(Image via Marvel)
15. The Horror That is Obnoxio the Clown
Now, to be fair, Obnoxio the Clown was part of an overt attempt to inject some humor into the X-Men franchise. He was featured in Crazy Magazine, a humor publication put out by Marvel from 1973 to 1983. Obnoxio had the rare honor of being named Crazy’s mascot.
He was also part of a one-shot comic, Obnoxio the Clown, published in 1983. In it, Obnoxio teams up with the X-Men. They’re fighting Eye-Scream, a villain who – and here we must pause for a heavy, dramatic sigh – can transform into different types of ice cream.
It’s worth noting that Obnoxio has no mutant powers. He is just a filthy, middle-aged guy in clown makeup who manages to best the X-Men. His costume is in desperate need of mending, with no sign of it being fixed anytime soon. Obnoxio is generally a cynical jerk who enjoys insulting everyone he meets. At one point, he also attempts to convince Wolverine that he is a giant fish. Wolverine, surprisingly enough, doesn’t fall for it.
So, he should be one of my favorite characters, right? Except for the whole clown thing. Now, I fully understand that being afraid of clowns is common. You might even say that it’s a little overblown, in certain cases.
But a mysterious clown without a human name? One that inexplicably beats some of the best superheroes around? Who apparently had a mental breakdown on national television? A disheveled being that apparently shuffled directly from your nightmares? For some strange reason, it doesn’t quite sit right with me.