Kingpin
“Benny” Hargrove was a man who grew up in the shadows of the big top. Born into a family of circus performers, his life was a constant whirlwind of travel and pressure to perform from a young age. His parents were both renowned trapeze artists and had little time for their son, leaving him to be raised by the eclectic mix of performers who made up his circus family.
Gideon, a washed-up circus clown, took Benny under his wing and taught him the art of making people laugh and smile, along with how to put on clown makeup. Young Benny’s talent blossomed, and he took the new stage name of “Kingpin the Clown.” Audiences loved Kingpin, but the new Ringmaster had other plans. He wanted to modernize the circus and do away with clowns.
Feeling discarded and abandoned again, Kingpin took the stage one final time. In his clown makeup with a smile, he brutally murdered the Ringmaster and other performers who he felt had wronged him, all in front of a live audience. He disappeared into the night, but the legend and urban myth of Kingpin was born. To some, he is a nightmare; to others, like Gideon, a dark avenger who brings justice for the small guy, all while wearing a sinister smile. You can find him on the midway or hanging out with Twisty and his friends.
Just whatever you do, don’t bring up the Ringmaster!