Yancy Street Gang
Encyclopedia
Gang
A gang is a group of people who, through the organization, formation, and establishment of an assemblage, share a common identity. In current usage it typically denotes a criminal organization or else a criminal affiliation. In early usage, the word gang referred to a group of workmen...
occasionally featured in the Fantastic Four
Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four is a fictional superhero team appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The group debuted in The Fantastic Four #1 , which helped to usher in a new level of realism in the medium...
comic book published by Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
. The Yancy Street Gang was created by Stan Lee
Stan Lee
Stan Lee is an American comic book writer, editor, actor, producer, publisher, television personality, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics....
and Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby , born Jacob Kurtzberg, was an American comic book artist, writer and editor regarded by historians and fans as one of the major innovators and most influential creators in the comic book medium....
, and first appeared in Fantastic Four #15 (June 1963), though mostly off-panel; as in most of their appearances, only their arms are visible as they throw objects at the Thing and yell insults. The gang was first mentioned, although not seen, in Fantastic Four #6. Yancy Street is named in reference to the real Delancey Street, which extends from The Bowery in Manhattan's Lower East Side
Lower East Side
The Lower East Side, LES, is a neighborhood in the southeastern part of the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is roughly bounded by Allen Street, East Houston Street, Essex Street, Canal Street, Eldridge Street, East Broadway, and Grand Street....
eastward to the Williamsburg Bridge
Williamsburg Bridge
The Williamsburg Bridge is a suspension bridge in New York City across the East River connecting the Lower East Side of Manhattan at Delancey Street with the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn at Broadway near the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway...
. However, Yancy Street is seen in Fantastic Four #15 (June 1963) to intersect with 10th Avenue, which is on the west side of Manhattan.
Fictional group history
The gang is depicted as frequenting downtown ManhattanManhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, and serves as a recurring antagonist of the Thing
Thing (comics)
The Thing is a fictional character, a founding member of the superhero team known as the Fantastic Four in the Marvel Comics universe. He was created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee in The Fantastic Four #1...
, tormenting him for typically humorous effect. The gang was originally depicted as composed only of youths, but later depictions have both youth members as well as adult members from an earlier generation, who have passed their grudge against Thing to the younger members.
The adult members of the Yancy Street Gang, all apparently blue-collar workers who still live in the neighborhood, are usually seen tormenting Thing in some way, usually by throwing things at him and shouting abuse whenever he entered Yancy Street. They were also thought to send him booby-trapped parcels, although a retcon
Retcon
Retroactive continuity is the alteration of previously established facts in a fictional work. Retcons are done for many reasons, including the accommodation of sequels or further derivative works in a series, wherein newer authors or creators want to revise the in-story history to allow a course...
in Fantastic Four vol.3, #61, written by Mark Waid
Mark Waid
Mark Waid is an American comic book writer. He is well known for his eight-year run as writer of the DC Comics' title The Flash, as well as his scripting of the limited series Kingdom Come and Superman: Birthright, and his work on Marvel Comics' Captain America...
, revealed that these packages were actually sent by the Human Torch
Human Torch
The Human Torch is a fictional character and superhero appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, he is a member of the superhero team the Fantastic Four, debuting in The Fantastic Four #1...
. Ben Grimm formerly led the gang, and the others, who have retained their loyalty to it even in adulthood, seemingly resent him for having "sold out" and "abandoned" the neighborhood. However, they are generally portrayed as good-natured at heart, and have occasionally helped the Fantastic Four if a supervillain threatens the Street itself or if they think a villain is giving Thing too much trouble (they mentioned "That's our job" in those occasions). They sometimes seem to genuinely like the Thing, if only because he makes such an effective and (sometimes) good-humored target for their pranks; they were quite remorseful when he seemingly died in action in, only to quickly retract the sentiment when he proved to have survived.
Making peace
In The ThingThing (comics)
The Thing is a fictional character, a founding member of the superhero team known as the Fantastic Four in the Marvel Comics universe. He was created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee in The Fantastic Four #1...
#6 (2006 series), Thing
Thing (comics)
The Thing is a fictional character, a founding member of the superhero team known as the Fantastic Four in the Marvel Comics universe. He was created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee in The Fantastic Four #1...
's relationship with Yancy Street was finally reconciled, after the millionaire (following events in the on-going Fantastic Four
Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four is a fictional superhero team appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The group debuted in The Fantastic Four #1 , which helped to usher in a new level of realism in the medium...
comic) Thing donates a state-of-the-art recreational facility to the neighborhood. Initially resentful because they regarded the project as an exercise in ego, they later learned that it was named in honor of the Thing's deceased brother, Daniel Grimm (another Yancy Street Gang alumnus), and they declared the facility to be under their informal protection.
The adult Yancy Street Gang members are traditionally shown in the comics with their faces obscured by the shadows of their hardhats or other headwear. The younger "next generation" Yancy Streeters, however, have been fully seen, including in one story (Fantastic Four #361 "Miracle On Yancy Street!" by Paul Ryan
Paul Ryan (comics)
Paul Ryan Paul Ryan Paul Ryan ((born 23 September 1949 in Massachusetts) is an American comic book and comic strip artist. Ryan has worked extensively for Marvel Comics and DC Comics on a number of super-hero comics. He currently pencils and inks the daily and Sunday comic strip The Phantom for...
& Tom DeFalco
Tom DeFalco
Tom DeFalco is an American comics writer and editor, well known for his association with Marvel Comics and in particular for his work with Spider-Man.-Career:...
) which portrays the Gang with gimmicks and codenames similar to Kirby's DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
kid gangs.
Civil War
The Yancy Street Gang has become deeply involved in Marvel Comics' Civil WarCivil War (comics)
Civil War is a 2006-2007 Marvel Comics crossover storyline built around a self-titled seven-issue limited series written by Mark Millar and penciled by Steve McNiven, which ran through various other titles published by Marvel at the time...
. They are part of a large group of New York citizens protesting the arresting of superheroes who do not wish to register with the United States Government. Ben Grimm becomes involved with the dispute, being asked by police forces to talk with the Gang regulars. Ben meets with Cee, a young man in a leadership position. Both Cee and the police wish for Ben to take a more active role, but he maintains his neutrality. While negotiations are going on, another gang member, Mouse, has become involved with long time FF villains Puppet Master
Puppet Master (comics)
The Puppet Master, real name Phillip Masters, is a fictional character, a supervillain in the Fantastic Four comics. His first appearance was in Fantastic Four volume 1 #8...
and Mad Thinker
Mad Thinker
The Mad Thinker is a fictional character, a supervillain in the . He is a genius specializing in evil robotics and usually comes up with very elaborate infallible devious plans that unfold like clockwork....
. The two men put in motion a plan that brings a superhero prisoner convoy down Yancy Street itself. Though Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
recognizes the potential trouble as the convoy turns in, it is far too late.
Military forces and superheroes on both sides of the Registration Act, some affected by the villains and some fighting with their own agendas, engage in a property-damaging fight. Mouse, not in control of his own mind, drops a bomb into the middle of the fight. In an effort to save lives, Ben Grimm smashes a large, empty truck onto the bomb. This effort fails, as the explosion kills Cee. Ben, furious, hands Cee's body to other gang members and shames the people involved into quitting the fighting.
Fantastic Four: The End
In the alternate future of Fantastic Four: The EndFantastic Four: The End
Fantastic Four: The End is a six-issue comic book limited series published by Marvel Comics, depicting a possible future for the members of the superhero team the Fantastic Four as part of their The End series...
, Ben Grimm has named his daughter Yancy, possibly in honor of the gang.
Television
- The Yancy Street Gang appear in the 1967 Fantastic FourFantastic Four (1967 TV series)Fantastic Four is an animated series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions and the first animated series based on Marvel's comic book series Fantastic Four. The program, featuring character designs by Alex Toth, aired on ABC from 1967 to 1970. It lasted for 20 episodes, with repeat episodes airing...
cartoon.
- In the unique 1979 Hanna-BarberaHanna-BarberaHanna-Barbera Productions, Inc. was an American animation studio that dominated North American television animation during the second half of the 20th century...
Saturday morning cartoon Fred and Barney Meet the ThingFred and Barney Meet the ThingFred and Barney Meet The Thing was a 60-minute Saturday morning animated package show produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions from September 8, 1979 to December 1, 1979 on NBC. It contained the following segments:*The New Fred and Barney Show...
, the Yancy Street Gang (here reimagined as a trio of bikers who like to humiliate the Thing with practical jokes), were recurring, if fairly harmless, antagonists.
- The Yancy Street Gang did not appear in the 1994 Fantastic Four cartoonFantastic Four (1994 TV series)Fantastic Four is the third animated television series based on Marvel's comic book series of the same name. Airing began on September 24, 1994, until ending on February 24, 1996...
itself, but they did appear in the 1996 Incredible Hulk/Fantastic Four crossover episode "Fantastic Fortitude" where they pull a prank on the Thing. After being defeated by the villain Ogress, the Yancy Street Gang (always off camera) distributes leaflets marked "The Thing Beat by a Woman!" from a passing airplane
- The Yancy Street was mentioned in The Super Hero Squad ShowThe Super Hero Squad ShowThe Super Hero Squad Show is an American cartoon series by Marvel Animation. It is based on the Marvel Super Hero Squad action figure line from Hasbro, which portray the characters of the Marvel Universe in a cartoonish super-deformed-style...
episode "If This Be My Thanos!". They are mentioned when Thing was arguing with Hulk on who's the strongest whilst battling with the Skrulls in space.
Video games
- The Yancy Street Gang appear as a common street thug gang in the Ultimate Spider-ManUltimate Spider-Man (video game)Ultimate Spider-Man is a video game based on the comic book of the same name by Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley. The game was released for most sixth generation consoles, including PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, Nintendo DS, Game Boy Advance, and Microsoft Windows, as well as a mobile phone...
video game, where they all get beaten up by Spider-ManSpider-ManSpider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
. None of the gang's members get actually named, nor is a reference to the Thing made (except when one thug says "It's Robberin' time", a play on the Thing's catchphrase "It's clobberin' time").
- The Yancy Street Gang also appear in the Fantastic FourFantastic Four (video game)Fantastic 4 is an beat 'em up action-adventure video game based on the Fantastic Four film. Players play as the characters of the Fantastic Four using combos and special attacks to fight their way through hordes of enemies and bosses....
video game (based on the movie). This version is a gang of vicious looking bikers who capture Alicia MastersAlicia MastersAlicia Reiss Masters is a supporting character to the Marvel Comics superheroes the Fantastic Four and Silver Surfer. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, she first appeared in The Fantastic Four #8 ....
in a Thing solo segment.
- There is a Yancy Street in the Marvel section of Universal Studios Islands of Adventure in Orlando.
Non-fiction
- The gang is mentioned, via their adversarial relationship with the Jewish Ben Grimm, in the non-fiction novelNon-fiction novelThe non-fiction novel is a literary genre which, broadly speaking, depicts real historical figures and actual events narrated woven together with fictitious allegations and using the storytelling techniques of fiction. The non-fiction novel is an otherwise loosely-defined and flexible genre...
'From Krakow To Krypton'. This also mentions the gang confronting the villain PowderkegPowderkegPowderkeg is a Marvel Comics supervillain who first appeared in Captain Marvel Special #1.-Fictional character biography:Little is known about the man who became Powderkeg. He was a mercenary hired to steal high-tech circuitry for Brazilian crime lord Kristina Ramos...
when they feel Ben needs assistance.
- Ben's history with the Gang is also examined in 'Up, Up And Oy Vey'.