Spawn #250Review by Matt Taylor
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Starting fresh has worked fairly well for Marvel and DC in the last few years. With Spawn, Todd McFarlane decided that scrapping 20 years of work seemed like a massive step backwards and an insult to the people who helped create a modern classic. The long running comic book series that helped Image Comics conquer the world, shaping it into the company we see today, saw the release of it’s 250th issue this month. Being only the second independent comic to achieve this milestone, McFarlane has said previously that entirely resetting the clock on the series felt like destroying what made it’s past great. But Spawn definitely needs a new coat of paint, and that’s exactly what we are getting.
Instead of demolishing the Spawn world that’s developed over the series’ run, Spawn #250 sees the mantel and symbiotic hell-spawn suit transferred to the books original owner, Al Simmons, whose suicide transferred his Spawn powers to Jim Downing. Downing has been Spawn for a number of years, but Simmons return speaks both to fans of the earlier books. The refresh on the line has the added benefit of enticing new readers to the series, which also saw it’s entire back catalogue digitally available for the first time. |
As someone who missed out on the earlier years of Spawn, I’ve been reading since issue #247. The comics have so far been an intricate, and at times difficult to follow, story. Leading up to the events of issue #250, we see the suit and Jim Downing fighting for control of one another. As they tear through buildings, McFarlane’s story and goals for the series are outlined by some amazing art and well written dialogue, with the confusion I felt reading the last three issues resolved by the end of #250.
Criticism has been aimed at the book for it’s confusing, diluted story and roundabout ending. Out of all the issues I’ve read, #250 is the tying of loose ends, and I felt that most of the arcs finished where they should. McFarlane’s writing has never been simple, and #250 is no different. There’s definitely some long-game story arc at play, with the books closing page showcasing the skills of Jonboy Meyer, who takes over as the books artist. There’s a modern, fresh style to Jonboy’s work that will put Spawn back on the top sellers list, with bright clear lines and colours; a sense of movement that makes the character feel new again.
Al Simmons is back and Todd plans to make him smarter; tougher. Some felt that the early version of Simmons could come off as a little sorry for itself. This version is going to kick your arse, and I’m ready to be kicked.
You can check out Spawn #250 at your local comic book store, as well as read up on Spawn with the backcatalogue now available on Google Play, iBooks, Comixology and imagecomics.com
Criticism has been aimed at the book for it’s confusing, diluted story and roundabout ending. Out of all the issues I’ve read, #250 is the tying of loose ends, and I felt that most of the arcs finished where they should. McFarlane’s writing has never been simple, and #250 is no different. There’s definitely some long-game story arc at play, with the books closing page showcasing the skills of Jonboy Meyer, who takes over as the books artist. There’s a modern, fresh style to Jonboy’s work that will put Spawn back on the top sellers list, with bright clear lines and colours; a sense of movement that makes the character feel new again.
Al Simmons is back and Todd plans to make him smarter; tougher. Some felt that the early version of Simmons could come off as a little sorry for itself. This version is going to kick your arse, and I’m ready to be kicked.
You can check out Spawn #250 at your local comic book store, as well as read up on Spawn with the backcatalogue now available on Google Play, iBooks, Comixology and imagecomics.com
More from Spawn
Spawn Issue #247 |
Jonboy Meyers sketching Spawn - NYCC 2014 |
