Minor spoilers ahead, obviously, since we’re dealing with the solicitation text for a book not due in stores for three months.
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Fantastic Four issue 11 by writer James Robinson and artist Leonard Kirk finds Ben “The Thing” Grimm in jail with a “rogue’s gallery of powerhouse villains.” If you looks closely, you can find a couple of familiar faces in the crowd. To start with, you see this purple fellow with the apparent fin on his head, an extra eye in the middle of his head, and sorta fang-like teeth? Remind you of anyone? Maybe another purple alien from the distinguished competition?
That’s right. I’m calling this a cameo for DC Comics’ Despero. Since this is either just an unbelievable coincidence that this creature looks almost exactly like Despero or a cute little Easter Egg, I’m not going to go into detail on his background. In case you’re interested though, Despero first appears in Justice League of America #1 (October 1960) and was created by Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowsky. He is an alien from a planet called Kalanor whose third eye gives him the powers of mind control, illusions, telekinesis, and telepathy. He’s also super strong and durable.
On top of our bargain-basement Despero, we’ve also apparently got at least one Skrull in attendance. It doesn’t look like any particular Skrull that I’m aware of like the Super Skrull or Paibok, but Skrulls in general can provide a challenging adversary in the right situation.
Can you identify any of the other aliens, creatures, or super beings in attendance? Those are all we could figure out.
That takes us to Ben’s unlikely ally…
Sharon Ventura, the She-Thing! I know it looks like she and Ben are facing off on this cover but I’d bet my bottom dollar that she’s the ally in question. What she’s doing in prison and why she’s in her traditional Fantastic Four outfit is beyond me though. Wait, you don’t who Sharon Ventura is? Well…
Created by Superman editor DC editor Mike Carlin and Ron Wilson, Sharon first appeared in The Thing issue 27 in September of 1985. She had been given augmented strength by a villain called the Power Broker that allowed her to join the Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation (UCWF). FYI, the UCWF is a wrestling association in the Marvel Universe for participants with superhuman strength, endurance, and durability. Gaining a colorful costume and taking the name Ms. Marvel, she fought alongside Ben Grimm and the two became quite friendly.
Later, Sharon would join the Fantastic Four right around Fantastic Four issue 306 in 1987. Shortly after joining, she was exposed to cosmic rays and became the She-Thing, taking on a lumpy appearance similar to that of Ben Grimm when he first became the Thing. Almost needless to say, she didn’t take it well at first…
Eventually, she took on a more smooth and rocky form, and along with the Fantastic Four battled foes like Aaron the Rogue Watcher and the Time Variance Authority. With Alicia Master apparently in a relationship with Johnny Storm at the time, Ben Grimm and Sharon would even develop a romantic relationship. While she would take steps toward accepting her appearance and Ben did all he could to help her with that, she would always hope for a means of becoming human again.
Thank you for joining me for another installment of Surfing the Solicits and a master class in “Fantastic Four History You Might Not Know but May Improve Your Enjoyment of Future Issues.” Again, be sure to let us know if you recognize any of the other nasties in the background of this cover and happy comic reading!
