Thing, The (1979)
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Cartoon Animal |
Outfit: Blue trunks / Orange rocks / Blow-up doll mouth
Tagline: "Thing ring, do your thing!"
Plot summary:In 1979, Hanna-Barbera decided to create a show boasting that their iconic cavemen would be rubbing shoulders with the most popular member of their Fantastic Four cartoon. They went so far as to make this premise the actual title of the show, despite the fact that Fred and Barney never actually meet The Thing, and that "The Thing" in question was actually some sort of god damn Elseworlds version which had no relation to the Fantastic Four or the Marvel Universe whatsoever. The following year Hanna-Barbera would produce Yogi and Boo-Boo Meet Jimmy Carter, which was just a static shot of Augie Doggie with "Yakkety Sax" playing in the background.
The Thing half of the blatant lie cartoon featured young Benjy Grimm, who would press two rings together and insist they "do their thing." Orange rocks would then sort of fly out of nowhere and adhere themselves to him, at which point he, as The Thing, would embark on adventures like shaking his fist at the Yancy Street Gang. (more)
User comments: Even if The Thing weren't my all-time favorite comic book character, I can't imagine the crushing disappointment that children everywhere must have felt upon viewing this debacle for the first time. From coast to coast, nothing but furrowed brows and slack jaws intoning "what" every couple of minutes, their poor minds insisting that everything would be okay once Fred and Barney popped in and got chummy with this dead-eyed, Flukeman-looking motherfucker. And then it never happened.
All of this confusion pales in comparison to where the hell the Thing costume comes from. If it was magic, then okay, fine, abracadabra. But this is clearly a suit that forms around the kid. "Thing ring, do your thing!" and then massive rocks are flying at his body. Come to think of it, I don't think I have ever seen an orange rock. On top of all of this, he somehow magically has a blue Speedo on over the claptrap. If it's a suit, why would there be gentalia to be covered? Does Benjy carry a quarter-ton of rocks and a bikini brief in his bookbag at all times? Wouldn't that arouse suspicion from the local gendarmes? Isn't there a more convenient place to transform than in the middle of the neighborhood where Rubik the Amazing Cube lives?
hnn brbr u owe me nw kybord my hed expldd ll ovr min
User Rating: 
(27 votes)