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The Violator
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Real Name
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The Violator
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First Appearance
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Spawn #2 (May, 1992)
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Creators
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Todd MacFarlane
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Team Affiliations
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None
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Aliases
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The Clown, Demonic, Barney Saunders
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Base of Operations
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Hell
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Powers
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Superhuman strength and durability, Longevity, Shapeshifting, Telepathy, Demonic possession
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Skills and Abilities
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Master Manipulator and Strategist, Possessor of Ancient Knowledge
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Paraphernalia
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None
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The Violator (AKA the Clown) is a major villain in the Image Comics' series Spawn, and the titular character's archenemy as well as the most recurring villain in the franchise. He is a demon under the service of Malebolgia, Mammon, and even Satan himself. He is also one of the Phlebiac Brothers. His true form is that of a demon, but he prefers the appearance of a morbidly obese clown. He also had his own series title Violator with him as the main character. In the recent issues 294 and 295, it is revealed that he had been the designer and creator of the Hellspawn's suits and powers with Al Simmons being the most recent since the first Hellspawn making him the The Heavy of the franchise due to him having helped created the first Hellspawn and everyone after him including Al Simmons. He is also the one who killed Wanda Al's former wife just to get more power. He is also now the commander of the demons on earth.
Biography[]
Comic Book[]
The Violator is one of Spawn's most recurring and vicious opponents. Being a mentor of sorts to the Hellspawn, he is an arrogant and cruel entity with a sadistic sense of humor, that delights in the pain of others. While naturally a gigantic monster he often takes the disguise of an obese clown when interacting with the mortal realm, hence earned his alter ego of "The Clown".
Violator sees murder, torture and depravity as forms of entertainment and holds humanity in contempt; feeling true demons like himself are superior beings. This in part fuels his particularly brutal interactions with Spawn: who he is sworn to serve but still holds in extreme contempt for formerly being human. Violator would team up with Bludd to take control of JIm Downing and later fought his former master Malebolgia with has been revived.
After Al Simmons returns, he was stuck in his clown form for quite sometime after Jim Drowning's time as Spawn and he later teams up with Simmions to get power. But unknown to Simmons, he still had his ability to shapeshift. In later issues he is seen plotting something and had a hand in Wanda's death. In the recent issues, (specifically #294 and #295) it's revealed that Violator was the one who designed Spawn's suit along with every other Hellspawn's symbiotes. Hence why he watches over them Malebolgia simply took the credit. He has been killed multiple times, each time to be returned to Hell and reanimated by his master, or on his own. There was one arc where he possessed a man and had corrupted people into become deranged clowns have them kill each other and tried to have the survivors attack Spawn. Violator was defeated in 295 and appears in 296-297 in the recap. He also had possessed Jason Wynn one time and later possessed many people to attack Spawn. After Spawn resetted the universe after the Armageddon arc Violator possesses on new form and attack Spawn once more. During the Jim Dowing Era he teamed up with a vampire called Bludd to take control of Jim Dowing and take Malebolgia's place and to make a new unholy trinity. After Simmons returns he offers Vioatlor to help him get to Hell to save Wanda in exchange to get his powers back but it's revealed that Violator still retained enough power he simply wanted more. In issues 290, 293, 295 and 298, it's revealed that Violator now possess as a politician and discusses Gabreille about Spawn and how he had a hand in Spawn's anger. In 299 and 300 it's revealed that Violator was the one who killed Wanda and thanks to Spawn empowering him had now evolved to a point as his demon form had bulked up. He is also the commander of the demons on earth and in 301 Spawn destryos Violator and Godsend with a nuke. Violator shows up in 302 where he warns Jessica Priest to give up her powers and return them to hell. Violator also appears in a couple of spin-offs.
Personalty[]
The Violator is a psychotic,sadistic demon who looks down on humans and wants true demons to lead the armies of hell. He is ambitious,treacherous,and manipulative.He is also quite perverted towards women.
Appearance[]
Violator as a clown resembles an obese short man with blue face paint and balding hair. In his True form he is a large skinny demon. he gets a power boots in which his clown form is more taller and wearing a suit while his true form is more bulkier than his previous form.
Powers and Ablities[]
The Violator is one of Spawn's most common enemies and he has displayed superhuman strength, speed, stamina, and durability with a healing factor. Violator is also cunning and manipulative towards people, as well as possessing others, and thanks to manipulating Al into giving him more power he had a power increase as he had bulked up.
Movie Appearance[]
In the live action movie he is the secondary antagonist of the film, Violator works together with Jason Wynn to have Wynn's best assassin, Al Simmons killed.
He was portrayed by comedian Template:W.
Shadows of Spawn[]
Violator appears as the deuteragonist in the anime manga series, where a Japanese-American, is a street thug who hires himself out for money in order to care for his younger sister Mariko, who is very sick. He was known by the nickname Double K. After promising his sister to be with her for her birthday, Ken is murdered by clients. Seven years later, Ken is brought back as a Hellspawn. (It is heavily implied that Ken returned to Earth at the exact same time as did Al Simmons, as many events parallel events in the original comic). Like Al Simmons, Kurosawa initially has no memories, and is confronted almost immediately after awakening by the Clown. Clown briefly leaves the manga, replaced by a faerie-like creature calling herself Beelzebub. He returns as the Violator
HBO Series[]
In the HBO animation, Violator serves as the secondary antagonist of the series.
Video Game Appearances[]
Todd McFarlane's: Spawn for Super Nintendo[]
Violator appears early in game and started a Prison Break to get to Billy Kincaid. Violator appears in the game as the clown, but immediately changes into Demon Form for the fight. After Violator retreats, Billy is "used" to access a portal to Hell.
Spawn: In the Demon's Hand[]
Violator in his clown form appears as a playable character.
Spawn: Armageddon[]
Violator appears as a major antagonist in the video game Spawn: Armageddon and faces Spawn as a boss battle, like all of his previous appearances he is sadistic and cruel with a mocking and arrogant personality and formidable demonic powers at his disposal.
Mortal Kombat 11[]
Violator appears in one of Spawn's intros as a head on a spike. Violator also appears in Spawn's ending.
Trivia[]
- Violator is based on the Joker from Batman. Both are the archenemy to their respective protagonists and Violator even has gotten an identity called Joseph C. Kurr with some differences Joker is obsessed with Batman while Violator despise Spawn and simply want to lead Hell's army as well as being a demon.
- Interestingly,He and Spawn appear in Mortal Kombat 11,where Joker also appear as a guest villain.
- Violator has appeared in the most issues than any other Spawn villain making him the most recurring villain in the series with the second being Jason Wynn and the third being Malebolgia.
- Iced Earh made a Spawn album that features a song, Violate, based on the character.
- Violator was listed on IGN's Top 100 Greatest Comic book Villains Of All Time in the 97th slot. He is the only villain in the Spawn franchise to do so.