BRONZE AGE MINUTE: The Thing #2

Marvel; August 1983
Cover by Ron Wilson and Joe Sinnott

Title: “For Beauty Passed Away”
Synopsis: While Alicia is in the hospital recovering from a savage beat down from Annihilus, Ben Grimm’s first love comes calling.

Writer: John Byrne
Penciler: Ron Wilson
Inker: Byrne

Review: John Byrne the writer was near the top of his game during this period, and he could nail poignant, one-off stories like this one without breaking a sweat. His handling of the Thing really stands out; under Byrne’s guidance, Ben Grimm became a far richer character. Byrne was one of the undisputed superstar artists of this era, but he remains sorely underrated as a writer. He was also an excellent inker – as seen here over Ron Wilson’s pencils – though his style could be overpowering. Not a bad thing for us fans, but it couldn’t have made his pencilers very happy.

Grade: B+

Cool factor: Ron Wilson’s use of the Jack Kirby extreme, facial closeup. There’s not a better book than The Thing for such a technique.
Not-so-cool factor: The Thing leaving the side of his battered, blind girlfriend to go hook up with an old flame. That’s just cold, Mr. Grimm.

Character quotable: “Can’t hide nuthin’ from you, can I, Babe? Ya may be blind, but ’cha see right through me.” – The Thing, who apparently never tires of pointing out his girlfriend’s disability

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