Fantastic Four (Vol. 3) #57
The Ever-Lovin', Blue-eyed End of the World: Part 1
At the Baxter Building headquarters of the Fantastic Four, the Thing is fighting to stay awake while he helps Reed set up equipment in the lab. Reed explains that the device he is constructing will allow him to create a pocket universe. Ben leaves Reed to conduct his tests and on his way out he runs into Johnny, Sue, and Valeria. After checking in with them he retires to his quarters where Ben stretches out in his recliner and decides to watch a future protecting television. After Reed helps him find the remote (without even leaving his lab) he turns on the television to take a look at what the future has in store. The broadcast he picks up begins with a report on a celebration about the Thing for his heroism. Ben finds this news delightful as he eventually succumbs to sleep.
Later that day while Reed brews himself a cup of his potent coffee brew the tranquility in the Baxter Building is suddenly interrupted by the sound of crashing. Ben wakes up in his recliner to find himself surrounded by miniature versions of himself trashing the room. While these crude duplicates go on a rampage and spout gibberish and Ben's trademark phrases, the thing notices strange nodes growing off his own skin. When he flicks them off he is shocked to see them growing into new Things. He's soon met by Reed who has come to investigate the commotion. Examining the nodes growing off Ben's body, Reed suggests that the thing reverts back to human form to stop more from growing. No sooner does Ben do so do the rogue Things turn their attention to both him and Reed and they are none to happy to see Ben Grimm in the flesh. The creatures go into a frenzy forcing Ben to change back into the Thing in order to fight them off.
Puzzled to come to a solution to the problem, Reed realizes there is a means of creating a reprieve before the Things can harm innocent people outside of the Baxter Building. Stretching arm out to his lab, Reed pulls a device and hands it to Ben. He tells the Thing that the device will transport himself and his "children" to the pocket dimension he created, buying them time to solve the problem at hand. With no other choice, Ben activates the device transporting himself and the other Thing to the pocket dimension taking a good chunk of the Baxter Building with them. It's this moment that Sue and Johnny return with Valeria who is quickly briefed on what happened. Reed explains that the situation is dire as the pocket dimension will only be able to sustain itself for eight hours and by that point, everything there will be shunted back to that reality. Reed fears that at his rate of reproduction when Ben and his relations return there will be significant in number to decimate the entire world.
Meanwhile, the Thing comes around in the pocket dimension and is surprised to find himself in a massive technological metropolis, but devoid of any life. He's not alone either, not only did he transported the increasing volatile duplicates as well as the future predicting television. The television begins reporting that the future now tells of this very moment and that it would eventually lead to his own death.
Recurring Characters
Fantastic Four (Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, Thing), Valeria Richards
Continuity Notes
The Thing gained the ability to revert to and from his Thing form back in Fantastic Four Vol 3 #38, he loses this ability in Fantastic Four Vol 3 #59.
