The Thing

MARVEL RELOADED- a series of redesigned Marvel characters in my vision.

Ben Grimm / The Thing

Founding member of the Fantastic Four.

"IT’S CLOBBERIN’ TIME!"

Ben Grimm was born on Yancy Street in New York City, growing up in a rough, working-class neighborhood. The Grimm family was Jewish, and Ben was raised with strong values, though his early life was marked by hardship. His older brother, Daniel, was a guiding figure for him, but after Daniel was killed in a gang fight, Ben became hardened, turning into a tough street brawler.

Despite his rough upbringing, Ben excelled in sports, particularly football, earning a scholarship to Empire State University. It was there that he met Reed Richards, a brilliant young scientist who would change the course of his life. Reed often spoke of his dream to build a spaceship, and Ben—always skeptical—joked that if Reed ever succeeded, he would be his pilot.

After college, Ben joined the U.S. military, training as a fighter pilot and astronaut. His combat experience would later become vital, both in outer space and on the battlefield of a significant conflict—the Siancong War.

During this conflict, Ben served as a combat pilot, earning a reputation as an exceptional soldier and leader. The war was brutal, with superhumans and secret organizations manipulating events from the shadows. Ben was part of a generation of heroes affected by Siancong, alongside figures like Nick Fury, Logan (Wolverine), Frank Castle (The Punisher), and James Rhodes (War Machine). His time in the war left deep scars—he witnessed firsthand the horrors of war and the cost of human life. While Ben was already a hardened fighter from his youth, Siancong reinforced his cynicism and world-weariness, giving him a lifelong distaste for war and violence.

This experience, combined with his later transformation, would define much of his worldview: Ben Grimm fights not because he enjoys it, but because someone has to protect those who can’t fight for themselves.

Years after Siancong, Ben fulfilled his promise to Reed and piloted the experimental spacecraft designed for deep-space travel. Alongside Reed Richards, Susan Storm, and Johnny Storm, he embarked on a mission that would forever change their lives. Exposed to an unexpected cosmic radiation storm, the crew crash-landed back on Earth, discovering that they had been mutated on a genetic level.

Ben’s transformation was the most extreme—his body became a rock-like mass, turning him into a superhuman powerhouse. Unlike the others, who could still live relatively normal lives, Ben was permanently trapped in his monstrous form, a cruel fate that initially led him into deep depression and self-loathing.

Adopting the name The Thing, Ben was reluctant to embrace his new life, but over time, he came to see himself as more than just his appearance. The Fantastic Four became his family, and while he still longed for his old life, he committed himself to protecting Earth from threats beyond human understanding.

Ben’s battles with Doctor Doom were not just physical but deeply psychological. Doom saw Ben as a weak link in the Fantastic Four, often targeting him with cruel deceptions and false promises of a cure. On multiple occasions, Doom successfully reverted Ben to human form, only to cruelly take it away again. These moments cemented Ben’s hatred for Doom, making their rivalry as personal as Reed’s.

Ben’s greatest source of hope came from Alicia Masters, a blind sculptor who fell in love with him not for his appearance, but for the kind, noble man inside. Their relationship helped Ben regain confidence, proving that he was more than just a monster.

During the first Secret Wars, Ben and the world’s most powerful heroes and villains were transported to Battleworld, a planet created by the Beyonder. There, Ben regained the ability to become human at will, prompting him to remain behind after the others left, seeking peace and clarity. This story marked a turning point—Ben stepping away from the team to explore who he was without them, in a rare moment of solitude.

During a hiatus from the Fantastic Four, Ben joined the Guardians of the Galaxy and briefly led the West Coast Avengers, proving he was more than just muscle—he had leadership, experience, and a tactical mind. These stories revealed a side of Ben often overlooked: his military discipline and strategic thinking—honed since his time in the U.S. military and the Siancong War.

In one of his most important solo arcs, Ben becomes involved in Project PEGASUS, a top-secret government energy research facility. Here, he confronts threats like Thundra, Nuklo, and Wundarr the Aquarian, and builds relationships with characters like Quasar. This storyline helped establish Ben as a solo hero, capable of carrying weight without the Fantastic Four. It also deepened his identity as a defender of both science and humanity, often operating in morally grey zones.

Ben frequently clashed with The Hulk, one of the few beings who could match or exceed his strength. Their battles became legendary, with Ben always refusing to back down, even in the face of overwhelming odds. These showdowns cemented The Thing as one of the few heroes brave enough to stand toe-to-toe with the strongest being there is. Though The Hulk often proved stronger, The Thing's determination and sheer willpower earned him respect among even the most powerful beings in the universe.

While many heroes in the Marvel Universe wield godlike powers, few have carried their burden with the kind of humanity and humility that defines The Thing. More than muscle, more than a monster, Ben Grimm is Marvel’s ultimate everyman—a symbol that even when life transforms us in ways we didn’t choose, we still decide who we become.

This is original work by me from sketch to ink to digital coloring with no AI used at all. Many hours were put into this and I enjoyed every part of it. If you like this design, feel free to check out my other posts and like and comment on here as well. I always appreciate listening to feedback.