Freakshow (comics)
| Freakshow | |
|---|---|
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Freakshow Art by Aaron Lopresti | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Excalibur vol. 3, #1 (2004) |
| Created by | Chris Claremont |
| In-story information | |
| Species | Human Mutant |
| Team affiliations | Genoshan Excalibur |
| Abilities | Ability to transform into a variety of monstrous forms with unique abilities |
Freakshow is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Chris Claremont for the second installment of the series Excalibur. He is one of the few survivors of the island of Genosha which was destroyed by the wild Sentinel attacks commissioned by Cassandra Nova.
Fictional character biography
Very little is known about Freakshow, except that he is one of the few survivors of the island of Genosha after the Sentinel attacks on the capital of Hammer Bay. Somehow he finds himself to be the travelling companion of Wicked and becomes an unofficial pupil of Professor X. He soon proved his usefulness in dispatching a skirmish between the Professor and the local bully Unus the Untouchable. Knowing that he couldn't do anything to harm Unus, Xavier had Freakshow swallow the man whole. Because of Unus' natural force field he was unharmed albeit shaken when Freakshow vomited him up later.
He helps his friend Wicked survive an attack by Magistrates, military forces who were once the murderous law-enforcement arm of the Genoshan government.
During their efforts to rebuild Genosha, Freakshow takes on a worm-like form and digests the debris of many shattered buildings to turn it into arable land.
After the events of the House of M Freakshow is revealed to be one of the many mutants to lose his abilities has a result of the Scarlet Witch's decimation. He has been seen with a number of Genoshan mutants including Unus the Untouchable and Wicked. In Son of M #5, (June 2006) the traveling mutant Quicksilver convinces them to try the mutagenic compound called the Terrigen Mists, which had been stolen from the Inhumans. Freakshow regains his powers, but like the other mutants who have used the mist, it came with a price. For some time, he is unable to change out of his large, monstrous form. While trapped like this, he and the other Genosha mutants are drawn into battle with the Inhumans, who are tracking down Quicksilver. Some time after, the effects of the mist wear off.
Powers and abilities
Freakshow is a megamorph with the ability to transform his body into a variety of monstrous forms with unique abilities (such as a dragon form capable of flight and fire breathing). While in these forms he has enhanced strength, speed, stamina, and resistance to injury along with the special characteristics of each form. He was also shown to take on humanoid forms, specifically an armored form akin to Colossus and a mythological Nordic Troll. In all of these forms Freakshow was still capable of human speech.
Another Freakshow
In X-Force vol. 1 #101, a young mutant known as Kevin, nicknamed Freakshow, nearly fell to his death when he attempts to impress others his age by proving that he could fly. This occurs when the High Evolutionary temporarily eliminates all mutant abilities.