Diego Ribas, a thirty-year-old financial consultant who lives in the Brazilian city of Campinas, is a huge fan of comic book superhero the Incredible Hulk.
But merely collecting paraphernalia like t-shirts, gloves and masks, or even naming his dog Hulk simply wasn’t enough for him, so Diego decided to get creative: he didn’t just paint his Volkswagen green, he turned it into a Hulkmobile!
"I've liked Hulk since I was thirteen. I watched a lot of cartoons and liked Hulk because he’s green which is my favorite color… I decided to make a Hulk out of my Volkswagen Beetle. When you think about it, 'beetle' is a car that will never go extinct as with each passing year they become more valuable; they’re undefeatable, just like Hulk," Ribas told Sputnik Brazil.
As his car gained fame in Campinas, Ribas has even created a dedicated Facebook page, seeking to promote the Hulkmobile around the world and maybe even to make some money on the side by bringing his car to kids’ birthdays, for example.
"When I visit the 'beetle' fans' gatherings, children aren’t the only ones who react to my car: many adults also come asking permissions to take pictures of themselves next to it," he remarked.
He also said that while some people probably may not like his style, his elderly neighbors always laugh when they see him driving around. And despite his initial misgivings, the crafty Brazilian even managed to convert his wife, turning her into a Hulk fan just like him.
"I bought her a Hulk t-shirt and offered to take her for a ride in my car. Now not only does she like it when I wear a (Hulk) mask when driving, but we always wear Hulk t-shirts, caps and even flip-flops," Ribas said.
