#spawn vol. 1

THE HEAVIEST OF HEAVIEST TAKING ON THE BADDEST ANTI-HERO IN THE DARK AGE OF COMICS.

PIC INFO: Spotlight on promotional advertisements for "SPAWN" Vol. 1 #8-11 (1993), published throughout various issues of Image Comics.

MINI-OVERVIEW: "In 1992, seven superstar artists left Marvel to form Image Comics.  While their comics were a runaway success right off the bat, they faced criticism that the writing wasn’t very good, since the artwork took priority.

In response, Image’s Todd McFarlane invited four of the most critically acclaimed comic book writers to each write an issue of his series "SPAWN."  In this highly publicized event, Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman, Dave Sim, and Frank Miller were set to write "Spawn" #8-11, respectively."

-- CONCRETE GRAY (WordPress), "Comics Written by Alan Moore, then by Grant Morrison," published March 26, 2019

TODD MCFARLANE TRIES HIS HAND AT COMICS PUBLISHING -- AND A HELLBOUND LEGEND IS BORN.

PIC INFO: Spotlight on probably the earliest, printed incarnation of Image Comics' flagship character, Spawn, c. 1991, created by Todd McFarlane (wunderkind Canadian artist formerly employed by the "Big Two," but primarily known as a Marvel Comics artist).

Illustration from '91; advert published in '92.

TRICK OR TREAT, YOU MEATBAGS!! IT'S THE PHLEBIAC BROTHERS HUNGRY FOR SWEET, SWEET HUMAN SOULS!

PIC(S) INFO: Mega spotlight on cover, plus full wraparound cover art to "WIZARD" Magazine Vol. 1 #40 [with a Halloween-themed focus on SPAWN's then newly-introduced Phlebiac Brothers, co-created by the mighty Alan Moore]. December, 1994. Cover artwork by Greg Capullo.

Resolution at 1500x1163 & 800x1158.

"SOLDIER OF HELL..."

"...It’s time to take the offense."

PIC INFO: Spotlight on an Image Comics house ad for "SPAWN" Vol. 1 #82, scanned from "Dark Minds" Vol. 1 #6 [December 1998]. Image Comics. Artwork by Greg Capullo (I think).

TARGET: HELLSPAWN -- CLASS OF '93, KIDS.

NOTE: I used to wear this very image as a T-shirt design way back in my high school daze, and it made me feel untouchable. One of my favorite tees ever.

PICS INFO: Resolution at 2778x4096 -- Mega spotlight on textless & published cover art to "SPAWN" Vol. 1 #12. July, 1993. Image Comics. Artwork by Todd McFarlane.

PIC #2: Published cover art -- resolution at 409x630.

A MATCH MADE IN DARK AGE OF COMICS HEAVEN -- WITH A FOREFATHER OF THE BLOODY AGE HIMSELF.

PIC(S) INFO: Mega spotlight on a "SPAWN" Vol. 1 print advert and/or poster design, promoting the mighty Frank @!*%¢#$& Miller as guest writer on "SPAWN" #11 (with a cover date of June, 1993), published by Image Comics.

"...AND ALAN, FRANK, AND I WERE THE TOP WRITERS IN COMICS AT THE TIME — TO WRITE GUEST ISSUES."

PIC INFO: Spotlight on a print advertisement for British comics writer Neil Gaiman, guesting as "Spawn" writer for the ninth issue in the series, ultimately published in March, 1993.

PIC #2: The above "Spawn" house ad was featured in the pages of "Brigade" Vol. 1 #3 [from Rob Liefeld 's ["Extreme Universe"]. February, 1993. Image Comics. Cover art by Paul Scott.

NEIL GAIMAN: "Todd had called me and asked me to write an issue of "SPAWN" back in the early days because the way he explained it was the people at Image Comics, the comic company, were artists and they were getting a lot of flack for writing and he wanted celebrity writers and he got me, Alan Moore, Frank Miller, and a guy called Dave Sim — and Alan, Frank and I were the top writers in comics at the time — to write guest issues."

HELLSPAWN RISING IN THE SHADOW OF THE DARK KNIGHT -- TRIBUTE TO AN AMERICAN MASTER.

PIC(S) INFO: Mega spotlight on textless cover art to "SPAWN" Vol. 1 #224 [homage to Frank Miller's "The Dark Knight Returns" Vol. 1 #2, c. July 1986. DC Comics], published October, 2012 by Image Comics. Artwork by Todd McFarlane after the mighty Frank Miller.