The Freak: What If...?'s 'Purple Hulk' Has A Tragic History Only Marvel Fans Know
The animated Marvel TV series "What If...?" harbors a unique relationship with Marvel canon. Technically, "What If...?" is canonical to the MCU, but merely through the conceit of its infinite multiverse. The show's hallmark twists on typical Marvel stories are altogether unlikely to cross over with the events of the MCU's principal continuity. That said, "What If...?" Season 2, Episode 3, titled "What If... Happy Hogan Saved Christmas?" is not completely divorced from past Marvel stories. Rather, it pulls key inspiration from its titular character's tragic history, which should already be familiar to seasoned comic book fans.
In the "What If...?" episode, Happy Hogan (voiced by his MCU actor Jon Favreau) accidentally injects himself with a sample of the Hulk's blood. This transforms him into a purple, Hulk-like monster, albeit with a lopsided smile and visible veins as opposed to the Incredible Hulk's smooth-skinned appearance. This isn't merely a creative choice but a reference to the fact that, in Marvel comics, Hogan transforms into a creature called the Freak with a similarly mutated appearance. In fact, the episode's credits refer to this character with the same name, giving this particular entry in Marvel's TV series some grounding in comic book history.
The Freak's debut dates back to the '60s
Happy Hogan first transforms into the Freak in "Tales of Suspense" Vol. 1 #74, published in November 1965. In the previous "Tales of Suspense" issue, Iron Man rescues Hogan from a villain called the Black Knight. Hogan, however, is gravely injured, and at a hospital he receives treatment from a contraption called the Enervation Intensifier. While it successfully saves his life, it also activates a sort of power overload in him, granting him greatly enhanced physical capabilities at the expense of his appearance and intelligence.
In this form Hogan is known as the Freak. Two issues later, Iron Man successfully lures the Freak into the Enervation Intensifier and uses it to transform him back into a human. Hogan returns to his Freak form periodically in subsequent Iron Man storylines, though each time Iron Man is able to successfully revert him back to his human shape.
As the Freak in "What If...?" Hogan retains his mental faculties and acts heroically, unlike in those comic book issues. He also remains the Freak by the episode's end, likewise diverging from the character's history — albeit in a manner that doesn't contradict any existing canon given the episode's place in the multiverse. Nevertheless, Hogan's purple Hulk in "What If...?" Season 2, Episode 3 is an overt callback to a classic Marvel storyline.