A Member of the Fantastic Four Becomes a Wanted Man (But Will They Be One in the MCU?)

The Thing will find himself a wanted man, just in time for the Fantastic Four’s arrival in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Ben Grimm is headlining an all-new solo series in March, just a few months before The Fantastic Four: First Steps arrives in theaters in July. Ebon Moss-Bachrach plays The Thing, and while he’s a part of Marvel’s First Family on the big screen, his comic book counterpart becomes a wanted man when he gets involved in a criminal conspiracy with ties to his past and childhood on Yancy Street.

The Thing is a five-issue limited series by writer Tony Fleecs, who made his Marvel Comics debut in Venom War: Wolverine, and legendary Fantastic Four artist Leonard Kirk (Star Wars: Battle of Jakku, Sabretooth). Ben steps away from the Fantastic Four to take down a criminal conspiracy, but whoever the mastermind is behind the scheme, they put a bounty on the FF’s resident bruiser. This results in Thing battling a Who’s Who of classic Marvel villains like Bullseye and Juggernaut.

[RELATED: The Fantastic Four: First Steps Reveals New Details on Showdown With Galactus]

“THE THING CLOBBERS THE MARVEL UNIVERSE!” a description of the series reads. “Ben Grimm may be the strongest member of the Fantastic Four, but once upon a time, he was just a scrawny kid from Yancy Street. When an unexpected visitor from his past sends him on a search for a missing child, the Thing must unravel the mystery even if that means becoming a wanted man! Get ready to see the Ever-Lovin’ Blue-Eyed Thing versus every super-powered criminal and bounty hunter in New York City! Fleecs and Kirk give a glimpse into the history of the Thing that reminds you why Ben Grimm is the heart of the Marvel Universe…and why you don’t want to let him hear you say that!”

“What I love about Ben Grimm is that he’s just a regular hardworking guy–who happens to have super powers,” Fleecs shared. “He’s Jack Kirby. He’s not easily impressed by all of the outlandish, cosmic stuff constantly going on around him.

“The fun thing about this book is trying to figure out– ‘okay, then what WOULD surprise the Thing? What WOULD catch him off guard?’ In that spirit, we’re throwing every villain in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe at him. Trying to pit him against some opponents that you wouldn’t expect. We’ve got Leonard Kirk drawing The Thing! Believe me, you’re gonna see ol’ Benjy clobber some guys he’s never clobbered before.”

“It’s been a decade since my run on Fantastic Four and I am thrilled as punch (pun intended) to be working on this series with everyone’s favorite orange, pugilistic paragon of heroism, Ben Grimm,” Kirk said. “The villains he goes up against range from the, let’s just say, less than serious, to the absolutely iconic, and I am very much looking forward to drawing all of them. The first issue has already been a fun romp and I know I will love the rest.”

Ebon Moss-Bachrach teases Thing suit for Fantastic Four movie

Ebon Moss-Bachrach appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live in February and spoke about his upcoming Marvel debut. During the interview, the actor revealed his version of The Thing will be motion capture, and said the character’s signature catchphrase, “It’s clobberin’ time.” 

“In the past, I think they’ve done a suit. Michael Chiklis wore a suit that apparently was really uncomfortable, and it’s kind of… we’re past that,” Moss-Bachrach explained. “It’s a little kind of cosplay, kind of amateur that kind of stuff now with the technology we have.” 

“No, I found out at the beginning of August,” he added when asked about being cast in the MCU. “I was taking a walk in the city… this was in the middle of the writer’s strike and I got a call from my agent. I wasn’t thinking about work at all. They said, ‘They asked you to play The Thing.’ I was so shocked.”

Moss-Bachrach then revealed that there’s already a Fantastic Four group chat for the cast’s foursome. “There is a group text,” he shared when asked if he’s met the cast. “Pedro started [it] a couple of days ago … everyone has said something … everyone put a little image, gif, or sticker.  So people are invested. No one is being coy.”

The Thing #1 (of 5) by Tony Fleecs and Leonard Kirk goes on sale March 5, 2025. The Fantastic Four: First Steps arrives in theaters on July 25, 2025.