"The End" Week: the Thing #36!

In recent months, we've checked out Ben Grimm appearances from his own title and Marvel Two-In-One; and seen the Thing never give up, and never say die. Aaaaand today Ben is totally giving up and ready to die. From 1986, the Thing #36, "Going for Broke" Written by Mike Carlin, pencils by Paul Neary, finishes by Sam de la Rosa.

Ben had been wrestling in the Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation, many of which's wrestlers had been given super-strength by the mysterious Power Broker. With Ms. Marvel Sharon Ventura and Army Sgt. Lynch, Ben's been trying to track the Broker down; but is weak and sick. The Power Broker gave his clients pills to "stabilize" their new powers; and Sharon fears without them, she could die. Later, she finds out from future D-Man Dennis Dunphy, the pills weren't related to their powers but were intended to make the clients dependent on the Broker: Dunphy fought his way through the withdrawals, while Sharon had never taken them and would be fine. But that didn't explain the Thing's condition: mutating wildly, he's taken to the hospital.

Meanwhile, hearing a news report about Ben going on the rampage, the sensational She-Hulk flies to L.A. to help Ben out. Fearing that Ben didn't want to see any of the Fantastic Four, Sharon tries to stop She-Hulk, but is outclassed. Still, the fight lasts long enough for Ben to lurch out of the hospital and hitch a ride in a dump truck to the beach, where he heads off to die, feeling everyone would be better off without him...and he knows the perfect place to go. (I do think I know where he was headed, although I don't know what is causing his problem here!)

A downer ending, even if you know the Thing would return. I know Sharon (who would become a Thing herself later) would get together with the Thing eventually, but here she just wants to be friends. Actually, she doesn't come across very well here, but admittedly was afraid she was going to die. It would be a little bit before she would return and join the team in 1987's Fantastic Four #306; Dennis Dunphy would appear as D-Man earlier in Captain America #328.