She-Hulk Episode 8 introduces a new character to the mix: Leap-Frog – but who is he, and how does he compare to the comics? It’s time to ribbit and rip it.
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, the newest MCU show on Disney+, has become a bit of a playground for the lower divisions of Marvel supes – except for Daredevil, of course.
In the first eight episodes, we’ve seen the likes of Mr Immortal, The Wrecking Crew, Man-Bull, and the return of the Abomination.
In the latest installment, we meet Leap-Frog, a ribbit-and-ripping so-called hero who causes all sorts of trouble for She-Hulk and her new pal – let’s break down who he is, and how he compares to the comics.
She-Hulk: Who is Leap-Frog?
In She-Hulk, Leap-Frog is the superhero identity assumed by Eugene Patilio, played by Brandon Stanley.
However, by the end of the episode, he reveals himself to be a bit of a villain. He tries to kidnap Luke Jacobson, the designer behind She-Hulk’s suit, after he uses the wrong fuel in his boosters.
She-Hulk: Who is Leap-Frog in the comics?
In the comics, Leap-Frog is the name used by Vincent Patilio, Eugene’s father.
He becomes Leap-Frog after inventing “leaping coils”, easily his most successful invention after a career of failures that never got past the patent office. On this occasion, he didn’t even try to get a patent for them – instead, he designed a super-suit and became the criminal known as Leap-Frog.
At first, he causes havoc at an airport, where his constant leaping prevents planes from taking off. After being pursued by police, he holds a blind man hostage… who happens to be Matt Murdock. Soon after, he tries to rob a jewelry store in New York, but Daredevil arrives to stop him.
Finally, the character you've all been waiting for. 🐸 #SheHulk pic.twitter.com/c5scygRXZb
— She-Hulk (@SheHulkOfficial) October 5, 2022
This kicks off a long line of encounters between the two characters, with Leap-Frog frequently managing to evade Daredevil’s attempts to catch him.
Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates on Esports, Gaming and more.
Throughout his villain career, he works with the Emissaries of Evil, the Defenders (not the Netflix group, but an alternate villain group featuring Porcupine, Blob, Beetle, Electro, and others), and Justin Hammer.
As for Eugene, he finds Vincent’s suit when he’s in prison and decides to use it for good. His crime-fighting starts off on a small scale, but after defeating the Speed Demon, he graduates to superhero status – much to his father’s annoyance.
He takes on the name of Frog-Man rather than Leap Frog, and ends up becoming a useful asset to several heroes. He assists Spider-Man and the Human Torch, and works with the Avengers to defeat Flag-Smasher, later joining the Fifty State Initiative – which technically makes him an Avenger.
She-Hulk: What happens to Leap-Frog?
We first see him trying to stop a pair of thieves from stealing TVs at night. He jumps onto their van and says: “The store may be closed, but you forgot about the Guard Frog.”
The thieves, understandably, mock him for his name. He explains his actual name is Leap-Frog, but he was just acting like the Guard Frog.
After shouting his signature catchphrase, “Time to ribbit and rip it!”, he soars to the sky and quickly plummets to the ground after his booster packs fail.
He enlists She-Hulk to represent him in his lawsuit, but Jacobson’s lawyer – a certain Matt Murdock – blows him out the water in the courtroom, getting him to admit to using the incorrect fuel in his suit, thereby making him liable for the damages.
Leap-Frog then kidnaps Jacobson and forces him to design a fresh suit. Calling him a villain is a bit much; he’s too hapless to aspire to anything really bad. Nevertheless, She-Hulk and Daredevil work together to make him come to his senses, which only happens when he jumps out of a window and breaks his legs.
She-Hulk Episode 9 will be available to stream next week. You can sign up to Disney+ here.
