Well, Here I Am... Rocky Grimm - Space Ranger. (Part I of XII)

The Thing has elected to remain on the Beyonder’s Battleworld at the close of the Secret Wars. On this world, he has the ability to transform back and forth into Ben Grimm at will. Reed left him a small device that would enable Ben to return to Earth at any time of his own choosing.

Ben sits on a rocky crag contemplating these events when a green alien riding atop a flying dinosaur swoops down and snags the transporter device. Ben (in human form) begins chasing after it and follows the flying creature to a tall spire standing erect in the middle of a desert.

Ben finds a small community that surrounds the spire. He learns that the thieves are called Takers and they horde their treasure somewhere inside the spire. Ben meets a small, green alien girl who offers him the services of her flying animal in exchange for helping her recover her own stolen treasure.

Ben rides the flying creature and enters the upper levels of the spire. He finds the Taker that stole his transportation device and retrieves it. The Takers are inherently cowards and offer the Thing, anything he desires. The Thing wants them to find the item they stole from the little girl. They tell him that it will take them some time to locate it.

Recurring Characters

Thing, Llrrlllnnllyyrrl

Continuity Notes

• This story takes place after the events of Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #1-12. In the second issue of that series, Ben discovered that he could change back to human form. By the end of the series, he believed it was something to do with Battleworld and decided to stay behind. In reality, as Mister Fantastic deduced in Fantastic Four #245, a mental block in Ben's mind associated with his relationship with Alicia Masters has prevented Ben from willingly being able to change back and forth. A fact that Reed keeps secret from Ben until Thing #23.

• Ben's surroundings are actually being shaped by his subconscious mind, as revealed in Thing #22.

• Llrrllllnnllyyrrl is actually being influenced by the robot Ultron. Ultron's head was also left stranded on Battleworld after his body was destroyed in Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #12.