Spawn creator Todd McFarlane and Image Comics recently announced plans for a "multi-character, interconnected comic book universe" centered around the indie comics icon, with McFarlane dubbing 2021 the "Year of Spawn." These plans currently call for four new titles, including three monthly series -- one of which is a team book.
Things kick off in June with Spawn's Universe #1, which will set the stage for things to come in the other titles. The Year of Spawn continues in August with King Spawn #1, which sees the titular anti-hero "join the rare company of stalwart characters, like Superman, Batman, and Spider-Man, that will have multiple monthly books for the same title character." King Spawn #1 also marks the first time since 1992 that readers will be able to pick up issue #1 of a monthly Spawn book.
Fan-favorite character Gunslinger Spawn will then star in an eponymous monthly series of his own when October rolls around. Finally, a team book called The Scorched will unite Spawn, Redeemer, Gunslinger, Medieval Spawn and She-Spawn. However, this roster is not set in stone, with McFarlane promising a "rotating cast of heroes over the coming months to keep the roster of heroes fresh." What's more, the comic book creator plans to add new major villains as well.
"The simple question is this: DC Comics started a shared universe in the late 1930s. Marvel Comics began theirs in the early 1960s… so, can lightning strike a third time beginning in 2021? I personally do not have the answer to that question right now, but the only way to get an answer to that question is to make the attempt in the first place," said McFarlane. "This is a long-intended plan that will need the help of dozens and dozens of creators to help create hundreds and hundreds of characters. And then to reward those creators if any of their ideas pay off in a big way outside of the comic industry.
"The quest isn't to have our ideas exclusively live in the comic book industry but to have merit and value outside of that industry as well," he continued. "My character Spawn has been an example of what can happen with creation… so, what are the possibilities if hundreds of creations are brought together? Marvel and DC Comics have shown us that a collective group of characters, together, in a shared universe can resonate globally. I think it is time for David to attempt to join the same arena as the Goliaths of the world."
McFarlane has already enlisted numerous comic book creators to contribute to his growing Spawn universe, with more set to be announced in the coming months. Currently, the lineup includes Art Adams, Jason Shawn Alexander, Carlo Barberi, Brett Booth, J. Scott Campbell, Greg Capullo, Donny Cates, Jim Cheung, Mike del Mundo, Javier Fernandez, David Finch, Jonathan Glapion, Kevin Keane, Aleš Kot, Puppeteer Lee, Sean Lewis, Sean Gordon Murphy, Ben Oliver, Stephen Segovia, Paulo Siqueira, Marc Silvestri, Marcio Takara and Frank Quitely.
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