The Thing Comics Guide (2026): Best Ben Grimm Stories and Collections
Ben Grimm is the heart of the Fantastic Four. The best Thing comics and collections, from his 1980s solo series and Marvel Two-In-One to modern runs, and where to start.
By Web Admin
Ben Grimm is the heart of the Fantastic Four. The test pilot who came back from space as a walking pile of orange rock is gruff, funny, self-pitying and braver than anyone, and many of the best stories about “the thing fantastic four” readers love aren’t in the main Fantastic Four book at all. He has carried a solo series, a decade of team-ups and several modern miniseries. This guide picks the Thing collections worth buying, explains where his key moments happen, and suggests where to start.
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How we chose: we compared the Thing and Fantastic Four collections currently on Amazon against our own reading. We favored books where Ben is the lead or the emotional center, official Marvel editions, and books you can buy now. Prices and stock change often, so the buttons show Amazon’s current price.
| Pick | Best for | Why | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Thing Omnibus | Best overall |
| $113.00as of Oct 25, 2026 4:59 pm UTC | View on Amazon |
| Marvel Two-In-One Epic: Project Pegasus | Best team-up era |
| $42.86as of Oct 25, 2026 4:59 pm UTC | View on Amazon |
| Fantastic Four Vol. 2: Mr. and Mrs. Grimm | Best for Ben and Alicia |
| $22.97as of Oct 25, 2026 4:59 pm UTC | View on Amazon |
| Fantastic Four by Ryan North Vol. 1 | Best modern starting point |
| $14.99as of Oct 25, 2026 4:59 pm UTC | View on Amazon |
| The Thing: The Next Big Thing | Best standalone mini |
| $14.24as of Oct 25, 2026 4:59 pm UTC | View on Amazon |
Prices and availability change; check Amazon for today’s price. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
1. The Thing Omnibus — Best overall
Ben Grimm's 1980s solo series in one big hardcover, from his origin retold to Battleworld and beyond.
Check price on Amazon$113.00as of Oct 25, 2026 4:59 pm UTCWhy we like it
- The definitive Thing solo comic
- Digs into Ben's childhood on Yancy Street
- Covers his time away from the FF
- Over a thousand pages of Ben as the lead
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Writer / Artist | John Byrne and others / Ron Wilson and others |
| Publisher | Marvel |
| Collects | The Thing 1980s solo series; exact contents not stated in listing |
| Pages | 1,160 |
| Format | Omnibus hardcover |
| Reader age | Not stated in listing; classic superhero action, all ages |
The Thing Omnibus — Byrne, Wilson and others, Marvel, 1,160-page hardcover
Ben got his own ongoing series in 1983, begun by John Byrne with artist Ron Wilson. Byrne used it to fill in Ben's past: growing up on Yancy Street, his brother, his time as a pilot alongside Reed Richards, and why the transformation hit him harder than the others. Later in the run, after the original Secret Wars, Ben stays behind on Battleworld, and when he eventually comes home he spends a stretch as a pro wrestler rather than rejoining the team. It's the most time any comic has spent on Ben as a person rather than the FF's muscle.
It's a lot of book, and not every issue is a classic. But if you want one purchase that's entirely about the Thing, this is it. Stock was limited when we checked.
Pros
- Ben is the lead throughout
- Origin and backstory in depth
- Huge amount of reading
Cons
- Uneven second half
- Heavy and costly
- Some issues tie into 1980s crossovers
Get The Thing Omnibus on Amazon
2. Marvel Two-In-One Epic Collection: Project Pegasus — Best team-up era
Late-1970s Marvel Two-In-One, headlined by the Project Pegasus saga, in a 2026 paperback.
Check price on Amazon$42.86as of Oct 25, 2026 4:59 pm UTCWhy we like it
- The Thing's long-running team-up book at its peak
- Project Pegasus is a fan-favorite arc
- George Perez and John Byrne art
- New 2026 printing, in stock
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Writer / Artist | Mark Gruenwald, Ralph Macchio / George Perez, John Byrne, Ron Wilson |
| Publisher | Marvel |
| Collects | Marvel Two-In-One including Project Pegasus; exact range not stated in listing |
| Pages | 448 |
| Format | Epic Collection paperback |
| Reader age | Not stated in listing; all ages |
Marvel Two-In-One Epic Collection: Project Pegasus — Gruenwald, Macchio, Perez and Byrne, Marvel, 448-page paperback
Marvel Two-In-One ran for 100 issues from 1974 to 1983, pairing the Thing with a different Marvel hero each time. It's the comic that turned Ben into Marvel's friendliest guest star, the guy who'll punch anything with anybody. The Project Pegasus storyline, by Mark Gruenwald and Ralph Macchio, is its best-remembered arc: Ben takes a security job at a government energy research facility, and things go wrong in a big way.
Team-up books are naturally episodic, and this one is no exception. That's part of the fun: you get Ben's humor bouncing off a rotating cast. If you like this volume, Marvel has published several other Two-In-One Epic Collections, and a hardcover Marvel Two-In-One Omnibus Vol. 1 covers the earliest issues.
Pros
- Classic Bronze Age art
- Lots of Marvel guest stars
- Easy to dip in and out
Cons
- Episodic by design
- Dated dialogue in places
- Picks up mid-series
Get Marvel Two-In-One Epic: Project Pegasus on Amazon
3. Fantastic Four Vol. 2: Mr. and Mrs. Grimm — Best for Ben and Alicia
Ben Grimm and Alicia Masters finally marry, in Dan Slott's Fantastic Four.
Check price on Amazon$22.97as of Oct 25, 2026 4:59 pm UTCWhy we like it
- The wedding fans waited decades for
- Celebrates Ben and Alicia's whole history
- Backups by Gail Simone and Fred Hembeck
- Warm, funny and short
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Writer / Artist | Dan Slott, Gail Simone, Fred Hembeck / Aaron Kuder and others |
| Publisher | Marvel |
| Collects | Fantastic Four (2018) wedding issue and related stories; exact range not stated in listing |
| Pages | 128 |
| Format | Paperback |
| Reader age | Not stated in listing; all ages |
Fantastic Four Vol. 2: Mr. and Mrs. Grimm — Slott, Simone, Hembeck and Kuder, Marvel, 128-page paperback
Alicia Masters, the blind sculptor, has been Ben's great love since Fantastic Four #8 in 1962. She sees him as he is, which is the whole emotional point of the character. After more than fifty years of near-misses, Dan Slott's 2018 relaunch finally gets them married, with the whole Marvel Universe turning up and, this being the Fantastic Four, things not going entirely to plan.
It's short and sweet and probably the most purely happy Thing story on the list. Read Slott's Volume 1 first if you want the team's return in context, but this one stands up on its own. The paperback was down to one copy when we checked; Slott's run is also collected in larger hardcovers.
Pros
- A milestone for the character
- Lovely, celebratory tone
- Great backup stories
Cons
- Very short
- Assumes you know the cast
- Low stock
Get Fantastic Four Vol. 2: Mr. and Mrs. Grimm on Amazon
4. Fantastic Four by Ryan North Vol. 1: Whatever Happened to the Fantastic Four? — Best modern starting point
Ryan North's Fantastic Four opens with Ben and Alicia on the road and the team split up.
Check price on Amazon$14.99as of Oct 25, 2026 4:59 pm UTCWhy we like it
- Ben and Alicia carry the opening issues
- Clever, funny one-and-done stories
- No prior FF reading needed
- In stock and easy to find
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Writer / Artist | Ryan North / Iban Coello, Ivan Fiorelli |
| Publisher | Marvel |
| Collects | Opening arc of Ryan North's Fantastic Four; exact range not stated in listing |
| Pages | 152 |
| Format | Paperback |
| Reader age | Not stated in listing; all ages |
Fantastic Four by Ryan North Vol. 1 — North, Coello and Fiorelli, Marvel, 152-page paperback
Ryan North's run, which began in 2022, starts with the Fantastic Four broken up and a mystery about why. Ben and Alicia are traveling across America, solving strange problems in small towns, and the first issues are a showcase for how kind and clever Ben is when he isn't just hitting things. North's background in puzzle-box comedy makes these feel like short, satisfying episodes.
It's the best place for a newer reader, or someone coming from the 2025 film The Fantastic Four: First Steps, to meet a modern Ben. Our Fantastic Four reading order shows where North's run sits and what came before it.
Pros
- Great jumping-on point
- Ben-focused early issues
- Light, inventive tone
Cons
- Reed and Sue sidelined early
- Episodic for some tastes
- Opens a long run you may want to finish
Get Fantastic Four by Ryan North Vol. 1 on Amazon
5. The Thing: The Next Big Thing — Best standalone mini
Crime novelist Walter Mosley writes a six-issue Thing story with art by Tom Reilly.
Check price on Amazon$14.24as of Oct 25, 2026 4:59 pm UTCWhy we like it
- A novelist's take on Ben's inner life
- Complete in one paperback
- Tom Reilly's crisp, classic-looking art
- Ben is the only lead
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Writer / Artist | Walter Mosley / Tom Reilly |
| Publisher | Marvel |
| Collects | The Thing (2021) six-issue miniseries |
| Pages | 144 |
| Format | Paperback |
| Reader age | Not stated in listing; teens and up |
The Thing: The Next Big Thing — Mosley and Reilly, Marvel, six issues, 144-page paperback
Walter Mosley, best known for his Easy Rawlins crime novels, wrote this 2021 miniseries, and it's about loneliness as much as superheroics. Ben's self-image, his relationships and his sense of being an outsider drive the story more than any villain does, and Mosley writes Ben's voice well, sad and funny at once.
It's not essential continuity, which is part of its appeal: you can hand it to anyone who likes the character and they'll get a complete story. Copies were scarce when we checked, so grab it if you see it.
Pros
- Complete, self-contained story
- Thoughtful character writing
- Ben gets the spotlight
Cons
- Slower pace than most superhero books
- Low stock
- Quieter than typical FF action
Get The Thing: The Next Big Thing on Amazon
Key Thing stories by era
| Era | Story | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | Fantastic Four #1 (Lee and Kirby) | Ben's origin on the space flight that created the team |
| 1962 | Fantastic Four #8 | Debut of Alicia Masters |
| 1966 | Fantastic Four #51, "This Man... This Monster!" | A classic about Ben's identity, often ranked among the best single issues ever |
| 1974–1983 | Marvel Two-In-One | A decade of team-ups with Ben in the lead |
| 1983–1986 | The Thing solo series | Backstory, Battleworld and time away from the FF |
| 2018 | Dan Slott's Fantastic Four | Ben and Alicia's wedding |
| 2022 onward | Ryan North's Fantastic Four | A Ben-centered modern take |
The classic Lee–Kirby issues are collected in Marvel's Fantastic Four Omnibus and Epic Collection lines. They're worth reading for Ben alone: Kirby's Thing, all bricks and brooding, is the template everyone since has worked from. A 2002 Fantastic Four story also confirmed that Ben is Jewish, which later writers have kept as part of who he is.
Which Thing book should you buy?
If you want Ben as the star and you're happy with classic comics, buy the omnibus. If you'd rather start modern, take Ryan North's first volume. For a gift, Mr. and Mrs. Grimm or The Next Big Thing work best because they're short and complete. And if you love Ben as a team-up partner, the Marvel Two-In-One Epic Collections are the most fun per page.
For the whole team's history, start with our Fantastic Four reading order; for the other big orange-and-green rivalry in Marvel, see best Hulk comics. If you came here from the films, best comics for Marvel movie fans has more tie-in picks, and best comic omnibus explains whether a big hardcover like the Thing Omnibus is worth it. Everything else is on the Marvel hub.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the Thing in the Fantastic Four?
Ben Grimm, the team's pilot and Reed Richards' best friend. Cosmic rays on their space flight turned him into a rock-skinned strongman, and unlike the others, he can't switch it off.
What is the best Thing comic?
For a single issue, Fantastic Four #51, "This Man... This Monster!" For a book you can buy today, The Thing Omnibus if you want everything, or Ryan North's Fantastic Four Vol. 1 for a modern start.
Does the Thing ever marry Alicia Masters?
Yes. They marry in Dan Slott's Fantastic Four (2018), collected in Fantastic Four Vol. 2: Mr. and Mrs. Grimm.
What does "It's clobberin' time!" mean?
It's Ben's battle cry, his signal that the talking is over. It has been the Thing's signature line for decades.
Does the Thing have his own comic series?
Several. His main ongoing ran from 1983 to 1986, collected in The Thing Omnibus, and he has headlined shorter series since, including Walter Mosley's 2021 miniseries. He also led Marvel Two-In-One for 100 issues.
