The Hulk and The Thing have battled many times over the years, and the debate over which hero is stronger still rages on. Well, we finally got an answer in this week's
Fantastic Four #13 when the two heroes went to war with each other yet again.
Under the control of the Puppet Master (but still at full strength), the Immortal Hulk took on Ben Grimm in a brutal and savage battle. While The Thing was beaten down by The Hulk for most of this fight, a last-minute pep talk from his wife Alicia Masters about how much heart he has gave him the upper hand.
With one powerful punch fuelled by his love for Alicia, Ben hit The Hulk with a blow so hard that it not only knocked out the Jade Giant, but also shattered the rocks that cover his arm. This marks the first time The Thing has defeated The Hulk fair and square, but it does cost him, as the Fantastic Four member wakes up a week later with his arm in a Vibranium cast.
The Thing may have won this fight, but if these two were to battle to the death, it's easy to imagine the Green Goliath emerging the victor - especially taking his amazing healing capabilities into account.
How do you guys feel about the outcome of this epic battle?
Hit the "View List" button to find out which villains we
want to see in the Fantastic Four reboot from Marvel Studios!
The Frightful Four
Why not pit a team of heroes against a team of villains? Many bad guys have been part of the Frightful Four over the years and Marvel Studios could take their pick when it comes to who they would want to include. The Wizard should be the leader, though, as he's been a constant throughout the team's history and his intelligence very nearly matches Reed Richards.
Trapster is also a must, while the likes of Thundra and Titania are definitely ready for their respective big screen debuts. Marvel could even reinvent some of the Fantastic Four's more obscure bad guys (Dragon Man, for example) for the team of villains, and while four antagonists might seem like a little much for a first outing, this group is definitely one that should be utilised in the MCU one day.
Annihilus
Annihilus is one of the Marvel Universe's most deadly villains and controls the inhabitants of the Negative Zone with his powerful Cosmic Control Rod. After the Fantastic Four travelled to his home, they became instant enemies and have clashed numerous times over the years (Annihilus was also responsible for the Human Torch's apparent death during one such battle).
The previous
Fantastic Four movies really didn't take advantage of the Negative Zone, and seeing as we've already been introduced to the Quantum Realm, it wouldn't be overly difficult to tie the two locations together. Throw in the fact that that Annihilus later takes control of the universe threatening Annihilation Wave, and this movie could set the stage for him becoming the MCU's new big bad.
Mole Man
You might be wondering why we're kicking off this list with one of the Fantastic Four's "lamest" villains, but there's actually more to Harvey Rupert Elder than meets the eye. After being rejected by surface-dwellers for his hideous appearance, he went underground and discovered a hidden subterranean world where he found and started to rule over the monstrous Moloids.
A classic villain who appeared in the very first issue of
Fantastic Four, pitting the team against Mole Man makes perfect sense, and it would be awesome to see the heroes battle massive creatures who rise up from beneath the Earth. There's no denying that this is a character with a lot of potential and a modern reinvention could be exactly what this franchise needs.
Doctor Doom
This is a tricky one. After all, Doctor Doom has had a prominent role in all three
Fantastic Four movies, and Marvel Studios might be reluctant to head back down that route despite how popular the villain is and how much potential a comic accurate version has on screen. If Victor Von Doom does return here, however, he absolutely should not gain his "powers" at the same time as the team.
Instead, he should have that shared history with Reed Richards when they were in college and become the ruler of Latveria in the interim. His powers need to be rooted in magic (there's precedent for that now we've met characters like Doctor Strange and the Scarlet Witch), and while Doom must be introduced in this franchise, he absolutely has the potential to be a foe to the whole MCU.
Galactus
Remember when Galactus was a cloud? Good times, eh? Well, Marvel Studios now has the chance to make that right, and just like Doctor Doom and Annihilus, this is a character who can first make his presence felt in
Fantastic Four before returning down the line to pose a greater threat to the entire MCU (so, yeah, that's three potential big bads all coming from this one franchise).
Honestly, an adaptation of Galactus' first appearance in the Fantastic Four comic book would be pretty much ideal, and we know that Kevin Feige is a big fan of both him the Silver Surfer as he offered Fox the chance to keep Daredevil in exchange for these two.
If nothing else, don't be surprised if the Surfer shows up in a post-credits scene to set the stage for a future Galactus appearance.
Molecule Man
He may have served as an ally to Marvel's First Family in recent years, but Molecule Man started off as a villain and he's someone who has nearly ended the team on more than one occasion. His power levels are off the charts and he has the ability to control all matter and energy, something which would tie in nicely to Marvel's potential plans to adapt the newer version of
Secret Wars.
Initially, it's easy to imagine fans being disappointed about Molecule Man taking centre stage in Fantastic Four, but similar to how Marvel Studios has reinvented a whole host of B and C list villains over the years, there's no reason why they couldn't take this unhinged powerhouse and make him an A-Lister. There are plenty of great comic book arcs to turn to for inspiration, as well.
Super-Skrull
The Skrulls arrived in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Captain Marvel, but there was no sign of the Super-Skrull. That's because Fox previously held the rights to that character, but with the merger now complete, there's no reason why the monstrous alien can't unleash the full extent of his powers - most of which are based on the Fantastic Four's abilities - on the team in this reboot.
Now, he's probably not interesting enough to be much more than a secondary villain, but if the Kree/Skrull War is coming to the MCU, then laying the groundwork for that here by introducing some new, villainous "Super" Skrulls would be a lot of fun.
Of all the bad guys listed here, the Super-Skrull probably isn't a priority for Marvel Studios, but it would be nice to see him get the spotlight.
Blastaar
Annihilus is definitely a villain Marvel Studios should consider using in
Fantastic Four, but if they want to take a slow burn approach to exploring the Negative Zone, then kicking things off with Blastaar might be a smart move. One of Annihilus' many enemies, Blastaar has spent a long time competing for control of this dimension and that's led to him clashing with these heroes many times.
After we've spent so much time with a great alien bad guy like Thanos, Marvel Studios would have to do a lot to ensure that Blastaar doesn't come across as just another generic CGI villain and that might mean making some changes while bringing him from page to screen. With that in mind, it might actually be smarter to use him as a secondary baddie.
Namor The Sub-Mariner
There have been rumblings that Namor is going to make his presence felt in a Phase 4, but regardless of whether that's true or not, he would make for a great lead villain in this movie. He's jumped between his hero and villain status many times over the years and has often attacked the surface world (his affections for Sue Storm also led to him kidnapping her at one point).
Even if Marvel Studios decides not to go down the love triangle route, seeing the Fantastic Four enter the Marvel Universe's version of Atlantis would be really special and if they want to do something fresh and different with the franchise, it's hard to imagine a better way of achieving that than using this iconic comic book character as the lead villain in this planned reboot.
Hyperstorm
Here's where things get a little weird. Avengers: Endgame introduced the idea of time-travel, so why not make use of the future son of Franklin Richards and Rachel Summers? While neither of those mutants will make their presence felt in the MCU for a while, this insanely powerful character arriving in the present day from his post-apocalyptic future has a great deal of potential.
After all, it would allow Marvel Studios to tie the
Fantastic Four and
X-Men franchises together, while also teasing what's to become of the Earth if the Sentinels' mission to wipe out mutants is allowed to play out.
There's no denying that Hyperstorm's introduction would be tough to pull off, but providing it's handled carefully, this choice of villain could have some major ramifications.
Continue reading below to see the 10 X-Men and Fantastic
Four characters we think should be a priority for Marvel Studios!
Cyclops
While it's true that we've seen plenty of Cyclops over the past twenty years or so, I think an argument could be made that Fox never quite got the character right. James Marsden and Tye Sheridan were both well cast but neither has been given the opportunity to show what a great leader Scott Summers is and most of their screentime has been devoted to pining after Jean Grey.
From the very start, Bryan Singer made a point of emasculating Cyclops as soon as Wolverine showed up and while I'm sure Marvel Studios is well aware of the importance this character holds to X-Men fans, there's sadly a risk that they'll feel he's been overexposed.
With any luck, though, he'll be given the chance to shine in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and these movies will focus on his actual personality, including Scott's slightly darker side which has seen him align himself with Magneto in both the regular and Ultimate Marvel Universes over the years.
Doctor Doom
Victor Von Doom has appeared in three Fantastic Four movies as the primary antagonist and for that reason alone, I don't think Marvel Studios will be too quick to use him in the reboot.
Kevin Feige is no fool, though, and he surely realises that Doctor Doom has the potential to be a foe for the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe and not just Marvel's First Family. It's vital that there's some sort of connection between Doom and Reed Richards but there are ways around that if the heroes are going to be left on the bench for at least a little while.
Doom is an incredible villain who hasn't even come close to being done justice on the big screen, so I would say that he should be an even bigger priority than Galactus and the Silver Surfer.
Wolverine
I know what you're thinking but bear with me! Wolverine has been overexposed both on the big screen and in the comic books for years now but as great as Hugh Jackman was as Logan, I still feel like we still haven't seen the definitive version of the character.
For starters, I think it's about damn time that he gets his suit, while there are so many elements of his history that Fox glossed over by obsessively returning to his time as Weapon X. There aren't really any characters like Wolverine in the current Marvel Cinematic Universe and as great as he is when he's with the X-Men, just imagine the hero crossing paths with Black Panther and Spider-Man.
The fact is, Wolverine is a character with an awful lot of box office potential and it could be Marvel Studios we ultimately have to thank for finally putting him on the same screen as Deadpool.
Apocalypse
While it definitely appeared as if Fox was building to a big Mister Sinister reveal somewhere down the line after teasing the villain in movies like Logan and Deadpool 2, the fact that those developing these Marvel movies are completely clueless means that was probably never going to happen.
As much as I think Sinister needs to be introduced (and tied closely to the Summers family), it would be even more compelling to see a comic accurate version of Apocalypse enter the fray, especially if that kicks open the door to alternate timelines, time-travel, and a sci-fi vibe which fans of the X-Men will be all too familiar with.
Bryan Singer tried and failed to bring a satisfying version of En Sabah Nur to the big screen back in 2016 and while I think Marvel Studios would hold off on introducing him, a new take could see him easily become the big bad of not only the X-Men franchise but the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a whole.
Invisible Woman
The entire Fantastic Four should obviously be a priority for Marvel Studios but it's about damn time Sue Storm gets the spotlight.
The most powerful member of the Fantastic Four, we've seen a bimbo version and an entirely forgettable scientist version but a comic accurate Sue who is the matriarch of this family and also every bit the leader Reed is is a must for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Plus, if that A-Force movie really does end up happening, she would need to play a key role there.
Invisible Woman is an incredible character and someone who could be vitally important in what's still a mostly male-dominated shared universe. Captain Marvel is opening the door for characters like Sue so Kevin Feige and company need to take advantage of that.
Sabretooth
We got a fleeting glimpse of Sabretooth's potential in X-Men Origins: Wolverine but that was sadly squandered and he hasn't been seen since in Fox's X-Men Universe.
Moving forward, I can't think of a better foe for the new Wolverine than this guy and there are a lot of great comic book storylines which Marvel Studios could choose to address (them being related in any way should be forgotten but the fact Victor visits Logan on his birthday each year would help make him a great recurring bad guy even in the X-Men franchise).
Sabretooth just so happens to be the sort of bad guy who could pop up elsewhere too; just imagine him crossing paths with Black Panther in Wakanda! Regardless, this is an X-Men villain with a huge amount of potential who deserves to be treated the way he deserves on the big screen.
Franklin Richards
One of the biggest questions fans have about the Fantastic Four's debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is how they could possibly be introduced. Will they be teenagers or could it be that they travelled to another dimension after being bombarded with those cosmic rays?
If so, it's perfectly feasible that they'd return to Earth with a child in tow and there's an awful lot Marvel Studios could do with Franklin. An Omega-level mutant, the youngster is one of the most powerful characters in the entire Marvel Universe and if Kevin Feige is going to start playing with alternate worlds, then having someone who can create them might come in very handy.
If you know anything about the Fantastic Four's adventures, you'll be all too familiar with what could be done with Franklin and he could even be used to reboot franchises and launch that Secret Wars movie we've heard so much about if The Beyonder isn't on the table.
Storm
I want to start off by saying that I most definitely don't want to see Storm end up being married to Black Panther. It didn't work in the comics and more than likely wouldn't play out that well in live-action either.
However, exploring Ororo's African origins is a must and Marvel Studios should cast the role accordingly. There are ways she could be tied into T'Challa's world, of course, but Storm can easily stand on her own as a character and it would be great to see her step up and do more than summon the odd lightning bolt or to create some clouds when she's in a bad mood!
Storm is a great character and one of the Marvel Universe's most powerful mutants so it would be awesome to see her powers portrayed properly as she flies through the sky and kicks some ass.
Silver Surfer
Way back when Fox lost the rights to Daredevil, Kevin Feige offered them the chance to keep the Man Without Fear in exchange for being allowed to use Galactus and the Silver Surfer. They said no.
With that in mind, it's pretty obvious that these two will pop up before too long but I would love to see a larger focus on the Silver Surfer first with Galactus teased over a number of movies. Norin Radd could even get his own solo movie before the Eater of Worlds appears to flesh out his origin story and to explain how he become Galactus' Herald.
It's shocking that Fox has never made a Silver Surfer movie but that leaves the door open to Marvel Studios properly introducing the character because the version we met in 2007 has been mostly forgotten by now (despite possibly being the best part of Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer).
Kang The Conqueror
Marvel Studios has introduced the majority of The Avengers' biggest villains but we've yet to see Kang the Conqueror grace the big screen. The time-travelling villain is closely tied to the Fantastic Four so he's probably been owned by Fox up until this point but that's about to change.
Kang could unite the Avengers and Fantastic Four, while also serving as a big bad every bit as terrifying and powerful as Thanos.
The way he plays with the timeline would be fun to explore, as would adapting any number of the story arcs which have seen him best Earth's Mightiest Heroes. Kang is an amazing villain who deserves to have his story play out on the largest stage possible so I definitely think Marvel Studios should make giving him the spotlight a real priority.