Here is a list of all noteworthy characters who appear in the comic series Whistles.
Major Characters[]
Whistles the Clown[]
The chief protagonist and namesake of the comic. He's the star of the show at the Starlight Calliope, and beloved by all. Whistles is utterly pure of heart, and rather naive. He's probably the only performer in the Starlight Circus who had no idea at all of what was going on. He is also utterly without shame. Once he's taught how to be a prostitute, he does so happily and with some skill, all while never losing his innocence. While Whistles is described to be a clown not more talented than any other, he is wholly devoted to his craft by nature, always wanting to perform and thinking of new tricks to entertain.
Whistles is hopelessly obsessed with his master, Pendlecoat. He developed a close relationship with him, and was probably molded by his twisted sense of morality. He goes to dark extremes for the sake of his master, seemingly without understanding these are wrong things to do. When he finds a baby Pendlecoat to raise, he continues to call him master.
Although it is never addressed in the comic, it's possible Whistles is a(nother) creation of the plant-slug monsters like Pendlecoat and Sugarshoe. It would explain some of the peculiarities about him. However, as the story was never finished, this remains an uncertain theory.
Ringmaster Phinneas Pendlecoat[]
The manager of the Starlight Calliope circus, and a ruthless cannibal. Despite being completely evil, Pendlecoat constantly maintains a gentlemanly attitude, acting perfectly benign even in the middle of committing horrible acts. This facade almost never slips, only ever for the most desperate of situations. While the original showed a bit more character and intelligence, additional doppelgangers behave in an exceptionally innocent manner, sort of like like simple-minded shadows of the original, perhaps attributed to their young age.
Gumblin the Clown[]
A very fit and daring performer, hired to replace Whistles as the star of the circus. He supposedly has only 0.04% body fat. Gumblin is a clown who takes his profession very seriously. He obsesses over even the most minute aspects of his personal life, and has deep thoughts on the numerous philosophies of his craft. He's also rather modest, easily humbled when the subject of sex rears its head. He thinks shame is another important facet of performance. He also may be a tinkerer of some sort, as evidenced by his possession of, for instance, Gumbloid.
Doodlebean[]
Doodlebean is yet another clown of the many employed by the Starlight Calliope. She has been with the circus since her childhood, and knows first hand of the grim goings-on behind the curtain. Amongst the other main characters, Doodlebean could be described to be the most reasonable one, tending to react in a more realistic manner to the things she sees. On the other hand, she somehow remains totally ignorant of Whistle's involvement in the immolation of most of her fellow clowns, probably due to her infatuation with him.
Sugarshoe the Clown[]
Is an evil clown created by the monsters beneath the Starlight Calliope to be the new star of the show and fulfill their desires. He comes off very much as an "anti-Whistles", perhaps meant to serve as his arch-nemesis, though the two never actually meet. Sugarshoe is dangerously insane, unpredictable, and painfully self-important. Whereas Pendlecoat at least pretended to have some tact and performed his grim mission with a vague sense of precision, Sugarshoe shows far less restraint, placing just about anyone nearby in peril. These qualities seemed to be to the benefit of his masters at least, for the most part.
Minor Characters[]
The Worker[]
A large man working in the bowels of the Starlight Calliope, it is his job to convey recently-offed clown carcasses into the furnace, where they are baked and served back to unwitting patrons. He fulfills this duty, but also sews the seeds of an uprising by exiling Whistles. He dies later.
Jinglepuss[]
Jinglepuss is a nearly-dead clown who tries to warn Whistles about what's going on at the circus. He's finished off by the worker.
Jasper[]
Jasper is an elderly man who runs a male prostitution business. He looks kind of like a wizard. Whistles chances upon him, and the man eagerly hires him. Once Whistles decides to run off, he's not seen again.
Flippy[]
Flippy is a clown slightly more important than the other background clowns. It appears to be his duty to report to whoever is in charge at the time, and assist with general manager-type duties. He never died, but the story didn't finish, either.
Governess of Humans[]
The Governess of Humans, so labeled by Whistles, is a woman who at least once hired a male prostitute, at least one of which was Whistles. She has a good relationship with him, and gives him a ship when he asks for one. She conducts herself with some elegance.
Gumbloid[]
Gumbloid is a little android presumably created by Gumblin. Had the story been allowed to continue, he may have proven to be of some use, perhaps with notable offensive capabilities. The robot appeared to display a consciousness and personality of its own, albeit an understated one.
The Plant-Slugs[]
Grotesque monsters hidden in the bowels of the Starlight Calliope. They are quite mysterious, but seem to be the grim masterminds behind the dark goings-on of the circus. They bear a certain resemblance to the Horrorterrors in Homestuck. Their goal seems to be simply to feed themselves with humans, and their plans escalate after the fiasco caused by Whistles and friends. They created Sugarshoe, along with innumerable Pendlecoat clones.