Quick Links
Becoming a mainstream behemoth thanks to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, superheroes are all the rage nowadays. Going from being a more niche, nerdy genre of media, superheroes and comics books have begun to dominate the landscape with series like The Avengers, The Boys, Invincible, and Doom Patrol. Whether it be John Cena and The Rock taking part in DC's Extended Universe as Peacemaker and Black Adam, or Batista playing Drax in the Guardians of the Galaxy, wrestling has found its way into the fold as well. Looking to the past, there is a certain wrestler that has had ties to Marvel Comics, that being the Immortal Hulk Hogan. Appearing in a few issues of Marvel Comics, the WWE Hall of Famer will be forever a part of Earth-616 in Marvel Canon.
RELATED: 10 Wrestlers You Totally Forgot Pulled Off A Marvel Cosplay
Hulk Hogan Had A Cameo In An Iron Man Comic
Celebrity cameos are nothing new to comic books, and have always been a thing. Looking back to a 1988 issue of Iron Man Volume 1, wrestling fans would be treated to just that in the form of a cameo from one of the biggest names to ever lace up a pair of boots. That's right, Hulk Hogan himself would appear in Issue 227 of Iron Man that year, though he would not be rocking his iconic red and yellow ring attire and instead would be sporting a suit. Also, somewhat shocking, Hogan would be presented in the comic as Terry Bollea instead of his wrestling alter-ego.
For those wondering what exactly Hogan was doing in an Iron Man comic during the late 1980s, he was simply a celebrity cameo that happened to catch Tony Stark sporting his Iron Man suit during a battle against the character Beetle. Hogan would not be alone in his cameo either, as he would be joined by Michael J. Fox, Don Johnson, and fellow WWE Hall of Famer, Donald Trump, as other celebrity cameos in this same issue.
RELATED: Sasha Banks' Spider-Man Gear & 9 Other Forgotten Comic Inspired Attire
Hulk Hogan Wrestled The Incredible Hulk
If a brief cameo in Iron Man wasn't enough for fans, Marvel Comics would take things a step further by having their own Incredible Hulk battle the Immortal Hulk Hogan during an issue of Marvel Comics Presents. Released in 1990, The Hulk would be presented in his Joe Fixit persona, a smarter version of the character who was trying to erase the past of his life as The Hulk. In the comic, Hulk Hogan, or at least someone bearing a striking resemblance to the WWE Legend, would appear as a wrestler named "The Incredible Hulk".
As Fixit was wishing to rid the world of mentions of his past persona, he would challenge the wrestler to a match. In a fun twist, Hogan's character would be subject to a squash match as his strength was no match for the genuine, otherworldly, super-human strength of the Marvel Comics icon. It would be a fairly inconsequential moment in the comics, though it makes for a fun look back at the past and how Marvel was able to poke fun at The Hulkster through their own way.
RELATED: 10 WWE Wrestlers & Their Marvel/DC Counterparts
Happy Hogan Is Not Based On Hulk Hogan
While Hulk Hogan has never appeared in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a character from the Iron Man comics with a similar name has; Happy Hogan. Played by Jon Favreau, the director of the first two Iron Man films and one of the heads of The Mandalorian, which WWE's Sasha Banks' featured in, Happy Hogan is the bodyguard for Tony Stark. In the comics, Hogan's background would be in boxing, something somewhat close to professional wrestling, and something that would be hinted at during Iron Man 2.
Though he would suit up as Iron Man in the comics, the big-screen version of the character has never suited up for battle in costume, something that The Hulkster would have surely loved to do. While the names are similar, both featuring the alliteration pattern of the double "H", it does seem to be more of a coincidence than a planned reference. Still, based off of Hogan's past rants, ramblings, and blatant lies, one could see him saying that Happy Hogan was based off of himself in the future.
