1900-1946 [Wildstorm Updates]

1900

• The "Century Baby" Jenny Sparks is born in England, and will live as a pivotal figure for the entire 20th Century. [Stormwatch #44, 1997-01]

1906

• San Francisco: While acting under an undisclosed alias, the Kherubim Lord Emp foiled a Daemonite plot to assassinate legendary tenor Enrico Caruso, for unknown cause. During the encounter, Emp unintentionally helped cause an earthquake, to his great embarrassment. However, the clash ended "a reign of terror the Daemonites had begun at the turn of the century," and Emp would not encounter another Daemonite until the 1960s. [Team One: WildC.A.T.s #1, 1995-07]

1920s

• Jenny Sparks had stopped aging at age 20, just in time for the first recorded interdimensional "door" to open. Shiftships from Sliding Albion arrived in the United Kingdom, which handled the ongoing matter as quietly as possible. Sparks threw herself into the "age of scientific romance," battling The King of Nails and bedding blue-skinned princes. [Stormwatch #44, 1997-01]

1930s

• Jenny Sparks moved to the United States, chasing "madness" and the manic energy of Depression-era America. She sometimes worked with reporter Clarence Cornwall to take down the likes of corrupt munitions dealer Boss Moseley. [Stormwatch #44, 1997-01]

Golden Age

• Other figures noted as active during World War II without further details include Mr. Majestic & Marc Slayton.

1940s

• Jenny Sparks overstayed her welcome in the United States, leaving for England after her extra-legal electrocution of Clarence Cornwall, when he was caught in a plot to release Zyklon-B gas into a city orphanage solely because it housed children of color. [Stormwatch #44, 1997-01]

1950s

• Colonel Jenny Sparks served in the British Space Group, a clandestine operation that actively concealed from the public the ongoing interdimensional relations between the U.K. and parallel universes. For instance, to cover up shiftships moving through British airspace, they publicly declared them as a new scientific breakthrough dubbed "helicars." During a banquet, Sparks met the American industrialist known as Saul Baxter, a cover identity of the Kherubim Lord Emp. [Stormwatch #44, 1997-01]
  
  “Equipped with a network of government connections, and loads of political influence, Baxter helped make... reality– but for what reason? …It’s a secret… His involvement with Hughes Aircraft… And the oil fields of Texas. With television. With armaments. With milk and pork bellies and New York real estate and Montana cattle. Then there’s the people he’s ruined and killed to get where he is. The depths he’ll sink to to get what he desires… It’s all secret. All of it. No one knows who he is, nor what he does. And especially not… his importance to the country… Oh yes, he’s good with lies and aliases and secrets. Very good. After all– he’s had a long while to learn.” [Team One: WildC.A.T.s #1, 1995-07]
  
  During the banquet, an incursion alarm sounded. A parallel World War I had begun between Sliding Albion and Sliding Europe, per a message capsule shot through a shiftdoor at British Space Group H.Q. Sliding Albion then closed all shiftdoors to conserve energy. It was over within hours, as their parallel to London was depopulated through bacterial weaponry. In a desperate bid, they reopened a massive shiftdoor in an attempt to shunt the bacterial assault to our world. The dimensional passage neutralized most of the bacteria, but what remained had been changed such that it caused a small, localized manifestation of super powered beings in the greater London area. [Stormwatch #44, 1997-01]
  
  John Colt is billed as "America's greatest fighting man of the late '50s and early '60s. [1994 Image Wildstorm WildC.A.T.s Chromium #43]

1960s

• Jenny Sparks left the British Space Group, as an increasing number of S.P.B.s began operating around London. "And what a bleedin' bunch. All taking on pseudonyms, dressing as weirdly as possible to make sure the neighbors didn't recognize them..." [Stormwatch #44, 1997-01]

1962

• While acting in the guise of unscrupulous industrialist "Saul Baxter," Lord Emp prevented the attempted takeover of a U.S. nuclear submarine by the first Daemonite he'd seen since 1906. Shortly after, another Daemonite was killed by Marc Slayton during a bid for the Icarus 5 communications satellite as it was launched. Using his government connections to suppress knowledge of the existence of the warring alien races, Baxter nonetheless engineered the implementation of the U.S.'s Operation Wildstorm to address the threat of such Unidentified Life Forms, or U.L.F.s. After a period of distance and seeming acrimony, Baxter enlisted "Lucy Blaize," an assumed identity of Zealot within the espionage community, to select operatives to serve as Team One. Blaze chose John Colt, Mason, Mr. Majestic, Khasm, Marc Slayton, Think Tank, King, and Regiment. Miles Craven, technically the head of the operation, refused Khasm. [Team One: WildC.A.T.s #1 & Team One: Stormwatch #1, 1995-07]
  
  Team One trained for two months ahead of their sole significant mission, to stop the forces of Lord Helspont and Slaughterhouse Smith from acquiring by force the nuclear weapons at Camp Williams in North Dakota. Mason and Regiment were believed killed in action. John Colt was severely injured and presumed dead by most, but was taken for future use by Craven. Saul Baxter was rendered amnesiac by Lord Helspont, and wandered destitute until 1990. [Team One: WildC.A.T.s #2, 1995-9; & Team One: Stormwatch #2, 1995-08; as well as supplemental resources]
  
  This same year, Mary King was pregnant with Jackson King, and Zealot with Savant. A woman named Trelane, who was presumably related to Stormwatch's Christine Trelane, served in Operation Wildstorm.

Late 1960s

• Jenny Sparks' counter-cultural S.P.B. group fell apart after a disastrous festival on the Isle of Wight left dozens dead. Bikers instigated the drug overdose of Abel Eternity, who went on an hallucinogenic killing spree, until Sparks electrocuted him. Sparks then "went to bed and didn't get up until 1982." [Stormwatch #44, 1997-01]

1919-1946 [Supreme Updates]

Circa 1919

• Ethan Crane born. According to an account by Doctor Wells' lab assistant, "His father was the last of the big-time bible-thumpers..." Supreme himself noted, "You taught me my scripture well... FATHER! Yet for all your tent show talk of hellfire... you made precious little difference on that darkling plain known as the Dust Bowl! As a child, I carried your bibles into audiences and sold them to parched farmers and their brittle wives. To them, hellfire was very real! But come the rains, they would put aside the word of God, cast it off with their almanacs and divining rods. You didn't save a single soul, Father! You were nothing but a con man, a two-bit rainmaker! [Legend of Supreme #2, 1995-01]

1937

• St. Louis: Based on an account by Sophie Miles, she was fifteen years old when a group of local men plotted to take her virginity by force. This was overheard by Ethan Crane, likely eighteen at the time, but he failed to act before the rape had occurred the following day. In the aftermath a day later, Crane walked into a local bar and gunned the rapists down with an automatic pistol. Police were alerted, who demanded Crane drop the gun and raise his hands. Crane instead slightly raised the gun while saying, "Oh, this is empty, Offic--" and was gunned down by the pair of officers present. Crane survived, and was sentenced to life in prison. Miles felt that Crane blamed himself for what happened. Miles noted that she'd later entered into an intimate relationship with Crane, presumably after he had become Supreme. [Legend of Supreme #1, 1994-12]

1939

• Washington, D.C.: As part of the war effort, and as a way to get out of prison, Ethan Crane becomes the "lucky number seven" subject of Dr. Wells' battery of tests within a secret research laboratory beneath the Potomac. As with the previous six, Crane perished. [Legend of Supreme #1, 1994-12]
  
  This information derived from Dr. Wells's lab assistant, and the last surviving participant in the project, who gave a contemporary statement to reporter Maxine Winslow from his likely death bed. He was at the time dying from toxic exposures during the experiments. The project was overseen by a U.S. Army General, who was responsible for requisitioning the incarcerated subjects.
  
  It was noted that Crane had lasted three days, far longer than the other inmates, and late into the final day. The body was placed in overnight cold storage, so that Dr. Wells could start fresh for the autopsy. The next morning, thumping could be heard from inside the morgue drawer where Crane's cadaver had been placed, but the being inside the drawer no longer appeared to be Ethan Crane. Hair color, fingerprints, and other physical features no longer matched Crane's. This being did not regain consciousness, as Dr. Wells wished to kill him again, to see if further evolution would take place.
  
  After a week of torturous deaths and revivals, the being not only manifested further survival adaptations, but also slightly greater levels of consciousness. This continued on for months, until "we were pumping enough electricity, chemicals, and radiation into him to contaminate a continent!" But also, he was "barely conscious" for most of it, occasionally muttering scripture. Finally, one night, a guard slept through the being's escape from the facility. [Legend of Supreme #2, 1995-01]
  
  
• Per his own 1994 account in a televised interview, the "juvenile delinquent" (despite being taken from a self-described "promising career" at age eighteen) to become Supreme was developed by a team of U.S. Government scientists led by Dr. Wells through medical and technological breakthroughs. Over "grueling weeks," Supreme's intellect expanded with his physique, until he declared himself smarter than the scientists who had developed him, and disinterested in subjecting himself to further testing. Considered by some to have gone A.W.O.L. [Supreme #10, 1994-02 & #15, 1994-07]
  
  
• April: Supreme publicly identified and named by media after months of anonymous service as "the first of his super-powered generation to appear in this century." He would go on to make essential contributions to the Allied war effort against the Axis powers, most notably clashing with German forces (including Thor) in Africa, and later bombing Berlin by hand. [Supreme #10, 1994-02]
  
  In contrast, according to a written account given to Maxine Winslow by Supreme, he wandered nude into the snow-covered streets. Making his way to a Catholic church, he was given clothing, food, and long-term shelter by the attending priest. In return for this sanctuary, he used his extraordinary new powers for various tasks requested by the father. Presumably, the information in a news broadcast would be vetted for greater accuracy than a self-proclaimed "gospel," but further details in the account are consistent with a 1939-1940 timeline. [Legend of Supreme #3, 1995-02]

1940

• Again, per Supreme's personal written account, he was still living at the church and seemingly not publicly known as of June, when the fall of France was mentioned. This event increased the being's desire to use his powers for interventionism, and he privately also began a troubling pattern of associating himself with Christ's divinity, with indications that he believed he was communing directly with God. [Legend of Supreme #3, 1995-02]


• "Over the past year," Supreme proved himself a hero. However, when foreign spies created a hostage situation at the "G-Corp." chemical company, a feud lasting 54 years was begun. His business destroyed by a detonated bomb, and a satchel of vital atomic "heavy water" secrets taken into evidence by authorities, the rescued owner and principle chemist Zachariah Grizlock swore revenge. The illegal nature of the documents saw Grizlock incarcerated for "nearly fifteen years," although obviously interrupted by additional criminal activities. [Supreme #12, 1994-05]

1944

• Based on an account by a man called "Mister Simon," identified as Supreme's Army commanding officer or "control" circa 1944, "He could've ended the war... I tried to stop him because I realized he was deliberately prolonging it! Said it was all part of the natural weeding-out process... the evolution of man!" Simon gave additional context with, "He relished it! Reveled in the blood!" It was later implied that Supreme had ripped off Simon's right arm for the attempted interference. [Legend of Supreme #1, 1994-12]

1946

• While visiting Father Beam, who had sheltered him following his escape from Dr. Wells' lab, the priest excoriated him for his violent acts during the war. The farther repeatedly yelled, "Thou shalt not kill," until Supreme backhanded the priest, while demanding that he "Shut up!" The priest immediately fell to the ground, with a pool of blood forming about his head, presumably dead. Supreme screamed in protest as he flew out of Earths' atmosphere. [Legend of Supreme #3, 1995-02]


• Early February [sources conflicted- as early as 1945's V-J Day]: For the stated reason of being tired of constant conflict, Supreme departed Earth for a decades-long unaided exploration of outer space. "With the vast stretches of cosmos spread out before me, I found a new purpose. The universe became my school-- and my playground." He become a legend among the Katellans as he led them to victory on the planet Maxia, defeating the Torgan war machine alongside the Khrome Conclave. The Katellan Admiral K'hrk once noted that "He brought down the Too-Lan-Roo... He's charted more of this galaxy than we and the Acacians combined!"^{[Supreme #2]} Emperor Khrome would reign for a time on Maxia, destroying the Torgan home world before being forced into exile by a returned Supreme & the Katellans. ^{[Supreme #3 & 5, 1993; #10 & 15, 1994]} Supreme also saved the Creed homeworld from an extinction threatening meteor strike, becoming a hero to the Creed people. ^{[Supreme #18, 1994-9]}


• Within "days" of Supreme's absence, Zachariah Grizlock murders his girl friend Louise Masters, pal Billy Nelson, and the Junior Supreme Squad. [Supreme #2, 1993-03]

2024 Charlotte Heroes Convention The Maxx colors by Daniel Govar

Here's another testament to why it's best to get your art scans and blogging done in a timely manner. The last three portions of the jam that I have gotten colored were seemingly at HeroesCon last year, even though I thought that at least some of them were at the previous year's Fan Expo New Orleans. One of the three may well have been, and it was my second pick to post this week, except I don't recall who did it, and have to dig through my records. My first choice was done by a different artist than I thought who did do a piece for me in NOLA, so I want to save that until I can feature both in the same week. That leaves this one, which I thought had been done by an artist with whom I had a prior track record, but that seems not to be the case. I'm old, and my memory is fuzzy, so can you tell I'm vamping to fill space?

Anyway, I was looking for a radical revision on the Maxx coloring along the lines of what Daniel Dahl did with his pieces, and he wanted to do Maxx the most, but I held out for a painter. I approached at least one well known one, and I think more than one over the years, but the first turned me down and I believe others priced me out. After a half decade, I gave up on circling back to Dahl, but I did find a painter who seemed like a great fit and gave me a great rate. Daniel Govar had strong fantasy art chops, while also dipping into super-heroes, so I figured he'd have an appropriately bold approach to this character. I think the sort of tie dye quality to the colors is a good fit for the Maxx, and I like the sunlight hitting him from the side. Govar stayed faithful to the original art, which is something that I usually prefer (I still ache a bit over the obliteration of Jim Starlin's pencils in another jam, despite the finished work clearly improving on his layout.)

Daniel Govar

• Daniel Govar.com
• Instagram
• DeviantArt

Pitt & Friends finished art by Evan Dorkin

Okay, let's be real. I asked Neal Adams to draw Pitt in the closing hour or so of HeroesCon. To my surprise, he said yes, for the relatively low price (for him, at the time) of $200-250. I got a very rough outline, and I would have paid more for a tighter piece, but I'm still proud to have gotten what I could under the circumstances. I then took it to Evan Dorkin, and asked how he'd like to ink Neal Adams? Not so much, actually, since he didn't feel that he could ape Adams' style, and didn't exactly have the warmest regards toward the man himself. I explained that there wasn't much identifiable as Adams in the sketch, and I certainly wouldn't ask an artist of Dorkin's caliber to mimic another artist. Again, frankly, there were other guys at the show who'd either trained under the heavy hand of Adams or were known for being able to impersonate other artists (hell-- Joe Staton contributed here already, though in his own style.)

We'd already agreed that he would draw the Savage Dragon, and that it would require his taking the piece home. So what we discussed was maybe filling out the space... Specifically, we set down the two main characters, and then toss in a bunch of Isz from The Maxx, plus some foreground/background elements. It took a little time after the show for Dorkin to get started, and then as he worked on it, we talked about adding some additional cameos into the mix. Late in the game, I requested Eric Stephenson & Richard Horie's Infiniti, since she was an obscure early Image heroine co-created by an integral person, who eventually became their current longtime publisher and a partner in the company. I don't think that quite happened, and I'm pretty sure some properties that were eventually sold to DC accidentally ended up in a piece meant to honor those still with Image a quarter century in. But we're also talking about '90s Image b-listers, so they're a tad less than iconic, and I figure some creative coloring could "correct" for that.

Anyway, Dorkin was checking in with me and sending photos of the process. I think I recall his needing some nudging to more or less obliterate what Adams had laid down, but those emails are locked up in an account that Yahoo! isn't allowing me access to without handing over my Social, passport, and their preferred testicle. I'd hate to break up the set for a simple clarification. Eventually, Dorkin absolutely went to town on Pitt, to a degree that I think surpasses his Dragon. It feels like he was trying to exceed the detailing of Pitt's own creator, Dale Keown, and I'm here for it. Pitt went from being questionably salvageable to maybe the coolest bit on Dorkin's already extraordinary build-out of the jam. I hope you enjoyed seeing the progress of Pitt, and if you're so inclined, hit up Dorkin for a piece all your own?

Evan Dorkin

• Instagram
• BlueSky
• House of Fun Studio

2019 Fandemic Tour Huntsman colors by Daniel Dahl

Not to diminish the efforts of any of the other color artists on this jam, but I have to say that Daniel Dahl truly did exceptional work to elevate sometimes very loose art to match the standard set by Joe Linsner's Spawn painting. Half a dozen years on, I still marvel at how much depth and texture he added to the characters, and mourn that I haven't had an opportunity to work with him again. I wish that I could have gotten even more of these Image heroes enhanced by him, especially one in particular that he specifically wanted to do, and I wish that my scans did his efforts better justice. Anyway, we've exited the valley of the Dahls, as Huntsman finishes out his trio of contributions.

Daniel Dahl

• tumblr
• Instagram
• Deviant Art
• Twitter

1990s Image Comics Jam Void detail art by Jim Starlin & Pablo Villalobos

With the Starlin layout, the level of detail was highest to the fore, at the bottom of the page. Aside from some loose figure work, he'd spent the most time on Void's face and left hand. It wasn't a lot, and he'd gone into greater detail on other characters in her proximity, but this was still recognizably Starlin. That's clearly a Starlin woman's face, which is where the embellishment comes in. Pablo Villalobos asked me a couple of times who this artist was, and I'm not confident he recognized Starlin's name. When I enquired about his willingness to ink a figure, he fairly promptly picked Void from Jim Lee's WildC.A.T.s, whom he knew well and did not require reference for.

I don't keep up with modern comics, especially Marvel, especially the X-Men family. I did not know of Pablo Villalobos work until I was doing last minute reference for the 2025 Eastern Rim Funny Book & Vintage Con, which I was aware existed for several years via antique mall fliers, but had never attended. I was told about the Saturday show on Thursday, and mostly went on the false hope of getting something from Kevin Nowlan. But once I saw Villalobos art, I was totally blown away. Adam Hughes is an obvious influence, but he has darker and more textured elements to his art, recalling-- I dunno, the late Nick Manabat? It's an unusual but delightful combination, as I'd never expect Higer elements mingled with the more cheesecake elements of the Majik. I'm not sure if this Pablo Villalobos is the same guy who did some turn of the century work at Penny Farthing Productions (he didn't look old enough,) but the artist who signs as "Lobos" exploded onto the scene in the past few years with very striking cover work (that demands serious money on the aftermarket.) I figured getting him to do a modest ink job was a long shot, and was gob-smacked when he said "yes" for a relative pittance.

While the Starlin fan in me had hoped for greater fidelity to his line on one of the few characters in the piece that he'd rendered enough to actually look like a Starlin drawing, Lobos was a get who knew the character of Void and his way around a gleaming metal smokeshow way better than Jim. I love what hev did here, and I think this work will task future embellishers with living up to his example. A sweet start to this project!

Pablo Villalobos

• Lobos Art
• Instagram
• Comic Art Fans

Image Comics 25th Anniversary Jam Savage Dragon & Friends detail by Evan Dorkin

It's been nearly two years since our last post here, and I'm sorry about that, but we just haven't been able to get it together to produce new episodes of the podcast. Since that's not getting updated, these art posts also fell by the wayside, plus the jam still isn't completely colored yet. But Frank was working on a bunch of art posts on his blogs to clear out a bunch of un-shared commissions, and figured to give the old Spawnometer a little love.

We all love Evan Dorkin, so he was always a lock for contributing, but it ended up in "take home" capacity. At one point, he was asked about drawing Shadowhawk, but he begged off because he never could figure out the physics of that damned helmet. Ultimately, the plan was for him to finish over Neal Adams' Pitt breakdown, and then draw Officer Dragon entirely in his own style. You can see his rough layouts in previous posts. We both wanted to fill in empty space, which is how Bomb Queen, Trencher, She-Dragon, & Boof and the Bruise Crew ended up in the mix here. Unfortunately, FedEx Express copiers could not fit full 11x17" scans, so the uppermost portion of this image was cut off. In the actual art, you can see the point and first scallop on Dragon's fin, and the lowest hanging portion of She-Dragon's Mohawk to its tip. I can't do a new scan, because this is one of the ones that I did get colored. Anyway, all of these art great fun to look at, and you've gotta love the battle-damaged uniform. Keith Giffen was still with us when this was done, and I always dug how Dorkin adapted to that wiry Trencher style, but it's especially meaningful to me today.

Spawnometer 0:0:3:9: Vanguard & Berzerker (1983-1997)

Spawn #39 &
Megaton #1-4
& Vanguard #0-6
& Berzerker #1-6
& Vanguard: Strange Visitors #1-4
& Megaton Holiday Special

Listener Discretion Advised

iTunes ⚬ Spotify ⚬ Internet Archive ⚬ MP3

Spawn #39

by Todd McFarlane & Greg Capullo

"Noel"
Dedicated To: Phyllis Capullo

Christmas Eve. Harlem, New York. Rows of buildings house people... families. Some extended, some broken. The lucky ones prepare for the evening's festivities.

Footsteps. Lots of them! OH! Maybe... YES! It's them! The little helpers! THAT means... ...SANTA'S HERE!

He forgot us. Maybe I can still catch him. Don't go. You forgot mommy's present.

Megaton #1-4 (1983-1986)

by Gary Carlson & Erik Larsen & Ken Landgraf & Co.

The Robot Wars ended in victory for the machines! Humanity was outlawed and life became a struggle to replace flesh and bone with steel and wire! Those who don't renounce their humanity either become slaves or escape to the war-torn wastes of the old world!

Vanguard #0-6 (1993-1994)

by Gary Carlson & Tomm Coker & Jason Pearson & Joe Madureira & Rick Leonardi & Angel Medina & Andy Smith & Co.

...I've got to stay in shape in case our enemies-- the Tyrrus Combine-- attack our outpost here on Earth!

Berzerker #1-6 (1993-1994)

by Gary Carlson & Angel Medina & Steve Adams & David Noble & Co.

Behold Mechanopolis! Behold the empire! Built laboriously of brick and stone, it rises from the ruins of the old world, to stretch over 700 miles along the Atlantic Seaboard of North America... One hundred years have passed since the humans lost...

Vanguard: Strange Visitors #1-4 (1996-97)

by Gary Carlson & Scot Eaton & Bill Anderson

Your leaders enslaved his people, experimented with their DNA, killed his family and comitted genocide against his race... and you call him the monster?!

Megaton Holiday Special (1993)

by Gary Carlson & Steve Adams

I stopped believing in Santa Claus a long time ago! 'course, I never used to believe in aliens, either!

Image is Everything

• Episode Art Gallery

Promotional Material

• Michael Fitzgerald Troy : This is my channel to share all of my interests and give you the kind of content I like to watch.
• Dynamic Duo : Frantz and Kevin discuss all things superhero, sci fi and fun related. We take an honest and unbiased approach to discussing our favorite subject.
• The Comic Lounge : Presenting reviews, interviews and all other rambling on comic book related topics.

Spawning Ground

• Twitter
• Facebook
• tumblr
• rolledspinepodcasts@gmail.com
• #Spawnometer
• Spawnometer on Blogspot
• Rolled Spine Podcasts on Wordpress

Al Simmons, Angel Medina, Brigade, Erik Larsen, Freak Force, Gary Carlson, Greg Capullo, Mighty Man, Savage Dragon, Spawn, Spawn Podcast, Supreme, Todd McFarlane, Vanguard, WildC.A.T.s, WildStar

Image Sourcebook: Vanguard

First Appearance: MEGATON #1 (1983)
© & ™ 2023 Erik Larsen & Gary Carlson

Image Sourcebook: Berzerker

Spawnometer 0:0:3:8: WildC.A.T.s vs. Cyberforce: Killer Instinct

Spawn #38 &
WildC.A.T.s: Covert Action Teams #5-9
& Cyberforce #0-3 (1993-1994)

Listener Discretion Advised

iTunes ⚬ Spotify ⚬ Internet Archive ⚬ MP3

Spawn #38

by Todd McFarlane & Julia Simmons & Tony Daniel & Kevin Conrad

"Mind Games"
Dedicated To: Marv Wolfman

My name is Frederick Willheim, and I was born in Geneva, Switzerland... Anna. Intelligent. Caring. Beautiful... she did me the honor of becoming my wife... Her health then declined rapidly... I then focused solely on studying neurology, and vowed to save her or die trying.

Learning of my research, the U.S. Army invited me to head up their Cybernetic Simian project.

When the Cy-Gor moved of its own free will... I've had a stroke... I cannot reach her. My Anna... The beast... It hasn't eaten. It will escape... It will want my Anna...

WildC.A.T.s: Covert Action Teams #5-9

by Jim Lee with Brandon Choi, Scott Williams, & Co.

Cyberforce #0-3 & (1993-1994)

by Marc Silvestri & Eric Silvestri with Walter Simonson

Image is Everything

• Episode Art Gallery

Promotional Material

• Fanholes Podcast: A pop culture Podcast by the fans, for the fans!! Your hosts: Tony (chainclaw) Derek (derekwc) Brian (Breakdown) Mike (Thunderwing) Justin (Grimlock)
• 3rd Degree Byrne: Join Brian and Tim, two life long comic freaks, as they take a look at one of the quintessential comic book writer/artists of the last 40 years, John Bryne.
• The Video Archives Podcast: Quentin Tarantino and Roger Avary invite you to become a customer at the store that started it all. Joined by their announcer Gala Avary, they’ll travel back in time to revisit old classics and discover new favorites, pulled from the actual VHS tapes that Quentin and Roger used to recommend to customers at the original Video Archives store in Manhattan Beach.

Spawning Ground

• Twitter
• Facebook
• tumblr
• rolledspinepodcasts@gmail.com
• #Spawnometer
• Spawnometer on Blogspot
• Rolled Spine Podcasts on Wordpress

Al Simmons, Cogliostro, Cy-Gor, Cyberforce, Cybernet, Jim Lee, Marc Silvestri, Spawn, Spawn Podcast, Stormwatch, Todd McFarlane, Travis Charest, WildC.A.T.s, Wildstorm

2019 Fandemic Tour Fortress colors by Daniel Dahl

As previously mentioned, I tried to complete the Image Comics 25th Anniversary Jam over the weekend of the 2017 Heroes Convention. The piece went home with artist Evan Dorkin, who did an extraordinary of expanding and solidifying the overall... er... image, though I have to date only shown off the Background Roughs. After I got the finished linework back, against the advisement of Dorkin, I began to get the figures colored in 2019. Then COVID happened, which was still casting its shadow during Image's 30th anniversary celebration last year, meaning I'm still working on the those colors six years later. Further, production of the Spawnometer podcast has slowed to just a few times a year, leading me to neglect the related blog and sit on completed art elements. All caught up? Okay, so Daniel Dahl did a wonderful job of fleshing out Gilbert “Beto” Hernandez's sketch of Rob Liefeld's Supreme, and gave his brother Jaime “Xaime” Hernandez the same treatment on Whilce Portacio's Fortress. As much as I enjoyed my themed misadventure of having creator-owned comics pioneers draw the Image founders' characters, I really feel like the colors took the project to another level, and I have to thank talents like Daniel Dahl for providing for and proving that to be true.

Daniel Dahl

• tumblr
• Instagram
• Deviant Art
• Twitter

Spawnometer 0:0:3:7: 1963

Spawn #37 & 1963 (1993)

Listener Discretion Advised

iTunes ⚬ Spotify ⚬ Anchor ⚬ Internet Archive ⚬ MP3

Spawn #37

by Alan Moore & Todd McFarlane & Greg Capullo

"The Freak"
Dedicated To: Keith Giffen

They called him Dr. Delirium, an insane scientist with the means to control minds... or else destroy them!

These are the merest fraction of the psyche-shredding mechanisms at Delirium's disposal. This is the cold, oil-perfumed zoo in which he keeps the metal beasts that tear men's heads apart.

I'm sorry to call you down here so abruptly, Mrs. Kulbiczi. Your husband escaped from the institution, AGAIN...

1963 #1-6 (1993)

by Alan Moore & Rick Veitch & Steve Bissette & Jim Valentino & Dave Gibbons & Don Simpson & Chester Brown & John Totleben

Shadowhawk #14 & A Touch of Silver #5 & Big Bang Comics #35

by Jim Valentino

Image is Everything

• Episode Art Gallery

Promotional Material

• Comic Book Historians: host Alex Grand with various co-hosts and guests engage in a Journalistic Comic Book Historical discussion between professionals, historians and scholars in determining what happened and when in comics, from strips and pulps to the platinum age comic book, through golden, silver, bronze and then toward modern.
• The Earth 2 Podcast: A DC Comics podcast that chronicles the Pre-Crisis DC Multiverse and explores the legacy of their Golden Age characters throughout the Silver and Bronze Age of Comics.
• Marvel Age Podcast: Each month PTBN Comics’ very own Sarcastic Four (Nick Duke, Tim Capel, Russell Sellers and Todd Weber) take an in-depth year-by-year look at Marvel Comics’ publishing history, focusing on 10 significant issues from that year.

Spawning Ground

• Twitter
• Facebook
• tumblr
• rolledspinepodcasts@gmail.com
• #Spawnometer
• Spawnometer on Blogspot
• Rolled Spine Podcasts on Wordpress

1963, Al Simmons, Alan Moore, Big Bang Comics, Don Simpson, Greg Capullo, Jim Lee, Jim Valentino, Rick Veitch, Shadowhawk, Spawn, Spawn Podcast, Steve Bissette, The Freak, Todd McFarlane, Youngblood,

Spawnometer 0:0:3:6: Spawn 25th Anniversary Director's Cut

Spawn #36 &
Spawn Movie Adaptation (1997) &
Dengeki American Comics

Listener Discretion Advised

iTunes ⚬ Spotify ⚬ Anchor ⚬ Internet Archive ⚬ MP3

Spawn #36

by Todd McFarlane & Greg Capullo

"Set Up" Part Two
Dedicated To: Keith Giffen

Damn you, Fitzgerald! SHOOT him! This isn't a negotiation!

I need a sacrificial pig.

Listen to me!! This is about Terry! He's not what you think! He's deceived both of us. Lied. You can't run away from that.

Spawn Movie Adaptation (1997)

by Carlos D'Anda & Mark Dippe & Alan McElroy & Ted Adams & Mark Irwin

I want out. Wanda and I have decided to start a family.

Enjoy your retirement, old friend. And don't worry about Wanda. I'll take good care of her. See you in hell, Al!

I'm not the Vindicator... or the Victimizer... or the Vibrator! I'm The VIOLATOR!

Image is Everything

• Episode Art Gallery

Promotional Material

• Dark Horse Presents Aliens: A podcast covering the comic book versions of the 20th Century Fox sci-fi/horror films created by Dan O'Bannon & Ronald Shusett with James Cameron, David Giler, & Walter Hill.
• The Projection Booth: Every week The Ultimate Movie Podcast offers up a new episode about a film, its context, influences, and creation.
• Who’s Editing? The show where armchair editors re-imagine the DC Universe based on single issues of Who's Who!

Spawning Ground

• Twitter
• Facebook
• tumblr
• rolledspinepodcasts@gmail.com
• #Spawnometer
• Spawnometer on Blogspot
• Rolled Spine Podcasts on Wordpress

Al Simmons, Angel Medina, Angela, Chapel, Cogliostro, Cyan, Granny Blake, Greg Capullo, HBO, Jason Wynn, Jessica Priest, Malebolgia, McFarlane Toys, Media, Sam and Twitch, Spawn, Spawn Podcast, Terry Fitzgerald, The Violator, Todd McFarlane, Wanda Blake, Wildstorm,

Spawnometer 0:0:3:5: WildStar T-Minus Two

Spawn #35 &
The Messenger (2000) &
WildStar #1-3 (1995) &
Headhunters #1-3 (1997)

Listener Discretion Advised

iTunes ⚬ Spotify ⚬ Anchor ⚬ Internet Archive ⚬ MP3

Spawn #35

by Todd McFarlane & Greg Capullo

"Set Up"
Dedicated To: Ernie Chan

Nice to have you back, Lt. Williams. Your presence was greatly missed by us all.

What are you saying? That I'm some Super-Spawn?

Not you TOO, Terry! Is everyone controlled by this devil?!

WildStar #1-3 (1995)

by Al Gordon & Chris Marrinan

_{Born To Be Wild}

The Messenger

by Jerry Ordway

Headhunters #1-3 (1997)

by Chris Marrinan

Image is Everything

• Episode Art Gallery

Promotional Material

• Hyperion to a Satyr: The Fire and Water Podcast Network's Hamlet Podcast - will be Siskoid's scene-by-scene deep dive into Shakespeare's masterwork, discussing the text, but also performance and staging through the lens of several films, television, comics and music adaptations. Watch for it in November!
• Batman Family Reunion: Paul Kien and Shawn M. Myers discuss the Bronze Age classic comic!
• Marvel's Secret Wars & Beyond: Join us in 2018 for the next stage of Marvel's Secret Wars and Beyond as co-hosts Sean and Greg take on Secret Wars II the wacky sequel to the original 12 issues Secret Wars mini. You can find this podcast in the regular Pulp 2 Pixel Feed and in the new Marvel's Secret Wars and Beyond dedicated feed. !

Spawning Ground

• Twitter
• Facebook
• tumblr
• rolledspinepodcasts@gmail.com
• #Spawnometer
• Spawnometer on Blogspot
• Rolled Spine Podcasts on Wordpress

Al Gordon, Al Simmons, Chris Marrinan, Chris Sprouse, Cogliostro, Cyan, Darkseid, Frank Miller, Granny Blake, Greg Capullo, Jason Wynn, Jerry Ordway, Legion of Super-Heroes, Mighty Man, Sam and Twitch, Spawn, Spawn Podcast, Terry Fitzgerald, Todd McFarlane, Wanda Blake, WildStar, Zero Hour

2019 TERRIFICon Witchblade colors by Paul Mounts

It's been over a year since my last update post on this jam, begun in 2017 for the 25th anniversary of Image Comics, and almost completely missing the entire year of the 30th anniversary, a hell of a thing for a piece intended to be completed in a single weekend. I started out with such good intention in January. Anyway, setting aside any Image Comics lateness jokes, here is the first of the figures I got colored after getting the finished art back from Evan Dorkin. He'd warned me against getting additional colors as a threat to the integrity of the piece. Obviously, the central Spawn figure was colored by Joseph Michael Linsner from the beginning, but even one addition would be a commitment to doing many more. Further, depending on the coloring, the inks could easily be marred.

I debated on the matter for a while, but ultimately I felt like the piece would feel incomplete with one color figure. As important as Spawn is to Image and to myself, this is an image representing the full stable. At minimum, I wanted the founders' characters to get the same treatment. So, while on a road trip to visit friends in Canada and Boston, we made a detour to Connecticut, where I ended up running into Dr. Anj ahead of schedule. It was a fun mid-sized con hosted by a sprawling casino with a nice showing of actual comics talent, but I only had one day to spare for the show. I had specific things I wanted done and plenty of options, but oddly I think this is the first effort from that show to get posted. Most of the rest were more personal, or for other projects even further from fruition.

Paul Mounts was one of the first "name" comics colorists that I knew of. He had colored most of Marvel Comics' trading card sets in the late '80s & early '90s, a huge deal to that generation of fans, which got him notices in Wizard Magazine. He later colored nearly 100 issues of Fantastic Four, including the runs of the Waid/Wieringo and Hickman, the first volume of The Ultimates, and the run of Immortal Hulk. He even has an Image connection through work on Brigade, The Tenth, and Tellos. I recall particularly liking his flesh tones, so Witchblade was a natural choice.

Mounts shared Dorkin's reservations about the potential for inks running, and those concerns proved to be well founded. With the tools available at the con, the coloring ran into problems, and the attempted fixes are readily apparent. I still really like the tones throughout the piece, like the insectoid chrysalis yellow-brown within the gauntlet, and the shading in the hair. Obviously I worried that other colorists would have similar issues, but if anything, the flaws here encouraged me to get more coloring done to minimize the distraction. Blessedly, so far so good on later efforts, and I really prefer the piece with the colors. The question at this point is how far out to extend the color, as most of the main figures are done at this point. Blame COVID, poor convention scheduling in my area, and skyrocketing original art prices for this still being a work in progress.

Spawnometer 0:0:3:4: WildStar: Sky Zero

Spawn #34 &
WildStar: Sky Zero #1-4 (1993)

Listener Discretion Advised

iTunes ⚬ Spotify ⚬ Anchor ⚬ Internet Archive ⚬ MP3

Spawn #34

by Todd McFarlane & Greg Capullo

"Ripples"
Dedicated To: Sal Buscema

Mr. President?

Afternoon, Jason. I want to thank you personally for your assistance in getting us out of that little 'situation' in Bosnia. I've been advised that you spearheaded the resolution. I owe you one. Thanks.

WildStar: Sky Zero #1-4 (1993)

by Al Gordon & Jerry Ordway

_{Born Under a Bad Sign}
Dedicated to all of those who came before.

Image is Everything

• Episode Art Gallery

Promotional Material

• Should I Love this Comic Podcast: with Damien and Yragael Drouet-Whiter
• Never Ending Reading Pile: In this show, Greg and Sean review and discuss single issue storylines or short arcs from their favorite comics and delve into why they love the characters and creators. We are bringing the joy and reminding you and ourselves why we love comics!
• Once Upon A Geek: Celebrating a variety of geeky subjects that we love! Ever-changing topics covering science fiction, comic books, pop culture, what it means to be a geek in this world, and other nostalgia-fueled ideas! Hosted by The Irredeemable Shag and part of THE FIRE AND WATER PODCAST NETWORK! Life is short. Focus on the positive. Find Your Joy.

Spawning Ground

• Twitter
• Facebook
• tumblr
• rolledspinepodcasts@gmail.com
• #Spawnometer
• Spawnometer on Blogspot
• Rolled Spine Podcasts on Wordpress

Savage Dragon,WildStar,Jerry Ordway,Al Gordon,Al Simmons,Cogliostro,Cyan,Erik Larsen,Granny Blake,Greg Capullo,Jason Wynn,Keith Giffen,Malebolgia,Sam and Twitch,Spawn,Spawn Podcast,Terry Fitzgerald,The Violator,Todd McFarlane,Trencher,Wanda Blake

Spawnometer 0:0:3:3: Shadowhawk III

Spawn #33
& Shadowhawk #8-11 (1993)
& Images of Shadowhawk #1-3 (1993)

Listener Discretion Advised

iTunes ⚬ Spotify ⚬ Anchor ⚬ Internet Archive ⚬ MP3

Spawn #33

by Todd McFarlane & Greg Capullo

"Shadows"
Dedicated To: Gene Colan

We're society's garbage. We ain't never going to get a fair shake. As the the intruders, that's your problem to fix.

At least the building's exterior appearance is normal. Mankind sees just another corporate entity... not their attentive protectors.

The uniform! How'd you train it to morph this soon? It should still be incubating! TELL ME! Who's helping you?!

Images of Shadowhawk #1-3 (1993)

by Keith Giffen with Alan Grant

Shadowhawk III #1-4 (1993)

by Jim Valentino with Chance Wolf & Brad W. Foster

_{Through the Past, Darkly}
Dedicated To: Frank Miller
Dedicated To: Murphy Anderson
Dedicated To: John Byrne
This issue is respectfully dedicated to the memory of Jack Kirby, the greatest creator our industry has ever known. May he rest in peace.

Image is Everything

• Episode Art Gallery

Promotional Material

• Star-Rocket Radio: An Infinity Inc. Podcast: Run by Billy D_licious and Herman Louw, we talk about DC Comics, the JSA, and their plucky protégés!
• Batman Family Reunion: Paul Kien and Shawn M. Myers discuss the Bronze Age classic comic!
• We Are Venomaniacs!: Welcome to The Venom Site’s official podcast aims to discuss all things Marvel symbiotes from comics to movies, cartoons to video games, and even merchandise.

Spawning Ground

• Twitter
• Facebook
• tumblr
• rolledspinepodcasts@gmail.com
• #Spawnometer
• Spawnometer on Blogspot
• Rolled Spine Podcasts on Wordpress

Al Simmons, Bobby, Greg Capullo, Jason Wynn, Jim Valentino, Keith Giffen, Rafael, Sam and Twitch, Shadowhawk, Spawn Podcast, Terry Fitzgerald, The Violator, Tiffany, Todd McFarlane, Trencher

Image Sourcebook: The Jack (II)

Real Name: Julia Ravenworth
Occupation: British Intelligence
Identity: Secret
Legal Status: Citizen of the United Kingdom
Place of Birth: Los Angeles
Marital Status: Single
Known Relatives: Abner Ravenworth (grandfather)
Group Affiliation: None
Base of Operations: England
First Appearance: TROLL II #1 (1994)
History:
Julia Ravenworth is an agent of British Intelligence and a legacy heroine who has taken up her grandfather's mantle as the new Jack. Following his demise, Julia notified Abner's old partner Troll at the Youngblood base in Washington, D.C., and they met for a quiet observance at his grave before beginning to investigate his murder. With the help of Abner's journal, the pair uncovered a months-long plot to replace the world's scientists with synthetic duplicates. Among them was Dr. Joseph McCall, the father of Youngblood team member Badrock, who joined in a pursuit that led to the South American base of Dr. Franz Völger. Believed dead since 1944, the Professor was instead in hiding, assisting other Nazis in exile following Germany's defeat as they collectively pursued a Fourth Reich. To this end, Völger constructed The Übernaught Mark II, a towering robot body into which his consciousness would be placed, with the aid of the kidnapped scientists.

The trio traced Völger to Brazil, where they were set upon by an armed squad of "Cyber Nazis." Although the Jack initially held her own, all but Troll were captured and taken to Völger's base. Soon, Völger's mind rested within the Übernaught, but Troll managed to distract the ten ton automaton and free Badrock. The pair severely shocked and partially dismantled the Übernaught before Völger activated the base's self-destruct mechanism. The Jack, Dr. McCall, Badrock, and Troll all managed to escape, with the Übernaught once again presumed destroyed. Troll congratulated the new Jack on a successful first outing, and felt "Abner's legacy is in good hands!"

Height: Average
Build: Fit
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Brown
Strength level: Presumed normal human strength for her age, height, and build.
Known superhuman powers: None. The Jack appears to possess acrobatic abilities and fair fighting skills, as well as being useful with firearms.
Notes: Julia Ravenworth wears a lightly modified variation on The Jack's anachronistic World War II era uniform, mostly accounting for differences in build and gender. However, the new Jack's mask ends midway down the bridge of the nose and spreads along the cheeks down to the jaw.
© & ™ 1994 Karl Altstaetter & Robert Napton

Image Sourcebook: The Jack (I)

Real Name: Abner Ravenworth
Occupation: British Commando
Legal Status: Honored citizen of the United Kingdom
Marital Status: Unknown
Known Relatives: Julia Ravenworth (granddaughter)
Group Affiliation: associate of The Allies
Base of Operations: England
First Appearance: TROLL II #1 (1994)
History:
Abner Ravenworth was a "hand trained" operative under Troll who served England during World War II. In 1944, upon his return from Africa, Major Troll was asked by Winston Churchill to undertake an important mission into the heart of Nazi Germany. Despite considering him "rough around the edges," Troll requested the assistance of The Jack, who had previously embarrassed him in front of his "lady friend" Glory and The Allies in Paris. The pair made their way to Berlin, and the secret lab of Dr. Franz Völger, as he prepared to unleash his "ultimate creation." Bursting in through a skylight, Major Troll and The Jack took on Hitler's legions in pursuit of "Herr Professor," although Jack had to be rescued several times by Troll in the attempt. The Professor escaped to a waiting zeppelin with his towering robot "The Ubernaught" in tow. Standing a couple of stories tall, the Ubernaught nonetheless managed to draw close to the heroes from behind while they stood atop the aircraft. After a brief skirmish, the heroes managed to detonate TNT which appeared to take Völger and his automaton in the conflagration, while Troll's new pilot Eddie swooped in to rescue the pair as they plummeted.

References were made to additional pairings in Stalingrad, Casablanca, and Normandy, but inevitably Major Troll and the Jack parted company, despite Jack's being "one of the best friends, an' best partners, a man could ever have." Fifty years later, Troll was at Youngblood headquarters when he was notified by Ravenworth's granddaughter Julia of Abner's murder. After twenty years in retirement, Ravenworth was prompted to reopen the Volger case, after stumbling upon a plot to replace the world's scientists. He had committed the details to his journal, which was used by his granddaughter and Major Troll to avenge his death.

Height: Average
Build: Athletic
Eyes: White (without visible pupil or iris)
Hair: Brown
Strength level: Presumed normal human strength for his age, height, and build.
Known superhuman powers: None. The Jack appears to possess acrobatic abilities and fair fighting skills, as well as being useful with firearms.
Notes: The Jack's facial features were inconsistent. He sometimes appeared with a Caucasian flesh tone mask open only at the pupilless eyes and mouth, mostly obscuring the nose. Other times in the same sequence, he appeared to wear a blue face mask that matched the rest of his costume, ending at the upper lip with an exposed chin. This was presumably a persistent coloring error or last minute design alteration.
© & ™ 1994 Karl Altstaetter & Robert Napton