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While the core squad of theFantastic Fourhas been in place since their 1961 debut , Marvel ’s First Family have had to replace members occasionally throughout the decade . One forgotten appendage who shortly replaced the matter was even strong than Benjamin Jacob Grimm … before eventually moving over to the DC Universe .
The hero Maul take Thing ’s place inFantastic Four Vol . 2 # 13 , by James Robinson and Mike Wieringo . This was the commencement of the ' World War III ' storyline , which sawMarvel and WildStorm combine their comic universe , creating new squad where their Italian sandwich worked together .
Known primarily as the strongman of Jim Lee ’s WildCATs , Maul fills in for a missing Ben Grimm in the substitute reality depict in ' World War III.‘The storyline catch an alliance of Marvel ’s Skrulls and WildStorm ’s Daemonites waging war on Earth , with few heroes left behind to fight the honest fight .
Fantastic Four ’s the Thing is a warm Cuban sandwich , but nowhere near the strongest until he make his maximum power that makes him a Hulk - grade powerhouse .
DC’s Maul Replaces the Fantastic Four’s Thing in World War III
The New Team Is Made Up of Mister Fantastic, the Invisible Woman, Burnout and Maul
Maul ’s Fantastic Four rank emerged from the minute in the 1990s when Marvel did the unthinkable , cancelingCaptain America , Iron Man , The AvengersandFantastic Four . All four titles were relaunched under the creative focus ofJim Lee ’s WildStorm Studios and Rob Liefeld ’s Extreme Studios in anew publish initiative known as ' Heroes Reborn . ‘Marvel explained the change in - universe by having the heroes of all four form of address fall in struggle with Onslaught , but it was eventually revealed that Franklin Richards had created a pocket existence as an leak hatching , keeping the Avengers and Fantastic Four alive .
While give an initial rise of gross revenue , the ' Heroes Reborn ' initiative was n’t well - incur by fans , head Marvel to bringCap , Iron Man , the FF and the Avengers back into the mainstream Marvel Universe after a year . Before that happened , however , each statute title received an additional thirteenth issue , which result in a crossing with Jim Lee ’s WildStorm universe , at the metre still under the auspex of Image Comics . The crossover was explain as the result of the ' Heroes Reborn ' pocket universe being under flak by Galactus , which causes Doctor Doom to buckle reality itself .
In plus to Maul , Mister Fantastic and the Invisible Woman , Burnout of Gen 13 replaces the at rest Johnny Storm to become the new Fantastic Four in this unified universe , albeit with very like top executive .
In the Ultimate Marvel Universe , Ben Grimm becoming the Thing was only part of his transformation into a greater , more knock-down net form .
Meanwhile , the heroes of the WildStorm Universe had been deal with the uber - muscular being known as Damocles during the ' Fire From Heaven ' crossover event . With both universes in such a vulnerable state , they were in short combined into one merged reality , although this new universe of discourse was n’t a paradise by any reach . solid ground is under tone-beginning from the Skrull / Daemonite alliance , and abetrayal by Doctor Doom sees the alien horde take control of much of Europe and Asia . The survive heroes – none of whom sleep together they actually belong to two separate universe – do everything they can to hold back the tide in a losing battle .
Maul ’s might are rather alone , in that he can increase his sizing and mass dramatically , meaning that there is no limitation to his superintendent - metier .
Is WildCATs’ Maul Stronger Than the Fantastic Four’s Thing?
Fantastic Four’s Replacement Muscle Was a Size-Changer, Increasing His Strength and Mass
Within this incorporated universe , several poor boy die or go leave out in the warfare against the Skrull / Daemonite alliance . WildCATs ' Spartan officiallyreplaces a missing Steve Rogers as Captain Americaon the Avengers , and several heroes join unexampled teams . This is how Maul come to join the FF , as the Thing was lost in the Negative Zone . While the two may have similar builds as hulking masses of muscle , Maul is immensely different from the Thing . Maul ’s top executive are rather unique , in thathe can increase his size and great deal , meaning thatthere is no bound to his superintendent - strength .
Maul is really Jeremy Stone , a human / alien cross make out as a Titanthrope . He gains his powers through his heritage from the Kherubim imperium , the sworn enemy of the Daemonites .
However , Maul ’s size of it - changing comes with the side - result of a loss of genial mental faculty . signify : the freehanded he get , the less level-headed he becomes . As such , while Maul can increase his size tobecome stronger than the Thing , his resulting decreased intellect could stupefy a trouble for his teammates during the estrus of fight . The fact that he can also shrink back down to regular human size makes him vulnerable in a fashion that Ben Grimm never is , as he lose his lastingness and increased durability at human size of it .
Maul proved himself a worthy fellow member of the Fantastic Four by save Reed Richards ' aliveness and taking out the Hulk .
Regardless of his differing force and weaknesses , Maul do on the new Fantastic Four admirably , even as things became more fearful in the merged Marvel / WildStorm world . Since it took place in a one - off universe that would never exist again , ' World War III ' was capable to take some reasonably barbaric swings that otherwise would never have been possible . The plot line extort up a enceinte physical structure reckoning before it ends , as several bomber fall in sometimes shocking ways . In perhaps the most unexpected twist , Sue Storm was divulge to be a Skrull agent in disguise .
The Fantastic Four is a comic book institution , but plenty of other hoagie - include Wolverine , Spider - Man , and Hulk - have all join up as well .
The Thing Approved Maul As a Worthy Successor
But Thanks to Rights Issues, It’s Unlikely He’ll Ever Rejoin the FF
Ultimately , the real Captain America render from exile to work with SHIELD and take out the Skrull / Daemonite USA for commodity . He lead a last - ditch bang team into Europe at the enemy ’s fastness with all the surviving torpedo , andMaul present off how inviolable he can be as he takes out a revivified Hulk . Maul achieves his biggest size yet seen , but it also proves fateful for the strongman . ineffective to handle this monumental size , Maul ’s eubstance gives out , and he dies from an apparent warmness flak . Things become more grim when the Skrull posing as Sue Storm shoots Cap in the chest , apparently signing the heroes ’ expiry warrant .
With his dying breath , Steve Rogers convinces new military recruit Rick Jones into discombobulate a grenade at Doctor Doom ’s dimensional vena portae , thus split the Marvel and WildStorm universes back into two separate reality . TheFF and Avengers were eventually brought back into the Marvel Universe proper in the subsequent miniseriesHeroes Reborn : The Return , officially ending the ' Heroes Reborn ' experiment . approximately a year later , Jim Lee would deal WildStorm to DC Comics , which sawheroes like Maul finally join the DC Universe .
As such , it ’s unlikely that Marvel will ever officially recognise that Maul was once a member of the Fantastic Four . Indeed , the recentFantastic Four Vol . 6 # 2saw Reed Richards cite every Italian sandwich who has ever formally suffice on the team , with Maul conspicuously wanting .
It ’s a shame , but the submarine sandwich did wind up getting praise from none other than the matter himself . In the last part of ' World War III ' ( seem inCaptain America Vol . 2 # 13 ) , Ben Grimm leave Maul his due for fill his spot on the FF , who betoken out that Maul save his FF teammate on several occasions . “You did me majestic , ” Thing separate Maul before their final violation .
Unlike the Avengers and X - Men , the Fantastic Four are n’t hump for birth a huge roll of fellow member , make it a particular surprise that a hero from another continuity has had the honor . Despite this , Marvel did n’t hold back in showing that Maul was a truly desirable ( and truly mighty ) gain to the squad . Hopefully , there will amount a sentence when Marvel can acknowledge Maul ’s meter on theFantastic Four , especially because theThingrecognized him as a worthy successor .
TheFantastic Fouris a superhero enfranchisement centered on Marvel Comics ' first family of superheroes . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby , the team made its comic Quran debut in 1961 and quickly became a cornerstone of Marvel ’s winner . The franchise espouse four astronauts — Reed Richards , Susan Storm , Johnny Storm , and Ben Grimm — who gain superpowers after being exposed to cosmic radiotherapy . Over the years , Fantastic Fourhas been adapt into several live - action films , animated series , and video game . The cinema have seen multiple reboots , with varying levels of achiever , and are now place to be integrated into the Marvel Cinematic Universe ( MCU ) , with a Modern film slate for release in 2025 .
