Todd McFarlane

Remember the days when comics did not take themselves too seriously? Well, this Spawn collection is from that period. Spawn, resurrected black-ops mercenary Al Simmons is a creature that wanders throughout the NY seeking a woman from his dreams - woman he cannot remember but the one he know he sold his soul to Hell for. As it goes with these dealings with demons there is always small print and one thing is that he cannot remember anything and is sabotaged by the Hell through various means - enormous power he wields that seems to be sucking his own life force and inability to recover his own looks among other things.

And while our (anti)hero wanders around the NY and tries to find out what exactly is happening he will come across the criminal gangs preying on innocents, mafia kingpins deciding to kill him and enemies to match his powers - Violator (midget KISS fan who transforms into the hideous monster) and Overt-Kill, cyborg with no finesse, juggernaut that is so subtle that he walks through walls in order to kill his victims.

Art is beautiful and over the top (in AD2000 sense which is just pure joy) - especially shots with Violator - story is full of dark humor (exchanges between two NYPD detectives, again Violator and his remarks) and some parts are ..... very scary to say the least (psychopath Kincaid arc was .... true horror).

This is horror story about a man chosen to lead legions from Hell - man who does not stand a chance of getting out because he is condemned no matter what he does - if he kills criminals Hell will only bolster their ranks, if he puts them in jail they will just get out and if he does not do anything he needs to be able to live with himself and why he left innocents die (which is very hard for our hero).

Author truly reveres Frank Miller and Miller's Dark Knight and that is visible in order of panels and use of panoramic shots of Spawn on the high buildings in NY. But art is much much better, very dynamic and in some instances so good that one would like to get the shot enlarged and poster made of it.

Unlike Batman though Spawn is no stranger to violence and he does not spare his enemies. And in it lies another trap - by not controlling his temper Spawn gets more and more drawn to Hell and unwillingly builds the army for it. In all honesty what to expect from former government assassin - while he constantly seeks the way out of violence he doesn't hesitate to use it when required. Spawn is man caught in chess game for a long run, man trying to make world safer for family he left behind in only way he knows.

One more thing I like in this book is that it does not take itself seriously and does not try any preachy approach. It is a violent and twisted run and it does not try to be anything but that (fans of Judge Dredd, ABC Warriors and Metal Hurlant will recognize the style immediately). Are there illogical things in the story? Hmmmm, yes but it is hardly surprising considering the subject of the story. If I ever start over-thinking the comic medium that will be the time I will have to admit I am too old to read it.

Seeking anything but fun ride from a comic book is silly and futile undertaking. If one wants to learn about the world and grow in knowledge only medium to achieve that is a good book on a given subject. Comics are for enjoyment, for some maybe even guilty pleasures (those that want to be taken seriously at all times), adventures that might interest you for some area (like mythology in this case) but nothing more than that - true knowledge must be gained elsewhere.

Excellent collection, gotta say I am truly interested in Spawn as a character and will be looking for other books on the character.

Highly recommended to fans of fantasy and supernatural horror and thrillers.… (meer)

This review is written with a GPL 4.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at WordPress, Blogspot, & Librarything by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission
Title: Myths, Part II
Series: Spawn #15
Author: Todd McFarlane
Rating: 2 of 5 Stars
Genre: Comic
Pages: 25
Words: 1K

Synopsis:

From Imagecomics.fandom.com

The Clown's story continues. Medieval Spawn survives the Violator's blast, but he is horribly disfigured. Even in this state, however, he is able to best Violator with the help of his living suit's imprisoning tendrils. The Violator's severed head is hoisted aloft as a grisly trophy of their demonic battle. Ironically, the woman he sought to protect from the Violator is sickened by Spawn's true form and flees in flight.

The Spawn lays in an alley peacefully resting. When the owner comes out mad that bums in his alley are begging and foraging for scraps, the owner physically pushes Spawn around. Spawn is fed up with people trying to tell him what to do. He beats the man down and barks that this is now spawn territory. The man cowers away.

In Queens, New York, Terry Fitzgerald lays awake, terrified as the mob's men have threatened his family again and he doesn't know what to do.

My Thoughts:

So this whole “Myths” story was standing St. George and the Dragon on it's head. With the Violator being the dragon and Medieval Spawn being St. George. It really pissed me off that the Princess runs away from Medieval Spawn when he reveals his tortured form. I can understand that she doesn't want to get all “Hugs & Kisses” with him but to run away from him after he'd saved her life and killed the Violator that was torturing her? It also raised the question, to me, of WHY was Medieval Spawn all burnt up too? It doesn't happen to every Spawn because we saw the fat child killer who became a Spawn candidate still in “prime” condition. And speaking of Medieval Spawn.

Below is an illustration of the fantastic work that McFarlane can do, when he wants to. It is a great illustration of the talents he has. The problem with it is that it simply makes the times where he rough sketches things in that much more noticeable.

Part of me can understand not doing this level of work for every panel but at the same time, why not? Why isn't McFarlane putting out his best for the whole issue? Why does this particular spread get the love treatment while Terry in his boxers looks almost like a crayon drawing at the end?

Between everything that I've experienced with this comic in these 15 issues, nothing has made me want to continue. I don't like Spawn. I don't like his human Al Simmons. I don't like the 2 cops. I don't like the badguys and I don't like Wanda. I don't like the city or the situations and I don't like the universe portrayed. So I'm done with Spawn. 15 issues is enough of “testing the waters”. Any more testing and I'd be asking for Jaws to come chomp me up into little itty bitty pieces.

★★☆☆☆… (meer)

This review is written with a GPL 4.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at WordPress, Blogspot, & Librarything by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission
Title: Myths, Part I
Series: Spawn #14
Author: Todd McFarlane
Rating: 2 of 5 Stars
Genre: Comic
Pages: 25
Words: 1K

Synopsis:

From Imagecomics.fandom.com

The Clown, being a master of self-promotion, tells the story of a long-ago clash with Medieval Spawn to a small lot of alley kids. He portrays the ancient warrior in the worst possible light and describing him as evil. He takes creative liberties explaining he was the hero of the story. During a battle, a kick from Spawn's horse sends Violator flying, something snaps inside him and he unleashes a gout of mystical fire. The Violator cackles in triumph over the smoking form of his fallen foe.

Spawn curses himself for letting his emotions get the best of him. Now that Chapel knows he's still alive, he can no longer remain a shadow. People may discover he's still alive and come for him.

My Thoughts:

We get the Violator, still in clown form, telling a group of boys a story about his battle with another Spawn 800 years ago. The words he says are at complete odds with the pictures drawn so you know he's lying out of his teeth. It would seem another Spawn had defied Malebolgia, thus giving us the hint that our Spawn might be treading in the footsteps of another like him.

I have to admit, I don't think I'm going to make it to the end of the year with this series. It is just too stupid. I've mentioned this before, but Spawn is supposed to be a Special Forces kind of guy. He doesn't let his emotions rule him but so far, that is ALL he's done in all 14 issues. One stupid mistake or decision after another because of his emotions. It's not that I want him to be emotionless but I don't want to see him ruled by his emotions and McFarlane doesn't go down that route.

★★☆☆☆… (meer)

This review is written with a GPL 4.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at WordPress, Blogspot, & Librarything by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission
Title: Flashback, Part II
Series: Spawn #13
Author: Todd McFarlane
Rating: 2 of 5 Stars
Genre: Comic
Pages: 25
Words: 1K

Synopsis:

From Imagecomics.fandom.com

Spawn recalls playing a baseball game and breaking his ankle. All he can remember is how beautiful she was and how they made love until the sun came up the next morning.

Spawn decides to focus on finding the man who killed him, Chapel.

At Youngblood headquarters, Badrock is on guard duty but distracted by video games. When Spawn trips a silent alarms, he finds Chapel along with teammates Diehard and Shaft. Spawn teleports himself and Chapel to Botswana to complete his fight.

Terry Fitzgerald finds it hard to fall asleep. Now that two men have harassed him, he knows he's on a watch list which is hard to get on. Yet he can't figure out why they'd be checking into him.

Twitch Williams and Sam Burke rejoice in their investigation finally being lifted for the murder of Billy Kincaid.

In Botswana, Chapel recalls the orders from Jason Wynn to take out his target when things got hairy. Snapping back into the present, he wrestles with Spawn and exchanges punches. Spawn drives the point home by disfiguring the Chapel's face with a horrific brand, that resembles the facial warpaint he wore when he murdered Al. As Spawn leaves Chapel, he activates the Youngblood tracking mechanism.

Eight hours later, Shaft and Badrock arrive and ask what Spawn said to him. With a disgusted and angry look, Chapel simply replies with, "Nothing" as he gets on their plane to leave.

My Thoughts:

So Spawn hunts down the guy who killed him originally. He infiltrates the Youngblood's headquarters (Youngblood's were Image's version of the Justice League or the Avengers), teleports Chapel back to where Chapel killed him and proceeds to pummel the ever living daylight out of him. Spawn uses his magic to give Chapel a skull face like his old costume and then leaves him to be found.

The fight boiled down to a couple of punches thrown and the two of them angrily exchanging macho “I'm tougher than you” stupid talk. It was actually kind of embarrassing to read. It also brought home the point that McFarlane is deliberately writing for teenagers. Instead of showcasing Spawn getting some good intel from the badguy the focus is them fighting and Spawn getting his revenge. I'm sure in future volumes Spawn will use the intel from this guy but it will be of the “remember when I beat the crap out of my old killer, well, he told me....” variety.

On a complete side note. I've never read the Youngblood comics but after this little introduction I definitely won't be. I get the “grim and gritty” vibe from them and I'd bet my bottom dollar that the comics are filled with questionable morals about human life and heroism in general.

★★☆☆☆… (meer)