Imagine Ben Grimm sitting in a chair without crushing it. That’s exactly what Marvel’s newest prequel comic delivers. The Fantastic Four: First Foes – Dragon Man #1 reveals a time when The Thing was almost cured, years before the events of The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
Table of Contents
MCU: Dragon Man Issue
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Comic | The Fantastic Four: First Foes – Dragon Man (2026) #1 |
| Series | Prequel mini-series to First Steps |
| Key character | Dr. Damien Albo (later revealed as Diablo) |
| Villain | Dragon Man |
| Big event | Ben Grimm temporarily loses his strength and rocky look |
| Earlier issues | Mad Thinker and Shalla-Bal as Silver Surfer |
What Happens in the Comic?
The Fantastic Four visit Dr. Damien Albo, a self-proclaimed alchemist who promises to cure Ben’s appearance. He attaches transmitters across The Thing’s rocky body to drain his cosmic energy. It works, at least partly. Ben keeps a rocky texture but gets a more human-like face that looks nothing like Ebon Moss-Bachrach. He’s also lighter, so he can finally sit in a chair without breaking it.
The Twist
It was a trap. Albo was siphoning the cosmic energy to power his creation, Dragon Man. The team can’t beat it. Reed’s stretching is useless against its tough skin, and its icy, acidic breath shuts down both Human Torch’s flames and Invisible Woman’s force fields.
That leaves Ben as the last one standing, but he’s given up his strength and has become a liability. After a well-timed distraction, the energy returns to him, and The Thing knocks out Dragon Man with a single punch. Albo escapes and later reveals himself as Diablo, who could return as part of the Frightful Four.
Will The Thing Ever Be Cured in the MCU?
In the comics, finding a cure was Ben’s goal for years. Eventually he let it go, helped by his love for Alicia Masters and his realization that the people who matter don’t care how he looks. Reed’s cures only ever worked temporarily, because Ben’s cells adapted to each one. One formula could even make him human for a week, but only once a year.
In First Steps, Ben still seemed uncomfortable in his own skin, and the public admired him mostly for his power. Natasha Lyonne’s Rachel Rozman was among the first outside his found family to offer genuine connection. After Avengers: Secret Wars folds the team into Earth-616, this storyline could finally get depth, along with the arrival of Alicia Masters.
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Conclusion
The comic is a fun reminder of how much Ben Grimm wants a normal life, and how strong he is as The Thing. Would you like to see Ebon Moss-Bachrach’s face in a future MCU film? Tell us in the comments.
FAQs
Is The Thing cured in the MCU?
No. This cure appears only in a prequel comic and lasts just until the energy returns.
Who is Dr. Damien Albo?
He’s a fake alchemist who is later revealed to be Diablo, a villain tied to the Frightful Four.
