Imperiled Heroes   "Pull My Thing" By Adam White Published: 2006-04-02

I initially picked up The Thing #1 for two reasons, mainly: first, because I’m a fan of Ben Grimm and always got a kick out of the old Marvel Two-in-One series; and secondly because I’ve been thoroughly enjoying Dan Slott’s work (She-Hulk, GLA) since I discovered it. I had high hopes for this series, and after reading the first issue I knew I was sticking with it. I can safely say that not only were my expectations exceeded but I found that The Thing has a sense of fun that hearkens back to the late 1970s - early 1980s Marvel, a playful atmosphere that Marvel’s comics (and comics in general) have lacked since that time period.

Slott’s writing is right on the money, perfectly capturing the essence of Benjamin J. Grimm. Slott avoids the narrow conceits of most team players’ solo series, instead examining how Thing acts and reacts in the Marvel Universe instead of focusing on angst-ridden personal agendas. Slott even dusts off some older characters like Constrictor, Nighthawk, and Goliath (who I didn’t even know was still alive), making the most out of those overlooked and underused heroes and villains. One villain I haven’t seen in a while also strikes at the end of #1, endangering the heroes for the next two issues, making for an amusing and thoroughly entertaining story arc. Slott has got the goods, and he has really hit the ground running with The Thing.

Andrea DiVito’s art also shines brightly throughout the series, showcasing his massive talent and securing his spot as a real superstar artist (as opposed to Marvel’s ultra-hyped, under-productive ?Young Guns?). DiVito crafts perhaps the best-looking Thing since Jack Kirby — Grimm actually looks like he’s made of rock, and he has a full range of motion and emotion that is singularly his own. Combined with the outstanding work of colorist Laura Villari, DiVito’s Grimm has the rocky, creviced appearance that truly makes him the famous ever-lovin’ blue-eyed Thing. DiVito has more than survived the upheaval from Crossgen (where he worked on Brath) and found the perfect outlet for his magnificent work, and I expect him to be a highly sought-after commodity in the comics industry very shortly.

Slott and DiVito hit their stride in #1 — a feat that many other creative teams take from three to twelve issues to achieve — and continually get better with each new issue; they make The Thing feel like a favorite long-running series that greets you like a welcome friend each month. The Thing does exactly what it’s supposed to: it entertains the heck out of you and leaves you with a smile on your face. And that’s really what I expect most out of any comic book I read: to be entertained. Slott and DiVito do just that, and I’m glad to go along for the ride.

However, retailers and fans apparently just haven’t caught notice of The Thing since the title has steered clear of all the mega company crossovers that dominate the stands right now. Retailers avoid it because it isn’t an ancillary Infinite Crisis tie-in, and fans can’t pick it up because retailers don’t order it. Writer Dan Slott has called for fans to join the ?Pull My Thing? movement and add The Thing to their pull lists, thus forcing retailers to give the title a look. I think that’s a great way to support the book and strongly urge everyone to immediately add The Thing to your pull lists and give it a shot. I think that you’ll be pleasantly surprised by its quality and craftsmanship and easily get hooked for the duration. It’s also an opportunity for retailers to see a book that doesn’t rely on crossovers to sell it and would now have something to recommend to readers looking for a comic that truly stands alone, unencumbered by continuity-crazy crossovers.

The stand-alone quality of The Thing also makes it the perfect book to recommend to ever-elusive potential readers and new customers because they can pick up any issue and follow the story without needing to read three trades and do Internet research to know what’s going on. The Thing is also perfect for young readers because it’s all-ages entertainment that works in the same way that Harry Potter works — it doesn’t talk down to kids and treats all readers of any age as equal, thinking individuals. With all of these fantastic qualities, how can you not give it a shot? So to all readers and retailers, I say this: Pull My Thing.

Which means you need to go put The Thing on your pull list right now, and pick up or order the ones you missed while you’re at it.