housing one of the large flying beasts Ben had seen earlier. It took some time, but Grimm eventually managed to get the creature long enough to enable him to control it and soar towards the thieves. They floated through the tower and landed outside the villains' lair.

Ben ran on foot, changing into the Thing along the way. He burst through the doors and demanded the return of his remote control. The diminutive beings gladly offered it to him and promised to find the item that the young girl was desperately seeking. They admitted the search could take years, but weren't about to upset the stranger any further. Ben walked away, thinking how he'd changed to his rocky alter ego subconsciously and would have to rein that in moving forward.

I wasn't a big fan of this particular storyline at first, but it did give us a deeper look inside the characteristics that made Ben Grimm a noble hero. Some of the reasons why he was rarely able to revert back to his human form on Earth in the past were explored in this saga, but then were largely forgotten or treated as if this would never be a possibility again moving forward. Personally, I thought it would have been cool if Ben had control over the transformations, much like Bruce Banner could control the change to the Hulk at the same time before succumbing to Nightmare's occupation of his mind. 

Tomorrow, I'll cover the twelfth issue of the Thing. Another chapter of Ben's life on Battleworld unfolds then, as Grimm encounters a new foe and someone who he's very familiar with. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: The Thing #10

Good morning, peeps!

Starting the day with a summary of the tenth issue of The Thing. The cover showed Ben Grimm, Mr. Fantastic (Reed Richards), and the Human Torch (Johnny Storm) being hit by a blast from above. The story was called "Marking Time." The issue had a cover date of April 1984.

The tale began with Grimm and Alicia Masters enjoying a quiet walk together in New York's Central Park. Ben discussed his concerns about their relationship as they continued on, observed by several children who eventually followed their hero. Ben was a bit annoyed by their presence until Alicia reminded him that they weren't much older than his godson, Franklin Richards.

Grimm decided to give the boys an example of his powers, as they wanted. He grabbed a statue of a man on horseback and ground it into a sphere about the size of a bowling ball. The kids scattered, and Ben took Alicia back to the Baxter Building. 

Once inside, Ben was greeted by Johnny, Reed, and Susan Richards (the Invisible Woman). Reed was concerned about his wife's pregnancy, since the child was conceived during their trip to the Negative Zone. He was also preoccupied with energy spikes observed in the same area that Ben and Alicia had just returned from. 

The couple retreated to Ben's living quarters, where they sat together to talk more. Grimm told Masters about how soldiers viewed him after their rocket crash-landed on Earth. He, Reed, Johnny, and Sue had been bombarded with cosmic rays during the voyage that helped to foster their unique powers. One look at the rocky behemoth, and several soldiers opted to shoot first instead of asking questions. His teammates vouched for him, but that didn't make the helicopter ride back to base any less uneasy for those on board.

Grimm thought that the man inside died on that hill, and lamented the many failures Reed had experienced in trying to revert his friend back to his human form. It seemed like he wasn't even trying to help Ben in that regard anymore. Just then, Reed burst into the room, explaining the sudden surge of unidentified energy in Central Park.

Ben kissed Alicia farewell as he went off to board the Fantasticar with Reed and Johnny to investigate. Alicia sat with Sue before explaining to Mrs. Richards that she and Ben had decided to make a change in their relationship that was yet to be determined. Sue sat quietly and listened before moving to the window to see her loved ones fly away.

This time, the energy was visible enough to be seen from several miles away. Reed landed the craft outside a strange circular barrier that was now in Central Park. The trio walked in, finding the experience strangely satisfying. It was as if they were being lured into a trap, which they noticed moments before they were teleported worlds away.

As many longtime Marvelites knew, this was a precursor to the first Secret Wars limited series. It explained how 3/4 of the Fantastic Four were sent to Battleworld for Marvel's largest event across their heroic line. This issue also served as a fine transition between that and what would happen in the following months in the Fantastic Four's book and this title.

We'll see what happened to Ben in the next issue of the Thing. I'll cover the eleventh issue of this series later today, which has Grimm exploring strange new surroundings by himself for the first time. Until then, have a great day and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: The Thing #9

Happy Saturday, folks,

Hope all's well. The focus of today's article is the ninth issue of the Thing. The cover depicted Alicia Masters defending a newly evolved version of Ben Grimm. The tale was titled "What Price A Soul?" The issue had a publication date of March 1984.

The first part of the script showed Masters' journey through a decimated hospital. She'd been hospitalized for some time after being assaulted by the Fantastic Four's foe Annihilus (as chronicled in the FF's book) and now had to navigate around the carnage caused by Ben Grimm, who had recently been merged with the soul of an Egyptian warrior who passed on centuries ago (shown at the end of last issue).

The janitor who accomplished that task looked on as Alicia made her way to the elevators. She reached the main floor and continued walking outside, where even more damage to property and persons could be witnessed. Alicia made her way alone across ravaged streets until she met a policeman.

It didn't take long for the officer to realize that Alicia was blind, and he helped to take her to safety. Along the way, he described the destruction wrought by a savage attacker. Masters knew that the person responsible for the damage was her beloved.

Grimm's body was being controlled by an ancient Egyptian warrior that was set free by the old man we saw earlier (again, last issue). He continued on his path until he recognized the person who had set him loose in this timeframe. Meanwhile, Alicia was making her report to the officials at police headquarters.

She learned that Grimm was heading toward the United Nations building, which meant that a potential international crisis was about to unfold. Alicia asked to be taken there and arrived not long after Ben crashed a meeting between diplomats from multiple nations.

Masters appealed to the spirit that was controlling her boyfriend. She appealed to him by pointing out the pattern of wearing out host bodies. She asked that this particular host be saved from such a fate, which he agreed to. Moments later, the Thing was embracing his love once more. 

Now that I've read this series in its entirety, I have the impression that this two-party storyline was a bit of a filler before the climactic events in the next issue. It explained Alicia's recovery somewhat, and brought Grimm and Masters closer together, but unfortunately that wouldn't last very long.

To find out more of what I mean, tune in tomorrow morning. I'll discuss the tenth issue of the Thing. Ben and Alicia talk about their relationship, before some of the Fantastic Four is swept away in an adventure that will leave their team changed quite significantly. Until then, have a great weekend and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: The Thing #8

Happy Friday, folks!

Time for me to talk about the eighth issue of the Thing. The cover showed Ben Grimm standing before Alicia Masters in her hospital bed as a hand from an unknown character held a rectangular object and bands of energy coursed from the mystery person. The story was called "Ancient Evenings Ancient Pain!" The issue had a cover date of February 1984.

The tale began with Ben standing and staring out the window of his quarters in the Baxter Building on a nice day. Grimm was thinking about recent events, such as the cleanup from the encounter with Annihilus and Reed and Sue Richards' (Mr. Fantastic and the Invisible Woman) decision to move out of their headquarters for concern over their family's safety. He dressed up and took a walk to clear his mind.

Grimm ran into the She-Hulk, not realizing that he'd walked that close to Avengers Mansion. Jennifer Walters asked her friend how things were going. The two sat down for a drink before trouble started. Ben and Jennifer stopped an armored car heist. The Thing was about to take his frustrations out on one of the crooks before She-Hulk reminded him that his punch might do more harm than good. 

Police rounded up the robbers, and Grimm walked on, in no better mood than he was before. He returned to Mercy General Hospital, where he convinced one of the attendants to let him visit Alicia after visiting hours were over. He returned to her side and talked once more about the possibility of leaving the Fantastic Four. 

The couple was unaware that they were being watched through the open door by a janitor, who held a pocket button in his hand, hopeful that a centuries-long promise would finally be fulfilled. The old man thought back to ancient Egypt, ruled by a powerful pharaoh. While the leader was off on a hunt, his wife summoned forth a lowly slave, who spurned her advances.

She requested that the slave be punished, and it was up to the old man, who served as the pharaoh's wizard at the time to devise a fitting penalty. One was created, but it was nothing near what the wife could ever conceive possible.

In the present, the elderly janitor took a test tube from his shirt pocket and consumed the liquid it contained. His memories continued as he left the pyramid after his leader's family had perished, and went out to live in the world for thousands of years. He then entered Alicia's hospital room, and thinking Ben to be the slave that he'd imprisoned so many years ago, held forth the small, smoldering box.

Grimm grabbed the device and crushed it. However, the energies within began to flow over his body, and the old man was pleased. He grabbed Alicia from her bed as the spirit of the long-dead warrior consumed Ben's form.

This was an interesting way to begin a multi-part story. It initially took me a few tries to understand the main plot. Ben's interaction with Jen and his thoughts about leaving the FF would be a bit of foreshadowing for the upcoming Secret Wars miniseries. 

Ben's fate will be revealed in the ninth issue of the Thing, which I'll cover tomorrow. We'll learn more about the old man's intentions and why Grimm seemed to be a perfect host for his faithful servant. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: The Thing #7

Happy Thursday, folks,

Today's article is a bit out of the ordinary. I'll be covering the seventh issue of the Thing. The cover showed Ben Grimm being jumped on from behind by a mystery opponent during Marvel's assistant editor's month. The first story was called "Two-Fisted Feet!" The issue had a cover date of January 1984. 

Ben had arrived at the hospital again to visit his girlfriend, Alicia Masters, who was still recovering from her injuries at the hands of the Negative Zone native known as Annihilus (in the Fantastic Four's title). As Grimm talked with Masters, he started to doubt if his place was with that team anymore. He left a short while later to sort things out in his head. 

Grimm had toyed with the idea of settling down with Alicia and leaving the hero biz, especially now that their longtime rival, Doctor Doom, was supposedly dead. However, the day would still call upon the Thing's unique abilities.

As Ben rounded a corner, he saw a police barrier, and soon met a Katzenjammer Kid look-alike who called himself Goody Two Shoes. He kicked the hero into a wall before walking away with the money he'd just stolen from the bank. Grimm chased his foe all the way to the top of the Empire State Building before finally defeating the newcomer. He tossed the foreigner into another wall after grabbing his shoes and annoucing his victory to all in the vicinity.

The second tale, titled "What Th'?!" chronicled Ben's visit to Marvel Comics headquarters in New York.  He was most irate after reading the first story in this issue, and decided to set things right. He explained to the creative team how he easily knocked out Goody Two Shoes with a simple flick of the wrist, but the story that was printed made it seem like Ben had nearly lost the battle. 

John Byrne, Ron Wilson, and Ann Nocenti tried to explain the reasons for embellishing the yarn, before Ben decided to close the doors and settle things the only way he knew how. Afterward, Ben stepped out just as Roger Stern was walking by. He had no qualms with Stern, and left after advising Roger not to enter the room if he was looking for the aforementioned trio.

Assistant Editors' Month was rather infamous in Marvel lore. There were some great unique issues published, as well as some that have mostly been forgotten. This was an amusing issue, especially the Byrne-drawn second half that played on the character's interactions with the comic book staff who have occassionally appeared in Marvel mags from time to time. 

That's all for now. Tomorrow, I'll close out the week with a synopsis of the eighth issue of the Thing. Ben seeks advice from a new friend about his current situation and becomes involved in an unexpected adventure. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: The Thing #6

Happy Wednesday, folks!

Time for me to talk about the sixth issue of the Thing. The cover showed Ben Grimm preparing to punch someone. The story was called "Mindscape." The issue had a cover date of December 1983.

The tale began in Ben's mind. He thought about how he'd just been forced into fighting his friends Wonder Man, She-Hulk, and Spider-Man (last issue). Grimm then pondered the person behind such attacks, who lashed out at him moments later. The Puppet Master, adorned in a shiny new costume, struck his old opponent, who in this reality was just ordinary Ben Grimm.

Alicia Masters' stepfather stood in front of his foe, feeling triumphant. He explained to his opponent what had happened since their last encounter. The Puppet Master had allied himself with Doctor Doom to subdue the Fantastic Four and place their minds in small puppets that were then added to a miniature town called Liddleville. The heroes believed that was their life, until they started to unravel the deception. 

The members of the Fantastic Four eventually regained their powers and control of their own bodies. They'd even tricked Doom into being thrown into suspended animation. Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic) believed that it would be safe for them to transport Doom's body, not knowing at the time that his rival had transferred his mind to the body of his Liddleville puppet.

Doom found himself facing a revolt led by the Puppet Master. Before he could claim a final victory against the Latverian monarch, one of Doom's robot doppelgangers destroyed the tiny town and Masters' robot body. He had no physical form and became synthesized with this radioactive clay. The Puppet Master manipulated it into assuming the form he'd used to return to New York, just as he now controlled Grimm's body.

The emboldened Puppet Master lashed out at Ben repeatedly until Grimm changed into the Thing. Ben had usually held back a bit during their previous battles because of the Puppet Master's relationship with Alicia. This time, he had no such qualms. He pushed his foe out of that plane before finally breaking free of the blackness.

When Grimm stepped out, he saw the devastation that his battles had wrought across several city blocks. He was coming to terms with that reality when his rival, appearing as a white version of the Thing, stood before him. This time, Ben's words caused the hardened block of clay to crumble, once the Puppet Master knew that his longtime rival wasn't afraid of him. 

The Puppet Master has been one of the Fantastic Four's oldest foes. He's had a sort of love/hate relationship with the group over the years, primarily because of Alicia. This was one example of writer John Byrne trying to show readers how much of those struggles were mental, although there was a significant physical portion to this conflict as well. 

That's it for now. Next time, I'll sum up the seventh issue of the Thing. This issue was published during the infamous assistant editors' month, so expect some hijinks that are a bit out of the ordinary. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: The Thing #5

Hello there,

Hope all's well. I'm not in the best of moods today after hearing that my aunt passed away yesterday, but I'm going to do the best I can. Today's topic is the fifth issue of the Thing. The titular character was being attacked on the issue's cover by She-Hulk and Wonder Man, as Spider-Man swung into view. The tale was titled "With Friends Like These..." The issue had a publication date of November 1983.

Ben Grimm was leaving the hospital on a nice day after visiting his girlfriend, Alicia Masters (who was still recovering from injuries suffered at the hands of Annihilus in the Fantastic Four's book). Ben took a cab back to the Baxter Building, where he was met at the building's elevator bank by Wonder Man (Simon Williams). Simon explained that he was there because of an urgent call he'd received from Ben.

Grimm replied that he'd made no such call. Wonder Man's face shifted, and he went silent before punching his old pal. Ben flew through the wall and out into the street. He was puzzled by the sudden attack, but barely had time to catch his breath before Simon continued the assault.

While the duo fought, She-Hulk (Jennifer Walters) was trying to make sense of one of Hank Pym's texts while on monitor duty at Avengers Mansion. She was interrupted by a phone call supposedly from Ben. The caller asked for her assistance at the Baxter Building. 

Jen brought up a map on the computer, which indicated that there were signs of distress in that area. She then told the butler, Jarvis, that she was going to investigate. Meanwhile, the conflict between the Thing and Wonder Man continued. 

Ben quickly realized that something was off with his opponent. It seemed like Wonder Man was not in control of his body. He had no sooner defeated Simon when the She-Hulk knocked him through a bus. As they battled, an observer noted that Walters were losing, and that maybe strength alone was not enough to stop Grimm. 

The Thing was surprised by this new confrontation, noting that this challengers was just as quiet as the last. That was most unlike the rather chatty She-Hulk. The mystery person reached out to another hero, who just happened to be the ever-amazing Spider-Man (Peter Parker). Spidey was zipping by on a webline when he felt the influence of another mind. He soon leapt toward Ben, knocking his surprised friend off his feet.

Ben went through a similar conflict with Spider-Man, paying attention to how his foe seemed unfamiliar with his own abilities. As this continued, the cloaked stranger split off into several smaller beings who departed the alley they'd been lurking in. 

A few moments later, several citizens made a rush toward the Thing. Ben had a good idea by then who was behind all of this, but didn't want to hurt innocent people. He fought them off easily, and then the smaller beings combined into a duplicate of the Thing. Ben stood for a short while surveying the aftermath of the day's events, before he too was enthralled by an entity that he was rather familiar with by then. 

I felt like this was an okay issue. Nothing spectacular, and the idea of having several allies influenced into attacking the Thing is not a new concept. It did remind me of someone the Fantastic Four have faced before. 

If you think you know who the mystery villain is, or even if you don't and want a better clue, tune in tomorrow for my summary of the sixth issue of the Thing. We'll find out what happened to Ben after his possession, and the mental conflict that he engages in before it's all over. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another.