Stephen King: The Outsider's Shape-Shifting Monster Vs. It's Pennywise
The Outsider and IT's Pennywise are both shape-shifting monsters, but the two Stephen King villains also noticeably differ. The Outsider is one of King's more recent novels, having been published in 2018 before being translated into an acclaimed TV show by HBO in 2020. Like many of King's stories, including IT, The Outsider's plot is set mostly in a small town, although this time it's Cherokee City, Georgia, instead of Derry, Maine. Cherokee City also seems to be a lot more close-knit than Derry, although that makes the horror that happens there all the more damaging.
The Outsider centers on the brutal murder of a young boy in Cherokee City, which all available evidence initially suggests has been committed by Terry Maitland (played by Jason Bateman in the TV series), a teacher and local baseball coach who's generally loved and respected by the community. By the time Maitland is killed by the older brother of his alleged victim, it's become apparent that additional evidence effectively rules him out as the perpetrator. Faced with such conflicting evidence, it soon becomes clear that a supernatural force is in play.
Related: Why Stephen King Almost Quit Horror After Writing IT
Said supernatural force in The Outsider is a creature the story commonly refers to by the Spanish moniker of El Cuco, but it's made clear that this beast is likely the inspiration for boogeyman-type myths across societies, languages, and belief systems. El Cuco is a shape-shifter, capable of appearing to be various normal people. Pennywise in IT is also, of course, a shape-shifter, but beyond that, there are striking similarities between the two monsters, as well as some notable differences.
The Outsider's El Cuco monster and IT's Lovecraftian clown
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