The Thing: Bio, Origin & History

Real Name: Benjamin Jacob Grimm

First Appearance: Fantastic Four #1 (November, 1961)

Powers: Superhuman Strength, Durability, Stamina, Resistance to Sensory and Temperature Extremes

Affiliation: Fantastic Four

Love Interests: Alynn Cambers, Dr. Linda McGill

Enemies: Doctor Doom, Galactus, Mole Man, Skrulls

Did you know: Ben Grimm is an accomplished Pilot.

A Little History

Ben Grimm grew up in a troubled life. His father was a drunk and his older brother led a local gang. Because of his father’s inability to hold down a job, much of the family income would come from his brother’s criminal ways.

Sadly, Ben’s brother was killed and Ben was coerced into assuming his role inside the gang. As time passed, Ben began to rise to prominence in the gang and eventually, he would become its leader.

More tragedy struck the Grimm household when his parents were killed in an accident. This resulted in Ben having to move to the other side of the city to live with his Aunt and Uncle. This move forced Ben to renounce his position within the gang. Ben found his Aunt and Uncle to be very tough, but their guidance, he finished High School and received a scholarship to State University. At State University Ben became friends with his new roommate, Reed Richards.

Reed had high aspirations to make a spaceship and go to space. In a little bit of foreshadowing, Ben jokingly stated that if Reed built it, he would fly it.

After University, Ben joined the Military to fulfill his lifelong dream of becoming a pilot. He spent a little bit of time here before Reed asked him to fly his newly built spaceship. Like any good pilot, Ben walked around and determined that the ship was unable to withstand any sort of cosmic radiation. Sue Storm, convinced him otherwise and off they went.

The launch of the ship went off as smooth as could be expected but once up in space the ship was bombarded with cosmic rays. The bombardment coupled with the pressures of space, sent the ship hurling back to Earth all-the-while mutating their genes. Unlike Reed, Sue, and Johnny, Ben’s powers transformed his physical shape.

Ben is the most interesting member of the Fantastic Four. Like the others, The Thing fights for good, but unlike the others, he can’t turn his powers off.

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