JUMBO CARNATION
Real Name: Unrevealed
Identity/Class: Human mutant
Occupation: Socialite, fashion designer
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: Phil Chang, Flash Thompson, Mary Jane Parker, Peter Parker
Enemies: Unidentified anti-mutant protesters, Sublime (see comments)
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Unrevealed;
formerly Mutant Town, New York City, New York
First Appearance: New X-Men I#134 (January, 2003)
Powers/Abilities: Jumbo Carnation's mutation granted him enhanced durability when his skin turned to a teflon-like substance. Another aspect of his mutation was growing an extra set of arms, with four digits per hand. He could control his additional limbs with ease. Outgoing, flamboyant and with a talent for fashion designing and self promotion, Carnation had a history of substance abuse.
Height: 5'7" (by approximation)
Weight: 190 lbs. (by approximation)
Eyes: White
Hair: Bald
History:
(New X-Men I#134 (fb) - BTS) - Jumbo
Carnation capitalized on the surge of mutant acceptance following
Charles Xavier's public coming out. He designed a line of mutant
specific fashion accessories like tentacle stockings and wing gloves.
Collaborating with other pro-mutant enterprises like X-Factory, he
soon made a name for himself. Carnation's bubbly, outgoing personality
made him an instant celebrity and an idol of many mutant teens,
including Xavier Institute students like the Stepford Cuckoos, Quentin
Quire, Slick and Tattoo.
(New X-Men I#137 (fb) - BTS) - Jumbo Carnation was hooked on Kick, a new aerosol drug based on hypercortisone-D that caused intense euphoria and power amplification in mutants (in reality Kick was the malevolent microbe Sublime).
(New X-Men I#134 (fb) - BTS) - Hopped up on kick, Jumbo Carnation spent the night at a club in New York's Mutant Town, partying it up and drinking his fair share of fruity cocktails.
(New X-Men I#134) - Following his night of clubbing, Jumbo Carnation said goodbye to his fans and tried to hail a cab. When no drivers would stop for him, Carnation turned to a group of passing humans, teasingly asking the "big, primitive humans" if they could help him find a taxi. Recognizing the bloated, garishly cloathed mutant as Jumbo Carnation, the boys acted like they were fans and asked for autographs. They then proceeded to mug him, grossed out by his plastic like skin. However, they freaked out when Carnation froze up and fell to the ground, gasping for air and being killed by an internal explosion that never breached his skin.
(New X-Men I#134 - BTS) - News of Jumbo Carnation's death made headlines and alarmed students at the Xavier Institute who were horrified at the loss of a mutant icon. When Emma Frost learned from the Stepford Cuckoos who Carnation was, she sent Cyclops and Beast to assist the local authorities with investigating his death. Meanwhile at the school, Slick decided to give a concert to honor Jumbo while a distraught, emotionally fragile Quentin Quire turned to Kick and used Carnation's death to form the Omega Gang.
(New X-Men I#134) - Cyclops and Beast assisted officer Foster in his investigation of the crime scene. Standing around the chalk outline of the victim, Beast was ashamed to admit he found the lingering smell of Carnation's burned remains to be delicious (see comments). He then used his enhanced senses to sniff out the area, picking up a trace that led him to a discarded Hypercortisone-D inhaler.
(New X-Men I#137 - BTS) - Studying the autopsy reports on Jumbo Carnation, Beast concluded that the human muggers didn't kill Jumbo. His death was caused by an inadvertent, self-administered Kick overdose. Sharing this knowledge did not help convince Quentin Quire and the Omega Gang to stop their plans to take over the Xavier Institute and kill all humans. However, thanks to Sophie Cuckoo sacrificing herself by using Cerebra, the powerful telepath Quire was taken down.
(War of the Realms: War Scrolls#2 - BTS) - Following his death, Jumbo Carnation's legacy was continued by a group of New York based gay men and drag queens who took his name for their "house" (as their groups, led by a respected "house mother" are called). Now known as the House of Jumbo Carnation, one of their queens, Krystal M'Kraan was seen competing for trophies, prizes and glory at events known as balls.
Comments: Created by Grant Morrison (writer), Keron Grant (pencils) & Norm Rapmund (inks).
Jumbo Carnation was one of the first out mutants readily and openly accepted by the mainstream media, which made for a refreshing change of pace from the usual "hated and feared by the world" theme seen in X-Men comics up until then. It's interesting to note that the one outfit we see him in looks a lot like a standard spandex superhero outfit, but with added bling, platform shoes and a white fur coat to emphasize just how he has risen above the cliches and is all about chic and class.
Leave it to Grant Morrison to include a subtle, but oh
so creepy moment when he had Beast describe the smell of Jumbo's
cooked internal organs as "delicious". Icky beyond belief, and yet,
it's not that hard to believe well-marbled meat marinated in vodka and
orange juice would smell at least a little appetizing.
Strictly speaking, Jumbo never faced Sublime but his Kick addiction
caused his death so it's safe to say he wouldn't be a fan of the
villainous, sentient bacteria. And thanks to Marvellous
Luke for spotting the War of the Realms reference.
Profile by Norvo.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Jumbo Carnation should not be confused with:
images: (without ads)
New X-Men I#134, p2, pan1 (main image)
New X-Men I#134, p3, pan1-2 (assaulted)
New X-Men I#134, p10, pan3 (smells delicious)
New X-Men I#137, p15, pan3-4 (cause of death)
Appearances:
New X-Men I#134 (January, 2003) - Grant
Morrison (writer), Keron Grant (pencils), Norm Rapmund (inks), Mike
Marts (editor)
New X-Men I#137 (April, 2003) - Grant Morrison (writer), Frank
Quitely, Avalon Studios (inks), Mike Marts (editor)
War of the Realms: War Scrolls#2/3 (May, 2019) - Anthony Oliveira
(writer), Nick Robles (pencils, inks), Will Moss, Sara Brunstad, Tom
Brevoort (editors)
First Posted: 06/21/2019
Last Updated: 06/21/2019
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel
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