| FREAK SHOW | BIOGRAPHY |
| Created by Peter David and Richard Howell |
 |
TEAM DATA
Status: Defunct
Former Members: Castle, Incinderella, Lillian Hawkes, Runaround Sue, Siphon II, Stasis,
Space Sector: 2814
First Appearance: Action Comics Weekly #615 (August 30, 1988) "Freaks!"
Creators: Peter David and Richard Howell
MEMBERSHIP
HISTORY
The Freak Show was formed by Lillian Hawkes, daughter of the late Milton Hawkes. Her father had created Hawkes Industries, a company specializing in electronics and high technology. The CEO, Milton Hawkes, left control of the company to his other daughter, Veronica, when he died. Unbeknownst to Veronica, Lillian was not the weak and timid sister everyone believed her to be.
When Doctor Roger "Max" Castle was released from prison and approached Hawkes Industries with plans for bioengineering superhumans, Veronica Hawkes wanted no part of him but her sister Lillian said she felt sorry for him and so Veronica hired Castle as well as a fellow convict, the man who would become known as Siphon. They were assigned menial work in a factory in Wisconsin. An industrial accident sometime afterwards was believed to have claimed their lives. - Action Comics Weekly #619
The Freak Show first came into contact with Green Lantern Hal Jordan at a technology fair in Chicago. Castle and Siphon were in the midst of stealing a collapser from a rival firm when the hero appeared. Castle was thrown into a safe but with his powers was able to trade places with Green Lantern by teleportation. Green Lantern was delayed from escaping as the inside of the safe was painted yellow, against which his ring had no effect. - Action Comics Weekly #615
A flip of a coin decided the Freak Show would first eliminate Green Lantern. After the hero was out of the way, they would attack rival companies. - Action Comics Weekly #616
They staged their attack on Green Lantern had left police headquarters to attack. Incinderella drew the ring wielder in by claiming her laundry had been set on fire. Asking for a hug from Green Lantern to thank him, she set him on fire as well. Siphon drew upon the energy he tried to capture Incinderella with but he did not have enough energy to press his advantage. The super fast Runaround Sue was quick enough to take his power ring but did not realize it could be used from afar. It hit her then returned to its rightful owner. Another member of the Freak Show, Stasis, used his powers to hold Green Lantern in place for his teammates. - Action Comics Weekly #617
The Freak Show did not act quickly enough and Green Lantern managed to break free. It was only the powers of Castle that allowed them to escape as he switched places with Green Lantern, sending the hero miles away.
Green Lantern followed his leads to Hawkes Industries. Lillian Hawkes met him and tried to cast suspicion on her sister, Veronica. - Action Comics Weekly #618
Having nothing to hide, Veronica invited the ring wielder to look around the premises. Lillian, on the other hand, told Castle to have the Freak Show initiate "Plan Omega." Green Lantern was guided around the factory by a guard but found himself cut off in the automated facility center. The Freak Show was lying in wait. Runaround Sue was easily neutralized as the emerald warrior created an oil slick and the super-fast villain rammed herself into a wall.
Pooling their powers, Siphon drained power ring energy while Stasis held the emerald warrior and Incinderella set him on fire. They saw him burn and believed he was finished. Unfortunately for the villains, it was only a power ring projection. Action Comics Weekly #619 - #620
Green Lantern easily cleaned up four members of the Freak Show with a power ringed pool ball but it took a robot to fall on Siphon's head to prevent him from absorbing more of the emerald energy. Admitting defeat, Siphon claimed Castle had threatened Lillian Hawkes so he could obtain facilities for his experiments and would kill both Lillian and Veronica if they did not meet his demands. Castle denied this of course, but the other members of the Freak Show had turned against him. Realizing he had been set up, Castle escaped to confront Lillian Hawkes.
Lillian Hawkes' "Plan Omega," in which the members of the Freak Show blamed their actions on Castle, to draw attention from her. Furious at the betrayal, Castle faced Lillian Hawkes in her office where she pulled a gun on him and shot him. Castle died before he could reveal her as leader of the Freak Show. Green Lantern arrived moments afterwards. It appeared to him and Lillian Hawkes had been acting in self defense. Veronica lectured Lillian about the control of the company but Lillian kept her real control a secret.
The remaining members of the Freak Show were taken into custody. Hawkes Industries and/or the Freak Show have not been heard of since. - Action Comics Weekly #620
POWERS AND WEAPONS
CHRONOLOGY
For a definitive list of appearances of Freak Show in chronological order click here