Hulu's newest Marvel show is a different breed than what comic fans have been watching
on Disney+, putting the focus on a very unlikely leading man, MODOK. The Marvel Comics references
come as fast as the jokes in "MODOK," and it's hard to catch them all. Here's a look at all the
Easter eggs you may have missed. Meet Scorpion
We see AIM Scientist Supreme Monica Rappaccini's daughter, Carmilla Black, in a couple of scenes
throughout the season, mostly interacting with MODOK's son, Lou. Anyone unfamiliar with the
character would be forgiven for not paying the design of her outfit much attention,
as it goes with her goth attire, but her white scorpion is a hint to her future comics persona.
In the comics, Monica messed with her daughter's genetic makeup, which becomes apparent to the
teenager when her toxin powers manifest and cause Carmilla to kill her boyfriend at their
prom. She takes up the name Scorpion and looks to avenge the people she believed to be her parents,
working for both sides and even being sent to track down her own mother at
one point. It's an interesting relationship, to say the least.
"Save me, Joy Division."
Early in the season, MODOK sets out to find "his" time machine,
but we learn that it was actually Monica who built it. The device — or at least the
Celestial Chrono Crystal that powers it — becomes a huge part of the show's plot. At some point,
the device was apparently confiscated by SHIELD, which means MODOK must break onto a
Helicarrier to retrieve the time machine in an effort to save his relationship.
One not-so-clever disguise later, and MODOK is looking through boxes in a SHIELD storage locker,
finding all sorts of nifty things from across the Marvel universe. Fans of the X-Men movies
probably perked up at the mention of the Cerebro, but MODOK pulling out the Ultimate Nullifier is
a great little Easter egg for diehard Marvel comics fans. It was used by the Fantastic Four
to convince Galactus not to mess with Earth, so it's pretty important, which is why MODOK's casual
dismissal of it is so perfect. X-Men haul
Episode 4 has MODOK form a team for a heist, but first, they have to retrieve team member
Tenpin's exploding pins, which takes the crew to the "Always Darkest Before the Pawn" pawn shop.
It's a great setup for spotting familiar items from the Marvel Universe, like Ant-Man's helmet.
The real treat in this shop, however, is all of the X-Men memorabilia. The
Nightcrawler plushie behind the counter is cute and easy enough to spot, but keen-eyed
viewers will also notice that the mask on the counter belongs to a Hellfire Club soldier,
Magik's SoulSword mounted on the wall, and Dazzler's silver skates from her performing days.
Fin Fang Foom is a bit of a silly character in the eyes of most fans,
but he's also one that's been around for quite a long time: A product of the 1960s,
he debuted in "Strange Tales" #89. This shape-shifting alien's most widely known
form resembles that of a Chinese dragon, helping him on a mission to conquer Earth.
In "MODOK," Austin takes MODOK to a restaurant called Fin Fang Farm to Table,
where he cooks the food with his fire breath. This may seem like a simple joke using his name and
dragon-like abilities, but it's also a reference to a comics story in 2005's "Fin Fang Four,"
where Foom reforms and becomes a chef, working inside the Fantastic Four's Baxter Building.
In another episode, MODOK has a dream about flying on Foom and cheering,
looking down at his utopian city. This is a reference to 1984's "The Neverending Story"
and it's a moment that will stir some major nostalgia for people who grew up
with it — at least until MODOK's dream ends abruptly and we see the state his life is in.
Even MODOK loves to socialize and drink with his fellow villainous scum, but the big names aren't
down for partying with him. This brings him to the Bar With No Name, a joint that has become rather
infamous in the comics — not just because of its clientele, but for the violence that tends to
occur there. Usually, this particular haven acts as a safe spot, but that doesn't always work out.
For the version viewers are shown in "MODOK," we get quite the array of B-list villain guest stars.
Armadillo, Melter, Angar the Screamer, Poundcakes, and Tenpin all play into the plot, while Whirlwind
makes an appearance and Orb acts as the bartender. It's an amusing introduction to a list of usually
forgettable characters whose hijinks eventually lead the audience to also see Mandrill — and much
more of him than most probably wanted to. The Thing's gang
The Thing is a founding member of the Fantastic Four and someone who
has helped save the world his fair share of times,
but many out there feel ol' Ben Grimm has never truly received the respect he deserves.
"MODOK" only gives him the smallest of nods, with his fist appearing as part of a commercial
advertising alcohol with Wolverine's distinctive claw. But if you look closely,
the Thing also gets one other brief nod.
When MODOK and his group are riding the subway,
some graffiti plastered above them reads "Yancy Street Gang Rules." This
is a reference to a local group from Ben's old neighborhood who are not necessarily criminals,
but more mischief-makers and serial harassers who have it out for the Thing.
David Cannon is a mutant supervillain better known as Whirlwind. He pops up a couple of
times in MODOK wearing all green armor with sawblades, but he doesn't have much to do
with the overall narrative. There is, however, a fun reference to the character's comics origin.
Just before Melissa, MODOK's daughter, wrenches Whirlwind's arm and slams his face onto the bar,
he's trying to congratulate her on a great triple axel she pulled off.
"Hey! Congrats on that triple axel. I get a real pleasure out of watching you skate."
Formerly known as the Human Top, Whirlwind was also a figure skater at one point, back when his
criminal exploits were just beginning to blossom.
"MODOK" is full of guest stars, fun cameos, and brief sightings that aren't necessarily hard to
spot, but not all of these are exactly well-known characters, even for fans of the comics.
"We're saying you're not a top-tier supervillain." When Wonder Man shows up to handle Tatterdemalion,
he's at least identified by name, but that isn't true for a lot of the others.
Hip Hop, a literal cyborg kangaroo, is seen on a billboard, but at least his name is visible if
anyone wants to look him up and see if he's a real character that time has forgotten -- which he is.
A few more cameos come in a scene when MODOK is going through a list of various portal dimensions,
showing the Skrulls, one of the Shi'ar that looks a lot like Lilandra,
a Watcher, and the Brood, who makes an appearance later in the episode.
But what about Mr. Waffles the bunny, a character from the '40s better known as Super Rabbit?
That's definitely a weird and well-hidden reference. There's also a brief scene with a
demonic talk show host named Master Pandemonium who inexplicably has two baby demons for hands:
hardcore fans will know that those weird hands are definitely from the comics,
and it's creepy to see them no matter what. "Shut up, it's fine, it's a demon!"
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