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History

"Penny" was the nurse to Ben Grimm's uncle, Jacob Grimm, who was recuperating from an accident which took the life of his wife. Petunia married the much older Jacob and together they helped raised the orphaned Ben Grimm. Petunia and her husband later moved to Benson, Arizona, where they worked in a small clinic.[2]

Petunia kept contact with Ben during his Fantastic Four days, once sending him a striped tie which was not at all of his liking.[3] Eventually, Petunia visited New York City to ask the Fantastic Four to help with a mystery in her hometown of Benson. This was the first time other members of the Fantastic Four had met Ben's oft mentioned aunt.[2]

When the Fantastic Four were confronted by the Marquis of Death and The Thing taunted him mentioning his Aunt Petunia, the villain teleported himself and Ben to Petunia's home, and abruptly murdered her, turning her to a pile of bones.[4] Despite her untimely demise, Petunia resurfaced years later alive, when she attended Ben's wedding with Alicia Masters in the company of Jake.[5]

Attributes

Power Grid[9]
:Category:Power Grid/Fighting Skills/Poor:Category:Power Grid/Energy Projection/None:Category:Power Grid/Durability/Normal:Category:Power Grid/Speed/Normal:Category:Power Grid/Strength/Normal:Category:Power Grid/Intelligence/Learned

Notes

  • In her first appearances, Petunia was portrayed as an adult woman in her prime, in contrast to Jake Grimm being much older than her. When Petunia reappeared in Fantastic Four (Vol. 6) #5, this age gap was significantly reduced, and Petunia was portrayed in Jake's age range.

Trivia

  • In the short story "This is a plot?" published in Fantastic Four Annual #5, a crowd of unnamed fans raid Marvel's offices asking Stan and Jack "Where's Spidey?" and "The heck with them! I wanna meet Aunt Petunia!",[6] suggesting the popularity of the unseen Petunia at that moment.
  • The credits box of Fantastic Four #169 describe the first page as symbolic but the authors "got a whole honest-to-Aunt-Petunia non-symbolic story to go with it."
  • In the story The Challenge of Dr. Doom! published in Fantastic Four #236 and taking place on Earth-78909, Doctor Doom destroys a flower vase to make his point. The Thing angrily says "Don't try that again, buster! I'm partial ta petunias!" which may or not may be a reference to his aunt.
  • When young Ben was sick, Petunia used to give him a jelly bean once he had taken his medicine.[7]
  • The following are some of the references to Aunt Petunia The Thing has made over the years:
    • Like my dear ol'aunt Petunia used to say... "You can only die once!" in Fantastic Four #25
    • Wow! There's one of the missin' city blocks! Like my dear ol' aunt Petunia used to say... "Some guys'll steal anything! in Fantastic Four #31
    • Reed: Benjamin, didn't your dear old aunt Petunia ever tell you that silence is golden?? Thing: Nah... She never stopped talkin' long enough to say anything! in Fantastic Four #32
    • (thinking:) Wow-eee! as my dear ol' Aunt Petunia used to say-- "You're almost as lucky as you are beautiful, Benjamin!" in Strange Tales #127; reprinted as a flashback in Fantastic Four #154
    • I might as well be talking' to my aunt Petunia! He (Johnny) just aint with it now! in Fantastic Four #45
    • Lady, you're getting even dizzier than my ol'Aunt Petunia! in Fantastic Four #47
    • (thinking:) An' now, as my dear ol' aunt Petunia mighta said-- (out loud:) It's clobberin' time! in Fantastic Four #48
    • But what in the name o'my swingin'Aunt Petunia izz's all about??! in Fantastic Four #61
    • Then who in the name'a Aunt Petunia can it be? and If anyone's gonna do any destroyin' around here, Aunt Petunia's blushing' blue-eyed nephewn Benjamin is gonna git first crack at it... dig? in Fantastic Four #63
    • Okay, buttercup -- ya made yer point! Now leggo that ship or I'll demolish ya-- in the name'a my ever-lovin' Aunt Petunia! in Fantastic Four #64
    • Hey! Fer the luvva Aunt Petunia!! All I tried to do wuz create a vacuum-- like when they douse an oil well fire by settin' off a dynamite charge Waddaya figger went wrong? in Fantastic Four #65
    • Well, fer the luvva Aunt Petunia -- he's really gonna help us! in Fantastic Four #76
    • Now that ya talked us into stayin' here in the micro-world to fight Psycho-Man... how in the name'a Aunt Petunia are we gonna find 'im? in Fantastic Four #77
    • Like my dear ol'Aunt Petunia would say--well, waddaya know?!! in Fantastic Four Annual #6
    • Hypnotic spell, my Aunt Petunia! There ain't nuthin' I can't punch my way outa... ! in Fantastic Four #83
    • I wouldn't even let that old crow take care'a my Aunt Petunia! in Fantastic Four #94
    • Hey! How in the name'a Aunt Petunia did that happen? in Fantastic Four #103
    • Reed: We'll let Auntie take care of it. Ben: Auntie? If you've turned my dear ol' Aunt Petunia into a day-laborer, I'll--- Huhn?? in Fantastic Four #119
    • Yer gonna put the kibosh on Aunt Petunia's favorite nephew? in Fantastic Four #119
    • Medusa: The description could fit only one creature-- Dragon-Man! Ben: Ya ever get a look at my Aunt Petunia? Ya talk about mugs--! in Fantastic Four #134
    • Johnny: Oh well--"C'est la vie," as my French prof always said. Flame on! Ben: Or, as my dear ol'Aunt Petunia useta say, on days when she got tired of clichés-- It's about that time! in Fantastic Four #156
    • Oh, I'm gettin' outta here all right--but not thru no back door! Or, as my ol' Aunt Petunia useta say, on alternate days-- Geronimo! in Fantastic Four #162
    • Me, I got some plain an' fancy clobberin' ta take care of-- and', as my dear ol' Aunt Petunia useta say-- There's no time like the present! She hadda real way with words! in Fantastic Four #165
    • What in the name'a Aunt Petunia? in Fantastic Four #166
    • Why you overblow pile o' scrap iron, I'll -- Hey! What in the name of Aunt Petunia's goin' on here? in Super-Villain Team-Up #5
    • What in the name o' Aunt Petunia--?! in Super-Villain Team-Up #6
    • Huh? Where in the name'a Aunt Petunia am I? I thought mebbe I died an' went ta heaven but then how come I'm lookin' at your ugly kisser, Stretcho? in Fantastic Four Annual #11
    • "Might," my Aunt Petunia! If this ain't a trap, I'm a ring-tailed baboon! in Fantastic Four #176
    • What in the name'a Aunt Petunia? in Fantastic Four #181
    • (Sue:) That was very sweet of you, Ben! (Ben:) Sweet, my Aunt Petunia!! Just lemme get my mitts on the mugs what snatched my only godson, doll -- an' I'll show ya sweet revenge! in Fantastic Four #185
    • Sweet Aunt Petunia--It's takin' off! in Fantastic Four #201
    • Aunt Petunia's girdle! What's happening'? in Fantastic Four #202
    • Pal, as my Aunt Petunia useta say... if they slam all the doors in ye rface -- go right on in through the wall! in Marvel Two-In-One #52
    • What in the name 'a Aunt Petunia's girdle?!? He just brushed us aside like we wuz nothin'! from Fantastic Four #208
    • ‘’Yeah, an’ my Aunt Petunia ain’t a septuagenarian! Well, that is . . . she ain’t!’’ from ‘’Incredible Hulk’’ #278
    • Didja hear that clown! The Nerve! But thank Petunia we finally got rid of 'em, cuz the crazy thing is--I remember goin' through that whole blame conversation not more'n two hours ago... from the other side. from Fantastic Four Annual# 15
    • That's it? One punch and it turns into my Aunt Petunia's rock garden? Boy, they sure ain't building rock monsters the way they used ta! in Fantastic Four #232
    • Awright--Somebody made a big mistake if they think they can mess with Petunia Grimm's favorite nephew! Who's in... charge... You! in Fantastic Four #246
    • I take back what I said earlier--My Aunt Petunia's old Studebaker handles better than this piece-a-junk! We took some tail damage. I think I can compensate for that! How's the Sun holding up? in Fantastic Four #297
    • (Graviton:) I can save the world!. (Ben:) An my Aunt Petunia wears combat boots--! in Fantastic Four #322
    • An ya better be here or I'll sic my sweet Aunt Petunia on ya! in Fantastic Four #333
    • (Iron Man:) Hello, Ben. I wouldn't have recognized you. (Ben:) That's what my Aunt Petunia always says too, Iron Man. in Fantastic Four #337
    • Who in the name of Aunt Petunia is that?! in New Warriors #33
    • As my sweet old Aunt Petunia says, "never overstay a welcome" in Nova v3 #4

See Also

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