📺 Fred and Barney Meet The Thing (1979)
Based on comic
"Fred and Barney Meet The Thing" is a peculiar Saturday morning cartoon that aired in 1979, combining two completely unrelated properties into a single hour-long package show. The series was produced by Hanna-Barbera and split its runtime between new adventures of Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble, and a standalone segment featuring a teenage version of Marvel Comics' The Thing.
The Thing segment took significant liberties with the source material. Instead of the adult, cigar-chomping Ben Grimm from the Fantastic Four, this version reimagined the character as a high school student named Benjy Grimm. Benjy could transform at will into the rocky, super-strong Thing by touching two magic rings together and shouting "Thing Ring, do your thing!" This was a radical departure from the comics, where Ben Grimm is permanently trapped in his monstrous form. The show also featured a group of teenage friends and largely ignored the rest of the Fantastic Four, focusing instead on comedic, kid-friendly adventures.
The decision to pair the Flintstones with a Marvel superhero was a product of the late 1970s television landscape, where networks often packaged disparate segments together to fill programming blocks. The result is a bizarre cultural artifact that baffled comic book fans and casual viewers alike. While the Flintstones segments continued the familiar Stone Age antics, the Thing segments represented an early, awkward attempt to adapt Marvel characters for Saturday morning audiences, predating the more faithful and successful animated series that would follow in the 1990s.
The Thing is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The Fantastic Four #1 in 1961. The Thing is the alter ego of Benjamin Jacob "Ben" Grimm, a former college football star and test pilot who, along with his best friend Reed Richards, his girlfriend Sue Storm, and her brother Johnny Storm, was exposed to cosmic rays during an unauthorized space flight. The radiation mutated his body, transforming him into a superhumanly strong, orange, rock-like creature.
Despite his monstrous appearance, Ben Grimm retains his kind heart, street-smart wit, and a deep sense of loyalty, particularly to his teammates in the Fantastic Four. His character is defined by the tragic tension between his heroic nature and his longing for his lost humanity, making him one of Marvel's most complex and beloved characters. His signature battle cry, "It's clobberin' time!", has become iconic in popular culture.
As a core member of the Fantastic Four, the Thing has been a central figure in the Marvel Universe since the Silver Age of Comics. He has been featured in his own solo comic series, including the long-running Marvel Two-in-One, where he was paired with a different Marvel hero each issue. The character's blend of brute strength, vulnerability, and humor has made him a template for many subsequent comic book heroes.
