​Pennywise is a shape-shifting, supernatural creature who usually appears in the form of a clown to attract his preferred prey: children. In the horror book It, published in 1986 by writer Stephen King, one of his most voluminous novels, the scary clown feeds on the fears and phobias of children, who live in the fictional city of Derry, through the ability of reading the victims' minds, takes the form of whatever scares them the most, just like Freddy Krueger in his films. It is called, devourer of worlds and children, and possibly causes cancer in people.