Time for me to talk about the twenty-first issue of the Thing. The cover showed the titular character surrounded by green fist-wielding arms. The eleventh chapter of Rocky Grimm, Space Ranger was named "Revelations!" The issue had a publication date of March 1985.
The story started in a secret lair, where a man who looked identical to Ben Grimm was basking in an apparent victory over the star of this series, with Ben's love, Tarianna, still at his side as a captive. He then turned his attention to the monitor on the other side of him and listened to his doppelganger's words.
Grimm knew that the events that had unfurled after he chose to remain on Battleworld were largely his doing. His foe seemed to indicate that his enemy was more right than he knew, and that such influence had also been exerted by the participants of the first Secret Wars. The villain claimed to be the inner Ben Grimm, an assertion that the now-alert Tarianna seemed to doubt.
She then called her kidnapper a monster, and was slapped immediately after uttering that declaration. He lashed out at her, and she doubled over in pain. While his opponent basked in victory, Grimm found that he could change into the Thing again after all, a feat that his rival thought to be impossible. His ranting gave Tarianna enough time to try and figure out how to free herself.
Meanwhile, Ben was outside the duplicate Baxter Building, wondering how to enter. He realized that if he wanted an entrance, he'd have to create one. Thinking about an entry button caused one to appear alongside the front doors. He pressed it and was met by the Fantastic Four's guard, Houlihan.
This was not the same man that Grimm knew back on Earth. The guard questioned the stranger and fired a shot from his pistol before Ben took him out with one punch. He set the man down gently and opened the elevator doors, thinking he'd have to climb up to his destination. As he began, the wall that had been shot started to buckle as if it had been injured.
Elsewhere on Battleworld, the girl known as Llrllllnnllyyrrl began whipping her subjects into shape. The reason for their slave labor was soon revealed, as the girl entered a chamber to place Ultron's head back upon its body. Moments later, the android revived. It thanked the girl by obliterating her. Ultron then began making plans of his own.
As Ben continued to climb the empty elevator shaft, his duplicate started taking on the Thing's rocky appearance as he continued to torment his captive. Tarianna watched in shock, knowing that the villain was as of yet unaware of his transformation. He finally figured it out and controlled the change.
At the same time, Ben finally changed into the Thing for the first time in a while. His newfound strength enabled him to leap to the top and tear through the elevator doors. Ben found himself in an empty chamber that was soon filled with large green fists that seemed to spawn from the very walls around the Thing.
The artificial appendages started to grab at Grimm, intending to toss him into an open maw. Ben used his reasoning to make the apparitions disappear. He was now back in the elevator shaft. This time, the Thing fell into his foe's lair. Unconscious, he was unaware that his tormentor was stepping closer to him, promising the end.
This chapter revealed some of what longtime readers already suspected. It's all leading up to the final chapter of this storyline, which I'll summarize tomorrow. It's something that will have a major impact on Grimm's life, but for some reason isn't really explored much afterward.
The final part of the Rocky Grimm, Space Ranger, will be discussed tomorrow with my article on the twenty-second issue of the Thing. Ben will finally face off against and learn all there is to know about his rival. We'll also see what happens to Tarianna, and what role Ultron will play in this drama. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another.
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