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Spawn
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Creation & Design

Spawn was created by Todd McFarlane and first appeared in 1992. The character was designed to be a dark anti-hero, exploring themes of redemption and the battle between good and evil.

Early Years

Al Simmons was a highly skilled assassin who was betrayed and killed. He made a deal with the devil to return to Earth, only to find himself in a hellish existence as Spawn.

Character Development

Over the years, Spawn has evolved from a vengeful anti-hero to a more complex character grappling with themes of redemption, morality, and the consequences of power.

Cultural Reception

Spawn has received critical acclaim for its storytelling and art, becoming one of the best-selling independent comics of all time.

Character Details

Real Name:
Al Simmons
Aliases:
Hellspawn, The Violator, The Redeemer
Species:
Human
Gender:
Male
Affiliations:
The Hellspawn, The Army of Hell, The Violator
Abilities:
Superhuman strength, Regeneration, Teleportation, Necroplasm manipulation
Equipment:
Cape, Chains, Hellspawn armor
Weight:
200lbs
Height:
6' 0"
Eye Color:
green
Hair Color:
black
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Wizard: Official Comic Book Pocket Price Guide #4

Wizard ⋅ 1991

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Wizard: Official Comic Book Pocket Price Guide #4
 
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Key Facts

Interior advertisement of "Stan Lee Presents: The Comic Book Greats" a VHS with Spawn on the outer sleeve (December 1991)

Up 'N Coming Magazine #15

Styx Publications ⋅ 1992

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Up 'N Coming Magazine #15
 
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Interior illustration of Spawn in a comic book solicitation catalog and first time the name Spawn is seen in print

Mailing date: February 3, 1992

According to spawnworld.com, only one other image of Spawn is known to exist prior to the mailing of Up 'N Coming #15 and it was in an ad for "Stan Lee Presents: The Comic Book Greats" a VHS with Spawn on the outer sleeve (December 1991), though Spawn was not named or discussed in the video

Value unknown

Comic Shop News #242

Comic Shop News ⋅ 1992

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Comic Shop News #242
 
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Interior article on the Image publishing company with a cover picture of Spawn #1

Dated February 12, 1992

Comics Buyer's Guide #953

Dynapubs ⋅ 1992

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Comics Buyer's Guide #953
 
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First printed images of Spawn in a U.S. publication, Mailing date: February 5, 1992

Front page advertisement of Spawn, preceded all comic book advertisements in Malibu comic books that were published between March/April 1992

Interior black and white, textless cover art for Spawn #1

Only two other images of Spawn are known to exist prior to the mailing of Comics Buyer's Guide #953: the sleeve of a VHS tape titled "Stan Lee Presents: The Comic Book Greats" and a comic book solicitation magazine, Up N' Coming #1, Mailing date: February 3, 1992

Value unknown

Previews #3-1992

Diamond ⋅ 1992

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Previews #3-1992
 
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Key Facts

First published images of Spawn in full color

Interior pin-up advertisement for Spawn #1 in full color

McFarlane reveals details about Spawn in an interior article

Torg #2

Malibu ⋅ 1992

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Torg #2
 
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First printed image of Spawn in an actual comic book (advertisement)

One of two comics published in March 1992 that included the advertisement, the other being Robotech II: The Sentinels #13

Earlier images of Spawn have been printed in various catalogs and fanzines

Robotech II: The Sentinels Book 2 #13

Eternity ⋅ 1992

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Robotech II: The Sentinels Book 2 #13
 
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First printed image of Spawn in a comic book (advertisement)

One of two comics published in March 1992 that included the advertisement, the other being Torg #2

Earlier images of Spawn have been printed in various catalogs and fanzines among other publications

Rust #1

Adventure Publications ⋅ 1992

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Rust #1
 
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Key Facts

⚠ Misconception: incorrectly cited as the first published image of Spawn in an advertisement

The same advertisement appeared in multiple comics that went on-sale in April 1992: Re-Animator #2, Rocket Ranger #3, Rust #1, The Southern Squadron: Freedom of Information #4, Torg #3

In March 1992, one month prior to Rust #1, Spawn advertisements were printed in two comic books: Robotech II The Sentinels #13 and Torg #2

Prior to the publication of Robotech II #13 and Torg #2, Spawn appeared in numerous catalogs and fanzines

Character Search "Spawn" for more information on early appearances

The Southern Squadron: The Freedom of Information Act #4

Eternity ⋅ 1992

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The Southern Squadron: The Freedom of Information Act #4
 
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Interior black and white advertisement for Spawn, released in April, prior to Spawn #1 but after other comics that contained promotional Spawn ads

Re-Animator: Dawn of the Re-Animator #2

Malibu ⋅ 1992

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Re-Animator: Dawn of the Re-Animator #2
 
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Interior black and white advertisement for Spawn, released in April, prior to Spawn #1 but after other comics that contained promotional Spawn ads

Rocket Ranger #3

Malibu ⋅ 1992

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Rocket Ranger #3
 
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Interior black and white advertisement for Spawn, released in April, prior to Spawn #1 but after other comics that contained promotional Spawn ads

Rust #1

Variant ⋅ Adventure Publications ⋅ 1992

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Rust #1
 
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Variant cover with gold foil

Advertisement of Todd McFarlane's Spawn

Limited to 10,000 copies

Malibu Sun #13

Malibu ⋅ 1992

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Malibu Sun #13
 
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Key Facts

Cover appearance and interior images of Spawn

Back cover appearance of Spawn

Evil Ernie #5

Eternity ⋅ 1992

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Evil Ernie #5
 
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Conclusion of limited series that introduced Lady Death and Evil Ernie

Interior black and white advertisement for Spawn, released prior to Spawn #1 but after other comics that contained promotional Spawn ads

Malibu Sun #13

Error ⋅ Malibu ⋅ 1992

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Malibu Sun #13
 
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Key Facts

Error edition, green-colored Spawn on back cover - tap cover and swipe to view

Spawn #1

Image ⋅ 1992

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Spawn #1
 
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1st appearance of Spawn

1st appearance of Sam & Twitch

1st appearance of Malebolgia

1st cameo appearance of Jason Wynn

Pin-up of Pitt

Comic Shop News #255

Comic Shop News ⋅ 1992

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Comic Shop News #255
 
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Early cover appearance of Spawn

Comic Shop News is a free publication, printed on newsprint paper, given away at comic book stores

Wizard: Official Comic Book Pocket Price Guide #11

Wizard ⋅ 1992

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Wizard: Official Comic Book Pocket Price Guide #11
 
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Cover art by Todd McFarlane

Polybagged with a Spawn trading card

Yawn #1

Parody Press ⋅ 1992

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Yawn #1
 
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Parody of Spawn

Spawn #12

Image ⋅ 1993

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Spawn #12
 
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Key Facts

Death of Al Simmons, in a flashback

Origin of Spawn, where it is discovered that Chapel was his murderer

1st full appearance of Jason Wynn, previously appeared in multiple cameos

Todd McFarlane's Spawn

Hardcover ⋅ Image ⋅ 1993

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Todd McFarlane's Spawn
 
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Unreleased 200-page hardcover collection of Spawn #1 - #12

Distributed to employees, family and friends of the McFarlane company

There are eight similar hardcover editions that collect up to issue #96, Curse of Spawn #1- #29 and a mini-series collection which will be added when there is sales data

Musings #2

Calliope Comics ⋅ 1993

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Musings #2
 
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Cover art by Greg Capullo

Spawn #16

Image ⋅ 1993

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Spawn #16
 
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Key Facts

Jason Wynn becomes Anti-Spawn aka the Redeemer, in final panel

1st appearance of Major Vale

First artwork on the Spawn title by Greg Capullo

Spawn / Batman #1

Image ⋅ 1994

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Spawn / Batman #1
 
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Batman/Spawn crossover distributed by Image, created by Todd McFarlane and Frank Miller

Batman / Spawn: War Devil #1

DC ⋅ 1994

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Batman / Spawn: War Devil #1
 
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Batman/Spawn crossover distributed by DC, the second crossover of the characters

Spawn Alley Playset / Game #1

Promo ⋅ Todd Toys ⋅ 1995

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Spawn Alley Playset / Game #1
 
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12-page promotional comic book, distributed with the Spawn board game by Pressman

Interior story titled Dead End featuring Spawn, Violator and Overtkill with four additional pages of game instructions

Angela Special #1

Image ⋅ 1995

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Angela Special #1
 
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1st appearance of Cut Throat, a pirate version of Spawn

16-page retailer incentive delivered with orders of Spawn #32 (1995)

Spawn Blood Feud #1

Image ⋅ 1995

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Spawn Blood Feud #1
 
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Key Facts

Revealed that Spawn's suit is named K7-Leetha

Angela Special #1
Non-Key

1:25 ⋅ Image ⋅ 1995

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Angela Special #1
 
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Variant cover art by Brad Gorby

1st cover appearance of Cut Throat, the pirate Spawn

16-page retailer incentive delivered with orders of Spawn #32 (1995)

Spawn (German) #18

Infinity Verlag ⋅ 1995

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Spawn (German) #18
 
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German reprint of Spawn #36 and #37

Distributed with the Director's Cut of Spawn on VHS

Curse of the Spawn #1

Image ⋅ 1996

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Curse of the Spawn #1
 
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1st appearance of Daniel Llanso as Spawn, born 400 years in the future, post-Armageddon

Spawn #55

Image ⋅ 1996

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Spawn #55
 
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1st appearance of the Commando Spawn suit, equipped with artillery to preserve Spawn's powers

Spawn (German) #1

International ⋅ Infinity Verlag ⋅ 1997

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Spawn (German) #1
 
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52-page German reprint of Spawn #1 and #2

Spawn #1

1:50 ⋅ Image ⋅ 1997

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Spawn #1
 
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Reprint of Spawn #1 in black and white

Comic shops qualified to receive one copy of this variant for every 50 copies purchased of Spawn #65

Spawn: The Book of Souls #1

Promo ⋅ Image ⋅ 1998

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Spawn: The Book of Souls #1
 
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BET (Black Entertainment Television) exclusive giveaway to promote the Spawn film

Reprint of the Spawn Bible (1996)

As of February 2024 there exist only three copies of this exclusive in 9.8

Total Eclipse #1

Image ⋅ 1998

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Total Eclipse #1
 
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One-shot that features character biographies from Spawn and Eclipse, a defunct publisher whose properties were purchased by McFarlane in 1996

Cover art by Todd McFarlane

Curse of the Spawn #22

Image ⋅ 1998

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Curse of the Spawn #22
 
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1st appearance of Hatchet, the zombie Hellspawn

Spawn #77

Image ⋅ 1998

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Spawn #77
 
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1st cover appearance of Wings of Redemption Spawn, Al Simmons touched by both darkness and light

Sonic Super Special #7

Archie ⋅ 1998

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Sonic Super Special #7
 
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Official crossover appearance by Image characters: Spawn, Maxx, Savage Dragon, Shadowhawk and others

Spawn #100

Variant ⋅ Image ⋅ 2000

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Spawn #100
 
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Variant cover art by Greg Capullo

Spawn #100

Variant ⋅ Image ⋅ 2000

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Spawn #100
 
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Variant cover art by Mike Mignola

Spawn #100

Variant ⋅ Image ⋅ 2000

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Spawn #100
 
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Variant cover art by Alex Ross

Spawn #100

Variant ⋅ Image ⋅ 2000

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Spawn #100
 
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Variant cover art by Frank Miller

Hellspawn #7

Image ⋅ 2001

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Hellspawn #7
 
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1st full appearance of Mike Moran in the Spawn Universe, the alter ego of Miracleman

1st appearance of Raven Spawn, a Malebolgia Death Knight

Spawn #119

Image ⋅ 2002

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Spawn #119
 
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1st team appearance of a Hellspawn Army

1st cameo appearance of Gunslinger Spawn, first full appearance occurred 6 years later

Cameo appearance of an unknown She-Spawn and a few other distinctly different characters that could be developed at some point in the future

Copies ordered by retailers: 45,953

Spawn #141

Image ⋅ 2004

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Spawn #141
 
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1st cover appearance of She-Spawn in the U.S.

Spawn #150

Image ⋅ 2005

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Spawn #150
 
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1st appearance of Disciple, the final and weakest of twelve heavenly warriors

1st appearance of The Man of Miracles, a powerful being responsible for creating God and Satan in the Spawn mythos

The Man of Miracles was meant to be Miracleman until a lawsuit rescinded McFarlane's ownership of the character

Spawn #150

Variant ⋅ Image ⋅ 2005

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Spawn #150
 
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Variant cover art by Phillip Tan

Spawn #150

Variant ⋅ Image ⋅ 2005

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Spawn #150
 
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Variant cover art by Jim Lee

Spawn #150

Variant ⋅ Image ⋅ 2005

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Spawn #150
 
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Variant cover art by Todd McFarlane

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