Freak (Marvel Comics)

Freak
Cover to Iron Man #3 starring the Freak
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	(As Hogan): Tales of Suspense #45 (September 1963) (As Freak): Tales of Suspense #74 (February 1966)
Created by	Stan Lee Gene Colan
In-story information
Alter ego	Happy Hogan
Abilities	Ability to absorb large doses of cobalt radiation and discharge them from his hands

Freak
Interior art for Iron Man (vol. 1) #21
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Iron Man (vol. 1) #21 (January 1970)
Created by	David Anthony Kraft Rich Buckler
In-story information
Alter ego	Gideon Cross

Freak is the name of three fictional characters in the Marvel Universe. Two are associated with Iron Man, while the most recent version appears in The Amazing Spider-Man.

Happy first appears as the Freak in Tales of Suspense #74–76 (February–April 1966), by Stan Lee and Gene Colan. He appears as the Freak again in later Iron Man issues.

Eddie March first appears as the Freak in Iron Man #67 (April 1974), by Mike Friedrich and George Tuska.

The third Freak first appears in The Amazing Spider-Man #552 and was created by Bob Gale and Phil Jimenez.

The first Freak is an alter-ego of Happy Hogan, a friend of Iron Man (Tony Stark).

When Happy Hogan becomes desperately ill, doctors try to cure him using a cobalt ray machine powered by Stark's experimental Enervator device. Instead, Happy mutates into a giant, savage, nearly mindless, superhumanly strong humanoid known as Freak. Though he is restored to his normal self, Hogan turns into the Freak several times after being exposed to cobalt on several occasions.

The second Freak was Eddie March, another friend of Tony Stark.

While wearing the Iron Man armor, Eddie March is badly injured in a fight with Thor. Stark decides to use the Enervator on Eddie in a desperate attempt to save him. Though Stark takes precautions to prevent the device from transforming Eddie into a monstrous creature, Eddie nonetheless becomes a new Freak. Stark, as Iron Man, tries to subdue him, while simultaneously protecting him from the police. He is able to knock the Freak out with a few nerve punches. Once unconscious, Freak reverts to human form and Thor's alter ego Dr. Donald Blake is able to operate on March to save his life.