Hippo (Marvel)
The Hippo is a male comic supervillain who features in Marvel Comics.
Contents |
Biography
The Hippo was originally a male hippopotamus who lived for twenty years where he came to reside at a zoo where he was named Mrs. Fluffy Lumpkins. This was until one day he was visited by the High Evolutionary who transformed him into one of the New Man before allowing the semi-human creature decide his own life. In time, he came to have a desire for possessions and decided to embark on a life of crime as he could not get a job. One day, he was in the midst of robbing a bank when he was confronted by Spider-Man who bit off his leg leaving the Hippo traumatised from the experience. Afterwards, he met a doctor who went by the name of the Redeemer who recruited a group of other supervillains all of whom had been targeted by 'Spider-Man' and lost limbs in the process. He came to equip them all with cybernetic replacements as they all set forth to get their revenge against 'Spider-Man'. (Dark Reign: The Sinister Spider-Man v1 #2) The Hippo and the others ambushed Gargan in a warehouse after calling in a fake bomb threat; he proved unreceptive to the Redeemer's 'treatment'. After Venom devoured Eleven and savaged Dementoid, the Hippo rammed into him; Gargan countered with a brutal headbutt and tossed the Hippo into General Wolfram. (Dark Reign: The Sinister Spider-Man v1 #3) Later on, Hippo battled Spider-Man and Ronin in midtown Manhattan. While they kept him contained, they could not fell him until they called in Luke Cage, who jumped off a building and landed directly on the Hippo, knocking the villain out. (New Avengers: Luke Cage v1 #1) Afterwards, Doctor Octopus gathered a number of villains, including the Hippo, at the Kravinoff Mansion and promised to give anything to the individual would could bring him the unborn child of Menace who was in reality Lily Hollister. (Amazing Spider-Man v2 #642) The Hippo visited an underground casino that catered to a super-villainous clientele, and ended up doing badly at the tables. When Daredevil and Domino crashed the party, Tiger Shark tried to encourage the Hippo to join him in fighting them, but the Hippo had had enough losses for one night and declined. (X-Men v2 #38)
The Hippo joined the support group Super Villains Anonymous and attended a meeting at church. He listened to Mirage tell his tale of woe, then engaged in a group hug, even offering new reluctant member Boomerang a hug. (Superior Foes of Spider-Man v1 #3) Later on, the Hippo attended another Super Villains Anonymous meeting, and listened to the Grizzly and the Looter tell the group about recent run-ins they'd had with Spider-Man. (Superior Foes of Spider-Man v1 #11) The White Rabbit came to recruit the Hippo to join her Menagerie, alongside fellow-animal themed villains Gypsy Moth and Panda-Mania, to rob a fortune in Faberge eggs from an auction house; Hippo planned to retire on the proceeds. The robbery went off without a hitch, but as they fled into the streets they were spotted by Spider-Man. The Rabbit ordered Hippo and Panda-Mania to use cars to blockade the street to prevent the police from following them - but they did not stop Spider-Man. The Hippo chucked a car at the web-slinger, who dodged it and quickly felled the Hippo, leaving him webbed up for the police with his compatriots. The Hippo and the Menagerie stole a fortune in gems from the Diamond District. As they fled from the scene of the crime, they ran right into Spider-Man. In a hurry to return a missing cellphone, Spider-Man slammed the Hippo's massive head into the pavement and made quick work of the rest of the Menagerie, leaving them webbed to the street.
Unable to maintain his massive need for food and Hippo charged into the Empire State University campus to rob the campus bank, only to find ESU student superheroes Squirrel Girl, Chipmunk Hunk, and Koi Boi already there. He raged against their obvious hippo jokes, then lamented his high cost of living - which necessitated a life of crime. Squirrel Girl empathized, and suggested that with his natural talents, he should look for a job at a demolition company instead. He agreed, as with three superheroes present, robbing that bank would be more trouble than it was worth - but he promised her that if it did not work out, he would come back and literally steal the bank. (Unbeatable Squirrel Girl v1 #6) When the Duplicate Squirrel Girl defeated and sent most of Earth's superhumans to the Negative Zone, she overlooked the Hippo; he, along with Kraven the Hunter, Venom, and Rocket Raccoon were assembled by Squirrel Girl and her allies to make a final stand against DSG. DSG found the Hippo to be 'easily-tossable', but he and the others bought Squirrel Girl enough time to rescue the other superhumans from the Negative Zone and defeat DSG. (Unbeatable Squirrel Girl Beats Up the Marvel Universe! v1 #1)
Overview
Personality and attributes
He noted that originally he had no desires beyond rolling around in the mud and eating grass. This was until his transformation which led to a desire for material possessions. Unable to find a job, he embarked on a life of crime and became a supervillain as a result where he robbed banks for money. (Dark Reign: The Sinister Spider-Man v1 #2)
Powers and abilities
Originally, the Hippo was a simple hippopotamus until he was transformed into a semi-human by the High Evolutionary. This led to a humanoid form that had enhanced strength and endurance along with an increased intellect. (Dark Reign: The Sinister Spider-Man v1 #2)
Notes
- The Hippo was created by Brian Reed, Chris Bachalo and Tim Townsend where he made his first appearance in Dark Reign: The Sinister Spider-Man v1 #1 (August, 2009).
In other media
Television
- In Spider-Man, the Hippo made his first appearance in the 2017 animated television series in the episode "Bring on the Bad Guys Pt. 1" where he was voiced by actor Zack Shada. This version was a humanoid hippopotamus but sported a cybernetic leg where he worked as muscle to his partner Panda-Mania with the pair working as supervillain criminals in Toledo.
Appearances
- Dark Reign: The Sinister Spider-Man: (2009)
- Amazing Spider-Man v2:
External Links
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