It takes a lot to embarrass Ben Grimm. After years living in the public eye, he made peace with having been transformed into the ever-lovin’, blue-eyed Thing. Yet even he has secrets he’d rather not reveal and the most shameful of them of them arises in Fantastic Four #20.
Written by Ryan North, with art by Carlos Gomez, Fantastic Four #20 finds the Thing and Human Torch seeking employment. With the team’s assets currently frozen, they’re in need of day jobs to make ends meet. This leads them to get hired at a supermarket near the farm where the team is currently living. It also leads to the classic rivalry between the two teammates flaring up, as they compete for the title of Cashier of the Month.
Word gets out about the celebrity cashiers after they thwart a robbery on their first day at work. This gets the attention of a sleazy reporter, eager to write about the fall of former teen idol Johnny Storm. However, Ben Grimm stands in defense of his fellow Fantastic Four member, leading to a shocking confession.
The Thing Honestly Loves Human Torch
Despite finding Johnny annoying on a good day, the Thing also respects his teammate for being a good-hearted man. He reads the reporter the riot act, asking what is so shameful about honest work and trying to help your family. Ben even admits to liking Johnny’s handlebar mustache. However, he is quick to tell Johnny that he’ll deny ever having said any of that if he tries to tell the rest of the Fantastic Four family. However, the secret still comes out, albeit through no fault of Johnny’s.
While the reporter was true to his word about not writing about Human Torch, he did write about Thing’s confession of love in the most sordid way possible. The resulting scandal forced their manager to let them go, despite both heroes having earned Cashier of the Month status. This ironic twist sends them back to doing what they do best – saving the world pro bono and arguing with one another.
Fantastic Four #20 is now available at comic shops everywhere.
