Warning: Contains spoilers for X-Men #27!!
Marvel has an impressive roster of heavy hitters, and the X-Men have a claim to a few of the biggest names - including two who can easily take out The Thing. A confrontation between Rasputin and Ben Grimm, with Grimm on the losing end, finally proved that even a fraction of Colossus' strength is enough to take down The Fantastic Four's brawler.
In X-Men #27 – by Gerry Duggan, Phil Noto, and Clayton Cowles – a small group of mutants, led by Rasputin IV, head to Ben Grimm's farm in an attempt to get answers from Reed Richards about hiding the X-Gene.
When Grimm tries to stop Rasputin, she effortlessly knocks him off his feet, showing off her incredible strength, while also giving insight into the true level of Colossus' powers.
Colossus is Already Among Marvel's Strongest Heroes
Rasputin IV is a mutant chimera created by Mr. Sinister. She possesses only a portion of Colossus' power – as he's one of five different mutants used to make her – yet that portion is more than enough to send the Thing flying backward, as soon as he confronts her. Rasputin doesn't break a sweat, which means it'd be even less effort for Colossus to do the same, should he ever need to. Colossus wasn't present when Rasputin took down Ben Grimm, but he has plenty of impressive feats under his belt to prove it was no fluke. He's fought all manner of enemies, including Worldbreaker Hulk and Juggernaut.
Colossus' strength isn't always enough to overcome his enemies, but he's still left standing at the end and ready to fight another day. Moreover, if something ignites his anger, or passion, Colossus reaches a new level of strength, pushing beyond what he's typically willing or able to do. X-Men #211 – by Chris Claremont, John Romita Jr, and Bret Blevins – illustrates this perfectly. As many of his fellow X-Men are injured, including Shadowcat, Piotr breaks his own no-kill rule and snaps Riptide's neck. Winning a battle isn't always entirely about strength, and Colossus has proved he's as full of surprises.
Strength Doesn't Always Doesn't Guarantee Victory
The debate over who would win between X-Men's Colossus and Fantastic Four's Thing is hardly new; in fact, it's been raging since both characters were introduced. Circumstances play heavily into who wins, as neither hero is immune to being influenced by what's around them. For instance, Grimm laid out Colossus with a single punch in X-Men / Fantastic Four #2 – by Chip Zdarsky, Terry Dodson, Rachel Dodson, and Laura Martin–- during a heated battle between the Fantastic Four and several of the X-Men, so Piotr doesn't have the upper hand all the time. However, Rasputin's strike showed that, in terms of raw power, the X-Men's Colossus has an advantage over The Thing.
Check out X-Men #27, available now from Marvel Comics!