Spawn

[michaeljsmith]

I know many of you think that Spawn is not cool and it is a very 1990's but this title is better than ever. David Hine is a superstar writer who gets the character and Brian Haberlin has a distinct style that lends itself to the darker side of this title.

I know that there are a few of you out there that know what I am talking about and I thought it might be time to throw out a "post it all" thread here. Feel free to tell me I am crazy or jump in and tell the world about this title. Below is the information for this month's issue. Looking forward to it after the recent Gunslinger Spawn arc.
________________________
SPAWN
MONTHLY SERIES
ISSUE 176 | MARCH 2008

TITLE The Monster in the Bubble, Part I
STORY David Hine LETTERS Tom Orzechowski COVER Greg Capullo COLORS Andy Troy INKS Brian Haberlin PENCILS Brian Haberlin

People are dying and witnesses swear the killer is a ghost. Police profiler Marc Simmons thinks he knows better, but his suspect has the perfect alibi. Can Spawn solve the riddle of 'The Monster in the Bubble?'

[Greg Anderson]

Awesome-sauce.

We definitely need a Spawn thread here, the book has been all sorts of cool. David Hine kicks all sorts of much needed ass for this book.

[michaeljsmith]

Awesome-sauce.

We definitely need a Spawn thread here, the book has been all sorts of cool. David Hine kicks all sorts of much needed ass for this book.

ahhh someone who is drinking the kool-aid and has seen the light.... not that I am referring to "the light" from the Armageddon story arc.

David Hine is taking this book to new heights and has a vision and way of telling stories that makes you want more....

[Gavin Higginbotham, BotF]

I've just read SPAWN from 150-173 in near enough one sitting, and it was entertaining as hell. The Armageddon storyline was great fun and I love the urban horror stuff currently going on. It's nice seeing Mammon developing his plans further and I like that he's been involved in Al's life long before he was even born. It makes him feel like a more legitimate threat.

I'm slightly concerned by the whole "End of Spawn" solicitations, but Todd wants his character to live on after he's gone, so I suppose I shouldn't worry.

[michaeljsmith]

I'm slightly concerned by the whole "End of Spawn" solicitations, but Todd wants his character to live on after he's gone, so I suppose I shouldn't worry.

I was a little concerned for about 30 second and then you see a quote like below...

Brian Haberlin (TMP Editor in Chief)
Would I let Spawn be cancelled!?! People would hunt me down!

...and you get a little reassurance that Spawn is going to be around a while. I jsut hope this is not some way of saying "Spawn" will be around but Al Simmons might not be Spawn much longer. Ghost Rider tried that in the 1990's and Johhny Blaze was more of a mentor and it was terrible.

[Chino]

Oh how I miss Spawn :o
I read Spawn from 1-91 then left comics all together.

Is Spawn a hero now, or what the hell is doing really? 91 or so issues of pretty much crying over wanda and wandering in the alley got old quick. I pretty much stuck around for Capullos (sp) art, and because Spawn himself was such a badass.

Anyone care to tell me what exactly this book is about now? Is there a clear direction? Suggestions on a good starting point?

[Harrison781]

fantastic pic thanks for sharing

[TROUBLEZ]

thanks brikhed21. That summary of all the stuff that has been going on sounds so cool I'm going to track down a boat load of back issues.

Was the Samurai Wars ever in Dark Ages Spawn?

And Al's mom was a Satan worshipper?

Usually I hate retconning things but this new backstory sounds pretty good.

[michaeljsmith]

And Al's mom was a Satan worshipper?

Yes, that was the most bizarre twist to come about lately. The whole time you think Al made this deal with the devil and that is why is he Spawn but then you realize that it had been plotted for almost 200 years and it is his bloodline that was targeted. I don't feel like all of Spawn got rebooted or his past got changed but rather it got expanded and makes you step back and say "oh shit" this is so much bigger than we all originally thought.

It is great stuff and I would encourage your to grab Armageddon through now.

[michaeljsmith]

...not that it is a HUGE win or cherished piece but I just scored Mayhew's original concept sketch for the cover of issue # 180. I wish it was the original art from the cover but I don't have that kind of cash just sitting around. You can see the concept sketch to the finished cover below.

[Greg Anderson]

Yes, that was the most bizarre twist to come about lately. The whole time you think Al made this deal with the devil and that is why is he Spawn but then you realize that it had been plotted for almost 200 years and it is his bloodline that was targeted. I don't feel like all of Spawn got rebooted or his past got changed but rather it got expanded and makes you step back and say "oh shit" this is so much bigger than we all originally thought.

It is great stuff and I would encourage your to grab Armageddon through now.

You see, I loved that twist because it made a lot more sense to me as Al being picked for a Hellspawn. We were always told that he was a blood thirsty killer, but I always thought it wasn't a good enough excuse because of all the other blood thirsty killers out there. I mean, how come Hitler isn't a Hellspawn. Then we got that whole thing with Al killing his baby which was intense, but I still didn't feel as if it were strong enough to become Spawn. But his mom being a "Satanist" now makes sense with her selling the soul of her child to become Hell's soldier. It has a bit of "Rosemary's Baby" touch to it.

[michaeljsmith]

You see, I loved that twist because it made a lot more sense to me as Al being picked for a Hellspawn. We were always told that he was a blood thirsty killer, but I always thought it wasn't a good enough excuse because of all the other blood thirsty killers out there. I mean, how come Hitler isn't a Hellspawn. Then we got that whole thing with Al killing his baby which was intense, but I still didn't feel as if it were strong enough to become Spawn. But his mom being a "Satanist" now makes sense with her selling the soul of her child to become Hell's soldier. It has a bit of "Rosemary's Baby" touch to it.

I agree 100% - it made the whole story seem less random and more complete. Hine has added a lot of back story to the world of Spawn but not disturbed any of the continuity that was built over the prior 150 plus issues. How many other books can say that after 176 issue the things that happened in issue #1 are still acurate as all of the rest of the story.

[michaeljsmith]

...for those of you that have never checked it out there is a web comic called "Adventures of Spawn". The first issue was so successful it was actually printed. They now have two issues online at http://www.spawn.com/features/series30/comic/ and most of us that have checked it out have begged the powers that be at TMP to either make this a regular thing online or in print. Thought I would through this out there for all to get a quick look.

ADVENTURES OF SPAWN
Action! Adventure! Al Simmons is Spawn X. Teamed with the Redeemer and the robotic Omega Spawn, Spawn X must fight the villainous forces of Mammon, Overtkill, Cy-Gor and Tiffany in order to stop them from retrieving the infamous 13 Relics of Ruin.

[Colossus77]

Hope no one minds me asking if its been asked already but there are way too many pages to read. Which issue did David Hine began to write this book? I want to pick it up from the beginning.

[Greg Anderson]

Hope no one minds me asking if its been asked already but there are way too many pages to read. Which issue did David Hine began to write this book? I want to pick it up from the beginning.

He started writing in issue 150. Philip Tan also started pencilling in that issue. Their issues together was the Armageddon arc. It's been collected in two trades, and also there's a really large collection that collects the whole arc, which I believe was thirteen issues.