Marvel Knights: 4 #22
The Yancy Street Golem
Ben Urich and Jessica Jones of the Pulse newspaper are investigating a series of strange attacks that have been happening on Yancy Street. Suspecting that this muscle is super-powered they have called in the Thing, who grew up on Yancy Street to help them solve the mystery. They explain that nine people have been injured so far from large heavy objects being dropped on them from the buildings above. The only clue they have is that the attacks happen on rainy evenings. Ben agrees to walk around the neighborhood to see if he can attract the attackers’ attention while Ben and Jessica follow up on other leads to the story. Ben is concerned because the Jones woman is pregnant, but she assures him that she can handle herself.
As Ben walks down the rainy streets of Yancy Street he thinks about that attacker’s tactics. It reminds him of a similar style of attack the Yancy Street Gang would engage in when he was a kid. When a rival gang member was on their turf, the gang would pelt him with rotten produce and rocks from the rooftops and eventually swarm him and leave him back on his own street as a warning to others, but they never seriously hurt anybody. Lost in thought, the Thing is suddenly struck in the head with a chunk of rock. Furious, he strips off his hat and jacket to face his attacker. He briefly glimpses a massive form on the roof before it pulls away from view.
The Thing races to the roof and comes face to face with his attacker: A Golem of Jewish myth that is slowly coming apart in the rain. While the Thing battles it out with the creature, Urich and Jessica Jones meet with Mrs. Lowe a local who explains that her husband had brought the Golem to Yancy Street from the "old country" to defend the resident Jews from their enemies. However as time went on, the enemies they couldn't handle disappeared and Mrs. Lowe's husband buried the Golem beneath a building where it remained undisturbed for decades until rainwater seeping into the building foundation allowed the Golem to revert back to a softer state to move around. Without any direction or guidance, the Golem then started to attack those it perceived as a threat to the neighborhood.
The Thing continues to fight the Golem when he thinks back to the early days just after his transformation into the Thing. Ben recalls how Reed told him he was stronger and more durable than ever before and that only exceptional beings using magic could be able to harm him. This causes Ben to realize what he's facing and causes the Golem to take a pause when he calls it "Joseph". With the battle over, the Thing then convinces the Golem that times have changed and the Golem is no longer needed to protect his people as they have a new protector -- The Thing. Ben then leads the Golem out into the East River where it walks off and dissolves in the waters below. When Ben Urich and Jessica Jones catch up to him, Ben is unhappy with the conclusion of the evening and tells them never to call him for help again.
Recurring Characters
Thing, Ben Urich, Jessica Jones, Mister Fantastic (in flashback)
Continuity Notes
The Thing's connection to Yancy Street has been known since Fantastic Four #15. He was identified as a former member of the Yancy Street Gang in Thing #1.
Jessica Jones is depicted as pregnant in this story which occurred after a one-night-stand with Luke Cage in Alias #1. Jones discovered she was pregnant in Alias #28. She eventually gives birth to her daughter in The Pulse #13.
