Spawnography

Brian Holguin Appreciation Month continues and Spawn:Godslayer continues to rock harder than a wizard painted on the side of van. No, seriously. This book is such a fun amalgam of what makes Spawn great, what makes Brian Holguin great and how riffing on classic stories and archetypes with new characters can be a really enlightening way to revisit and reaxamine those themes. Philip Tan joins the book as the main penciller this time around and we are incredibly impressed with the work here. It's moody, fantastic and really inspired. This really is a masterpiece.  This week's recommendations are: first, the latest from Jane Shoenbrun, Teenage Sex & Death at Camp Miasma, a new horror movie from one of the most interesting modern directors and second, to give an old friend a call, not to make plans or anything like that. Just say hello. Let the people you love know you're thinking about them even if you don't talk all the time.  You can always check out George's music - La Cigarette at coolbutrude.com and Witch Crisis.  If you are looking to engage even more with the Spawnmunity, check out the always wonderful RE: Spawn podcast and TinySpawny's Let's Talk Spawn.  Thanks to Freesound for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful Spawn Reading Order.

We were extremely sad to hear of Brian Holguin's recent passing so we are taking a break from our regular programming to dive into one of his most interesting works within the Spawn Universe: "Spawn: Godslayer." This is a non-canon, high fantasy take on the Spawn mythos we know and love and it showcases so much of what made Brian Holguin a pillar of what Spawn was, is and always will be. This episode and the next four will take a look at this underrated piece of work from an artist who should be remembered along the greats in our opinion. This week's recommendations are Michael Mann's incredible HEAT and the writings of historian Dan Jones, especially The Plantagenets and Powers and Thrones, which collectively are about the entire history of like monarchy and royalty and stuff like that throughout the history of England. You can always check out George's music - La Cigarette at coolbutrude.com and Witch Crisis.  If you are looking to engage even more with the Spawnmunity, check out the always wonderful RE: Spawn podcast and TinySpawny's Let's Talk Spawn.  Thanks to Freesound for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful Spawn Reading Order.

We're wrapping up this arc and Jim Downing's Spawn journey continues as he reckons with becoming a celebrity and something of a miracle worker. The mysterious, villainous Bludd sends three ancient vampires to test Jim's powers, forcing him into a brutal fight where he discovers just how powerful and unpredictable he can be. Still struggling with his identity and mysterious past, Jim becomes increasingly desperate for answers about what he actually is. And us? We're just trying to figure it all out. This week's recommendations are to read an actual physical book, comic or otherwise, as well as the connecticut emo band, Anxious. You can always check out George's music - La Cigarette at coolbutrude.com and Witch Crisis.  If you are looking to engage even more with the Spawnmunity, check out the always wonderful RE: Spawn podcast and TinySpawny's Let's Talk Spawn.  Thanks to Freesound for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful Spawn Reading Order. Thank YOU for listening! 

We're moving the chains of this plot forward but despite the progress coming at something of a snails pace, we had a good time with these issues. Szymon Kudranski's art is the real standout but it's to see the book settling into a more mdoern rhythm and not fighting with itself over what it wants to be. And what it wants to be right now is a horror-tinged procedural drama with no easily likeable characters and that's perfectly okay! This week's recommendations are Emily Wilson's Odyssey translation, HBO's My Adventures with Superman and to let your friends know just how much they do for you on a daily basis because sometimes we take our friends for granted a little bit and its important for everyone to feel seen.   You can always check out George's music - La Cigarette at coolbutrude.com and Witch Crisis.  If you are looking to engage even more with the Spawnmunity, check out the always wonderful RE: Spawn podcast and TinySpawny's Let's Talk Spawn.  Thanks to Freesound for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful Spawn Reading Order. Thank YOU for listening! 

Omega Spawn is in the rearview (for now) and for once it feels like the Jim Downing era has a meaningful direction. Szymon Kudranski joins the book and contributes mightily to the change in tone and atmosphere. There is more to Jim than meets the eye and the Unholy Trinity that Clown mentioned issues ago is really starting to take shape. It seems that new writer Will Carlton really has an idea of where to take this book. Wait... who the heck is Will Carlton? This weeks' recommendations are the first two albums by Marcy Playground (they are more than just a one-hit wonder!), the excellent workplace superhero dramedy game, Dispatch (FFO: Telltale/Choose Your Own Adventure games) and indie filmmaker Christopher Nolan's low-budget hit film, The Odyssey. You can always check out George's music - La Cigarette at coolbutrude.com and Witch Crisis.  If you are looking to engage even more with the Spawnmunity, check out the always wonderful RE: Spawn podcast and TinySpawny's Let's Talk Spawn.  Thanks to Freesound for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful Spawn Reading Order. Thank YOU for listening! 

The road to 200 finally ends but we've only been with Jim Downing a mere 16 issues and his story already seems to be getting sideswiped. What's Image United? Who is Omega Spawn? Robert Kirkman wrote AND drew part of this issue?!? We'll get into it! This week's recommendations are to make some art (even if it's bad!), support the local businesses you love because (unfortunately, they likely won't be around forever and wonderful Jacques Tati film Trafic. You can always check out George's music - La Cigarette at coolbutrude.com and Witch Crisis.  If you are looking to engage even more with the Spawnmunity, check out the always wonderful RE: Spawn podcast and TinySpawny's Let's Talk Spawn.  Thanks to Freesound for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful Spawn Reading Order. Thank YOU for listening! 

"Endgame" is over but the real mystery is just beginning! Or is it? The book seems to be biding time before a big anniversary issue but will that lead to some big reveal? It's hard to see the vision at this point. Redeemer pays a visit to Jim's girlfriend (?) Sara and Khary Randolph joins the fray on art, delivering a particularly standout issue. But Spawn seems to be getting a bit lost in the shuffle of a narrative that doesn't have a clear direction. This week's recommendations are to check out the story of Rocklina, a turtle who was recently rescued from 50 years of neglect and to take a listen to NYHC punks, Grip. You can always check out George's music - La Cigarette at coolbutrude.com and Witch Crisis.  If you are looking to engage even more with the Spawnmunity, check out the always wonderful RE: Spawn podcast and TinySpawny's Let's Talk Spawn.  Thanks to Freesound for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful Spawn Reading Order. Thank YOU for listening! 

"Endgame" comes to an, well, end. But Jim Downing's story is just beginning! Or has it not really started? It's a little hard to say. Adding to the cavalcade of artists that have joined the book over the course of this arc, Rob Liefeld joins the fray! Will every mystery be revealed by the end of "Endgame?" Will be get a greater understanding of Jim Downing and his place in the Spawn universe? Will we ever be rid of Marc Rosen? The answer to all of these questions (and more!) this week on Spawnography!  This week's recommendations are a couple of excellent comics, Steve Lieber & Nick Spencer's "Superior Foes of Spider-Man" and Hayden Sherman & Chris Sebela's "Cold War." SFoSM is a really fun romp with Spidey's rogues featuring Lieber's incredibly expressive art. Meanwhile, Cold War is a sci-fi war story that feels a little closer to becoming our reality than I care to confront. You can always check out George's music - La Cigarette at coolbutrude.com and Witch Crisis.  If you are looking to engage even more with the Spawnmunity, check out the always wonderful RE: Spawn podcast and TinySpawny's Let's Talk Spawn.  Thanks to Freesound for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful Spawn Reading Order. Thank YOU for listening! 

This arc has been a rollercoaster. While the early issues showed some promise, there seem to be factors outside the story (staffing, deadlines etc.) that are affecting the book itself. Jim Downing is struggling to gain a foothold. The creative team is struggling to do more than retrace Al Simmon's steps in so many ways. And the art is a bit of a mess despite bringing Greg Capullo back into the fold. That isn't to say it's all bad. there are still some great moments but "Endgame" is continuing to be a frustrating reading experience. This week's recommendations are a couple of comic book stores in Washington DC, Fantom Comics and Big Planet Comics - definitely check them out if you're in the area - and Caroline Cash's excellent Nancy comics. You can always check out George's music - La Cigarette at coolbutrude.com and Witch Crisis.  If you are looking to engage even more with the Spawnmunity, check out the always wonderful RE: Spawn podcast and TinySpawny's Let's Talk Spawn.  Thanks to Freesound for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful Spawn Reading Order. Thank YOU for listening! 

The Freak is back! In any really meaningful way? Not quite but it's always fun to see Jim interact with another one of Al's rogue's gallery. but therein lies the problem, this arc hasn't introduced much for Jim that isn't already Al's outside of a secret, seemingly government experiment and a new crime boss. There are a lot of interesting ideas being thrown around overall but it's tough to see the forest for the trees as it all comes fairly scattershot, the art has some inconsistencies and this new era is still struggling to carve it's own path forward.  This week's recommendations are to go make some art, (good, bad, whatever - just make some!) and Something Wild, Jonathan Demme's masterful comedy/thriller about how taking a chance can lead you on an adventure you may have never expected.  You can always check out George's music - La Cigarette at coolbutrude.com and Witch Crisis.  If you are looking to engage even more with the Spawnmunity, check out the always wonderful RE: Spawn podcast and TinySpawny's Let's Talk Spawn.  Thanks to Freesound for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful Spawn Reading Order. Thank YOU for listening! 

"Endgame" trudges on and your humble hosts are starting to lose a little bit of faith in the direction that Spawn and its creative team are taking. It's hard not to be a little bit frustrated with a book that is clearly struggling with finding a new identity in the wake of handing the book over to a new main character. But it's not all bad! And it can't get worse... can it? This week's recommendations are the incredible new-ish Apple+ show from creator Kate Dippold, Widow's Bay, and the book Men Who Hate Women by Laura Bates - "A comprehensive investigation into extreme misogyny, exploring toxic masculinity, online harassment, and systemic sexism through interviews and research." You can always check out George's music - La Cigarette at coolbutrude.com and Witch Crisis.  If you are looking to engage even more with the Spawnmunity, check out the always wonderful RE: Spawn podcast and TinySpawny's Let's Talk Spawn.  Thanks to Freesound for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful Spawn Reading Order. Thank YOU for listening! 

Todd and the gang continue to go back to basics as the mystery of Jim Downing continues! We've got talking head newscasters! We've got questions! We've got no answers (yet)! And we've got the power meter! We've also got some pretty impressive work by Whilce Portacio. You could accuse of of "bageling" a bit here but we take the time to really diginto what work's about these issues as the questions continue to mount.  This week's recommendations are the latest film by Curry Barker, Obsession, and the artwork of Hajime Sorayama. You can always check out George's music - La Cigarette at coolbutrude.com and Witch Crisis.  If you are looking to engage even more with the Spawnmunity, check out the always wonderful RE: Spawn podcast and TinySpawny's Let's Talk Spawn.  Thanks to Freesound for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful Spawn Reading Order. Thank YOU for listening! 

Al Simmons is dead! Long live Al Simmons! Todd is back in the saddle and there's a new Hellspawn in town - Jim Downing. We're also seeing some familiar faces back on the creative team as well as newcomer to the title, Whilce Portacio. But can this title handle a major change to the status quo given the awkward handoff from the last writer? George and Pierce will get into it.  This week's recommendations are a couple of flicks that were recently in theaters, Mortal Kombat 2 and Boots Riley's I Love Boosters. MK2 needs no introduction but if you have enjoyed Riley's previous work such as Sorry to Both You, then his latest will astound you. It is not a subtle treatise on the harmful nature of capitalism but instead it is a loud, colorful takedown of it. Highly recommend. You can always check out George's music - La Cigarette at coolbutrude.com and Witch Crisis.  If you are looking to engage even more with the Spawnmunity, check out the always wonderful RE: Spawn podcast and TinySpawny's Let's Talk Spawn.  Thanks to Freesound for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful Spawn Reading Order. Thank YOU for listening!

This is it! The end of Spawn.... until the next issue! But at the very least, David Hine's run is over and we have some feelings. This was, overall, a pretty interesting era and Hine is a writer who definitely had a different take on our hellish hero than folks in the past. There is an argument to be made that this is the second best era of the book to this point due to how it expands the mythos but we'll get into it! This week's recommendations are to watch some old Ray Harry hausen movies and the old Toho era Godzilla flicks! Monster movies rule and these are two of the best times for those films before we were inundated with CGI. You can always check out George's music - La Cigarette at coolbutrude.com and Witch Crisis.  If you are looking to engage even more with the Spawnmunity, check out the always wonderful RE: Spawn podcast and TinySpawny's Let's Talk Spawn.  Thanks to Freesound for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful Spawn Reading Order. Thank YOU for listening!

More and more secrets are revealed! Who is Morana and what is her connection to Al? What's up with Cyan's connection to something super natural? Is Al a good person as his run winds down? We'll get into all of it and more! This week's recommendations are the Amazon adaptaion of Lord of the Flies as well as 2000s indie rock band, Gatsby's American Dream's record Volcano,  which weirdly enough has a bunch of references to Lord of the Flies.  You can always checkout George's music - La Cigarette at coolbutrude.com and Witch Crisis.  If you are looking to engage even more with the Spawnmunity, check out the always wonderful RE: Spawn podcast and TinySpawny's Let's Talk Spawn.  Thanks to Freesound for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful Spawn Reading Order. Thank YOU for listening!

Things are getting dicey as Al Simmons winds down his initial run! Can he reconcile with Wanda? How does Cyan play into this? Was Mammon behind everything? What's up with Morana? We'll get into it! This week's recommendations are to be kinder to yourself but also to check out one of Geroge's favorite podcasts "The Worst of All Possible Words." Meanwhile, Pierce recommends the incredible tunes of Josaleigh Pollett and their latest singles "Radio Player" and "The Witness." You can always checkout George's music - La Cigarette at coolbutrude.com and Witch Crisis.  If you are looking to engage even more with the Spawnmunity, check out the always wonderful RE: Spawn podcast and TinySpawny's Let's Talk Spawn.  Thanks to Freesound for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful Spawn Reading Order. Thank YOU for listening!  

Welcome to George's niche interests explored episode! We're getting into vampiric lore and World War I history as David Hine, Brian Haberlin and company push the mystery at the center of this run forward while backfilling some interesting details along the way. What does all of this mean for Spawn and Al Simmons? How is Mammon really involved? How deep does this all go? We'll get into it. This week's recommendations are Dan Carlin's Blueprint for Armageddon and Hardcore History podcast series' for the history buffs among you, Laura Spinney's Proto: How One Ancient Language Went Global for the language nerds among you and Texas is the Reason's excellent album "Do You Know Who You Are?" on it's 30th birthday for the 90s emo and JFK conspiracy nerds among you. You can always checkout George's music - La Cigarette at coolbutrude.com and Witch Crisis.  If you are looking to engage even more with the Spawnmunity, check out the always wonderful RE: Spawn podcast and TinySpawny's Let's Talk Spawn.  Thanks to Freesound for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful Spawn Reading Order. Thank YOU for listening!

How is a manga contest tied to a series of murders spread across the United States? How is the number one suspect a boy who can't leave the safety of his hermetically sealed room? What lasting effects did the four horsemen of "Armageddon" have on the world despite Al Simmons remaking it? Well, it all goes back to Mammon! But that just means George and Pierce will have to dig into what that means for Spawn and Nyx. This week's recommendation is to get into the greatest rock band of all-time, The Ramones. 'Nuff said.  You can always checkout George's music - La Cigarette at coolbutrude.com and Witch Crisis.  If you are looking to engage even more with the Spawnmunity, check out the always wonderful RE: Spawn podcast and TinySpawny's Let's Talk Spawn.  Thanks to Freesound for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful Spawn Reading Order. Thank YOU for listening!

Hey there Hellspawn! We're back with another guest! This time we have Mark Zovak aka TinySpawny with us and we're talking about his favorite Spawn, Gunslinger! We also take a bit of time at the top to talk to Mark about his Spawn journey, the state of the Spawnmunity and his recently launched YouTube show Let's Talk Spawn!  This week's recommendations are, of course, Mark's show Let's Talk Spawn, the People's Pop Punk band Career Day and Louisville thrasher's Belushi Speed Ball. You can always checkout George's music - La Cigarette at coolbutrude.com and Witch Crisis.  If you are looking to engage even more with the Spawnmunity, check out the always wonderful RE: Spawn podcast and TinySpawny's Let's Talk Spawn.  Thanks to Freesound for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful Spawn Reading Order. Thank YOU for listening!

We wrap up this Simmons family reunion and it has some dire consequences for at least one characters. Mammon continues to exert his influence as David Hine and Brian Haberlin look to backfill some of Al's story to help build to an eventual payoff. Overall, it kind of works but we'll get into it of course.  This week's recommendations are to check ot the latest season of The Boys and on a more somber note, to hug your pets a little tighter this week. We don't get them forever but we are blessed to get them as long as we do. You can always checkout George's music - La Cigarette at coolbutrude.com and Witch Crisis.  If you are looking to engage even more with the Spawnmunity, check out the always wonderful RE: Spawn podcast and TinySpawny's Let's Talk Spawn.  Thanks to Freesound for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful Spawn Reading Order. Thank YOU for listening!

We knew Al Simmons had one brother but David Hine imagines a world where, get this, Al had two brothers. More of Al's history is revealed! But is this a result of how Al rebuilt the world? Is this another one of Mammon's manipulations? We've been told that Mammon has been pulling the strings for quite some time and here Hine and Brian Haberlin begin to scratch the surface of that mystery.  This week's recommendations are the documentary Trekkies (available on YouTube), a loving portrait at fandom and fan culture in a time before smartphones and social media, as well as Colorado-based emo band, A Place for Owls. Check out "Do I Feel at Home Here?" You can always checkout George's music - La Cigarette at coolbutrude.com and Witch Crisis.  If you are looking to engage even more with the Spawnmunity, check out the always wonderful RE: Spawn podcast and TinySpawny's Let's Talk Spawn.  Thanks to Freesound for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful Spawn Reading Order. Thank YOU for listening!

Hey there, Hellspawn! This episode will see us wrap up "The Voice Hearers" and the return of Clown and then catch up with Nyx as David Hine and Brian Haberlin keep doing the Yeoman's work of putting pieces back on the board after Spawn's ostensible boardwipe back in "Armageddon." Overall, the results are pretty solid even if some of the subject matter (namely, the somewhat sterotypical depiction of Voodoo) can get  a bit iffy.  We know this is a slightly longer one than usual so if you are looking to get right to the talk about the issues, you can cut to about 30 minutes in. (Sorry for the long intro!) This week's recommendations are British punks' Lambrini Girls (check out "Cult of Celebrity") and Chicago emos tenmonthsummer (check out "Destiny Bond") as well as a pair of Transformers films, the classic 1986 animated flick and the more recent animated endeavourt Transformers One. Thanks to Freesound for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful Spawn Reading Order. Thank YOU for listening!

What does the world larger world look like in Spawn's reimaginined reality? Why does one apartment building seem to be the root of all evil? What pieces are coming back into the equation from the past? Why did George and Pierce play FMK with Muppets? All thse questiosn will be answered and more!  This week's recommendations are Abruptio which you can easily find on Tubi, as well as the Wolfman/Perez run of Teen Titans! And for those who like a bit of hardcore-tinged pop punk or vice verse, Standoffish!  As always you can check out George's band, La Cigarette, at coolbutrude.com. Thanks to Freesound for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful Spawn Reading Order. Thank YOU for listening!

Armageddon is over and we've got a doozy of a couple of issues for you this week. First, an epilogue of sorts for the last mega arc that really paints Al in a pretty precarious light which feels like a bit of an odd move this late into the book's run. (We are aware it's likely a feint but taking the story as read, it is a bit concerning.) Then we get the origin story for a cool action figure: Mandarin Spawn. It draws on some pretty worn tropes but the art is really great. For this episode, a trigger warning for some discussion of violence against women, problematic depictions of disabled people and domestic abuse.  This week's recommendations are to check out some Zamrock, a genre that emerged in the 70s in Zambia that fused traditional African music with the popular rock music of the time to create something wholly unique and diferent. Ngozi Family is a great band to start with. You should also check out Philadelphia's lovely indie rockers, Hop Along and their record "Bark Your Head Off, Dog." It's a few years old but it still hits.  As always you can check out George's band, La Cigarette, at coolbutrude.com. Thanks to Freesound for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful Spawn Reading Order. Thank YOU for listening!

We have reached the end of "Armageddon!" but is this really an ending or simply a new beginning? Only time will tell. That said, Philip Tan and David Hine really rip out all the stops here. One thing that is impressive is how often they've forced us to reevaluate where their work stands within the Spawn mythos. This arc ends up representing a bit of a fulcrum point and it's exciting to see where we'll go from here.  This week's recommendations are Matt Johnson of Nirvanna the Band the Show fame's 2023 film Blackberry and and the incredible comic HEADLOPPER by Andrew Maclean. Both are pretty singular works by singular talents in their respective mediums and you should check them out. And as always you can check out George's band, La Cigarette, at coolbutrude.com. Thanks to Freesound for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful Spawn Reading Order. Thank YOU for listening!  

Armageddon rages on and the stakes keep getting higher! The four horsemen of the apocalypse come to play! Granny Blake gets raptured! Spawn takes on Jesus' disciples! David Hine and the art team are really upping the ante! This week's recommendations are "Heaven and Hell" by Dio and the latest flick from Sam Raimi (a favorite around these parts) Send Help. As always you can check out Geroge's band, La Cigarette, at coolbutrude.com. Thanks to Freesound for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful Spawn Reading Order. Thank YOU for listening!

Jakie and Katie's true nature is revealed! We get some truly cathartic moments from just about the whole cast! The art team finds some level of cinsitency and we definitely feel the sort of Yeoman's work that David Hine is being tasked to do. We extend that to comics critics in general as well.This is a tough industry and when someone is able to make something fun and readable (even if they have to drop a bit of continuity along the way) that is something to be celebrated. This week's recommendations are to check out Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men if you haven't already. They announced they will be ending their run but they are a big influence on this show and many others. Thank you Jay and Miles! And more existentially, find a way to disconnect from the daily grind. Try to reset a bit . Find a reason to relax your mind. Thanks to Freesound for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful Spawn Reading Order. Thank YOU for listening!

A bonkers arc continues! George and Pierce debate the reception to this era of Spawn as Philip Tan and the art team as well as writer David Hine are still finding their footing. That said, there are some wild moments - we get closer to understanding the twins, see how Spawn has grown with his new understanding of his existence and get some really nice characterization between Spaw, Sam and Twitch. Comics should make you want to read the next one and this one certainly does!  This week's first recommendation from George is the incredible math rock duo Angine de Poitrine's KEXP session. As one of the comments on the video says, "Finally, Music 2 has dropped." On the comics side, Pierce recommends the work of Matt Kindt and David Lapham generally but more specifically, their new book Knight City from Dark Horse Comics. It's a meta mystery superhero book that feels like a throwback while still feeling new.  Thanks to Freesound for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful Spawn Reading Order. Thank YOU for listening!

We are firmly in the David Hine era the times they are a'changin' especially as we get deeper into a run that has yet to have a clear direction or identity. The mystery of the twins deepens, we meet some of the legion of spirits that make up Spawn, Spawn fights Kali, the goddess of destruction and the art goes through a bit of a rough patch with a veritable army of inkers and colorists. This arc doesn't technically have a name in the issues themselves but if "Armageddon" is a good enough title for the Spawn Reading Order then it's good enough for us.  This week's recommendations are many! George's band, La Cigarette, has a new single out on coolbutrude.com called "The American Blues." (Unsurprisingly, it rips.) She also recommends that y'all check out the flicks of Jordan Peele and Josie Reisman's incredible Stan Lee biography "True Believer: The Rise and Fall of Stan Lee." On a similar note, Pierce recommends you check out Sean Howe's excellent "Marvel Comics: The Untold Story." Thanks to Freesound for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful Spawn Reading Order. Thank YOU for listening!

Last episode was a milestone for Spawn and this episode is a milestone for us! We've made it to episode 100 so we are finishing out the "Thamuz" arc before headingstraight into Armageddon! We are definitely entering an interesting era of the book and as a result some of the discussion does get a little bit fraught but its all in support of the continued analysis of the book. This week's recommendations are the Wonder Man TV show, Marvel Cosmic Invasion and 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. Thanks to Freesound for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful Spawn Reading Order. Thank YOU for listening!

We've made it to another milestone and this one ushers in the David Hine and Philip Tan era. George and Pierce get into a little bit of a retrospective of the Holguin and Medina run but are pleasantly surprised by Hine and Tan's first outing with our favorite Hellspawn. will it last? Only time will tell! This week's recommendations are Zeke's album Lords of the Highway and nouns' album still. Thanks to Freesound for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful Spawn Reading Order. Thank YOU for listening!

Sometimes, even your humble Spawnographers can't parse a story and "Howl" happens to be one of those. But then we dive into "Random Patterns," an arc that certainly earns its title. It's an interesting era for Spawn and his creative team to say the least and your hosts will get into it. This week's most important recommendation is to get involved with your local community. We only have each other so do what you can to help your neighbors especially if they are in the crosshairs of this corrupt administration. But a secondary one as a break from the horrors of daily life is to checkout Dropout TV - some of the funniest people doing the funniest things on the planet.  Thanks to Freesound for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful Spawn Reading Order. Thank YOU for listening!

We are back to the main Spawn title with an arc that doesn't leave us scrataching our heads necessarily but does make us question the ramp up to #150 on some level. Todd, Holguin and Medina are clearly looking to expand the mythos and build up Mammon but the story itself feels like a little less than the sum of its parts.  This week's recommendations are the excellent Youtube channel Animalogic  which is all about our natual world and the fuzzy friends that live in it as well as the incredibly interesting podcast Art Astra that investigating the intersection between "space studies and the humanities in popular culture with the aim of highlighting opportunities for people from all walks of life to participate in and get excited about space."  Thanks to Freesound for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful Spawn Reading Order. Thank YOU for listening!

This episode we wrap up the first arc of Marc Andreyko and Scott Morse's Case Files: Sam & Twitch and prove that even when you think you completely understand an arc, sometimes you don't. The show starts off with a some talk about upcoming movies like Street Fighter and Masters of the Universe so feel free to skip tot eh 30 minute mark to get right into discussion of the book. As we noted last episode, Andreyko and Morse take a non-traditional approach to this story and it manages to pull the wool over our eyes really effectively. In classic Spawnography fashion, we start out a little bit cold on it as a whole but warm up considerably as we discuss it.  This week's recommendations are the legendary Tank Girl (the comic and the film) as well as Kyle Baker and company's  Plastic Man - both available wherever you get comics, probably. Thanks to Freesound for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful Spawn Reading Order. Thank YOU for listening!

We're back with another slight diversion from the main Spawn title as we dive into Marc Andreyko and Scott Morse's Case Files: Sam & Twitch . We're only covering this first arc (for now) and we find our hispid hero Twitch Williams in a bit of a predicament. Told in 3 timelines unfolding simultaneously, it seems the events of the first two have landed Twitch in jail in the third! It takes us a little while to wrap our heads around the best way to cover the form, but we get there!  This week's recommendations are to check out George's new band La Cigarette and their first single "Born to Die (World is a Fuck)" at coolbutrude.com as well as to check out the films of the recently departed Rob Reiner. Thanks to Freesound for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful Spawn Reading Order. Thank YOU for listening!

It's a knockdown, drag out fight between Redeemer and Spawn with Nyx caught right in the middle. But there's more at play. Have the trio played right into Mammon's hands? What exactly is Mammon's plan anyway? Will Nyx regret the deal she made with an unassuming demon? We will get into all of it!  This week's recommendations are Nocturnals by Dan Brereton and a trio of titles by Matt Emmons - The Council of Frogs, Those That Inherit the Earth and The Gardener. Thanks to Freesound for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful Spawn Reading Order. Thank YOU for listening!

We've got a fun one this week. Al is in a coma and Nyx ventures into Hell to save her friend Thea's soul. She has rejected Mammon's overtures to deliver the Spawn to him. But the new demon lord she's made a deal with may not be exactly what he seems. Plus Redeemer is back! This week's first recommendation is to quit using generative AI! It's bad for the planet and bad for your brain! Our second recommendation is an incredible video essay by matttt called "How manga broke the US comic industry." It is a really fascinating deep dive into how manga gained a foothold in the US and a must-watch for any comics and manga fan. Our third recommendation, piggybacking off the second one, is kind of a lay-up but if you haven't read Katsuhiro Otomo's groundbreaking AKIRA in full, you should. Thanks to Freesound for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful Spawn Reading Order. Thank YOU for listening!

Spawn continueshis struggles against the Clown/Jason Wynn hybrid that has been terrorizing him and the people of New York but we're getting the feeling that we've seen some of this stuff before. Holguin and McFarlance seem to be going back the well with some of their ideas so despite some interesting machincations with Nyx the arc isn't as impactful as it feels like it could have been. A big knock against this era of Spawn is it's inconsistency and that definitely rears its head here. We'll get into it.  This week's recommendations are to go outside (I think we've recommended this before but it's always a good reminder) and Spike Lee's 2000s classic, Inside Man. Thanks to Freesound for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful Spawn Reading Order. Thank YOU for listening!

The Clown and Jason Wynn team-up continues as two of Spawn's biggest foes are taking over New York, starting with the hero's old haunt - Rat City! Meanwhile Nyx is still dedicated to saving her friend's soul and it looks like she'll have to get involved with Mammon to do it.  This week's recommendations are the Thin Lizzy albums Thunder & Lightning and IJohnny the Fox. We also recommend the excellent "Bad Boy" t-shirt by Chloe Brailsford on ithaspockets.gay. Proceeds from the shirt go to funding that site's Operations Lead, Jake. You can check out more of Chloe's work at @chloe.in.pink. Thanks to Freesound for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful Spawn Reading Order. Thank YOU for listening!

In these two issues, Spawn finds himself dealing with the one guy who just won't stay gone: the Violator. Pratfall kicks things off with the Clown stirring up trouble the way only he can -  needling Al in all the right (and wrong) places to get a rise out of him. Then Gentleman Caller turns the screws even tighter, as the Violator takes aim at the people around Al, testing how far Spawn will go to keep his darker impulses in check as he begins to exert his influence even more at the citizens of New York through the vessel of Jason Wynn! This week's recommendations are the latest amalagam mashups on the Marvel and DC apps specifically DC/MARVEL: The Flash/Fantastic Four by Jeremy Adams and Adrian Guiterrez and Thor/Shazam by Al Ewing and Jethro Morales as well as the big tunes of Cheap Death, specifically the song "Mutant League Football." Thanks to Freesound for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful Spawn Reading Order. Thank YOU for listening!

Todd McFarlane and Brian Holguin give us a ghost story this time around as we check back in with Max Williams, Twitch's son, in the aftermath of his indoctrination into a vampire cult. Is is lost forever? Can the secrets of Marston house free his from his fate? Can Spawn find some way to redeem his friend's son? We'll get into it!  Thanks to Freesound for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful Spawn Reading Order. Thank YOU for listening!

Al tries to make his escape but Clown has other plans. With the villain infecting much of Manhattan during a blackout, our buddy Spawn is kind of on the ropes. Is this his new reality? Stuck between human and Hellspawn? Meanwhile, Nyx contemplates her deal with Mammon. Could it bring back her long lost friend? Is Mammon playing at something bigger? We'll get into it! This week's recommendations are to go outside! And also to get involved with your local community fridge or food bank! A better world is possible. If you need help finding these things, reach out and we can help! Thanks to Freesound for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful Spawn Reading Order. Thank YOU for listening!  

Spawn is trapped between waking life and nightmare as hallucinations and fractured memories blur his grip on reality. But what does Nyx have to do with this and what's her motive? Has Twitch figured out Spawn's identity? Can Al resolve his past with Major Forsburg? We'll get into it!  This week's recommendations are Stuart Gordon's From Beyond and Joe Dante's Gremlins 2.  Thanks to Freesound for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful Spawn Reading Order. Thank YOU for listening!

"Salvation Road" wraps up in this episode as Wanda and Terry deal with finding out that Al's grave has been dug up and wrestle with what his ghostly presence means in their relationship. Nyx plays Wendy Darling and stitches the amnesiac Al back to Spawn. Jason Wynn has got his groove back thanks to Clown. But is it the real Clown or a hallucination? Can Al trust Nyx? What's in this for her? Will Terry, Wanda, Sam, Twitch or anyone who has crossed paths with Al Simmons ever be happy?! We'll get into it! This week's recommendations are to watch old episodes of Love Connection to immerse yourself in a little bit of what human connection was like before the dawn of the internet and to check out Tina Romero's directorial debut Queens of the Dead, a queer zombie romp that is a love letter to her father George Romero's work. Thanks to Freesound for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful Spawn Reading Order. Thank YOU for listening!

Al Simmons is back from Hell — but this time, he's human? Things are certainly not as they seem. Powerless, disoriented, and haunted by his past, Spawn begins a fragile journey of rediscovery on the streets of New York. From a jail cell to ghostly alleys that Al feels compelled to visit, and a fateful meeting with the myserious Nyx, is there a road to redemption lying in wait for Al Simmons? George and Pierce will get into it! This week's recommendations are to reengage with a hobby that brought you joy in the past but has fallen by the wayside and to listen to The Starting Line's new record Eternal Youth.  Thanks to Freesound for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful Spawn Reading Order. Thank YOU for listening!

"A Season in Hell" concludes and the world is quickly changing for Spawn and Al Simmons. Promised the ability to remake Hell in his own image, it seems that Al has really just been a pawn in the plans of his newest big bad - Cogliostro?! Now stripped of his hellish legacy, Al has returned to Earth without his "shadow." What does that mean for the world famous government assassin? George and Pierce will get into it. This week's recommendations are Immortal X-Men by Kieron Gillen and Lucas Werneck and for the history buffs out there, Tutankhamun's Trumpet by Toby Wilkinson which relays Egyptian history through the analysis of the objects buried with the king. Thanks to Freesound for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful Spawn Reading Order. Thank YOU for listening!

Spawn and Redeemer face off! Their battle in the desert pushes Spawn to his limits — body and soul — as old sins and buried guilt claw their way back to the surface. Wounded and dragged toward Hell, Spawn is forced to confront visions of his past life, his marriage, and the lies that forged his damnation. These issues dive deep into identity, faith, and destiny — asking whether Spawn can truly escape what Hell made him, or if he's doomed to become it. We'll get into it! This week's recommendations are Uncanny X-Force by Rick Remender, Esad Ribic & Jerome Opena as well as a reminder to  hug your huggables - the people and animals in your life that make it all worth living.  Thanks to Freesound for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful Spawn Reading Order. Thank YOU for listening!

What's happening, Hellspawn? This week, we have a very special episode for you. We are taking a little break from the saga of Al Simmons in the early 2000s to talk to Chris Killian and Andrew Sanders, the writers of the recently announced Spawn Universe title, "I Saw Santa." We'll get into their history with Spawn and Todd McFarlane as well as dig into how they approached writing this books and how it fits into Spawn's world. With art by Thomas Nachlik, "I Saw Santa" is a classic holiday horror story about a serial killer with an obsession with a certain red-suited man and how Spawn, and Santa himself, handle it. If "I Saw Santa" sounds like the kind of book you would dig, we urge you to preorder it at your local comic book shop. The Final Order Cutoff (FOC) is Monday, November 3, 2025. The issue is scheduled to arrive in comic shops on Wednesday, November 26, 2025. So get your orders in ASAP! (Especially if you want that sweet Greg Capullo cover!) Don't know where you local comic shop is? Check out Comic Shop Locator or shoot us an email and we are happy to help you out! This week's recommendations run the gamut! Check out the latest from Paul Thomas Anderson One Battle After Another and if you want a different flavor of Leonardo DiCaprio, check out Fox's Fun House. Our esteemed guests have a number of comic recommendations by some of their Image Comics peers: Doug Wagner's comics - Plastic, The Hard Place & Gun Candy,
Geoff Johns & Ivan Reiz "Hyde Street,"
Tony Fleecs, Trish Forester and Tone Rodriguez' "Feral,"
and Mike Carey & Jonathan Wayshak's "Cul-De-Sac." You can find Chris and Andrew on their respective Instagrams: @ckcomedy and @andrew_sanders_writer  Thanks to Freesound for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful Spawn Reading Order. Thank YOU for listening!

Hey there Hellspawn! We're finishing up in Japan as Spawn faces ghosts, demons, and an ancient curse in "The Bridge, Part 2." As Ben Nakadai uncovers the mysterious Box of Eden — and falls right into Mammon's trap, opening a door between worlds that won't easily be closed. Back in New York, "Consequences" brings us a turning point: Spawn clashes with Cogliostro over how far he'll go to reshape the world, while a young man named Eddie Frank takes a deadly path that leads to his rebirth as the new Redeemer. Two issues that bridge the supernatural and the moral — and set the stage for Spawn's next dark chapter. This week's recommendations are FX's Alien Earth tv show and then a couple of bigger ones than just some fun media we've been consuming. We are living in tough times. Find a way to get involved with your local immigrant community in some small way. And similarly, show up for your friends who make art.  Thanks to Freesound for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful Spawn Reading Order. Thank YOU for listening!

We're wrapping up "The Kingdom" and starting up a new arc! (I know it's weird but if you don't like it, start your own podcast.) A content warning for self-harm and suicidal ideation in this episode! Spawn #113 wraps up the "Kingdom" arc with a tense showdown in Central Park. Spawn battles the vampire cult while Twitch nearly makes a tragic choice—until Spawn steps in. The Hell-gate is destroyed, Twitch's son is saved (though changed forever), and Mammon quietly hints that bigger dangers are coming. Then Spawn #114 kicks off a brand-new mystery in Japan, where a man named Ben Nakadai is haunted by visions of a legendary bridge and a family curse. With Mammon weaving his manipulative tales and Spawn drawn into the mix, the stage is set for a fresh, eerie chapter in Spawn's saga. Our recommendations this week are James Gunn's Peacemaker on HBO and Matt aFraction & Jorge Jimenez' recently released Batman ongoing. Thanks to Freesound for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful Spawn Reading Order. Thank YOU for listening!