Hulk Got Revenge On The Wrestler Who Took His Name
As a lifelong Hulk fan who is not also a fan of professional wrestling, I’ve only ever been annoyed by Terry Gene Bollea–aka the professional wrestler Hulk Hogan–when I’ve run a search on Google, eBay, or Amazon for collectibles of Marvel’s green goliath but get the guy with the handlebar mustache instead. But have you ever wondered what the man-monster himself would think–were he real–of a pro wrestler using his name? In 1990, fan-favorite Hulk scribe Peter David answered the question, by having Bruce Banner’s alter-ego get in the ring with Hogan and throw him and his mustache through the roof.
The Main Event
Marvel used to be all about anthology comics–actually many of their marquee superheroes achieved their initial boosts in popularity in the anthology comics of the ’60s like Strange Tales, Tales to Astonish, and Tales of Suspense. By the ’80s, Marvel didn’t publish a lot of anthology comics anymore, but in 1988 they decided to give the format another shot with Marvel Comics Presents. Each issue had around 4 stories, each with different heroes, and it was in one of these that Hulk and his pro-wrestling counterpart clashed.
The third story in 1990’s Marvel Comics Presents #45 is “The Main Event,” opening on a crowded arena in Las Vegas. While the wrestler we meet is only referred to as “Hulk” and the name “Hogan” never comes up, the art isn’t subtle about who he’s meant to be. Unfortunately for Hogan’s stand-in, the story is set around the same time the gray Hulk resides in Las Vegas, and refers to himself as “Joe Fixit.”
It Isn’t Much Of A Fight
Taking exception to a puny human referring to themselves as the Hulk, Joe Fixit leaps into the ring and ignores the complaints of the referee. The Hogan stand-in is eager to try himself against the gray-skinned strongman, but he doesn’t amount to much. After giving him free reign to try to get him in some kind of wrestling hold, Fixit begins batting him around like cat toy.
Hulk Risks A Lot To Fight Hogan
When the Hulk’s confrontation with the Hogan stand-in happens, most of the world believes the real Hulk is dead. While he hadn’t purposely faked his own death, the Hulk took advantage of the situation in hopes of living out the rest of his life anonymously in Las Vegas as Joe Fixit.
This is important for two reasons. First, the Hulk’s “death”–combined with your average Marvel Universe Joe not knowing Hulk had gone from green to gray even before his “death”–explains why the Hogan stand-in doesn’t recognize him.
Second, it punctuates just how angry the Hulk is about the wrestler using his name. In spite of wanting to remain anonymous, the guy knowingly charges into a televised wrestling match just to humiliate the Hogan stand-in.
The Winner
As you’ve probably already guessed, things don’t go well for faux-Hogan. When he’s finally done toying with him, the Hulk hurls the wrestler through the venue’s roof. He lands (presumably) miles away, in the living room of a fan watching the whole thing on TV.
Be Careful With Names
Of course, the Hulk’s trouncing of the wrestler’s fictional counterpart had little if any real life impact on Hogan, but the story could potentially serve as a warning. If you happen to be an aspiring wrestler, as well as someone who doesn’t want their fictional selves eviscerated in a comic book, maybe stay away from names like “Wolverine Wilson” or “Deadpool Davis.” You never know when an imaginative writer is going to get a grudge.
