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The Thing (Marvel) — First appearance, key issues & comics · Cape Zone

The Thing portrait

Character/Marvel

The Thing

Ben Grimm

6,841 appearancesSince 1961

Part of the The Thing mantle · 2 known bearers →

The Thing first appeared in Fantastic Four #1 (1961-11), published by Marvel. 6,841 appearances are indexed across 60 series.

Also known as Ben Grimm

Character history

Key issues

12 issues

Fantastic Four
#1
first appearance · origin
1961-11-00
Strange Tales
#101
origin
1962-10-00
Fantastic Four
#11
origin
1963-02-00

Across the catalog

Appears in

60 series

Fantastic Four
1961–1996
387 issues →
Fantastic Four
1998–2011
153 issues →
The Mighty World of Marvel
1972–1979
137 issues →

Fantastic Four Annual #1 cover

Fantastic Four Annual

#1

origin

1963-09-00

Fantastic Four #141 cover

Fantastic Four

#141

1973-12-00

The Human Torch #1 cover

The Human Torch

#1

1974-09-00

The Complete Fantastic Four #1 cover

The Complete Fantastic Four

#1

1977-09-28

Fantastic Four #245 cover

Fantastic Four

#245

1982-08-00

Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends #560 cover

Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends

#560

1983-11-30

Marvel Super-Heroes Secret Wars #11 cover

Marvel Super-Heroes Secret Wars

#11

1985-03-00

Fantastic Four #296 cover

Fantastic Four

#296

1986-11-00

Alpha Flight #75 cover

Alpha Flight

#75

1989-10-00

Marvel Two-in-One cover

Marvel Two-in-One

1974–1983

100 issues →

Ultimate Fantastic Four cover

Ultimate Fantastic Four

2004–2009

60 issues →

Marvel's Greatest Comics cover

Marvel's Greatest Comics

1969–1981

55 issues →

Marvel Adventures Fantastic Four cover

Marvel Adventures Fantastic Four

2005–2009

48 issues →

Fantastic Four cover

Fantastic Four

2018–2022

47 issues →

What If...? cover

What If...?

1989–1998

42 issues →

TTTCape Archive 1997

Toyfare: The Toy Magazine

1997–2011

39 issues →

The Thing cover

The Thing

1983–1986

36 issues →

The Amazing Spider-Man cover

The Amazing Spider-Man

1999–2014

36 issues →

Marvel Tales cover

Marvel Tales

1966–1994

32 issues →

Strange Tales cover

Strange Tales

1951–1968

30 issues →

Fantastic Four cover

Fantastic Four

2023–2025

30 issues →

The Avengers cover

The Avengers

1963–1996

28 issues →

The Incredible Hulk cover

The Incredible Hulk

1968–1999

27 issues →

Marvel Knights 4 cover

Marvel Knights 4

2004–2006

26 issues →

Fantastic Four Annual cover

Fantastic Four Annual

1963–1994

25 issues →

Fantastic Four Pocket Book cover

Fantastic Four Pocket Book

1980–1982

25 issues →

Fantastic Four Adventures cover

Fantastic Four Adventures

2010–2012

24 issues →

Marvel Collectors' Item Classics cover

Marvel Collectors' Item Classics

1965–1969

22 issues →

Marvel Masterworks: The Fantastic Four cover

Marvel Masterworks: The Fantastic Four

2003–

22 issues →

Ultimate Marvel Flip Magazine cover

Ultimate Marvel Flip Magazine

2005–2007

22 issues →

Show all 60 series ↓Show less ↑

Fantastic Four Epic Collection
2014–
22 issues →
The Marvel Saga the Official History of the Marvel Universe
1985–1987
21 issues →
Silver Surfer
1987–1998
21 issues →
Exiles
2001–2008
20 issues →
New Avengers
2010–2013
18 issues →
FFCape Archive 2014
Fantastic Four
2014–2015
18 issues →
The Amazing Spider-Man
1963–1998
17 issues →
What If?
1977–1984
17 issues →
Spider-Man Comic
1979–1979
17 issues →
Marvel Comics Presents
1988–1995
17 issues →
Marvel Adventures Flip Magazine
2005–2007
17 issues →
Fantastic Four
2013–2014
17 issues →
West Coast Avengers
1985–1989
15 issues →
Black Panther
2005–2008
15 issues →
TMWCape Archive 2009
The Mighty World of Marvel
2009–2014
14 issues →
Fantastic Four
1996–1997
13 issues →
Avengers
2010–2013
13 issues →
Guardians of the Galaxy
2015–2017
13 issues →
PAWCape Archive 1968
Pow! and Wham!
1968–1968
12 issues →
CBGCape Archive 1983
Comics Buyer's Guide
1983–2013
12 issues →
Marvel Super-Heroes Secret Wars
1984–1985
12 issues →
MAFCape Archive 2004
Marvel Age Fantastic Four
2004–2005
12 issues →
MAFCape Archive 2005
Marvel Adventures Fantastic Four
2005–2009
12 issues →
Hasbro / Secret Wars
2009–2010
12 issues →
Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars Facsimile Edition
2024–2025
12 issues →
FFCape Archive 2025
Fantastic Four
2025–
12 issues →
Smash!
1966–1971
11 issues →
Marvel Team-Up
1972–1985
11 issues →
Marvel Masterworks
1987–1993
11 issues →
Quasar
1989–1994
11 issues →
Twisted Toyfare Theatre
2001–2010
11 issues →
FFWCape Archive 2001
Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Comics Magazine
2001–2002
11 issues →
UFFCape Archive 2004
Ultimate Fantastic Four
2004–2008
11 issues →
Avengers Unconquered
2009–2012
11 issues →
Fantastic Four
2012–2012
11 issues →
FFCape Archive 2019
Fantastic Four
2019–
11 issues →