One of the most beloved characters in comics, The Thing is the heart of the Fantastic Four - a wisecracking trier, with a heart the size of the Brooklyn Bridge. Case in point: the many classic battles over the years between The Thing and the much stronger Hulk. Despite the disparity in their strength levels, The Thing has never shied away from the fight. Yet, despite the sense of humour, there’s a tragic element to The Thing, as well. Trapped – for the most part – in a body he loathes (he was mutated in the cosmic ray storm that created the FF), Ben Grimm can be prone to bouts of depression in a nod to classic stories like Frankenstein and Beauty and the Beast (his blind girlfriend, Alicia Masters, providing the beauty). But hey, the ultimate message is the sort you normally find in a DreamWorks Animation film: just be yourself, and things will work out for the best. Aww...

FIRST APPEARED IN THE FANTASTIC FOUR #1 (1961)
CREATED BY STAN LEE AND JACK KIRBY