Comics
Review: ‘Spawn’ #221
It pains me to say that I have not kept up to date in the world of Spawn. As a youth this book was a big deal in the mainstream with movies, games and action figures filling our shelves and toy boxes (I know you had one too!). I’m a child of the 90s and Image’s “new” take on “Spawn” makes me see the error of my ways. Spawn is one of the most bad ass “heroes” of our generation and its refreshing to see that the story has evolved from the classical hell spawn we all know and love. Upon finishing this book, nostalgia may have you in her grips, and you’ll realize now is as good a time as any to make a run to the friendly neighbourhood comic shop and play catch up!
WRITTEN BY: Todd McFarlane
ART BY: Szymon Kudranski
PUBLISHER: Image Comics
RELEASE: July 4th
This story has taken a spin on the “Spawn” realm as Mr. Jim Downing has gained a celebrity status as opposed to the symbiotic hells spawn’s predecessor Al Simmons, which adds a certain level of intrigue to the story line; can you say action figures and calendars? On the matter of pace, this book is a slow one; not to say there isn’t quality content brought by Todd McFarlane. This instalment adds to the backdrop of who Jim is, which equates to a hefty amount of dialogue and a lack of ass-kicking. The book does end on a high note when Jim is caught unaware in a dark alley by stranger from his past who he cannot recall due to memory loss.
Szymon Kurdranski’s art holds true to my own vision of how “Spawn” should be drawn. Very clean lines but with an air of sketchiness that embodies the whole “Spawn” ideology. The fact that the art has a very realistic structure to it also adds to the comics image, this isn’t the generic standard comic art but a more evolved form of art, which suits the evolution of Spawn itself. I was equally in awe of the first few pages of the book, with the internal struggle between good and evil being depicted in an array of bright colours that leads into the dark side of the colour spectrum as Spawn takes over.
As I am a returning “Spawn” fanatic and I suggest for anyone who hasn’t been keeping up with “Spawn” should quickly get caught up! This issue was slow as I said but as the saying goes, there’s a calm before the storm.
3/5 Skulls
Reviewed by – GreenBaster
Comics
‘Curse of the Where Wolf’ Bites Into August Release With Trio of Werewolf Theatrical Screenings [Exclusive Preview]
Larry Chaney‘s hairy misadventures are continuing in the sequel graphic novel Curse of the Where Wolf from creative team Rob Saucedo, Debora Lancianese, and Jack Morelli, and its author is celebrating with a trio of horror’s greatest werewolf films.
The Curse of the Where Wolf hits shelves on August 7 from Encyclopocalypse Publications.
That coincides with the launch of a theatrical screening event in Houston, Texas, featuring a trio of seminal werewolf flicks turning 45 this year: The Howling on August 7, Wolfen on August 14, and An American Werewolf in London on August 21.
Each screening features a “werewolf in film” presentation as well as a book signing from Where Wolf author and River Oaks Theatre artistic director Rob Saucedo.
In the new graphic novel, “Being a werewolf sucks. Reporter Larry Chaney wanted to be a hero. Instead, he became a werewolf. Now, caught between incredible new powers and a desire to eat everything (and everyone) in sight, Larry must find a cure for his curse. Or die trying.”
“With Where Wolf, I wanted to tell a whodunit set in a furry convention, so the story was pretty contained within a very specific setting and genre. With Curse of the Where Wolf, I wanted to celebrate everything I love about the possibility of comic books. Curse of the Where Wolf is a funny book, in every sense of the phrase, but it’s also an earnest look at a person’s struggle to become a better version of themselves, especially when the alternative is to become a literal monster,” Saucedo says of Curse.
The original graphic novel was previously serialized as the first webcomic hosted on Fangoria before being collected by Encyclopocalypse Publications in 2023 and has already been optioned for film, podcast, and television development ahead of launch by producers James Fino (“The Freak Brothers” for Tubi, “Rick and Morty” for Adult Swim) and Charles Horak (First Date for Magnolia Pictures).
Expect Larry to find himself in even weirder situations in the 362-page full color sequel; Saucedo has provided Bloody Disgusting with exclusive art pages from the upcoming graphic novel that showcase lupine humor.
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