The Thing: Freakshow #2

Part two of this four-issue Marvel Icons miniseries finds Ben Grimm in a wonderfully disarming moment — the rocky, blue-trunked Thing hunched over a diner counter, massive hamburger in hand and a frothy beer nearby, while a herd of cattle crowds the background behind him. Scott Kolins and Andy Lanning's cover captures an unexpectedly lighthearted side of Marvel's most lovable powerhouse, balancing the absurdity of the scene with genuine warmth. Geoff Johns pens the story, so fans of character-driven Marvel fare have plenty of reason to pick up this 2002 gem.