Who is Hogan Hunnicup?
A complicated man…
Early years
Hogan got his start as a member of the prestigious Hunnicup treasure hunting family, but could never share their passion despite years of trying. A source close to Hogan tells us that at the age of five, he got stuck in a Mason jar trying to find a missing shoelace. As he grew older, his trips away from home became longer and more frequent. Hogan always knew he wasn’t a good fit for the family’s occupation. He had different ideas, and nightmares about treasure chests.
A life of piracy
At some point (no one knows exactly when) Hogan became a part of a rowdy, dangerous crew of pirates. He immediately knew that looking for treasure wouldn’t be as much fun as just taking it. He took the name “Sea Lion” to hide his true identity from the Hunnicups. He was brutal. Murderous. Everyone feared him. Also, he developed a taste for grog. The name makes it sound gross, but that’s part of the allure.
Entertainment coordinator
Hogan’s true calling didn’t turn out to be banditry, though. What he’s really best at is throwing a party. Rumor has it a pirate captain once told Hogan he was tired of hearing the same three-piece band every night for months on end. At the next port, Hogan waylaid an accordion player, and the rest was history. He spent years bringing willing and unwilling musicians, jugglers, and sleight-of-hand performers into the holds of ships and giving pirates a show. It’s worth noting that he also stole gold from the pirates he entertained. He was not a great dude.
Marriage
Hogan was in love with Mindy Shamshaw, a pirate singer who could melt the hearts of the most sunburnt, seasick crew. They were lovers immediately, friends in the deepest sense, but Hogan was a pirate at heart. When Tippy Looseleaf joined the pirate crew, she stole Hogan’s heart and he turned his back on Mindy. Somewhere a few miles off the coast of Snake Island, Tippy and Sea Lion were wed. You wouldn’t think it, but a TON of people get married as soon as they leave Snake Island. That place really fires up the emotions.
Becoming the Emperer Norden
Tippy had big plans. She wanted to coopt the Norton line¹, and she would use Hogan to do it. Tippy knew about the Nortons, and the Nordens, and she knew they’d never make her one of theirs—but Hogan fit the bill. He was dashing and courageous and absolutely amoral. The Norden line would have a break soon and someone would need to select the next one. So they maneuvered and found themselves in the right place at the right time. Emperor Norton the 3rd selected Hogan as the next Emperer Norden. For this role, Hogan went by the name Skrull Scamp, because he was in a band called Skrull Scamp and the Scampis, and hoped it would help him sell tickets. It did not.
¹ - Want to know more about the Emperor Norton and his line of succession? Listen to season 2, episode 4 for more, and stay tuned to this blog for a history, coming soon.
Family life
Hogan has two children: the first is Jessup Stagename (actual name unknown) and Stagename “Stamp” Hamburgers Hunnicup. Tippy is Stamp’s mother, but it’s not clear who Jessup’s mother was. Mindy never mentioned her, but Jessup was a girl when Tippy and Sea Lion were wed. Hogan claims he left Tippy because she was dangerous. They obviously drifted apart—Tippy following her ambitions, and Sea Lion getting more and more into his music with the Scampis, and eventually his sandwiches. He opened a restaurant called “The Sandwich Spot,” which he operates still. A bit of advice if you choose to dine there: get your food to go. They only play Skrull Scamp and the Scampis over the loudspeaker, and whatever you call that kind of music, it’s bad for digestion. Kind of like that grog.