Violator is the true form of the Clown, an antagonist in Todd McFarlane's Spawn comic series.
| Violator | |
|---|---|
| File:Spawn4.jpg Violator on the cover of Spawn #4 | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Image Comics |
| First appearance | Spawn #2 (as Clown) Spawn #3 (as Violator) |
| Created by | Todd McFarlane |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Unknown (probably unpronounceable) |
| Team affiliations | Malebolgia |
| Notable aliases | Clown |
| Abilities | Telepathy, superhuman strength and resilience, shape-shifting |
His purpose is to guide Hellspawn towards fulfilling Malebolgia's desire: to cultivate evil souls on Earth for Hell's army. But because of jealousy and his own ego, the Violator is doomed to fail; this is his own particular torment.
He claims to have been born from the magic of Dr. John Dee in the 16th century, and yet he has dealt with a Hellspawn in the Middle Ages, four hundred years earlier. His true origin is lost in the mists of time and the fumes of Hell. He brags that he could destroy a Hellspawn to its very face, and then whines when the battle turns against him. His fighting is vicious, but not strong enough to overcome his master's pets. The Violator is a contradiction both in form and substance.
For eons he has been a poisonous, dripping-fanged, spindly, terrifying, spiked demon with a weakness for the taste of human hearts, and it has gone to his head. He has been granted immense powers by his lord, and he simply abuses it. His Clown form is a joke he has long forgotten the meaning of, yet he still uses it. However, he is now stuck in that form as punishment for his over-zealous approach to training Al Simmons.
He believes that one day his service to the Malebolgia will be rewarded. He believes that he will become a Hellspawn, as have so many men and women before him. All he has to do is teach the Spawn how to use their powers and goad them into succumbing to the dark evil in their dead bodies, and do it without telling them directly, the better to add to their confusion.
His methods are base, mean and cruel. He has yet to come close to his master's expectations, always foiling the best laid plans. But he has to prove himself to the Malebolgia that he is better than mere humans, a better choice to be a Hellspawn. One day, he has told himself for centuries, he'll get up the courage to tell "the boss" what he feels.
Appearances in Other Media
- In the 1997 live-action film Violator/Clown was portrayed outrageously by John Leguizamo.
- In the HBO miniseries, he is voiced by Michael Nicolosi.