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TheThingisn’t just theFantastic Four’smost democratic phallus , he ’s also Marvel ’s most popular Jewish superhero - but Ben Grimm was n’t always the proud Jew fan know him as today . The Thing ’s Jewish identicalness was largely hinted at for decades beforeFantastic Four # 56confirmed it in a tragic account about a reluctant Jew returning to one ’s roots . The story is a classic but hintsat the tragical side of Ben Grimm : a Jew who felt the need to blot out his religion to protect his fellow Jews .
Though Stan Lee and Jack Kirby collaborated on nearly every panorama of the Fantastic Four , Ben Grimm ’s role was said to have been simulate after Kirby ’s own personality . Born Jacob Kurtzberg , Kirby change his name to sound more professional ( " I wanted to be an all - around American,“Kirby claim in a 1990 interview with Gary Groth inThe Comics Journal . “I keep Kirby . My mother have me hell . My father give me hell . " ) and finally partnered with Lee . Hailing from Yancy Street ( a fancied version of Delancy Street in New York ) , Ben Grimm raise up piteous and learned how to fight from an early geezerhood . His friendshipwith the genius Reed Richardsoften made Ben feel inadequate , but Ben own the street smart and citizenry skills that Reed badly miss .
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Ben Grimm ’s Jewish identicalness was heavy hinted throughout the years until 2002’sFantastic Four # 56 , written by Karl Kesel with art by Stuart Immonen . The Thing walk down Yancy Street , remember his past as a troublemaker to many , especially his Jewish neighbor Hiram Sheckerberg . In the present , the affair saves Sheckerberg from the villain Powderkeg - and notably recites thesh’mawhen he believes Sheckerberg is drained . He ’s bruised but is otherwise fine , and wonders why Ben has n’t told anyone about his Judaic identity . “All these years in the news , they never cite you ’re Judaic . I thought maybe you were ashamed of it a little ? " " Nah , that ai n’t it … I do n’t lecture it up , is all"replies Ben . “Figure there ’s enough trouble in this world without people thinkin ' Jews are all monsters like me . "
Funny, He Doesn’t Look Jewish
The matter already believes people perceive him as a monster;Fantastic Four # 56reveals his great fear is others believe all Jews are " demon " like himself . While this is self - deprecating language in the extremum ( by this decimal point in the comics , the affair had already saved the populace a dozen clip overwith the Fantastic Four and is a public submarine ) , it does touch on what many Jews fear : that the total group will be adjudicate free-base on the activity of one . Ben is n’t ashamed to be Jewish - but in his hastiness to make indisputable other Jews are n’t judged by his example , he ’s distanced himself from his roots , and in so doing , leave that he is n’t a monster at all ( in Sheckerberg ’s words"In your youth , maybe - but no bad than many , and advantageously than most ! " ) .
The issue ends with Powderkeg evince unbelief at the matter ’s Judaic personal identity with the classic"Funny - he does n’t look Judaic . “While Ben does n’t have easy - identifiable Jewish physical features , he hasactedlike a Jew his integral life : he ’s support others , stood up to bullies , and performed innumerable unspoilt deeds without bear a reward in return . UntilFantastic Four # 56 , theThingwas run from his Judaism , but considering the fact that he publicly reads from the Torah just a few years later and eventuallymarries Alicia Masters in a Jewish ceremony , it ’s dependable to say the matter is gallant to be Judaic - even if he does n’t take care the part .
Next : Why The Fantastic Four Are n’t Popular Anymore
