10 Fantastic Four Comics Ebon Moss-Bachrach Should Read For His Role As The Thing

Marvel’s first family is finally arriving in the MCU in just over a year, with the official release date and cast revealed for The Fantastic Four. Potentially set in the 1960s, as gracefully hinted by the reference-filled reveal poster, the cast sees the award-winning Pedro Pascal as Mr. Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as the Invisible Woman, Joseph Quinn as the Human Torch, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as the Thing.

Arguably, Ben Grimm is the most important member of The Fantastic Four, as he originally said against going on the mission that gave the group their powers and was most drastically affected by it. As the Thing, Grimm has been through immense character development, which can finally be properly portrayed in live action within the MCU. Although there are hundreds of Fantastic Four comic arcs, a select few Thing-centred stories could help prepare Moss-Bachrach for his take on the character.

10 “The Fantastic Four!”

Fantastic Four #1 (Vol.1)

The Fantastic Four first debuted on the shelves in comic book stores in August 1961, in which they gained their superhuman abilities from cosmic rays on a space mission gone wrong. Although there are many versions of The Fantastic Four’s origin story in Marvel Comics and beyond, these are by far the most iconic and recognizable and are well-known by comic book fans.

As Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four is heavily implied to take place in the ’60s, it would make sense that their comic book origins from the same time period would heavily influence their MCU origins. Furthermore, as the much-anticipated film is being directed by WandaVision’s Matt Shakman, it is guaranteed to live and breathe that historical era, meaning that Moss-Bachrach should familiarize himself with this specific Fantastic Four origin story (and the chapters that follow) to best prepare for his ’60s Thing.

9 “The Hulk Vs. The Thing”

Fantastic Four (Vol.1) #25

The Thing and the Incredible Hulk are two of Marvel’s strongest superheroes and have brawled many times throughout Marvel Comics, often ending with the Hulk besting the Thing. The two titans first fought in Fantastic Four (Vol.1) #12, but the battle was short, and their true strengths were not on show. In #25, fans saw the pair brutally come to blows, where the violent conflict showcased the sheer determination and strength possessed by Ben Grimm for the first time – when he managed to take on the revenge-filled Hulk and buy time for the Avengers.

This specific storyline would be the perfect choice for Moss-Bachrach to read, as it is one of Thing’s earliest memorable battles, showcasing the legendary character’s strength. The Hulk has already gone up against Thor, Thanos, and Fenris in the MCU, so fans can already visualize just how strong the Thing will be. Furthermore, the comic beautifully demonstrates Thing’s dedication and willpower by holding his own against a stronger hero at the risk of his demise to save others – showing his resilience, empathy, and selflessness, which should be traits of the MCU’s Thing.

8 “And They Shall Call Him Champion”

Marvel Two-In-One Annual (Vol.1) #7

Time and time again, the Thing proves himself to be a resilient, powerful, and dedicated Marvel hero, even against galactic threats. In this comic arc, the debuting villain, the self-named Champion, summons different heroes of Earth, like Thor, Wonder Man, Colossus, and the Thing, to face him in a duel (to boost his ego). After beating or disqualifying each hero, the Champion finally fights the Thing – and not only does he last the longest, but he never taps out.

This impresses the Champion, prompting him to leave Earth untouched and ultimately crown the Thing as the winner. Once again, the Thing has proved his worth, this time in a substantial Marvel Comics crossover, showing just how far he is willing to go to emerge victorious. With multiple powerful villains guaranteed to threaten Earth in the MCU’s future, this is a great story for Moss-Bachrach to read to see how the Thing interacts with other heroes beyond The Fantastic Four and to witness the Thing’s honorable traits further.

Clobberin’ Time (Vol. 1) #1-5

Alongside his missions and experiences with The Fantastic Four, the Thing has had dozens of solo adventures throughout Marvel Comics history and the present. The recent comic series Clobberin’ Time set the Thing on a time-traveling journey across the Marvel Universe, where he is front and center, teaming up with villains like Dr. Doom and heroes like the Hulk to stop the latest multiversal threat—Ogdu Fraize.

Vastly different from the stories the Thing is often a part of, this short series gives fans a fresh new perspective to see the titular hero through, seeing him take on the role and responsibilities of a leader, which are often characteristics of other Fantastic Four members. This refreshing and modern take on the Thing should be used as part of Moss-Bachrach’s portrayal of the Thing, as it demonstrates a fully fleshed-out solo superhero worthy of his own stories.

Thing: Freakshow (Vol. 1) #1-4

Having grown fed up with constantly being seen as a monster by the public and feeling alone within The Fantastic Four, the Thing leaves town and heads for Florida. However, things don’t quite go to plan, and through a series of unfortunate events, the Thing finds himself drawn to a circus in Michigan. Here, he reconnects with Istav the Accursed Albino, someone he bullied in his youth.

The duo makes amends (somewhat) and team up when caught in a Kree-Skrull conflict over a baby Watcher. This story sees the Thing facing his past mistakes and dealing with them, offering fans a further peek into Ben Grimm’s origins through an exciting and unique story. This comic book would be worthy of Moss-Bachrach’s comic reading list, as it enhances the character of the Thing by exploring his uncomfortable past, which is often ignored in comic book movies.

5 “The More Things Change…”

Fantastic Four (Vol. 1) #238

Reed Richards has felt guilty for the hero’s rocky fate since the fateful event that gave the Fantastic Four their superhuman abilities. Throughout The Fantastic Four comics, the genius has attempted to cure the Thing but constantly fails or falls short of a true solution. Reed finally comes to terms with his inability to cure the Thing – just for Franklin Richards to reveal that Ben has been subconsciously responsible for this failure.

This was a shocking yet understandable realization – the Thing is deeply in love with Alicia Masters, and was worried that she wouldn’t love him as Ben. This tragic story would be great for Moss-Bachrach to read in preparation for his role, as it explains why Reed has failed to cure the Thing and offers a tragic look into his mind.

4 “This Man, This Monster”

Fantastic Four (Vol.1) #51

Darker than most other Fantastic Four comics, ‘This Man, This Monster’ sees Ben, already struggling with his identity, drugged by someone who wants to end Reed Richards and take his power. The impostor becomes a part of Reed’s experiment in Ben’s place and actually saves Reed’s life after hearing how much Reed cares about Ben.

Although this story doesn’t directly focus on Ben Grimm, it demonstrates that The Fantastic Four genuinely cares about the Thing despite his struggle with identity. This would be a great story to read in preparation for the role, as it neatly encapsulates Ben’s identity crisis and his team’s love for him.

3 “That Night…”

Marvel Fanfare (Vol.1) #15

Vastly different from the other stories covered thus far, ‘That Night…’ follows the Thing as he is ‘haunted’ by Johnny Storm, the hot-headed Human Torch. This playful comic story highlights Thing’s close relationship with the other members of The Fantastic Four, demonstrating that, despite his tough exterior, Ben Grimm is a kind and lovable person.

This story allows fans to view the Thing as a character through another fresh lens, this time through a more heartwarming perspective. Rather than seeing a powerful warrior who never gives up or an aspiring romantic struck with love, fans see a family man. Once again, Moss-Bachrach should consider this lovable version of the character for his portrayal of the Thing.

2 The Thing’s Solo/Team-Up Adventures

Marvel Two-In-One (Vol.1) #1-100

This classic Marvel series has continued into modern Marvel Comics, with the original volume running for 100 issues in just under a decade. In each issue, the Thing teamed up with other Marvel characters (such as Man-Thing, Spider-Man, and more) to take on different villains in fun, unique, standalone storylines.

Through this series, fans are given a much deeper look into the Thing’s personality and how he interacts with different characters, which fans will see happen in the MCU. Furthermore, this series helps to establish the Thing as his own character, separate from The Fantastic Four, so it could be beneficial for Moss-Bachrach to read over.

1 “Remembrance of Things Past”

Fantastic Four (Vol.3) #56

This story dives back into the Thing’s time in the Yancy Street Gang as Ben Grimm reflects on his time with the group. From his initiation to the death of his parents, readers are given an in-depth look into the Thing’s troublesome past. The story also sees Ben making things right with shopkeeper Hiram Sheckerberg, someone the gang used to harass.

This story perfectly captures Ben’s time in the Yancy Street Gang by showing how far his character has developed from the gang and by showing his regret. Furthermore, this story also discusses elements of Ben’s Jewish heritage, making it the perfect story to read in preparation for a truly satisfying Ben Grimm portrayal.