Hulk Hogan once had to pay a staggering $750,000 to Marvel Comics, ditching Vince McMahon’s desire amid litigation
Hulk Hogan shed light on how he struggled to get the exclusive rights to his name amid various complications in litigation.
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Vince McMahon and Hulk Hogan (via WhatCulture)
Hulk Hogan is undoubtedly one of the greatest and most venerated figures in the history of pro wrestling. His popularity was at its peak in the 1980s. However, there was a time when the WWE legend caught the attention of the comic book franchise, Marvel. Apparently, there was a similarity between his name and the name of the Marvel superhero, Hulk.
Right after Vince McMahon Sr. passed away, Marvel Comics threatened to sue WWE because they were using the name “Hulk” without permission. Therefore, both parties had a deal and Hogan had to pay one-tenth of the 1% to use his name. This deal spanned from 1985 to 2005.
However, Fightful reported that the Hall of Famer was barred from using the name in 2005, when he was in red-hot form. As a result, Hulk Hogan went to his attorney and told him to do anything to bring the rights to his name back to him. Hogan signed a one-year extension deal, giving up 30% of whatever he made.
Afterwards, WWE and Marvel Comics got into a legal battle about intellectual property. A deal was re-negotiated between both parties, which led to a $750 grand sum paid by Hogan for the total rights to his name. This settlement gave Hulk Hogan exclusive rights to his name.
Hogan revealed that Vince McMahon wanted to get the rights to the name from the Hall of Famer. However, he denied it and kept the rights to the name exclusively to himself. After leaving the WWE in 2007, he was able to use the famous name during his tenure with a rival company, TNA, and in personal ventures as well.
Hulk Hogan sheds light on his real-life issues
WWE legend Hulk Hogan was a key figure in booming the professional wrestling business. Without Hulkamania, there might never have been the Cenation army and the millions of The Rock’s fans. It is a testament to the legend’s importance in the upbringing of the industry.
Despite his in-ring success, Hogan has faced a lot of personal issues throughout his career. In an interview with Theo Van, The Hulkster claimed that he always focused on the wrestling job whenever such issues arose. Facing problems from ex-wives, ex-girlfriends, financial problems, or three or four guys trying to kill him backstage did not stop him from “living in the moment” when it came to in-ring business.
Hogan’s real-life issues have been well documented and publicized. At one point in his career, he received massive heat from co-workers and audiences, including the likes of Randy Savage and Shawn Michaels. But the Hall of Famer is now well past this, reconciling with everyone he had beef with.
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Subhasish Deb
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