Sideshow: Swoleflex (Patreon)

Alright, next Sideshow characters serves as the circus strongman and team muscle. Meet Swoleflex, a former enforcer of the Think Tank.

ORIGIN

Before joining the Sideshow, Mark Anderson’s life had been on a constant downfall. A young man interested in extreme fitness and competitive bodybuilding, Mark’s dreams of going pro were broken when he developed a rare form of IBM. In desperation to find a cure, Mark sought his way through underground networks to obtain a new formula of the Think Tank’s Roid-M formula that was said to be not just a cure for muscular disorders like his, but also enhance his muscle strength to incredible formulas. While it seemingly worked, during a bodybuilding competition Mark pushed his body too far causing the formula to wreak havoc on his muscular system and destroy most of his integumentary system, turning him into a giant, skinless muscular monster. While being rushed to the hospital, his ambulance was commandeered by the Think Tank’s enforcers and had him brought to Ryker, who made Mark an offer he couldn’t refuse- becoming the Think Tank’s newest guinea pig for Roid-M in hopes of restoring his body while being their enforcer, or be left to die as punishment for stealing from them.

With no other options, Mark spent the next few years under Ryker’s thumb, becoming a legbreaker under Skulljack and Bang-Bang’s leadership to help the Think Tank’s goals under the callsign “Swoleflex”, while being used as a guinea pig to further perfect the Roid-M formula while receiving treatments for his IBM. When Toonman entered the human world and Mark was sent as part of the strike squad to capture him, the Animated Ace ended up beating Mark but also saving his life while exposing the Think Tank’s Vaudeville Operations, but as a result Mark was abandoned by the Think Tank and left to rot in prison upon his arrest. It was there he met Alvyn Showman, who offered him a place in the Sideshow as the Circus’ strongman, and again with no other options he agreed. But soon Mark came to enjoy being a member of the Sideshow when the other freaks gave him something no one had in his life- compassion. So when the Think Tank began taking an interest in recapturing Mark along with the rest of the Sideshow, Mark decided he was done being pushed around and used as a bad guy, vowing to protect his new home, family and the world from the evils the Think Tank had put him through.

Powers/Abilities:

Muscle Manipulation - Swoleflex has complete control over his muscular systems, allowing him to expand, stretch, elongate, compress, harden and strengthen his muscles to incredible lengths, shapes and sizes, all while offering him superhuman strength and durabilities.

You all might remember Swoleflex as an early character we introduced to you. Originally, the plan was for him to be a villain to Toonman, serving as the main super strong villain of his rogues gallery. But as Toonman's rogues gallery grew and evolved I realized I had much more fitting characters to serve that role (namely Smiley Man). Of course, by that time that decision was made we were wrapping up issue 2 of Toonman, where we had already introduced him as one of the first villains Toonman's comes up against (you'll see soon). So I had to figure out a new place for Swoleflex in my universe.

It wasn't until that I was building the concept of the Sideshow that I was going through dozens of different ideas for characters to serve as the strongman role for the circus did I realize Swoleflex would be a perfect addition to the team. Like I said, I had different ideas for a strongman, but didn't like any of them. But I realize that Swoleflex's already freaky design and unusual method of super strength through controlling his muscles made him perfect for the role. So I put him in creative limbo temporarily until the rest of the team was designed so I could reintroduce him formally now. Not only is his character an perfect addition to the aesthetic of the Sideshow as circus freaks, but it also allows for some natural, awesome story telling with the Sideshow coming up against the Think Tank due to Swoleflex being a former enforcer and lab rat of them.

Fun spoiler- I plan to eventually have Swoleflex and the Psyrens become boyfriend and girlfriends, sort of a unique beauty and the beast kind of thing. That's going to be a fun dynamic to explore! :D

Let us know what you guys think of this new Sideshow character with a comment below!

Sideshow: The Greatest Superheroes on Earth © NRG Comics

Art by Danilo Cassonato