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[Retrospective] HBO’s ‘Spawn’ Is Still the Character’s Best Incarnation

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It’s hard not to admire Todd McFarlane. Despite some admittedly valid criticism regarding his artwork, storytelling and shady collaborations with other artists, it’s amazing to think that his creations once stood toe-to-toe with industry giants like Marvel and DC. While he wasn’t the only man behind the Image Comics revolution, his Spawn was the flagship title that transformed the company into a multimedia empire.

Spawn may have enjoyed tremendous commercial success in the 90s, most likely the result of loyal fans eager to support their favorite comic artists as they fled the big publishers, but the character is now mostly remembered for the botched film adaptation that only gets worse with age (though I’ll always defend John Leguizamo as the Clown/Violator). Of course, with rival publishers enjoying their own successful comic-book adaptations, Image Comics eventually fell behind. Although Spawn is still going strong as he rapidly approaches his 300th issue, having recently celebrated his 25th anniversary, sales never quite recovered.

Fortunately, Todd is currently working on a new cinematic take on his creation, hoping to return Spawn to his demonic roots in a bona fide horror flick. Though I’m hoping that the project works out, I think it’s important for us fans to remember that Spawn did get the adaptation that he deserved, it just wasn’t on the big screen. Not only did this version of the character surpass the source material, it was one of the greatest comic-book adaptations of all time. Naturally, I’m talking about HBO’s Spawn, the animated series.

Even as a huge fan of the character and his history, I have to admit that the writing behind the Spawn comics always left much to be desired. Plots sometimes felt like little more than contrived excuses to draw some really badass art instead of complete stories, and the series eventually got lost within its own convoluted mythology. You could chalk this up as a symptom of the times, with 90s comics being notorious for their edgy tales of revenge, excessive violence and oversized guns, but that doesn’t quite excuse lazy storytelling.

That’s why I’m glad that Alan McElroy (the same writer behind Wrong Turn and Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers) boldly decided to ditch nearly all of the comic-book-ish aspects of the story, instead focusing on the horrifying nature of Al Simmons’ predicament as a newly reborn Hell-Spawn. Having made a deal so he could return from hell and see his widowed wife again, our confused protagonist re-emerges as a monstrous creature destined to harvest evil souls so that they may fill the ranks of hell’s undead army.

At least hell has a great sense of fashion.

By sidestepping Spawn’s relationship with other Image Comics properties and limiting our knowledge of the secretive supernatural forces that govern this world, the show presented us with emotionally complex characters that still felt grounded in reality despite the fantastical elements. This resulted in one of HBO’s most unique dramas, with episodes concerning morality, corruption and even religious discourse, concepts that the comics had previously only hinted at but never fully explored (at least during the initial run).

Hell, we never even get to see Malebolgia (Spawn’s equivalent of the Devil) in this adaptation, yet his evil presence is felt in the background of the entire show. Even the Clown/Violator takes on a more disturbing demeanor in the series, speaking with soft yet nightmarish eloquence (courtesy of both Michael Nicolosi and James Hanes), in a voice that’s sure to haunt viewers even after the credits roll.

The voice acting, in general, was spot-on, and it’s hard to imagine anyone other than Keith David as the definitive voice of Spawn. His tortured interpretation of the character managed to transform even the most laughably angsty lines of dialogue into genuine pathos, allowing the series to deal with serious issues without feeling forced.

In fact, the show was really at its best when dealing with the emotional consequences of Spawn’s actions. There are some legitimately moving scenes featuring Al’s ex-wife and her new daughter, and Spawn’s reluctant journey towards redemption is downright fascinating. It’s mind-blowing that all of this nuance was the result of a sensational superhero comic from the 90s.

That’s not to say that the series doesn’t have its fair share of comics-inspired action, it just didn’t dwell on those moments as much as the source material did. The chase sequence that ends the first season is just as thrilling now as it was back in 1997, and there are quite a few excellent fight scenes later on in the show, though they aren’t as exaggerated as they were in the comic panels.

All about that internal struggle.

However, even with its mature approach to storytelling, Spawn wasn’t exactly a perfect show. The series inherited some of the baffling creative decisions from the comics, and there were numerous instances where the limited animation budget hurt the production. Some parts of the story felt incredibly rushed, most likely due to the budget only allowing for 6 short episodes per season. Alone, these issues aren’t enough to sabotage the experience, but there are many who resist the grim-dark approach to comic-book adaptations, feeling that the over-the-top violence and heavy themes are just a desperate attempt at making the story appear more complex than it really is.

Personally, I think the show’s loyal fanbase and critical accolades speak for themselves in justifying its mature themes. While there were certainly elements of the series that could have been improved in order to turn Spawn into the adult fairy-tale that the creators intended, I feel that the genuinely tender moments between likable and believable characters make up for most of the show’s blunders. It may not be entirely flawless, but I’m still convinced that the show’s greatest fault is the third season’s unresolved cliffhanger. That being said, you can’t really blame the writers for an unexpected cancelation.

Nevertheless, about a decade ago, McFarlane began working on a sequel series titled Spawn: The Animation. However, as the second attempt at a film adaptation moves forward, it seems likely that the still-unproduced show’s future is tied to the new movie’s potential success. Until then, we can only imagine what terrifying places the animated series would have taken us to next.

For now, I’d recommend re-watching HBO’s Spawn and appreciating its attempt at introducing comic-book storytelling to a mature audience. It’s rare to see an adaptation that takes the source material more seriously than the people who created it, and we would definitely benefit from more shows like this one. As far as animated series go, this is definitely one of the best, and I’d recommend it to any fan of horror, superheroes or even good old-fashioned TV dramas. Now go see it before the impending Armageddon deprives us of our streaming services.

Born Brazilian, raised Canadian, Luiz is a writer and Film student that spends most of his time watching movies and subsequently complaining about them.

Comics

[Review] Graphic Novel ‘Tender’ Is Brilliant Feminist Body Horror That Will Make You Squirm & Scream

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Tender Beth Hetland Graphic Novel

Beth Hetland’s debut graphic novel, ‘Tender,’ is a modern tale of love, validation, and self-destruction by way of brutal body horror with a feminist edge.

“I’ve wanted this more than anything.”

Men so often dominate the body horror subgenre, which makes it so rare and insightful whenever women tackle this space. This makes Beth Hetland’s Tender such a refreshing change of pace. It’s earnest, honest, and impossibly exposed. Tender takes the body horror subgenre and brilliantly and subversively mixes it together with a narrative that’s steeped in the societal expectations that women face on a daily basis, whether it comes to empowerment, family, or sexuality. It single-handedly beats other 2023 and ‘24 feminine horror texts like American Horror Story: Delicate, Sick, Lisa Frankenstein, and Immaculate at their own game.

Hetland’s Tender is American Psycho meets Rosemary’s Baby meets Swallow. It’s also absolutely not for the faint of heart.

Right from the jump, Tender grabs hold of its audience and doesn’t let go. Carolanne’s quest for romantic fulfillment, validation, and a grander purpose is easy to empathize with and an effective framework for this woeful saga. Carolanne’s wounds cut so deep simply because they’re so incredibly commonplace. Everybody wants to feel wanted.

Tender is full of beautiful, gross, expressive artwork that makes the reader squirm in their seat and itch. Hetland’s drawings are simultaneously minimalist and comprehensively layered. They’re  reminiscent of Charles Burns’ Black Hole, in the best way possible. There’s consistently inspired and striking use of spot coloring that elevates Hetland’s story whenever it’s incorporated, invading Tender’s muted world.

Hetland employs effective, economical storytelling that makes clever use of panels and scene construction so that Tender can breeze through exposition and get to the story’s gooey, aching heart. There’s an excellent page that depicts Carolanne’s menial domestic tasks where the repetitive panels grow increasingly smaller to illustrate the formulaic rut that her life has become. It’s magical. Tender is full of creative devices like this that further let the reader into Carolanne’s mind without ever getting clunky or explicit on the matter. The graphic novel is bookended with a simple moment that shifts from sweet to suffocating.

Tender gives the audience a proper sense of who Carolanne is right away. Hetland adeptly defines her protagonist so that readers are immediately on her side, praying that she gets her “happily ever after,” and makes it out of this sick story alive…And then they’re rapidly wishing for the opposite and utterly aghast over this chameleon. There’s also some creative experimentation with non-linear storytelling that gets to the root of Carolanne and continually recontextualizes who she is and what she wants out of life so that the audience is kept on guard.

Tender casually transforms from a picture-perfect rom-com, right down to the visual style, into a haunting horror story. There’s such a natural quality to how Tender presents the melancholy manner in which a relationship — and life — can decay. Once the horror elements hit, they hit hard, like a jackhammer, and don’t relent. It’s hard not to wince and grimace through Tender’s terrifying images. They’re reminiscent of the nightmarish dadaist visuals from The Ring’s cursed videotape, distilled to blunt comic panels that the reader is forced to confront and digest, rather than something that simply flickers through their mind and is gone a moment later. Tender makes its audience marinate in its mania and incubates its horror as if it’s a gestating fetus in their womb.

Tender tells a powerful, emotional, disturbing story, but its secret weapon may be its sublime pacing. Hetland paces Tender in such an exceptional manner, so that it takes its time, sneaks up on the reader, and gets under their skin until they’re dreading where the story will go next. Tender pushes the audience right up to the edge so that they’re practically begging that Carolanne won’t do the things that she does, yet the other shoe always drops in the most devastating manner. Audiences will read Tender with clenched fists that make it a struggle to turn each page, although they won’t be able to stop. Tender isn’t a short story, at more than 160 pages, but readers will want to take their time and relish each page so that this macabre story lasts for as long as possible before it cascades to its tragic conclusion. 

Tender is an accomplished and uncomfortable debut graphic novel from Hetland that reveals a strong, unflinching voice that’s the perfect fit for horror. Tender indulges in heightened flights of fancy and toes the line with the supernatural. However, Tender is so successful at what it does because it’s so grounded in reality and presents a horror story that’s all too common in society. It’s a heartbreaking meditation on loneliness and codependency that’s one of 2024’s must-read horror graphic novels.

‘Tender,’ by Beth Hetland and published by Fantagraphics, is now available.

4 out of 5 skulls

Tender graphic novel review

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