Carnival of Killers: The Shiva Sisters (Patreon)

Our next Carnival of Killers character is actually not one character, but seven fused together- The Sensational Shiva Sisters!

ORIGIN

The Sequeira Sisters - Sita, Sarika, Swara, Sitara, Siyana, Sharvika, and Suhana - who performed under the stage handle of “The Sensational Shiva Sisters”, were the most popular performers within the Great Starlight Circus from India. Tumblers and acrobats who were able to perform in perfect harmony with each other despite their squabbling backstages, the sisters lived for the applause of the audience they performed for as well as the adrenaline their high-flying acrobatics provided them. Their origins, however, were not so dazzling, being orphans who got by through thievery in India’s over population before the circus’ owner took pity on them and gave them a home and purpose within the circus. Despite their rise to stardom, however, the sisters never forgot their thieving roots, and already addicted to the rush of thievery and worried about falling into a life of poverty again the sisters would secretly use their skills to moonlight as catburglars in all the towns they performed in, using their skills to line their pockets with wealth and further feed their adrenaline. Their greed proved to be their undoing while attempting to rob a museum full of artifacts and treasures from their native home. What they thought were treasures from forgotten hindu royalty turned out to have been a trove of jewelry that belonged to the hindu pantheon, and the girls had been forced to kill the night guard to make their escape. For their greed and their actions, the pantheon appeared before them and cursed the sisters by fusing them into one body, transforming them into blue, multi-limbed giantesses. 

When the Circus owner discovered the girl’s moonlit activities, he immediately disowned them, forcing them out into the cold where they became wandering vagrants forced to adapt to their situation. Over time the girls learned to utilize their form as one, finding their body shared their combined strength, speed, agility and athleticism that made them even more acrobatic than before. At this time, the girls heard of Alvyn Showman’s attempt to revamp his own circus as superhero sideshow circus, and the sisters approached him hoping to reclaim the life they once had. Alvyn, who was well connected in the circuses of the world, was well aware of the sister’s history and how they came to be cursed, and was well aware the girls had continued their thieving ways to get by. Turning the girls away on the grounds that they would only bring more harm to his circus than good, that was the last straw for the Sisters who vowed to find a way to get back the hypocritical Alvyn. And when Tora Fanner learned of their plight and their confrontation with Alvyn, he welcomed her into the Carnival of Killers, where the become one of her most loyal followers.

Powers/Abilities:

Trapped in one body that combines the sisters' individual strength, speed, agility and acrobatics, turn them into a powerhouse. Additionally, their many hands are able to hold and utilize many weapons in synch.

View! This was a lot to get down. The Idea for the Shiva Sisters was perhaps one of my most abstract ideas for characters for the Sideshow. They were kinda inspired by Steven Universe of all places, and how when gems fused they being one being with several limbs. IDK, the idea for me in a superhero comic setting seemed like the kind of superpower that would come with a lot of drawbacks and could be in fact an unfortunate existence if they could not unfuse. Just the kind of weird abstract, Doom Patrol-esque power and character that would be perfect for a series like the Sideshow. The idea to have them be former tumblers from a circus to fit the aesthetic was inspired by Ty Lee from avatar, a favorite character of mine.

But yeah, the sisters are all basically forced to share one body, and while this offers some cool powers like towering strength, combined speed and agility and many ambidextrous hands, it's a very painful existence especially when they have to be in perfect sync with each other. Honestly, the hardest part of the character(s) was trying to nail down their origin. Originally, when they were going to be part of the Sideshow like the others they were still going to be circus performers from a rival circus whom sent them to Alvyn when he was opening up his own superhero circus to give them some form of their old life again. I decided to carry that over in someway, but instead have them be the first "freak" that Alvyn turns away from his circus due to not being able to trust the sisters because of their criminal past. It seemed like kind of the hypocritical decision that would give the sisters plausible reason to join the Carnival of Crime against the Sideshow.

Anyway, hope you guys all enjoy this new villain for the Sideshow! Let us know what you think with a comment below!

Sideshow: The Greatest Superheroes on Earth © NRG Comics

Design by https://www.deviantart.com/sirhocuspocusfocus

Art by Danilo Cassonato