Often, people with disabilities are seen to be grotesque, an object to be stared at and visually consumed—taken apart. (ESPINOZA & TENORIO, 2022, p.576)
The number of times people ask Ben Grimm (The Thing) if he wants to be Ben again reinforces the internal view Ben has of himself that he is a monster.
The four individuals who experience the same accident and gain superhuman abilities react differently. Johnny’s response is portrayed as selfish and impulsive because he soaks up the fame and uses every opportunity to display his powers.
Johnny says to Reed,
“What if we got powers for a reason like a higher calling?…. You know what, Reed, this is who we are. Accept it. Or better yet, enjoy it.” (Fantastic Four, 2005)
Otherness
Ben’s reaction is focused on his anger being justified. He is different from the others. He can’t turn his rock form off and pretend to be clumsy and unassuming.
He is too large for some furniture, lacking fingers and dexterity for tasks.
And as Butler explains, being in on the secret identity allows readers to laugh at the theater of physical comedy.
But, when it is no longer a person’s choice to drop and spill items. Instead, those are the challenges of inaccessibility. It’s not funny because it stems from being left out, and that’s a more serious matter.
Impact of Visual Shorthand
From Erik Mclean on Unsplash
Comics are a unique art form that can be misunderstood because of their use of visual storytelling. To make superheroes super, they must be someone who invites a reader to stare and watch these adventures. But,
“The advent of the camera eliminated the personal relationship between the spectator and the spectacle, allowing the observer to view a photograph with the same impunity as the reader of a comic book. By doing so, a spectacle such as the freak. (Butler, 2019, p. 95)
The Thing’s design invites staring due to its lack of recognizable skin and blocky, large stature. Few characters resemble him and cannot revert to their stereotypical human selves.
Being a Monster
A notable comparison would be Hulk and Bruce Banner. The Hulk side is dehumanized to serve only the purpose of destruction, being less evolved and less logical than the scientist Bruce Banner.
Ben is still known for having a good heart, which makes him appear more like a victim of his rock form because he’s not a monster.
In Fantastic Four (2005), when Ben is angry, he waits in the Baxter Building for Reed to come back with Sue, and his first words when Reed & Sue become speechless as they walk in are “Yeah, I have that effect on people.”
He confronts Reed with
“Do you remember what you swore to do with every breath of your body? Reed, look at me! I spent my whole life protecting you for what, so you could play Twister with your girlfriend while I’m the freak of the week!”
His anger is directed towards Reed because he’s the one who recruited Ben for the mission. And Reed is the one who decided to become a member of the Fantastic Four, in an attempt to make Ben less ostracized: that decision and his promise set up Ben to need saving. The savior complex can be for any minority.
Connection Between Fame and the Monster
White Saviors are very common; the popular Avatar film franchise centers on that plot point. A savior is needed to bring change to a less fortunate person or group.
They need to change to be “better”.
I put ‘better’ in air quotes to emphasize that ‘better’ is based on predominant norms such as actions or language. Historically, these “freaks” were placed on display to inspire curiosity and fear, promoted by circus barkers who presented the disabled as alien or inhuman, exotic, and sometimes threatening. (Butler, 2019, p. 94)
The Public Perception
The circus environment encourages staring and laughter at freaks. The model monetizes disabilities. And making the Fantastic Four celebrities open doors for more scrutiny and attention. The focus on Ben’s monstrous form gives Reed the license to be a scientist and savior, righting a wrong. Johnny is the one who enjoys fame and wants to use his powers, finding his capabilities from the beginning.
References
Butler, B. (2019). It’s Okay to Stare: Visual and Unseen Disabilities in Comic Book Super Heroes. Journal of Science Fiction, 3(2), 93-107. https://publish.lib.umd.edu/index.php/scifi/article/view/355/685
Espinoza, M. D., & Tenorio, A. S. (2022). Defining disability: Creating a monster? The Journal of Medicine and Philosophy: A Forum for Bioethics and Philosophy of Medicine, (47), 573-582. https://doi.org/10.1093/jmp/jhac019