Contains spoilers for Fantastic Four #46!
After over 60 years, one of Marvel's most important Thing has continued to search for a cure for his condition. But Fantastic Four #46 reveals the Thing has finally embraced his new form - for one very heartwarming reason.
Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's initial Fantastic Four run in 1961 broke new ground in the superhero comics scene. The of the Fantastic Four had no secret identities, were famous celebrities, and were a familial unit with very visible character flaws; they occasionally spent more time fighting amongst each other than the villain of the issue. For Ben, these flaws were born as a result of his inability to change his form. Reed Richards attempted to cure the Thing numerous times - but every cure either came with deadly side-effects, was temporary, or simply failed to work entirely.
In Fantastic Four #46, written by Dan Slott with art by Cafu, the Fantastic Four journey to the planet Spyre, where the Overseer has created a cure for Johnny Storm. For months, the Human Torch has lost control of his powers and is permanently on fire - but miraculously, the cure works and Johnny can finally revert to his human form. This means that Ben can be cured too, but his adopted son Jo-Venn says "I think you were Colonel Ben Grimm, the idol of millions, one of the greatest heroes in the galaxy. And as you once told me, we should be proud of who we are." Ben proudly agrees, saying "You heard the kid. With all I got going for me, I wouldn't change an ever-lovin' thing."
Dan Slott's run added Ben Grimm's adopted Kree and Skrull children, and they have quickly become fan-favorite characters - but more importantly, Ben's character has developed significantly since their addition. Ben has always felt inadequate, but in learning how to parent the Skrull N'Kalla and Kree Jo-Venn (who was a child soldier and initially referred to Grimm as his commander), he found someone else to live for in his life and became a true role model. The Thing, along with his now-wife Alicia Masters, have become the metaphorical rock of the team - and their marriage is many ways more stable than Reed Richards and Susan Storm's union.
The Thing's major storyline is now complete, and so is Ben Grimm's character. While, in many ways, he will still miss his old body, becoming a father has ultimately changed Ben Grimm for the better. Turning classic characters into parents may be a tried-and-true tactic when it comes to changing the superhero status quo, but in the case of the Fantastic Four's Ben Grimm, it's a tactic that's remarkably effective.
