In the 90s, Spawn was outselling Superman, had his own cartoon, and had his own movie. What happened? Can he ever regain his popularity? Should he be rebooted to be more or less hardcore? Should he be modernized? Can he be modernized?
Spawn (Simmons)
Character » Spawn (Simmons) appears in 1430 issues.
A highly trained assassin, murdered by his employer and former friend Chapel. Albert ''Al'' Francis Simmons sold his soul to Malebolgia, one of the many rulers of the Hell, in order to see his wife Wanda Blake again. Malebolgia had other things in mind for Al and sent him back to earth with no memory as a Hellspawn, one of his soldiers, to do his bidding. After realizing what he had lost, Al swore revenge, and became the vigilante known as Spawn.
Why did Spawn fall in popularity? Can it ever be regained?
The stories got really, really convoluted from what I heard. And I guess he just isn't in style right now. Image feels like a company trapped in the 90s. Not that that's always a bad thing. Haunt has been fantastic, but idk if it has 90s syndrome :P
" @geraldthesloth said:I've heard he's just a total ass in person as far as his personality goes, also look at his suit with Neil Gaiman over Marvelman" Probably because Todd McFarlane is a total douche. "What did he do? "
I think the fans should reclaim Spawn and save him.
I heard they're gonna make another movie soon.
He was such a badass. I miss Spawn =(
" I think the fans should reclaim Spawn and save him. I heard they're gonna make another movie soon. He was such a badass. I miss Spawn =( "Yeah, Todd says he's writing/directing the new movie. Apparently it's not a reboot, but just a "stand alone story" or what have you.
" @Gambit1024 said:Yup. Not only that but I hear it's scary as hell too. Maybe this could boost up his popularity a little bit." I think the fans should reclaim Spawn and save him. I heard they're gonna make another movie soon. He was such a badass. I miss Spawn =( "Yeah, Todd says he's writing/directing the new movie. Apparently it's not a reboot, but just a "stand alone story" or what have you. "
" @InnerVenom123 said:Really? A movie about Spawn, that's SCARY? FINALLY. xD I hope Violator does that thing from the HBO show where, instead of shape shifting, he literally rips out of skins." @Gambit1024 said:Yup. Not only that but I hear it's scary as hell too. Maybe this could boost up his popularity a little bit. "" I think the fans should reclaim Spawn and save him. I heard they're gonna make another movie soon. He was such a badass. I miss Spawn =( "Yeah, Todd says he's writing/directing the new movie. Apparently it's not a reboot, but just a "stand alone story" or what have you. "
" @Gambit1024 said:Totally! With today's special effects, I think Spawn can be totally doable on film. And you KNOW it's gonna be in 3D *rolls eyes*" @InnerVenom123 said:Really? A movie about Spawn, that's SCARY? FINALLY. xD I hope Violator does that thing from the HBO show where, instead of shape shifting, he literally rips out of skins. "" @Gambit1024 said:Yup. Not only that but I hear it's scary as hell too. Maybe this could boost up his popularity a little bit. "" I think the fans should reclaim Spawn and save him. I heard they're gonna make another movie soon. He was such a badass. I miss Spawn =( "Yeah, Todd says he's writing/directing the new movie. Apparently it's not a reboot, but just a "stand alone story" or what have you. "
http://www.comicvine.com/spawn/29-3381/whatever-happened-to-spawn/92-534850/#18
@Winfield said:
" I think Spawns popularity was mainly driven by McFarlane and Image's popularity. McFarlane's own popularity faded as he put out less work in comics. I'd say his credibility was also damaged by his collection of balls and the ongoing fiasco with Gaiman. Image's popularity decreased because they were very closely linked to the speculators boom and subsequent bust of the 90s. There is also the stigma of being an artists company while everyone else was beginning to really focus on writing. With creator and company going off the boil, and the industry as a whole shrinking Spawn faded into relative obscurity. "
A friend of mine used to be a BIG Spawn fan. In his opinion the comic should have ended at #100. I think every character has redeeming qualities. In the right hands Spawn could be on the top of his game again. Stranger things have happened.
Comic book spectator market and fans of marvel comic artist were the reason of his popularity. Most fans of his work were preteen to young adults who though blood and guns were mature story telling. Parents and adults bought issue one thinking it'll be worth a lot of money only to realize it wasn't worth anything. Too be quite honest Neil Giaman wrote a fantastic issue crossover with Cerberus and independent comics vs mainstream Marvel/DC. Spawn it self was okay I only read spawn origins collection and don't plan on reading it after that. Spawns problem is that once he solves a problem he just goes back to his alley and cries about Wanda.
I know I stopped reading and collecting Spawn for two reasons. The first was that this was always an art driven title, and not so much a plot driven one. I never knew or truly cared for any of the characters. And the second reason, which sadly is still true for all Image titles today even it being 18 years later, and that is constantly coming out late.
Mcfarlane's been talking about getting Spawn's popularity up with the new movie and animation, but he keeps delaying it, because he's Todd Mcfarlane, that's what he does.
" So I'm still wondering what the fans want to see to make him popular again. "To make him popular you need to consult the people who aren't fans of him. I agree that Simmons's repeated returns to brooding in the alleys is annoying, they finally started working away from that around #100.
Personally, I'm still a fan of Spawn. The only thing hindering me is trying to catch up with the current issues. It's extremely costly since you have to buy them individually rather than in collected editions past (I think) #116. I'm not sure what things are like with the new Spawn host, but I think the one of the biggest things holding down the series is Al Simmons's character.
" @Captain13 said:Good point. lol" So I'm still wondering what the fans want to see to make him popular again. "To make him popular you need to consult the people who aren't fans of him.
@Mediant said:
I'm not sure what things are like with the new Spawn host, but I think the one of the biggest things holding down the series is Al Simmons's character. "What do you mean by that? Is he too broody, vengeful, or violent? Is he not heroic enough? Do you think he should be rebooted to get back to basics or do you think a good writer can get back to the essence of the character without a reboot like what Geoff Johns did for GL and Flash?
The character is so single minded that he never makes any headway. He never gets over his hang ups. He never learns from his mistakes. His revelations are few and far between and even when he gains them it only seems to serve to make him even more despondent over his situation. Simmons just swings between ineffectual self-pity and rage fueled recklessness.
Admittedly, I'm not caught up to where things are now and I know he does eventually go through some changes, but that cycle exists for at least the first 90 issues. That's a long time.
I think they just need to get the series back to a new(ish) Hellspawn.
Good points. Thanks for your post. =)" @Captain13: Simmons, since the beginning of the series, has been extremely emotional. He is totally blinded by his anger and so is manipulated with very little effort. For the first half of the series at least, Al is stuck in this really annoying cycle: Some one pushes his buttons; He is manipulated into rash action; His bad choices cause him not to progress in any sense; He pouts in alleys about his situation, but learns nothing from it. Then the cycle start all over. The character is so single minded that he never makes any headway. He never gets over his hang ups. He never learns from his mistakes. His revelations are few and far between and even when he gains them it only seems to serve to make him even more despondent over his situation. Simmons just swings between ineffectual self-pity and rage fueled recklessness.Admittedly, I'm not caught up to where things are now and I know he does eventually go through some changes, but that cycle exists for at least the first 90 issues. That's a long time. I think they just need to get the series back to a new(ish) Hellspawn. "
Spawn has some good ideas it's not well excicuted by someone who can write except Neil Gaiman. Wanda has moved on without him so why can't he, he was a ruler of hell yet he hasn't done anything with that amount of power. Al Simmons a good guy and Todd thinks making him a bogeyman is a good idea. umm...Why?
Spawn started off well, ended in an epic fashion with the Divine Spawn arc. After that the series went downhill. As to if he could get there. problem is after the Divine Spawn arc. There was no reason to continue the story. It was so final in it's execution that it basically meant the end of the Spawn verse.
And image has awesome stuff. Not all of it is good. But some of the stuff they put out is pure win
" Spawn started off well, ended in an epic fashion with the Divine Spawn arc. After that the series went downhill. As to if he could get there. problem is after the Divine Spawn arc. There was no reason to continue the story. It was so final in it's execution that it basically meant the end of the Spawn verse. And image has awesome stuff. Not all of it is good. But some of the stuff they put out is pure win "That pretty much sums it up.
" @Crom-Cruach said:Yeah, which is probably why Al ended his life soon after that. I know most people are all like "I would hate it if my favorite characters were killed off permanently," but with Spawn it worked. I loved it when Al ended it. The story had its ups and downs, but he was done, which was cool. I'm still a fan of Spawn, and I like what's goin' on with Jim Downing (the new Spawn), and I'm still buying the issues as they come out simply because the nature of the story seems to have turned more into a street-level/noir like thing, which is something I'm really into." Spawn started off well, ended in an epic fashion with the Divine Spawn arc. After that the series went downhill. As to if he could get there. problem is after the Divine Spawn arc. There was no reason to continue the story. It was so final in it's execution that it basically meant the end of the Spawn verse. And image has awesome stuff. Not all of it is good. But some of the stuff they put out is pure win "That pretty much sums it up. "
All and all, I'm still a fan of Spawn. I like where the series is going. I recommend the Endgame arc to people looking for a story that sorta has that vibe. As for most people "growing out" of Spawn, the only real explanation I can give is people were into it for the sake of being into it. 90's character and all.
@bigalow said:
" also the stories were very sacreligious which turned off some readers. "Oh, that was also probably a big part of it. I got sorta upset when the story started out one way and then flipped over when they tried to explain how God and Satan were brothers and Jesus/Man of Miracles is God's son and his mom at the same time. Still a good story, ignoring some of the wonky things, but definitely a turn off.
I would love to see spawn regain its popularity. I was always a fan. I believe its possible but not likely. Although i would very much like to see it.
" He was a fad of the 90's like ridiculous muscles, guns and pockets on super-heroes. I don't think he'll ever really be as popular as he was back then. "
" @dementedtheclown: lol wow... "Actually, alot of characters from Image are like that. Spawn, Chapel, Shadowhawk. All the same.
I havent followed Spawn for some time but I remenber when early on he killed a child killer with popsicle sticks and the little rhyme
"Boys screamed and girls screamed. So I made him scream and scream and scream..." That was great. I think where Spawn
went wrong was the creator McFarlane was not involved and was more into the business and as the stories went on they became
more convoluted and interest dies off. I stopped reading Spawn years ago partly, for that reason.
" I havent followed Spawn for some time but I remenber when early on he killed a child killer with popsicle sticks and the little rhyme "Boys screamed and girls screamed. So I made him scream and scream and scream..." That was great. I think where Spawn went wrong was the creator McFarlane was not involved and was more into the business and as the stories went on they became more convoluted and interest dies off. I stopped reading Spawn years ago partly, for that reason. "Todd Mcfarlane's wife was editing the book until that issue with the child killer, then she left the comic because she was disgusted by it.
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