Marvel’s Iconic Merchandise Craze Makes a Comeback with Fantastic Four’s Clobberin’ Fists!

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2003 marked a time when the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) was just an idea in the mind of Kevin Feige. Meanwhile, other studios and directors were experimenting with bringing Marvel characters to life on screen. One such endeavor was the film “Hulk,” directed by Ang Lee who would later win an Oscar for his work in “Brokeback Mountain” (2005). While “Hulk” had its merits, it’s worth noting that Lee incorporated comic-like scene transitions, delivered impressive special effects, and aimed to develop a captivating story centered around Eric Bana’s character, Bruce Banner.

However, Hulk lacked the required gamma strength to dominate the box office, particularly during the month when Pixar debuted Finding Nemo. Although it started strongly, its second week saw a significant drop, with things deteriorating further afterwards. Nonetheless, one aspect of Hulk’s influence has persisted beyond its cinematic relevance and surpassed its initial popularity: the iconic Hulk Hands.

In early 2003, Hulk Hands, replica foam fists modeled after the character Hulk from the movie, appeared in stores as a promotional item. These toys were produced by Toy Biz, who drew inspiration from their successful toy Spider-Man web shooters from the previous year. The unique feature of these gloves was that they made smashing noises and emitted Hulk growls when the user struck something.

It’s no surprise that Hulk Hands became an immediate sensation, and the excitement about them soon turned into a mania. By the mid-2000s, you couldn’t escape seeing Hulk Hands in popular culture, even featuring in the 2008 hit comedy starring Will Ferrell, Step Brothers.

Two decades on, I still occasionally spot Hulk Hands gracing the shelves of toy stores – yes, even as recent as 2024 in Deadpool & Wolverine, Wade Wilson himself made a nod to these timeless playthings.

Despite Hulk potentially being the strongest character, it’s worth considering Marvel’s other massive, rugged hero, Ben Grimm, aka The Thing.

In 2005, Old Ben Grimm received a share of the profits from Toy Biz’s Thing Hands, which were essentially Hulk Hands with an orange and rocky texture. Now, as the Fantastic Four prepare for their highly anticipated Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in July’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Hasbro has revisited a source that has yet to run dry.

Using Marvelous News, Hasbro is planning to release the Thing’s Clobberin’ FX Fists in August, aiming to rekindle the enchantment that was created back in 2003.

As stated in Hasbro’s product description for Thing Clobberin’ FX Fists, these foam hands produce a ‘thudding’ or ‘cracking’ sound upon impact with hard objects, making playtime more realistic and fun. Here is the original text for reference: “The foam hands make ‘smashing sounds’ when hit against solid surfaces.

Children can role-play as the indestructible Thing from Marvel’s Fantastic Four with the Clobberin’ FX Fists! Pretend you’re leaping into action like the Thing, and these toys allow you to do just that. Kids aged 5 and above can wear the Clobberin’ FX Fists and make punching motions in the air or on a hard surface to trigger impact sounds. Repeated punches will unleash amplified sound effects! The design of these fists is inspired by Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four: First Steps, part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, making it a great tool for kids to reenact memorable scenes and create their own interstellar adventures. To ensure safety, the fists are made of soft foam material, and built-in grips keep them secure during playtime.

It’s yet unclear if Clobberin’ FX Fists can spark the same enthusiasm among consumers as Hulk Hands did in the past. However, given the intense interest in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, it’s not impossible that they could. The excitement for

It’s quite possible that both young and older viewers might leave the theater deeply impressed with Thing Clobberin’ FX Fists, especially if Ben delivers an outstanding performance in the movie and becomes a beloved character among fans. Given his charm, this seems like an achievable goal for the Ever-Lovin’ Blue-Eyed Thing.

In addition to the Thing-based product, Hasbro’s First Steps collection also includes the Marvel Legends series, which features a Ben Grimm action figure among its selection of six-inch scale characters.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps” opens in cinemas on July 25th. Ebon Moss-Bachrach, known for his role in “The Bear,” brings Ben Grimm to life by acting physically when Ben is human and using motion capture technology when the character is changed into a monstrous rock creature due to cosmic rays.

The main characters besides Pedro Pascal portraying Reed Richards, Vanessa Kirby playing Sue Storm, and Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm are also included. The antagonist to this family will be Ralph Ineson in the role of Galactus, with Julia Garner taking on the Silver Surfer, who serves as Galactus’s wave-catching henchman from space.

Why Is The Thing So Beloved?

Introduced in the November 1961 issue of the groundbreaking comic “The Fantastic Four” #1, Benjamin J. Grimm is Reed Richards’ dearest friend and a naturally gifted aviator who later becomes Alicia Masters’ devoted spouse. Despite these impressive accolades, Ben often struggles with his own body. Unlike the other members of the Fantastic Four whose powers were unaffected by their spaceflight in terms of physical appearance, Ben underwent a transformation into a large, orange-skinned humanoid form made of rock.

Overwhelmed by his transformation, Ben grapples with feeling like a monster, but in actuality, nothing could be more incorrect. Despite his short temper and extraordinary strength, Ben possesses a heart as tender as gold. Again and again, Ben has proven himself a dedicated member of the Fantastic Four, willing to go to extremes to safeguard his loved ones – an action often signaled by Ben’s battle cry, “It’s time for some smashing!

Among the Fantastic Four, The Thing stands out as a breakthrough character, garnering immense popularity within the team. In fact, he starred in his own Saturday morning cartoon during the early 1980s.

In films, however, The Thing hasn’t been warmly embraced by critics. His debut in a significant movie production was in Fantastic Four, which premiered in 2005 under the direction of Tim Story, who is also known for Barbershop. Michael Chiklis, an actor who was then basking in the success of his lead role in the critically praised police series The Shield, took on the part of The Thing in this film.

As a die-hard movie enthusiast, I must say that Michael Chiklis’ performance was truly captivating, despite the restrictive foam latex suit that enveloped him from head to toe in the original Fantastic Four movie. However, even Chikls’ exceptional acting skills couldn’t rescue a film that faced both critical and fan backlash. Still, the box office success of Fantastic Four was sufficient to warrant a sequel in 2007 – Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. In this installment, improvements were made to the Thing costume, making it more comfortable and allowing Chiklis greater mobility. Regrettably, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer earned less than its predecessor, leading Fox to abandon plans for another sequel.

As a devoted cinephile, I must confess that if die-hard Marvel fans were left unimpressed by 20th Century Fox’s earlier take on the Fantastic Four, they were in for a real treat with the 2015 franchise reboot. Dubbed “Fantastic Four” but infamously known as “Fan4stic”, this film certainly had its unique title layout that sparked some amusement among fans.

Initially, Josh Trank was appointed as director for the movie, and at 29 years old, he had a distinct vision for the project. However, during production, Trank’s behavior became unpredictable, leading Fox to intervene eventually. The final product of his work turned out to be a peculiar mix of Trank’s creative input and studio interference. It could be said that Jamie Bell’s character, The Thing, was the one who endured the most as a result of these circumstances.

The character Ben in the film was given life through motion capture technology, an innovative approach at the time; however, many found his appearance to be highly criticized – he was essentially a nude, giant, chicken-like figure in the movie, which was titled Fantastic Four. This production by Fox unfortunately turned out to be a significant and widely-discussed flop.

It’s great news that Marvel Studios regained control over the Fantastic Four movie rights some time ago. This seems to be leading to the production of “The Fantastic Four: First Steps“, which appears to be a return to the original concept for this legendary superhero team.

1) Fans are already excited about Ebon Moss-Bachrach’s portrayal of the Thing, and it’s expected that this character will be a major topic of conversation for Marvel fans. The wait is almost over as “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” is set to hit theaters soon.

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2025-06-17 19:06