He's met the woman of his dreams in Tarianna, faced variations of Doctor Doom and the Universal Studios Monsters (see MONSTER MASH) and visited an alien version of Yancy Street. Now Tarianna is the Sorcerer's prisoner and Ben Grimm has his suspicions as to the villain's identity. He's also begun to suspect that he's been willing all of the events on Battleworld to happen. Could he really be his own worst enemy?
Back on Earth, it's all change for the Fantastic Four since Ben left. The Human Torch (Johnny Storm) has hooked up with Ben's ex-girlfriend, Alicia Masters, and it's going great! Ben's replacement on the team, She-Hulk (Jennifer Walters), has started working on upping her strength levels to match the Thing and has found a love interest in Wyatt Wingfoot. And Mister Fantastic and the Invisible Woman (Reed & Sue Richards) have created new civilian identities as 'Reed & Sue Benjamin' and are living in Connecticut, with the hopes of giving their mutant son, Franklin Richards, a normal life. They're aot to discover there's no such thing...
- SECRET WARS - The Thing remains on Battleworld
- MONSTER MASH - The Thing searches for Tarianna
- Thing #20-21
- Fantastic Four #276
- Thing #22
- Fantastic Four #277 (also see WRAITH WAR)
- Thing #23
The Sorcerer wires Tarianna up to machinery that's makes her dream she's fighting a lumpy orange monster. Each stab of her sword is felt by Ben Grimm who's desperately searching Battleworld for her. When the pain subsides, Grimm finds himself unable to transform into the Thing. Ben realises he's fallen out of love with Alicia Masters, which was the main reason he decided not to return to Earth. Ben reaches the Sorcerer's headquarters which looks like the Baxter Building, so he figures Reed Richards (aka, Mister Fantastic, the Thing's ally on the Fantastic Four) has been messing with him all this time. Inside, the Sorcerer removes his mask, revealing to Tarianna the face of... Ben Grimm!
Thing #21
It seems Ben Grimm subconsciously believes his greatest enemy is himself. It's the intention of 'Grimm the Sorcerer' to replace the real Ben Grimm. When he starts to become violent with Tarianna and she calls him a monster, he begins to transform into a Thing, himself. The real Ben breaks into the 'Baxter Building' and finds himself getting pummelled by a room full of fists. He realises he needs to believe he can become the Thing again to get his powers back and succeeds, but falls down the lift shaft and lands unconscious at the feet of Grimm the Sorcerer. Elsewhere, the diminutive Llrrllllnnllyyrrl has transformed her fellow Takers into slaves and her village into an industrial hell, all to rebuild the psychotic human-hating robot, Ultron-11...
The 'Benjamins' (Reed & Sue Richards) have attracted the attention of nosey neighbour Alma Chalmers who believes the couple are witches and has called in help from infamous witch-hunter Elspeth Cromwell. Cromwell attacks their home and breaks Reed's arm. Sue retaliates, so Cromwell summons the Knights of Hades to aid her, only to realise she can't control these demonic forces and has become as bad as those she hunts. Franklin Richards is caught in an explosion, spilling his innocent blood which allows Mephisto to break into the Earthly plane. Doctor Strange has sensed the damage to the interdimensional barriers and is on his way...
Thing #22
The Thing wakes up in an arena where his Grimm the Sorcerer announces his plan to fight Ben to the death and take his place back on Earth. The Thing learns could return to human form any time even on Earth, but subconsciously feared it might mean Alicia wouldn't love him. Outside, Ultron marches his robot army over Battleworld with plans to send his forces to Earth. Tarianna frees and stabs the Sorcerer with his own sword. He strikes back at her as he dies. The Sorcerer begins to fade out of existence, along with the arena, Ultron's army and body and everything else, leaving the Thing explaining to the dying Tarianna how he'll now be stuck as the Thing forever. He picks up Ultron's head (instead of leaving it behind) and presses the button that transports him back to Earth before Battleworld explodes. Thing #22
Fantastic Four #277
Doctor Strange discovers Reed, Sue, Franklin and Elspeth Cromwell's lifeless bodies and crosses over to Mephisto's realm. He frees Franklin who unleashes his mutant powers on Mephisto, killing him. The Richards family return to their bodies and Strange explains to Alma Chalmers that she has utterly destroyed the Richards' chances at giving Franklin a normal life. The Thing returns to Earth with Ultron's deactivated head and goes straight to Alicia Masters' apartment to break up with her, only to discover the Human Torch (Johnny Storm) in his PJs. Their fight is interrupted when Alicia slaps the Thing's face and they notice the sun blacking out. The Worldmerge spell cast by the Dire Wraiths (during WRAITH WAR) causes chaos and destruction as the city falls apart. The Thing beats down a Dire Wraith and returns with Johnny to the Baxter Building where She-Hulk seems more concerned that the Thing's return means she won't be on the team much longer. But Ben announces that the Thing won't be rejoining the Fantastic Four...
Doctor Strange discovers Reed, Sue, Franklin and Elspeth Cromwell's lifeless bodies and crosses over to Mephisto's realm. He frees Franklin who unleashes his mutant powers on Mephisto, killing him. The Richards family return to their bodies and Strange explains to Alma Chalmers that she has utterly destroyed the Richards' chances at giving Franklin a normal life. The Thing returns to Earth with Ultron's deactivated head and goes straight to Alicia Masters' apartment to break up with her, only to discover the Human Torch (Johnny Storm) in his PJs. Their fight is interrupted when Alicia slaps the Thing's face and they notice the sun blacking out. The Worldmerge spell cast by the Dire Wraiths (during WRAITH WAR) causes chaos and destruction as the city falls apart. The Thing beats down a Dire Wraith and returns with Johnny to the Baxter Building where She-Hulk seems more concerned that the Thing's return means she won't be on the team much longer. But Ben announces that the Thing won't be rejoining the Fantastic Four...
Thing #23
The Thing is angry that Alicia Masters 'dumped' him before he did it to her, but comes to terms with the fact that Alicia seems happy with Johnny Storm. He still refuses to make peace with Johnny so Reed Richards tries to cheer him up by revealing that he learned not long before the SECRET WARS that the Thing could turn back into human form any time he wanted. His love for Alicia acted as a mental block, keeping him in that form. The Thing loses it and tries to attack Reed, explaining that he's now stuck in his rocky form since he killed Grimm the Sorcerer on Battleworld. He smashes his way out of the Baxter Building, leaving the FF and his affection for them behind him. From now on, he's going solo...
The Thing is angry that Alicia Masters 'dumped' him before he did it to her, but comes to terms with the fact that Alicia seems happy with Johnny Storm. He still refuses to make peace with Johnny so Reed Richards tries to cheer him up by revealing that he learned not long before the SECRET WARS that the Thing could turn back into human form any time he wanted. His love for Alicia acted as a mental block, keeping him in that form. The Thing loses it and tries to attack Reed, explaining that he's now stuck in his rocky form since he killed Grimm the Sorcerer on Battleworld. He smashes his way out of the Baxter Building, leaving the FF and his affection for them behind him. From now on, he's going solo...
Rom #66 (1985)
Rom's departure from Earth is detailed during WRAITH WAR.
Thing #24-26 (1985)
Thing #24-26 (1985)
The Thing's solo adventures begin as he leaves New York City.
Fantastic Four #278 (1985)
Fantastic Four #278 (1985)
The 'Eve of Doomsday' is revealed to be a reference to 'Doctor Doom' (aka Kristoff Vernard) destroying the Baxter Building.
Thing #27 (1985)
Thing #27 (1985)
The Thing meets Tarianna's exact double on Earth, Sharon Ventura.
Fantastic Four #282 (1985)
Fantastic Four #282 (1985)
Mister Fantastic's arm finally heals during SECRET WARS II / MALICE TOWARDS ALL / THE KID WHO FELL TO EARTH.
Power Pack #15-17 (1985)
Power Pack #15-17 (1985)
Franklin Richards' prophetic powers develop; he becomes a member of the super-powered kids team Power Pack during THE KID WHO FELL TO EARTH.
West Coast Avengers #1 (1985)
West Coast Avengers #1 (1985)
First appearance of Ultron-12 - the next evolution of Ultron - during FAMILY TIES.
Secret Wars II #6 (1985)
Secret Wars II #6 (1985)
Mephisto is revealed to have reincorporated during SECRET WARS II.
West Coast Avengers #7 (1986)
West Coast Avengers #7 (1986)
Ultron-11 returns; Ultron-12 tries to make amends with his creator, Hank Pym, but is destroyed by Ultron-11.
Fantastic Four #296 (1986)
Fantastic Four #296 (1986)
The Thing rejoins the Fantastic Four; the Invisible Woman tells Mister Fantastic and the Thing to get over their issues with each other.
Fantastic Four #300 (1987)
Fantastic Four #300 (1987)
Johnny Storm and 'Alicia Masters' get married.
Avengers #278 (1987)
Avengers #278 (1987)
She-Hulk rejoins the Avengers.
Fantastic Four #305 (1987)
Fantastic Four #305 (1987)
Crystal briefly rejoins the Fantastic Four, creating a love triangle with Johnny Storm and 'Alicia Masters' during ALL IN THE FAMILY.
Fantastic Four Annual #20 (1987)
Fantastic Four Annual #20 (1987)
Doctor Doom offers the kidnapped Franklin Richards to Mephisto in exchange for his mother's soul; Doom is defeated by Kristoff Vernard and the Fantastic Four rescue Franklin during ALL IN THE FAMILY.
Fantastic Four #326 (1989)
Fantastic Four #326 (1989)
Thing is knocked into one of Mister Fantastic's cosmic ray machines, transforming him back to Ben Grimm and unable to turn into the Thing.
Fantastic Four #350 (1991)
Ben Grimm is transformed back into the Thing.
Fantastic Four #358 (1991)
Fantastic Four #358 (1991)
'Alicia Masters' is revealed to be a Skrull spy called Lyja; the real Alicia Masters returns.
Fantastic Four #49 (2002)
Fantastic Four #49 (2002)
Franklin Richards uses his powers to resurrect the child Sue Richards' lost and continue her pregnancy during THE RESURRECTION OF GALACTUS.
Fantastic Four #53 (2002)
Fantastic Four #53 (2002)
Sue Richards gives birth to a baby girl, Valeria Richards, with help from Doctor Doom.
Avengers #72-75 (2003-2004)
Avengers #72-75 (2003-2004)
She-Hulk loses control of her rage, increasing her strength to the 'Class 100' level.
Beyond! #1 (2006)
Beyond! #1 (2006)
A new Battleworld first appears, this time created by the Stranger.
Secret Wars #2 (2015)
Secret Wars #2 (2015)
Another new Battleworld first appears (chronologically), having been created by an all-powerful Doctor Doom during SECRET WARS.
See how this story fits into the wider Marvel Universe continuity:
Thing Classic vol.2
Thing Omnibus
Include...
Include...
Thing #20-22
Fantastic Four Visionaries: John Byrne vol.6
Includes...
Fantastic Four Visionaries: John Byrne vol.6
Includes...
Fantastic Four #276-277
Thing #23
Secret Wars Battleworld Box Set Slipcase
Includes...
Secret Wars Battleworld Box Set Slipcase
Includes...
Thing #22
Fantastic Four by John Byrne Omnibus vol.2
Includes...
Fantastic Four by John Byrne Omnibus vol.2
Includes...
Fantastic Four #276-277
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