When people talk about the strongest Marvel characters, names like the Hulk, Thor, and Galactus usually dominate the conversation. But what about The Thing—Ben Grimm of the Fantastic Four? Often overlooked, The Thing has delivered some of the most jaw-dropping feats of strength in Marvel history. This blog explores the many times he proved just how powerful he really is. Let’s break it down.
The Honeymoon Fight: The Thing vs. The Immortal Hulk
During Dan Slott’s Fantastic Four run, Ben Grimm and Alicia Masters are on their honeymoon, a rare moment of peace and joy. But that’s quickly shattered when the Immortal Hulk crashes the scene—literally. It’s not just a typical superhero brawl either. Ben is on borrowed time, with only one hour left in his annual transformation back into human form. If he turns human during the fight, Hulk could easily kill him—especially since the Hulk is being mind-controlled by the Puppet Master.
The Hulk throws Ben like a ragdoll, even hurling him into a beach house. But when Alicia and others get caught in a landslide, Ben’s desperation kicks in. He starts fighting back hard. This isn’t just a slugfest—it’s brutal. The Hulk is bleeding, chunks of Ben’s rocky skin are flying, and bones are breaking on both sides. Just as time is about to run out, Ben unleashes a legendary punch—dubbed the Hand of God—shattering his own arm but knocking Hulk out cold.
Round Two: Immortal Hulk #41
Ben gets another chance to shine in Immortal Hulk #41. The Hulk, significantly weakened because the Absorbing Man drained most of his gamma radiation, faces Ben again—this time at Coney Island.
Ben is relentless. He trash-talks the Hulk, calling him a coward, and pushes him into an emotional breakdown. Hulk literally starts crying and begging for mercy. It mirrors the iconic “Look into your heart” scene from Miller’s Crossing. Ben’s ready to land a finishing blow, but just before he does, Hulk reverts to Bruce Banner. Still, the fact that he had the upper hand is undeniable.
Fantastic Four #92: The Great Games on Crawl
In this bizarre but epic tale, Ben is kidnapped by Skrulls and taken to a planet called Crawl. Obsessed with 1930s gangster culture, the Skrulls force Ben to participate in death matches known as the Great Games. Eventually, Ben tries to escape and is caught in a hydraulic press so powerful it can punch through planets. Unbelievably, he resists and pushes the device off himself. Let that sink in—Ben Grimm withstood a planet-busting press.
Mountain-Crushing Strength in Adventures of the Thing #4
Reed Richards once built an isometric exercise machine capable of moving a mountain—just so Ben could work out. Within moments, Ben crushes it like a stress ball. It’s a short scene but one that tells you all you need to know about his raw, effortless power.
Saving the World (Literally) in Fantastic Four #95
When a villain named Monocle tries to start World War III by bombing the UN, he knocks Reed and Susan out of the sky and topples a 30,000-ton apartment building. The Thing doesn’t hesitate. He catches the entire building, holds it, and places it back where it belongs. No big deal, right?
Marvel Two-in-One #64: Holding Up an Oil Rig
In this issue, Ben ends up on a mission involving Stingray, Dr. Hydro, and Sidewinder’s serpent squad. An oil rig in the middle of the ocean is about to collapse after its supports are blown. Without fully knowing the stakes, Ben grabs the rig’s structure and holds it steady. He supports what is likely over 100,000 tons of weight and even manages to find a piece of metal strong enough to wedge it in place—all while maintaining his grip. Imagine holding a collapsing building while looking for a support beam. Yeah, he did that.
The One-Punch Knockout of Galactus
One of the most insane feats? The Thing one-shots Galactus. During Fantastic Four #242–244, Galactus is weakened after fighting Tra the Tamer and failing to consume enough planetary energy. Desperate, Galactus turns on Earth. In a last-ditch effort, the Avengers and Fantastic Four unite. The final blow? Delivered by none other than Ben Grimm.
Sure, Galactus was weak—but he’s still Galactus. Even at his lowest, he’s a cosmic threat. Yet The Thing knocked him out cold with a single punch.
Marvel Two-in-One Annual #7: Fighting the Champion of the Universe
In one of his most heroic and underrated moments, Ben enters a boxing tournament held by The Champion of the Universe—an alien named Tryco Slatterus who seeks to prove his strength. Heavy-hitters like Thor, Hulk, Namor, Colossus, and Sasquatch are all present. Most are disqualified or knocked out quickly. Thor is eliminated for using Mjolnir. Hulk doesn’t even get to fight. Sasquatch and Colossus are taken out almost instantly.
Only Ben Grimm stands toe-to-toe with the Champion.
Round after round, the Champion batters Ben. He gets slammed into the ceiling, pounded into the ring floor, and nearly knocked out multiple times. But he never quits. The crowd is screaming his name like a Rocky movie—“Ben! Ben! Ben!” Despite the beatings, Ben keeps getting back up, landing his own punches and pushing the Champion further than anyone else ever has. Even when the bell rings and Ben collapses, it’s clear: his spirit is unbreakable.
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