Comics – Spawn
In 1992, Image Comics, a new independent comic book company, was founded by a team of artists and writers who left Marvel Comics in order to create a place for creators to maintain the rights to their creations. Alongside big business names like Jim Lee and Rob Liefeld- perhaps none were more popular at the time than Todd McFarlane, previous writer and artist for Spider-Manat Marvel.
In the late 80’s, McFarlane reinvented the image of Spider-Man, giving him big eyes and more realistic webs, alongside a flare that most comic fans would find synonymous with what would become the 90’s style of comic book art template. And, to go along with the new look, McFarlane created the extremely popular villain, Venom, a parasitic symbiotic alien who personified the dark side of Peter Parker, stalking him with his body made of sentient goo and big white eyes.
Forward to the beginning of Image’s life as a starting company- McFarlane finally had the chance to tell stories about characters of his own creation that he would never allow the rights to be taken away from. So, as part of Image’s launch, McFarlane created Spawn, AKA Al Simmons, an ex-military man killed protecting his family, is sent to Hell itself, and brought back to do the devils work as the demonic “Hellspawn.”
After Spawn’s extremely popular entry into the comic book world began, fans of the series began to realize Al’s similarities towards McFarlane’s Spider-Man villain, Venom. Spawn work a long cape, dressed in all black, with bight white eyes and a sentient costume, that was made of a form of plasmatic goo, symbiotically living with Al’s flesh. It seemed to be clear that Venom was a huge inspiration for the creation of Spawn, when, in fact, it was the opposite.
McFarlane created Spawn as a child, and honed in on his artistic and writing skills while creating various stories for his original character to reside in. This has led to the creation of Venom, as well as the many Spawn stories that are still going on today, which, in fact, has earned Spawn the titles of, “Longest running independent comic book in the United States,” and, “The comic book with the highest consistent issue number count,” which became true after DC Comics and Marvel Comics relaunched all of their titles back to issue number one.
In the twenty-odd years Spawn has been consistently published, there have been two wearers in the Spawn costume.
The first Spawn and the one most fans know is Al Simmons- an African American father and loving husband who was killed and sent to Hell. After making a deal with one of the devils in Hell in which he would enact the demons will in exchange for seeing his family one last time, Al was promptly sent back to Earth, with the demon having wiped Al’s mind of his past human life, and Al seeking out the truths of his past. All the while, Al has a consistent clock ticking down until Al is sent back to Hell, and another Spawn being sent in his place.
During Al’s time on Earth he hunts down affiliates of Hell, bad men who seek to create chaos in his home of New York City, all the while trying to reclaim his memories and take down any forces of evil that come his way.
Al would eventually have to commit suicide in order to save a collective of his friends from no uncertain demise, and is sent into purgatory for many years. In his place would be the second Spawn- Jim Downing.
Jim, a young caucasian man, awoke in a hospital bed with no memory to later find that he possessed strange demonic powers, before realizing that he was the next Hellspawn. With the same sentient costume given to Al, Jim takes his place as the anti-hero but with less of a filter towards killing and who to serve in a battle between Heaven and Hell.
Ultimately though, Jim would eventually fail in his duties as Spawn, allowing New York to become overrun with demons and parasitic bugs- that’s right, it’s plenty weird. However, after Jim sacrificed himself to save the city- God Himself came to Al Simmons in purgatory, requesting that he return to Earth under the banner of helping Him.
This gets to modern day Spawn, which anyone interested can go pick up at their local comic shops today.
Both Spawn’s show a collective of crazy power sand abilities, including- enhanced vision, super strength, demonic laser vision and demonic power dispelling, a sentient cape that allows flight and helps fight in battle, weapons knowledge, durability, extreme healing factor, and at times hyper intelligence,
Spawn is an ongoing comic book title, with new issues shipping monthly. So, to get you started, here are some reading recommendations-
Spawn vol. 5 – (Beginning of the Greg Capullo Run)
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