Image Comics’Spawnis arecord-breaking ongoing series, having ran for over 350 issues in the decades since its debut – and in that time,the series has produced scores of iconic comic covers, many of which are truly stunning, unforgettable works of art. At their peak,Spawncovers represent some of the best the industry has offered in the past thirty-plus years.
In 1992, Todd McFarlane’sSpawnhelped lead the “Image Revolution”, an era in the 1990s defined by the migration of superstar Marvel artists to their own, creator-owned company. McFarlane’s demonic antihero has since achieved record-breaking success as the longest-running creator-owned comic in the industry.
Spawn has been drawn by some of the most talented artists in comics, from Greg Capullo and Brett Booth to Marc Silvestri and Phillip Tan. This is especially true when it comes to covers, where some of the biggest names in the industry have turned in vibrant and attention-grabbing art.
10Spawn #38 Cover
Illustrated By Tony Daniel And Kevin Conrad
Spawn#38 takes the revised origin of DC’s Mister Freeze and turns it into a Frankensteinian horror story, exploring the experiments of Dr Frederick Willheim to save his dying wife. This leads to the creation oficonic Spawn villainCy-Gor, a large gorilla with the brain of a human implanted in his head, leading to a combined rage and strength.
The cover forSpawn#38 features Cy-Gor tearing his way through a wall, staring down at a seemingly-triumphant Willheim. The cover is one of the series' most engaging, demanding a read for fans to understand who the scientist is, and what the creature behind him plans to do. The issue also harkins back to a time when the series was more open to “monster of the week” style stories, mirroring the formula of a standard superhero comic.
9Spawn #9 Cover
Illustrated By Todd McFarlane
Spawn#9 stands out as a key issue in McFarlane’s series due to theintroduction of Medieval Spawnand a key villain, Angela – an angel charged with hunting down Hellspawns. The cover reflects the nature of the story inside,highlighting a victorious Angela standing over the remains of Medieval Spawn’s battle-scarred armor.
Spawn#9 is an infamous issue from the series' history as the book that sparked a feud between Todd McFarlane and Neil Gaiman. Where McFarlane insisted on ownership of Angela due to her placement in his series, Gaiman pointed to Image Comics' emphasis on creator rights and ownership. This led to one of the most famous modern comic book court cases, as the two creators fought for the character, with Gaiman eventually winning and merging her with the Marvel Universe.
Top 10 Superhero Debuts from Image Comics in the 1990s
Superheroes built the foundation of Image Comics in the 1990s, gifting the world numerous characters. Here are the top 10, ranked.
8Spawn #63 Cover
Illustrated By Greg Capullo And Todd McFarlane
Spawn#63follows Al Simmons after finally getting his face healed, while preparing for a confrontation with Wynn – who plans his own next move. After a run-in with Terry Fitzgerald, the hero arms up for his impending fight. While the issue doesn’t have much in the way of action, Greg Capullo’s stunning interior art makes it just as engaging as any issue in the series, especially as the hero is given back his identity.
Spawn#63 is one of the more underrated covers, featuring the antihero wielding a pair of smoking machine gunsas he stands atop a monster. Despite being more a pin-up cover than reflective of any interior action, the cover is one of the series' most compelling, casting Al as a gun-toting fighter gearing up for war.
7Spawn #4 Cover
While many may associate the story of Al Simmons with action, it wasn’t actually until Spawn #4 that the hero so much as threw a punch. Up to this point, the series' action had been a combination of flashback sequences and the macabre of Violator regarding other characters. Here, their confrontation finally boiled over into a fight, albeit a brief one.
Spawn #4’s cover remains the definitive Violator cover, giving readers a close-up of the monster’s drooling face, preparing for his fight with Simmons. Drawn by Todd McFarlane, the cover was the first villain-focused piece in the series, setting the tone for its story and what wouldbecome Spawn’s defining enemy, as well as offering a further evolution of the core style and tone of the book.
6Spawn #224 Cover
During 2012, Todd McFarlane released a string of homage coversto classic comics, fromWalking Dead#1 toWatchmen.Spawn#224 delivered by far the most popular of these covers, reimagining Frank Miller’s cover for Dark Knight Returns #2 as an imposing version of Spawn (who, at this time, was actually Jim Downing). The story delves into Jim’s history as he nears a confrontation with Jason Wynn.
The Dark Knight Returns#2 is one of the most referenced covers in comic book history,and McFarlane’s homage is, by far, the best there has ever been. The cover brings out McFarlane’s keen attention to detail, breaking out the artist’s love of chains and spikes as Jim Downing stares down the reader.
20 Best Image Comics Series Of All Time
Image Comics is the foremost name in independent comics, but these series stand out as the label’s best books of all time.
5Spawn #8 Cover
Spawn#8 follows the story of one of the hero’s most abhorrent villains, the child-murderer Billy Kincaid, as he navigates the perilous landscape of Hell. Alongside a group of children, the serial killer fights his way through various demons, eventually coming face-to-face with Malebolgia himself. This set the stage forthe King of Hell’snext play to bring down Al Simmons.
Issue #8 doesn’t just feature some of earlySpawn’smost stunning interior art, it also sports a fantastic cover that pays homage to McFarlane’s cover forSpider-Man#1 (1990). In the years since, references to the veteran creator’s covers for the Big Two have become a staple of his art, and issue 8 remains one of the best.
4Spawn #19 Cover
Illustrated By Greg Capullo And Mark Pennington
Spawn#19 features Al Simmons working with the great Harry Houdini who, in this universe, is capable of performing feats of real magic. This allows him to assist the antihero in understanding his own abilities, something that proves key when the pair are forced to fight a street gang together.
Spawn#19’s cover almost immediately overshadowed every issue in the series since the first, featuring Simmons without his mask as he’s surrounded by fire. For a series centered around a character empowered by Hell itself,few covers have been as perfectfor the hero as this, and Greg Capullo and Mark Pennington’s vibrancy makes it stand out. At this time in the franchise’s history, the character of Spawn was still very much being defined – and visually-arresting covers like Capullo and Pennington’s were as essential to that process as the interior art.
3Spawn #301 Cover
As Todd’s McFarlane’s triumphant, record-setting comic,Spawn#301 officially surpassed Dave Sim’sCerebusas the longest-running indie comic series in history. Still running and having just passed #360,this landmark issue cemented the creator’s status as the most successful indie creator in the industry.
Spawn#301 features a triumphant Al Simmons in his suit holding his crown while stepping on a stack of back issues. The issue itself follows Simmons in the aftermath of his battle with Violator, addresses his new place in the world since going public and explores the fallout of him sealing the Dead Zones.Spawn#301’s triumphant cover is a testament to the level of achievement that it is for any comic book series to run for over three-hundred issues, especially an independently owned and created title such as McFarlane’s.
10 Best Image Comics You Need To Read Right NOW
Since 1992, Image Comics has stood as an icon of independent, creator-owned publishing. The company has plenty of excellent recent and ongoing books.
2Spawn #77 Cover
Spawn#77 follows the hero still recovering from his battle with the Heap, as he turns to Cogliostro for advice and help. Here, the former Hellspawn advises Al to make a play for the throne of Hell and take on Malebolgia once and for all. In this issue, the antihero’s resolve to kill his would-be master begins. Meanwhile,Sam and Twitch’s hunt for Al leads them into dangerous territory.
Spawn#77 has become one of the hero’s most sought-after covers due to its stunning subject, featuring the hero with angelic wings as he looks up to the Heavens. Drawn by McFarlane and Capullo, the issue stands as a reminder of the fact that the series reliably delivered some of the most iconic art of the Modern Age of Comics, whichSpawnhelped to achieve its next stage.
1Spawn #1 Cover
When it comes to truly iconic comic book heroes and their series, it’s not uncommon for the first issue’s cover to remain the most compelling and popular among readers. This is particularly true for Spawn,whose debut comic features the hero in full costume flying into action, welding his necropasm energy. The cover perfectly sets the tone for the series, emphasizing its supernatural elements and a dark backdrop, with the hero’s red cape soaking up much of the space in typical McFarlane fashion.
Spawn#1 follows Al Simmons' resurrection as Malebolgia’s Hellspawn, as he navigates the streets of New York City in his new form. Aside from a brief scuffle, the issue is primarilyan introduction to Al Simmonsthrough his inner-monologue, as well as the situation in the city through McFarlane’s signature TV news-based exposition, as the book establishes many beloved aspects of the still-ongoingSpawnsaga.
Spawn
Cast
Based on the dark comic by Todd McFarlanee,Spawnwas adapted for film in 1997, starring Michael Jai White in the lead role. Killed on a job after he’s betrayed by his boss, Al Simmons makes a deal with the devil and returns to earth as Spawn to face his new nemesis The Clown.
