Sunday, December 20, 2020

Spawnometer 0:0:2:9: Angela Special Edition

Spawn #29
& Angela (1995)


Listener Discretion Advised

ShoutEngine ⚬ Internet Archive ⚬ iTunes ⚬ Spotify ⚬ MP3

Spawn #29

by Todd McFarlane & Greg Capullo & thanks to Kevin Conrad

"Father"
Dedicated To: Michael Murphy
If you get into the habit, you might find yourself hitting someone you love, like I did, and regretting it forever. It's not worth it. You've got a great couple of kids there, and they need a father. It's time you started acting like one. A lot of people have good feelings about you, Joe... It's time the two most important ones felt the same way. End of sermon. Now, I want to leave a little reminder for you...

Angela (1995)

by Beau Smith & Brad Gorby with various

I've taken down over thirty Hellspawn in my time. You're not like any of the others. I want to know why.

It's gotta be the heavy religion factor that seems to radiate from Earth. Mass quantities of those that thump the Bible. Hunting Hellspawn was easier then. You had a mission. No gray area. You found them, you killed them, and that was that.

The night screamed with madness and fury. But even it was dwarfed by the insanity and evil that flowed through the body of CUT THROAT,

CAPTAIN OF THE DAMNED!



Image is Everything


Promotional Material


Spawning Ground


Terry Fitzgerald, Neil Gaiman, Beau Smith, Cyan, Al Simmons, Spawn Podcast, Wanda Blake, Cogliostro, Sam and Twitch, Angela, Todd McFarlane, Greg Capullo, Cut Throat, Spawn,
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Sunday, November 15, 2020

Spawnometer 0:0:2:8: Shadowhawk II

Spawn #28
& Shadowhawk #5-7 (1993)


Listener Discretion Advised

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Spawn #28

by Todd McFarlane & Greg Capullo & thanks to Kevin Conrad

"Protector"
Dedicated To: Terry Austin
I've seen the error of my ways. Relied far too heavily on The Lord. He's forsaken me. I understand that now. Even after all I've given of myself, I shall never enter His kingdom. So I cast away my allegiance.

I must be crazy. Didn't like having to lie to Terry about where I was going, but he'd have never let me go alone. The dumb thing is, he'd've been right. The chances of me being able to find the Spawn are pretty remote... But he's got the answers to some very serious questions. Like... who tried to kill my husband?

I'M KING HERE!

Shadowhawk II #1-3 (1993)

by Jim Valentino

The Secret Revealed
Been gone for only six weeks... just long enough for the wounds to heal from my fight with The Dragon... and some punk kid has usurped by turf!

I'm not a super-hero. I stop violent crime. I'm not into common robbery.

There's a guy out there that I might have inspired... killing Black men...


Image is Everything


Promotional Material

  • Social Distance Warrior Podcast: Mark Blair and Company will discuss activities, hobbies, and other past times to aid you in your quest for Social Distance.
  • Fade Out: A podcast examining the final films of Hollywood's brightest lights.
  • Into The Knight: A podcast by your good friends Rey and Connor, dedicated to everything Moon Knight!

Spawning Ground


Al Simmons, Chapel, Jim Valentino, Shadowhawk, Spawn, Spawn Podcast, Terry Fitzgerald, Todd McFarlane, Wanda Blake,
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Monday, November 9, 2020

2017 Heroes Convention Fortress Jam Figure by Jaime “Xaime” Hernandez



It's been three years, so a lot of the details of pulling together this jam are lost to my fading memory. The way I think it worked was that we started on Friday, and Joe Linsner had it for most of that day. I had my mind set on completing the project over the weekend, so I begged it off him after he'd just done the finished layout so that I could get in some more contributions on that first day. I believe my second stop was Gilbert Hernandez, because the only character I wanted him to do was Supreme, and I was pretty confident that he was going to turn me down. To my happy surprise, Beto agreed, and his Silver Age influenced style was well suited to Image's Superman. Getting an early start the next day, I think I got Witchblade and Shadowhawk done within the first few hours. My beloved girlfriend meanwhile waited three hours to hold a place for me in Alan Davis' line, so that's when The Huntsman joined the line-up.

Most probably, this is where Jaime Hernandez comes in. I desperately wanted indy creators with the esteem of Los Bros Hernandez on this project, and you'd have thought I'd have tried to wrangle Xaime right after Beto. However, I felt like there were a greater variety of Image characters that fit Xaime's style, and no one that I was married to, so he remained my wild card for a while. He could have done Huntsman, but I really wanted the connection to Claremont that Davis provided. I thought he'd be great for Invincible, and I suspect I gave him that as one of several options, but I believe he went for Fortress instead.

I can never remember Fortress' name, always confusing him with Bunker from the New 52 Team Titans. Obviously, Image co-founder Whilce Portacio is most associated with his creation of Wetworks, which I disqualified because they were ultimately owned by Wildstorm and sold to DC Comics. He'd also done Stone for Avalon Studios, but I don't recall if he holds rights over that. Baxter Montgomery was created for and almost exclusively used in the aborted crossover event Image United featuring all of the Image founders, and "dude in armor" at least alludes to Wetworks. He seemed like the best bet, and I think Xaime get a kick out of drawing him. There's a lot of detailing in the armor, and I especially like how he caught the unique separation between the arms and torso. I feel like Portacio was doing an action figure / Inhumanoids riff that gave Fortress some visual distinction. I also dig how Fortress seems poised for a Kirby punch-out.

Sorry for the low quality jpeg. I only took pictures with an aging digital camera in the hotel room on the second night of the con, and the piece didn't make it back home to me until substantial changes were made to the overall piece. I feel that this is the best representation of Hernandez's original linework in isolation that I have available to present without obliterating his pencils through excessive contrasting brightening things up.
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Tuesday, September 29, 2020

Spawnometer 0:0:2:7: Trencher (featuring Mr. Monster)

Spawn #27
& Trencher #1-5 (1993)
& Doc Stearn...Mr. Monster (1946-1991)


Listener Discretion Advised

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Spawn #27

by Todd McFarlane & Greg Capullo & thanks to Kevin Conrad

"Cursed"
Dedicated To: John Buscema
I'll prove worthy of your empire. I can't begin to know your great plans, Lord, but I must profess that it does confuse me. I'm forced to use technology from the secular world. I've spent the majority of my fortune preparing for your kingdom. Why do you forsake me?

Chapel killed Bobby to get at me. He was just an innocent victim... LIVE!

Blasphemer! BLASPHEMER!

Triumph Comics #31 (Bell Features, 1946)

by Fred Kelly

...This is the work for me... I'm going to spend my life tracking down these weird creatures!! That last encounter banged me up a bit, I'd better design some kind of uniform for protection... light chain-mail would be the best bet!!

Vanguard Illustrated #7 (Pacific Comics, 1984)
Doc Stearn...Mr. Monster (Eclipse Comics, 1985)
Doc Stearn...Mr. Monster Volume 2 (Dark Horse Comics, 1988)

by Michael T. Gilbert & company

From time to time in this imperfect world, strange creatures are born... TWISTED... WARPED... abominations from Hell!! Mr. Monster has dedicated his life to finding them... AND DESTROYING THEM!!

Trencher #1-4 (1993)

by Keith Giffen

grunt


Image is Everything


Promotional Material

  • I Can Talk Kayfabe: Join longtime pro wrestling fans Shawn Marek and Joe Todaro as they take a candid look back at the pro wrestling magazines from yesteryear.
  • What the Hops Podcast: A Buffalo Podcast talking about the Buffalo Beer Scene and WTH we feel like!
  • Radioactive Lounge: Australia's premiere comics and pop culture podcast.

Spawning Ground


Al Simmons, Blackball Comics, Bobby, Boots, Chapel, Cyan, Greg Capullo, Keith Giffen, Michael T. Gilbert, Mr. Monster, Simon Bisley, Spawn, Spawn Podcast, Supreme, Terry Fitzgerald, Trencher, The Curse, The Violator, Todd McFarlane, Wanda Blake,
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Sunday, September 6, 2020

Spawnometer 0:0:2:6: Bloodstrike: Brutalists

Spawn #26
& Bloodstrike #4-10 (1993)
& Bloodstrike: Brutalists #23 (2018)
& Chapel in Youngblood #7-8 & 10


Listener Discretion Advised

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Spawn #26

by Todd McFarlane & Greg Capullo

"The Dark"
Dedicated To: Dave Sim
That is why, after a very long and difficult deliberation, I've decided to remove her from your care and put her in a new set of circumstances. This, I believe, is for her own good.

You torture yourself for answers that, mostly, you've been given. You're just not trying hard enough. Much as I'm tempted to write you off, you do show some spark.

Call me Gabrielle, Mr. Simmons. If I might have a moment of your time, I really would like to talk to you.

Bloodstrike #4-10 (1993)

by Rob Liefeld & Dan Fraga & Eric Stephenson & & various

It's been a long time coming, Battlestone, but it looks like we're finally gonna get the chance to settle our differences once and for all-- brother to brother!

Bloodstrike: Brutalists #23 (2018)

by Michel Fiffe

Arms, eyes, surgically removed... prolonged state of anesthesia... medical field... official capacity or independent study... Test subjects? Sex slaves? Young women-- girls-- barely out of high school. Brenda will be a senior soon.

Youngblood #7-8 & 10 (1992)

by Rob Liefeld with Eric Stephenson, Danny Miki & Jonathan Sibal

He shot Bobby-- blew his head clean OFF!

As a man who has literally been to hell and back, there is precious little that frightens Al Simmons these days. This, however, comes close. This is the man who killed him. Emerging from the smoke and shadows, he looks like the devil himself, the ghastly white skull he chose long ago as his trademark eerily incandescent in the moonlight. A none-too-subtle reminder of what has passed between these two men... and the unholy bond they share.

It wasn't until later I figured out everything for myself in one divine moment of clarity-- if you had really come back from the dead, then so could I! Thing with me though, Al-- I could care less about love and happiness. You can have that crap. I've got bigger plans for my return-- plans that will change everything... forever.

Image is Everything


Promotional Material

  • Octoberpod: the retro horror show for bold individualists! Our narrator, Edward October, presents real life creepy stories & classic horror...
  • The Longbox of Darkness: Exploring horror in comic book form with Herman Louw & Company/.
  • Midnight…The Podcasting Hour: A rotating anthology podcast reviewing DC Comics' horror heroes and series hosted by Ryan Daly and friends.

Spawning Ground


Al Simmons, Angela, Battlestone, Bloodstrike, Bobby, Chapel, Cogliostro, Eric Stephenson, Extreme, Greg Capullo, Keith Giffen, Malebolgia, Michel Fiffe, Richard Horie, Rob Liefeld, Shadowhawk, Spawn, Spawn Podcast, Supreme, The Violator, Todd McFarlane, Youngblood,
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Tuesday, August 4, 2020

Spawnometer 0:0:2:5: Image Zero

Spawn #25 &
Image Zero #0 &
Image X-Month &
Operation: Urban Storm &


EXtra-Image Presents:

Shadowhawk: Out of the Shadows


EXtra-Image Presents:

The Savage Dragon: Baptism of Fire



Listener Discretion Advised

iTunes ⚬ Stitcher ⚬ ShoutEngine ⚬ Internet Archive ⚬ MP3

Spawn #25

by Todd McFarlane & Marc Silvestri & Matt Banning & Billy Tan

"Tremors"
Dedicated To: Spirit of Independence
Not Overtkill. Not SPAWN. Not GOD. NOTHING'S going to save Vito!

You people have become LAZY! Always turning to me for help. Well I don't have the answers. I can't solve ALL your problems. I've got a few of my own.

It wasn't long ago that Vito forced me to be his guinea pig... The combination of chemicals, microsurgery, who knows what sort of radiation and anti-rejection drugs transformed me.

Image Zero #0

by Rob Liefeld & Art Thibert; Jim Lee & Brandon Choi & Scott Williams; Todd McFarlane & Dan Panosian; Erik Larsen; Marc Silvestri; Jim Valentino & Christopher Ivy; and Whilce Portacio


Extra-Image: Shadowhawk (1992)

by Jim Valentino


Operation: Urban Storm

featuring Shadowhawk, Savage Dragon, & Stormwatch


Shadowhawk #0 (1994)

by Rob Liefeld & Karl Alstaetter & Robert Napton


Cyberforce #8 (1994)

by Eric Silvestri & Todd McFarlane & Greg Capullo & Mark Pennington & John Cleary


Youngblood #9 (1994)

by Jim Valentino & Dan Fraga


Savage Dragon #13 (1994)

by Jim Lee & Brandon Choi & Richard Bennett & Alex Garner & Dan Panosian & Scott Williams


WildC.A.T.s: Covert Action Teams #14 (1994)

by Erik Larsen


Stupid #1 (1993)

by Hilary Barta


Splitting Image #1-2 (1993)

by Don Simpson


The Savage Dragon vs. The Savage Megaton Man #1 (1993)

by Erik Larsen & Don Simpson


Image is Everything

Promotional Material

  • All the Pouches: An Image Comics Podcast: One fan’s journey through the early days of Image Comics, hosted by Jon Wilson!
  • Zero Hour Strikes!: Co-hosts Siskoid and Bass cover the whole of DC Comics' Zero Hour 1994 crossover event!
  • Savage FINcast: Hosted by a rotating cast (mostly Jim and Craig), they discuss all things and feature interviews about the classic comic Savage Dragon and general Erik Larsen related news.

Spawning Ground



Al Simmons, Bloodstrike, Brass, Cyberforce, Erik Larsen, Extra-Image Presents, Greg Capullo, Jim Lee, Jim Valentino, Marc Silvestri, Megaton Man, Rob Liefeld, Savage Dragon, Shadowhawk, Spawn, Spawn Podcast, Stormwatch, SuperPatriot, Terry Fitzgerald, Todd McFarlane, Tony Twist, Tremor, Vanguard, Wanda Blake, Whilce Portacio, WildC.A.T.s, Wildstorm, Youngblood,
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Saturday, July 25, 2020

2017 Heroes Convention The Maxx Jam Figure by Scott Shaw!


I occasionally read Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew! as a kid, and given the secret identity of Sam Kieth's The Maxx, it amused me to pair the character with funny animal cartoonist Scott Shaw! (decorative exclamation point his, as in Elliot S! Maggin.) Aside from his 18 issues on that title, the majority of Shaw's work has been outside the big two, on licensed properties like The Simpsons, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Shreck. As for his qualifications as an indie comics pioneer who predated the Image boys, Shaw goes all the way back to 1974's Comix Book #1. If Marvel's involvement with that project makes you look askance, there's always You-All Gibbon in 1976's Quack, 1977's The Barn of Fear, and his contribution to Jack Kirby's lawsuit fund against Marvel in Destroyer Duck #1. Anyway, Mr. Shaw was having a good time at the con, and drew the Maxx while I waited.
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Tuesday, June 23, 2020

Spawnometer 0:0:2:4: Bloodstrike

Spawn #24
& Bloodstrike #1-3 (1993)
& Brigade #1-3 (1993)
& Bloodstrike: Brutalists #0 (2018)


Listener Discretion Advised

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Spawn #24

by Todd McFarlane

"The Hunt" Part 4
Dedicated To: Joe Sinnot
It looks like someone burned his face off. God... what's this guy been through?

Jason Wynn has become consumed with this case... He knows Fitzgerald is no traitor, but circumstances made him the logical suspect. Rather than admit his error, Wynn continues to conduct a brutal investigation.

And... if he so much as looks at you cross-eyed, make sure his death looks like an accident. Do you read me?

Bloodstrike: Brutalists #0 (2018)

by Michel Fiffe

Project: Born Again.

We're... reanimating a civilian?

Bodyslide's finally patched through-- we'll have to come back for Deadlock. Aw, he was just a pity recruit anyway.

Bloodstrike #1-3 (1993)

by Rob Liefeld & Dan Fraga & Eric Stephenson & & various

It's been a long time coming, Battlestone, but it looks like we're finally gonna get the chance to settle our differences once and for all-- brother to brother!

Brigade #1-3 (1993)

by Rob Liefeld & Marat Mychaels & Norm Rapmund & Eric Stephenson

It's been three months since the members of Brigade last set foot on their native earth, although as their ship silently arcs toward their base of operations in Malibu, California, it seems more like a lifetime.

Nice shooting, Cabbot, you nailed the little bimbo right between the eyes! Precision like that almost makes me wonder why they even bother sending the rest of us on these little road trips! I mean, in these recession-stricken times, a solo act of your caliber would definitely be more cost-effective, no?

Image is Everything


Promotional Material

  • Van Damme It's Jean Claude: A monthly Jean Claude Van Damme movie breakdown with Paul Shroyer, starting with JCVD's first movie and working his way until the last one, and counts the number of splits.
  • "I Must Break" This Podcast: A fan podcast celebrating the cinematic career of action legend Dolph Lundgren! Join host Sean Malloy and a special guest as they go in chronological order discussing, reviewing, and analyzing every film in the impressive canon. It's sure to be an action-packed time!
  • Night of the Living Podcast: We talk about more than just horror films through our unique staff of contributors

Spawning Ground


Al Simmons, Battlestone, Bloodstrike, Brian Murray, Brigade, Cyan, Eric Stephenson, Extreme, Jason Wynn, Marat Mychaels, Michel Fiffe, Overt-Kill, Rob Liefeld, Sam and Twitch, Spawn, Spawn Podcast, Terry Fitzgerald, Todd McFarlane, Tony Twist, Wanda Blake, Youngblood,
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Monday, June 1, 2020

2017 Heroes Convention Spawn Jam Figure Layout by Joseph Michael Linsner

Frank attempted his first artist jams in 2014. Yes plural, because Frank. The results were mostly successful to varying degrees, but literally, some of these things are still unfinished six years later. Trying to get a jam done in one weekend was the height of hubris, but in his defense, Frank did get a beauty of an opener from Joe Linsner overnight. Artists can be both a competitive and conscientious lot, so it's always wise to put the very best foot forward. Nobody wants to be the goat who ruins everyone else's work.

JML's bona fides for the piece are clear. Small press comix weren't really viable after the scene around the undergrounds faded. Then there was a huge boom in black & white books fueled by the enormous success of the Teenage Mutant Ninjas Turtles that led to an equally huge bust in 1987. Variety wrote about it. Most of the publishers and talent were finished forever, their books lined quarter bins, and retailers once burned were twice shy about ever giving black & whites the time of day. Then Joes Linsner and Monks founded Cry for Dawn in 1989. Between the best twist-ending horror stories since EC folded, the glorious gray-tone interior art, and the sensual cheesecake covers featuring the scarlet-haired quasi-hostess Dawn, CFD sparked a Turtles-like demand for multiple printings on every issue and skyrocketing back issue prices. There was even a plague of counterfeit #1s that forced buyers to scrutinize potential purchases for reproduction flaws.

After a bitter falling out with Joe Monks, Linsner started his own Sirius Entertainment to publish a slew of color and B&W titles, including the first actual stories for Dawn. The company survived the bust, at least for a few years, but Linsner eventually gravitated toward his former competition at Image to continue his tales. He's still an in-demand creator, now mostly occupied with work for Dynamite Entertainment, but he still occasionally contributes to Image (including a cover for Witchblade #100.)

As much as we love Linsner's ladies, we really wanted to take advantage of his goth and metal roots for the preeminent Image icon, Spawn. The artist was game, and though the intention was to get everything in black & white, who could resist the opportunity to get color work from him? However, color takes time, which was deeply deficit for a jam this ambitious. Eventually, Frank stole away with the line art to seek out further contributions, like Beto's Supreme. The photo above was the only opportunity he had to record Linsner's excellent linework before the coloring took place...
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Thursday, May 28, 2020

Image 1983



1983

  • January, Nicaragua: Due to his reporting knowledge of a "weird operation" in Columbia to their covert contact Antioch, The Covenant of the Sword arranged for U.S. Army and Special Services Cpl. Jake "Dutch" Holland to test an exo-armor prototype against Sandinistas. Such an accomplished soldier wouldn't normally be assigned a "meat grinder maneuver," where he was maimed; losing his left arm to another EXO program device test, the Aztech robot. His psychological profile rightly predicted his obsessive paranoiac tendencies would cause him to blame the military for his misfortune, eventually leading him to later desert them for Cybernet. [Youngblood Strikefile #8, 12/1994]
  • Nicaragua: Chapel led a team of mercenaries to assassinate Colonel Black. Entire party died, aside from Jeff Jackson and Chapel, the latter of whom killed the demonically possessed Colonel. [Chapel #1-2, 03-05/1995]
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Monday, May 25, 2020

Image 1981

1981

  • March 12, 1981: Marcus Langston had a breakthrough in creating a new master alloy of unprecedented strength and resilience that would eventually allow for the creation of the world's first fusion-powered computer-enhanced exoskeleton. Out of both the practical need for a highly skilled operator and in hopes of winning the affections of Liz Hughes, Langston secretly piloted the suit for demonstration of combat readiness for military brass. [Team Youngblood #10-11, 07-08/1994]
  • March 30, 1981: Probable date of "The Hinckley Incident" based on the real world assassination attempt on the President's life, which was thwarted by Al Simmons. [Spawn #13, 08/1993]
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Monday, May 11, 2020

Spawnometer 0:0:2:3: Violator (featuring Bart Sears)

Spawn #23
& Violator (1994)


Listener Discretion Advised

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Spawn #23

by Todd McFarlane

"The Hunt" Part 3
Dedicated To: Don Thompson
Since his reconstruction, Overtkill has been programmed to believe he's now faces Spawn, who nearly destroyed him a few weeks ago.

Yet for all his effort, Terry is only human-- not nearly fast enough to outrun a bio-laser stream.

With uncanny accuracy, the bullet enters Overtkill's body through a small opening in the ear cavity...

Violator #1-3 (1994)

by Alan Moore & Bart Sears & Greg Capullo & Mark Pennington

I mean, maybe I don't look like a demon outta hell no more, but that don't mean I ain't thinkin' like one!

Well, before I admonish you, I'd like to know one thing... which one of you is Roosevelt?

HEY, wake up an' smell the brimstone, pal! How much d'ya think fightin' four dudes like me is gonna drain your goddamn power levels?? Anyway, once the Malebolgia's curse is lifted, I can give you the energy back!

Image is Everything

Promotional Material



Spawning Ground





Al Simmons, Alan Moore, Billy Kincaid, Chapel, Cyan, Greg Capullo, Bart Sears, Jason Wynn, Overt-Kill, Sam and Twitch, Spawn, Spawn Podcast, Terry Fitzgerald, The Violator, The Vindicator, Todd McFarlane, Tony Twist, Wanda Blake, Phlebiac Brothers, The Admonisher, Youngblood, Malebolgia, Trencher
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Sunday, May 10, 2020

2017 Heroes Convention WildStar Jam Headshot by Paul Gulacy



One regret about getting this jam started at HeroesCon was that it meant avoiding actual Image artists like Erik Larsen and Jerry Ordway to seek out the sort of pioneers that inspired Image's creation instead. Another regret is all the independent creators who turned the jam down. Disinterest in such a complicated proposition is completely understandable, but the ones that are really depressing are dudes like Frank Brunner who refuse to draw anything but properties they're best known for. I know what Brunner's Doctor Strange looks like, because those comics were foundational for me, and he'll frankly never top his '70s rendition of the Sorcerer Supreme. On the other hand, I've never seen him draw Spawn, and if I'm going to pay good money for a commission, I want something new and interesting and unique. Otherwise, back issues are cheaper.

Another instance of this is the legendary Jim Steranko, who will sell you all the Nick Fury, Shadow, or Captain America headshots you can afford (most of us can't afford even one.) He's a terrific raconteur with an enviable coif who wears a mean blazer and will strain your bones in a handshake, but he doesn't take requests. Al Gordon's WildStar is literally two eye slits, some tussled hair, and a black triangular blob over an optional mouth. Any artist could do this guy in about 90 seconds with a Sharpee, and I was willing to pay through the (unrendered) nose just to say I got Steranko to do it. He wouldn't budge...

...so I ran into one of my all-time top five favorite artists right near the end of the show as he was walking back from the bathroom or something, gave him the same pitch, and he drew WildStar in 90 seconds with a Sharpee on a random table in the aisle for free. He even threw in nostrils. And that's how Paul Gulacy, of early indies like Sabre and Six from Sirius, became the second and final artist contributing to the jam that I'd previously commissioned. Hellofaguy!
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Wednesday, April 29, 2020

2017 Heroes Convention Witchblade Jam Figure by Tim Vigil



While a case could be made for The Darkness and, I guess, Cyberforce, we all know Marc Silvestri's most famous character was the one he had the least to do with, Sara Pezzini. It's Michael Turner's signature property too, despite forming a whole company around trying to recreate his biggest splash (Fathom pun!) As much as I seemed to avoid including female characters in this jam (but ethics in comic book historical accuracy,) this one was a no-brainer. Also one of the easiest combinations of property and contributor, since Tim Vigil was the artist on the infamous adults only pornographic splatter horror super-hero comic Faust (a likely but unacknowledged influence on Spawn and maybe Shadowhawk.) Vigil likes drawing sexy bad girls in skimpy (okay, preferably no) outfits and ultra-violent anti-heroes with pokey parts (double entendre!) It turned out great and necessarily fast (Vigil's turnaround is almost always less than an hour,) so Vigil was invaluable in helping to make up for lost time. I tried to go with exclusively "new" commission artists for this jam, but Vigil was one of the two exceptions, and I had no regrets with either.
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Monday, April 6, 2020

Spawnometer 0:0:2:2: Supreme Madness

Spawn #22 &
Supreme #7-18


Listener Discretion Advised

ShoutEngine ⚬ Internet Archive ⚬ iTunes ⚬ Spotify ⚬ Stitcher ⚬ MP3

Spawn #22

by Todd McFarlane

"The Hunt" Part 2
Dedicated To: Frank Miller
As for Joe Sakic, three days from now, his body will be found under the George Washington Bridge, with his hands and feet viciously severed. Decapitated. Even his genitals will be missing. The police will conduct a full investigation, but in the absence of anything identifiable about the body, will have to close the case of John Doe 1994-714. Such is the life of a trusted employee of Vito Gravano.

One of the bums he knows says our hero usually hangs out in the same four block radius. I've mapped it out already, sir.

God, no. Vito thinks I'M Terry.

Supreme #7-18 (1993-1994)

by Eric Stephenson & Kurt Hathaway & Rob Liefeld & Ripley and Shawn McManus & Brian Murray & Pedi & Cedric Nocon & Dan Fraga & Todd Nauck & Marat Mychaels with Norm Rapmund & various

...Your lack of control over the G.A.T.E. sponsored super-team Heavy Mettle... the public... and I... distrust them... Consider the team disbanded as of this very moment!

I will bring the entire Reich-- indeed the whole of Germany to its knees until Adolph Hitler is brought to me! Know that I mean what I say-- for Thor does not make idle threats!!

Welcome to Eye On Supreme. I'm Maxine Winslow, and tonight we're talking with... the first of his super-powered generation to appear in this century.

Today everyone looks at me with suspicion-- as if they seem to have forgotten how I saved their butts in the Big One... Only to find that I'd been replaced by others--- the Youngbloods. They thought the world had outgrown me. The fools.

Image is Everything

Promotional Material

  • Superman II Movie Minute: Fire and Water Network All-Stars Chris Franklin and Rob Kelly analyze, scrutinize, and you’ll-believe-a-man-can-fly-ize the classic 1980 film starring Christopher Reeve, Gene Hackman, Margot Kidder, and Terence Stamp, five minutes at a time!
  • Fanholes Podcast: A pop culture Podcast by the fans, for the fans!! Your hosts: Tony (chainclaw) Derek (derekwc) Brian (Breakdown) Mike (Thunderwing) Justin (Grimlock)
  • From Crisis to Crisis: A Superman Podcast!: Mike and Jeff examine just about every Superman comic published between Man of Steel #1 in 1986 to Adventures of Superman #649 in 2006 in an informative and hopefully entertaining format.




Spawning Ground



Al Simmons, Brian Murray, Extreme, Infiniti, Jason Wynn, Overt-Kill, PITT, Rob Liefeld, Sam and Twitch, Spawn, Spawn Podcast, Supreme, Terry Fitzgerald, Todd McFarlane, Tony Twist, Wildstorm, Youngblood,
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Wednesday, March 4, 2020

2017 Heroes Convention Invincible Jam Figure by Thomas Yeates



Truth to tell, Frank has never been particularly passionate about Mark Grayson, if for no other reason than he's guaranteed to never be the most famous and iconic comic book character with that surname. He even looks a lot like Dick. However, the Image "I" costume is distinctive and positions Invincible as a standard-bearer for what remained of the company's shared super-hero universe by 2002. Co-creator Robert Kirkman himself became the most successful of the post-founding creators, mostly due to the enormous impact of The Walking Dead, which eventually earned the writer a partnership. Despite the end of both series and Kirkman's rapidly decreasing comics output, his Skybound Entertainment is still one of Image's most profitable production studios. It was basically a given that he would rate inclusion in this jam, and Invincible fits the group shot a lot better than Rick Grimes (though Michonne would have helped the gender balance.)

Thomas Yeates was perhaps an odd choice, given his tendency toward more grounded comics fare, like supernatural horror (Frank was introduced via Swamp Thing) and old timey pulp characters (Zorro, Tarzan, Prince Valiant.) Because of the complicated parameters concocted for eligibility for participation in the jam (he's included thanks to the creator-owned '80s Epic series Timespirits,) and Frank simply wishing to reach out to some new talent amidst the smorgasbord that was HeroesCon, Yeates was always an option for a spot. By this point in the jam's progress, it was probably the sixth addition, so the marriage of character and artist was more about which remaining options seemed best suited to Yates' strengths. Savage Dragon? Not so much.

Thankfully, Yates was a sport about doing a super-hero, and cramming his figure between a couple or three prior installments. It blessedly turned out quite nice and quite quick (can't recall if it was done while Frank waited or more of a one hour turnaround.) This part was probably done late Saturday or into Sunday, and time was running out...
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Sunday, February 23, 2020

Spawnometer 0:0:2:1: Youngblood Yearbook

Spawn #21 &
Youngblood Yearbook &
Team Youngblood #1-6 &
Youngblood Strikefile


Listener Discretion Advised

iTunes ⚬ Stitcher ⚬ ShoutEngine ⚬ Internet Archive ⚬ MP3

Spawn #21

by Todd McFarlane

"The Hunt" Part 1
Dedicated To: Mike Grell
I don't want your pity... I just don't want you turning out to be like me or the other guys. We look up to you... the boys and I like like having you around. Makes us feel a bit cocky, if you know what I mean. If you can't pick up the pieces, then you ain't any better that us.

The matter of that little fat Clown, the dismantling of that hired gun Overt-Kill, and the invasion of your office by a costumed vigilante. Calling in The Admonisher to deal with the clown was a brilliant move, sir.

...the costumed invader... he's Terence Fitzgerald, an operative for some ultra-covert agency.


Youngblood Strikefile #4 (1994)

by Rob Liefeld, Eric Stephenson, Jeff Matsuda & Danny Miki

Overtkill was one of my greatest creations, as well as being one of my most dramatic failures.

Youngblood Yearbook #1 (1993)

by Eric Stephenson, Chap Yaep & Norm Rapmund

Greetings, outlanders. This... is Arcadia.

Team Youngblood #1-6 (1993-1994)

by Rob Liefeld, Eric Stephenson, Chap Yaep, Cedric Nocon & Norm Rapmund with various

So, whaddya think, Al? Are these guys what hi-jacked the space station gonna take over the world, or what?

To summarize the situation in the simplest of terms... we won. The Liberty II is now free of Cybernet influence and the satellite network Giger had sought to control has been restored to its proper working order.

Is it true that Psi-Fire and Brahma are no longer with the team?

Tales of Team Youngblood... "The Coming of Cougar"

Masada in Youngblood Strikefile #6 (1994)

by Tom & Mary Bierbaum, Chris Sprouse, and John Beatty

Midnight. The darkness broils with angry, discordant voices. Voices long dead, but forever living. The souls that possess Deborah Konigsberg and give her the powers of Masada...

Cougar in Youngblood: Strikefile #9-11 (1994)

by Robert Loren Fleming, Charlie Adlard, & Tom Tenney

Have you seen the King of the Cats today, Mr. Lion?


Image is Everything


Promotional Material

  • Squadron SupremeCast: The Secret Wars boys take a quick break from their coverage of all things Beyonder to review and discuss the seminal mini-series by Mark Gruenwald and Bob Hall.
  • Zero Hour Strikes!: Co-hosts Siskoid and Bass cover the whole of DC Comics' 1994 crossover event.
  • Action Film Face-Off: The Alberich brothers - both military combat veterans - are each assigned an action film to compare and contrast. Two films enter. One film leaves.

Spawning Ground



Al Simmons, Batman, Brigade, Cybernet, DC Crossover, Jason Wynn, Marvel Crossover, Overt-Kill, Prophet, Rob Liefeld, Sam and Twitch, Savage Dragon, Spawn, Spawn Podcast, Terry Fitzgerald, The Violator, Todd McFarlane, Tony Twist, Wanda Blake, Youngblood,
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Wednesday, February 5, 2020

2017 Heroes Convention Huntsman Jam Figure by Alan Davis



So here's a sticky choice made by Frank-- he didn't want to include any of Jim Lee's characters, since they were sold off to DC Comics, literally one of the big two surviving comic book publishers around since the beginning with one of the greatest accumulations of sins against creators on record. Deluded that this jam might actually appear in an Image comic someday, he didn't want any compromised copyrights that might force a later exclusion, like when Michel Fiffe Image Jam #1 erased Void when it appeared in an issue of Savage Dragon. Same went for Alan Moore's 1963 characters, which became another rights boondoggle when Moore abandoned them (and then had his own America's Best Comics sold to DC by Jim Lee.) So how do you acknowledge the formidable presence of Jim Lee as an Image founder without using any of his creations?

Use one of Chris Claremont's, Lee's writer during his run on Uncanny X-Men. The debt WildC.A.T.s owed to Claremont is... measurable, come to think of it. That's probably why Claremont was (I believe) the first writer invited to publish their characters through Image, and he did so via a guest stint on said book. At one point, Huntsman was going to be Whilce Portacio's Image book as well, but Claremont was off in Paris at the time and Whilce wanted to get moving on a title... about another couple years later. Anyway, Lee drew most of Huntsman's appearances that weren't done by another ex-X collaborator, Marc Silvestri. Huntsman is still owned by his creator, and the association with Lee made him a good Wildstorm stand-in.

Since we're all about X-Men artists, another of Claremont's longtime collaborators who was also an influence on Lee and did work for Wildstorm was Alan Davis. In a better world, we might have had Claremont & Davis' Huntsman instead of Sovereign Seven and ClanDestine being consigned to the dustbin of Chromium Age historical footnotes. Davis also drew Alan Moore's seminal super-hero deconstruction Miracleman, which added layers of subtext by not only referencing Moore in a Jim Lee analog, but also a "creator-owned" property that was ultimately gobbled up by the other of the Big Two, Marvel (not to mention further tying into the McFarlane/Gaiman legal battle that cost the former the rights to Angela.) An absolutely delicious context cake!

That said, getting Davis would be a laborious longshot, but thankfully Frank has one of the world's great girlfriends, who stood in line for three hours to wait for him while Frank continued to move the jam around. Davis was doing while-you-wait quick pieces for charity (HERO, I think,) so it was a mad sprint once the call went out for Davis' availability. Given how many smiling faces Davis draws on his characters, Frank was amused by how crabby he was about drawing Huntsman. He complained the whole time about the inadequacy of the reference and the shortcomings of Lee's rendition of the character's costume and accessories. Regardless, worth it!

Side note: for those who would grouse about the exclusion of Wildstorm properties, several ultimately were included in the background at the choice of the final artist, who filled-out the jam with a multitude of additions.
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Wednesday, January 1, 2020

2017 Heroes Convention Supreme Jam Sketch Detail by Gilbert “Beto” Hernandez



Sorry for the delay in podcasting, but we realized during the recording of the coverage for Spawn #21 that a specific course had to be taken through at least episode 26, but really more like 30+, to parallel events in that series. We'd already recorded episodes on Tribe and Trencher that had to be shelved, Frank had to rechart a course and do more reading, Fixit had to not actually timely read the things that we needed to read... worse than usual, basically. We'll be back soonish, though.

Talking of delays, Frank decided to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Image Comics while also meeting up with the greater following of The Fire & Water Podcast Network at his first (and to date only) attending of HeroesCon in Charlotte, NC. Because nothing is ever simple with this guy, it wasn't enough to get a commission of a character representing the seven Image founders from that many artists in the span of a three day weekend. No, he had to reflect all nine past and present Image partners, and each part of the jam had to be done by an independent comics creator who pioneered creator-owned publishing ahead of Image. Amazingly, Frank actually managed to get six of the founders' characters sorta-kinda done, but not quite. The seventh turned into a whole multitude of characters spanning about a year-and-a-half, and is currently in the process of getting the piece colored. So, 30th anniversary then?

To ring in a Supreme 2020 and to remind everyone Spawnometer is still a going concern, we now feature Rob Liefeld's Dark Age Superman, the second character commissioned as part of a jam that we'll unveil very slowly over time. Frank wanted to have indy pioneers do the piece, and few have more street cred than Los Bros Hernandez of Love and Rockets. One part, Gilbert “Beto” Hernandez, is famed for realistic, grounded work on Latinx characters across 35 years, as well as his disinterest in corporate super-heroes. Frank of course requested from him a derivative super-Aryan from one of the most reviled moneyed creators of the Chromium Age; and one that is currently owned by venture capitalist Andrew Rev.

Frank was not at all confident that Beto would agree to this request, but Hernandez's Kirby-inspired style and small press bona fides meant he had to try. To his surprise, Hernandez agreed, and to a jam no less! Admittedly, the artist was perceived by Frank to be begrudging of the choice, but he took on the deconstructionist/reconstructionist copyright hand grenade to Frank's gratitude!

In case you're wondering, Frank was building a tribute to Image Comics' quarter-century, and decided that Supreme was the best choice to represent Rob Liefeld. An argument could be made for Badrock or Shaft, but there really isn't one character that fully embodies Youngblood. Glory would have offered more gender balance, but her total number of solo comics is what, 30? And whether you're talking Alan Moore, Sophie Campbell or Mike Deodato Jr., few ultimately bought that book with Liefeld as primary motivation. Frank feels Supreme is Liefeld's greatest creator-owned character, based on his publication longevity, continuity breadth, and industry impact. While Liefeld himself only plotted the character's stories in the early years, Supreme is something of a Rob urtext-- representing his Image career in a way, say, Chapel could never quite manage. Supreme is the biggest and most valuable post-Marvel Liefeld creation, artistically and financially, which gave him the nod. Also, Frank likes Supreme best, and it was his wallet being opened...
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