Ben Grimm Almost Got a Cure Before First Steps, and It Went Badly Wrong

What would you do if you could trade a rocky body for a human face, even for a day? In the MCU’s newest prequel comic, Ben Grimm gets exactly that chance. As you might guess from his superhero career, it didn’t end the way he hoped.

Spoiler warning: this post covers events from The Fantastic Four: First Foes – Dragon Man (2026) #1.

Ben Grimm: The Comic at a Glance

What Happens in the Story?

The First Foes mini-series explores early clashes between the team and their iconic enemies. It began with the Mad Thinker, and later issues covered other untold moments, such as Shalla-Bal’s time as the Silver Surfer under Galactus.

In the latest issue, the Fantastic Four visit Dr. Damien Albo, a self-proclaimed alchemist, hoping he can cure Ben. Albo attaches several transmitters to The Thing’s rocky body to drain the cosmic energy out of him. The device works, at least partly. Ben keeps a rocky texture but gains a much more human-like face, one that looks nothing like Ebon Moss-Bachrach.

There is even a small win: Ben becomes much lighter and can finally sit in a chair without crushing it.

Ben Grimm: The Trap

It was all a ploy. Albo needed that cosmic energy to bring his creation, Dragon Man, to life. When the team fights the creature, they’re outmatched. Its impermeable skin neutralises Mister Fantastic, while its icy, acidic breath stops both the Human Torch’s flames and the Invisible Woman’s force fields.

That leaves Ben, who has given up his super strength, as the last one standing. After a well-timed distraction, the cosmic energy flows back into him and he turns back into The Thing. One punch later, Dragon Man is down. Albo escapes and later reveals himself as Diablo, and may return as part of the Frightful Four.

Will The Thing Ever Be Cured in the MCU?

In the comics, Ben spent years chasing a cure. The Thing eventually stopped once he became comfortable in his own skin and found love with Alicia Masters. He also realised that the people who mattered loved him as he was, and that his powers let him do real good.

Reed Richards kept trying, but every cure was temporary, because Ben’s cells adapted to each treatment. One formula eventually made him human for a week, but could only be reproduced once a year.

In First Steps, Ben hadn’t made peace with his appearance yet, and the public admired him mostly for his strength. Natasha Lyonne’s Rachel Rozman seemed to be the first outsider to offer him genuine human connection. After Avengers: Secret Wars, the Fantastic Four are expected to join Earth-616, which could give the MCU room to explore this storyline, and perhaps introduce Alicia Masters.

Conclusion

This comic tells a story about Ben’s pain and his strength in the same breath. For more Marvel news and comic breakdowns, follow our latest MCU updates on TechnoSports and browse our Hollywood coverage. Do you want to see Ben cured on screen, or is The Thing better as he is? Tell us in the comments.

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