Fantastic Four #112
Battle of the Behemoths!
The Thing's rampage through New York City is suddenly interrupted when he is attacked by the Hulk. As the two monsters battle it out in Central Park, Reed Richards is hard at work trying to find a cure for the Thing's personality disorder. Johnny briefly interrupts Reed to show him a televised editorial by Daily Bugle owner J. Jonah Jameson, who is calling out to the people of New York to rise up and crush the Fantastic Four. Just as Reed finishes telling Johnny that they cannot deal with that problem at the moment, the electricity in the building is suddenly cut off. Suddenly, they get a phone call from Walter Collins, the owner of the Baxter Building, who once more demands that the Fantastic Four vacate immediately. Reed hangs up on him, and, when Johnny tries to run off to join the battle alone, his leader pulls him back in, pointing out the throng of panicked people protesting outside the Baxter Building who are now trying to break in now that the power is out. The two then begin thinking about how to restore the power so that Reed can finish his work.
Meanwhile, back out in Central Park, the Thing and the Hulk continue their brawl as the authorities close in with heavy artillery. These weapons hardly phase the two combatants who send the police fleeing in the ensuing chaos. As the fight brings the two into the city streets, the press continues to record events as they happening. Listening to developments at the home of Agatha Harkness in Whisper Hill, Sue begins to worry over her husband. Offering her aid, Agatha Harkness conjures up an image of Reed from her crystal ball. Realizing that Reed is working hard at solving the current crisis, Sue decides to be by her husband's side and leaves baby Franklin in Agatha's care, flying away in a ship. Also hearing developments over the radio is Alicia Masters who decides to go into the city and find Ben to convince him to stop his battle. Alicia stumbles through the city streets in a desperate search for the Thing.
Thing and the Hulk's battle has taken them back into the heart of the city where the pair continues to cause untold property damage as they fight each other. Alicia manages to find the pair and begins calling out to her estranged boyfriend. While back at the Baxter Building, Reed has found a solution to their electricity problem. With Johnny channeling his flame into an energizer device, Reed has enough power to begin completing the device that will allow him to cure the Thing. However, back at the battle, Alicia is struck in the head by flying debris, distracting the Thing long enough for the Hulk to land a powerful blow. Reed and Johnny soon arrive in the aftermath of the battle. As the Hulk begins to revert back to his human form of Bruce Banner, Alicia and Johnny make a horrifying discovery -- the Thing is apparently dead!
Recurring Characters
Fantastic Four (Mister Fantastic, Invisible Girl, Human Torch, Thing), Alicia Masters, Agatha Harkness, The Hulk, J. Jonah Jameson, Franklin Richards, Walter Collins, Ebony
Continuity Notes
The Thing mentions that the "last time" he battled the Hulk was in Fantastic Four #24-25 when the Fantastic Four and the Avengers battled the Hulk through New York City. However, they have clashed one time after this in Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Comics Magazine #5 when the Thing and the Hulk were tricked into fighting each other by Doctor Doom. The reason why Ben does not recall that later battle is because all memory of it was erased by Reed using the Cosmic Cube in Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Comics Magazine #12 to foil Dr. Doom's plans for world domination.
The public is turning against the Fantastic Four thanks to the manipulations of the Over-Mind as seen in Fantastic Four #113-116.
