It’s Clobberin’ Time: Fantastic Four’s Ben Grimm AKA The Thing in new comics 2025
Marvel Comics mini-series The Thing hitting shelves just ahead of MCU’s Fantastic Four movie July
“Perfect for newcomers and True Believers alike, THE THING delivers a timeless, action-packed adventure for one of comic books’ most beloved icons.”
Coming March 2025, Marvel Comics monster hero The Thing is clobbering the Marvel Universe in his new solo comic book series! Ben Grimm may be the strongest member of the Fantastic Four—but once upon a time, he was just a scrawny kid from Yancy Street. When an unexpected visitor from his past sends him on a search for a missing child, the Thing must unravel the mystery even if that means becoming a wanted man…
Get ready to see the Ever-Lovin’ Blue-Eyed Thing versus every super-powered criminal and bounty hunter in New York City! The five-issue limited series THE THING will be written by Tony Fleecs (VENOM WAR: WOLVERINE) and drawn by Leonard Kirk (STAR WARS: BATTLE OF JAKKU). Fleecs and Kirk will offer readers a glimpse into the history of the Thing that reminds us why Ben Grimm is the heart of the Marvel Universe—and why you don’t want to let him hear you say that!
Of course, Ben AKA The Thing is a member of The Fantastic Four. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby and making their comic book debut in 1961, the Fantastic Four are heralded as the launch of the Marvel Comics Universe.
Just some of the other Marvel characters who have close ties with the FF include Black Panther, Namor the Sub-Mariner, She-Hulk, Luke Cage, Hulk, Wyatt Wingfoot, Agatha Harkness, the Inhumans, The Watcher, Ant-Man (Scott Lang), Storm, Spider-Man, postal worker Willie Lumpkin, and, of course, Doctor Doom.
Related: Fantastic Four: 13 Reasons They Stand Out From Other Comics: “We’ve changed! We’re more than just human!”
Marvel Comics shared details about the upcoming THE THING comic book mini-series:
The new mini-series sees Ben Grimm step away from the Fantastic Four to take down a criminal conspiracy with mysterious ties to his childhood on Yancy Street, fighting his way to the top as a one-man clobberin’ machine! But when the big bad puts out a hefty hit on him, he’ll have to battle a who’s who of classic Marvel villains from Bullseye to the unstoppable Juggernaut!
Arriving just ahead of Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four: First Steps this July and perfect for newcomers and True Believers alike, THE THING delivers a timeless, action-packed adventure for one of comic books’ most beloved icons.
“What I love about Ben Grimm,” notes writer Tony Fleecs, “is that he’s just a regular hardworking guy—who happens to have superpowers. He’s Jack Kirby. He’s not easily impressed by all of the outlandish, cosmic stuff constantly going on around him.”
The writer says that the fun thing about this new mini-series is figuring out What WOULD surprise the Thing? What WOULD catch him off guard?
“In that spirit, we’re throwing every villain in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe at him,” Fleecs says. “Trying to pit him against some opponents that you wouldn’t expect. We’ve got Leonard Kirk drawing The Thing! Believe me, you’re gonna see ol’ Benjy clobber some guys he’s never clobbered before.”
Artist Leonard Kirk is actually returning to draw Ben. The artist was previously part of the creative team on Fantastic Four like a decade ago.
“I am thrilled as punch (pun intended) to be working on this series with everyone’s favorite orange, pugilistic paragon of heroism, Ben Grimm,” Kirk says. “The villains he goes up against range from the, let’s just say, less than serious, to the absolutely iconic, and I am very much looking forward to drawing all of them. The first issue has already been a fun romp and I know I will love the rest.”
Related: The Munsters and Fantastic Four have SO MUCH in common!
What’s known about the upcoming Fantastic Four movie
Scheduled to hit theaters this coming July, The Fantastic 4: First Steps is Marvel’s first family making their debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The Fantastic Four must face the Silver Surfer and protect their Earth—a 1960s-inspired retro-futuristic world—from being consumed by cosmic being Galactus.
The second reboot of the Fantastic Four movies, Fantastic 4: First Steps will star Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as the team. Also in the movie will be Julia Garner, John Malkovich, Natasha Lyonne, Ralph Ineson, Sarah Niles and Paul Walter Hauser.
For a long time, movie rights for the Fantastic Four were held by 20th Century Fox. But over the past few years, two of Disney’s business purchases included both Marvel and Fox—which means that Marvel again has the rights to make a movie about their first family.
The head of Marvel Studios, Kevin Feige, has made it clear that he’s excited to now have access to the Fantastic Four. Speaking at the Disney APAC Content Showcase in Singapore, Feige shared his excitement.
“Talk about trying to bring something to life for 25 years,” Feige said. “Finally, [we’re] bringing Marvel’s First Family to the MCU. The movie comes out next summer, and then all those characters go right into the next Avengers movies, so I’m very excited for the future of The Fantastic Four.”
The Fantastic 4: First Steps is scheduled to hit movie theaters July 25, 2025. It will serve as the first movie in Phase Six of the MCU.
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Marvel Comics mini-series The Thing hits shelves just ahead of MCU's Fantastic Four movie July. Searching for a missing child, the Thing must unravel the mystery—even if that means becoming a wanted man.