Image Comics’ Spawn It’s a record-breaking ongoing series, running more than 350 issues over the decades since its debut – and during that time, The series has spawned many iconic comic covers, many of which are truly stunning, unforgettable pieces of art.. At their top, Spawn The covers represent some of the best the industry has had to offer over the past thirty years.
In 1992, by Todd McFarlane Spawn In the 1990s, Superstar helped lead the “Image Revolution,” an era defined by the transition of Marvel artists to their own, creator-owned companies. McFarlane’s demonic antihero has since achieved record-breaking success as the longest-running creator-owned comic in the industry.
Spawn has been drawn by some of the most talented artists in comics, from Greg Capullo and Brett Booth to Marc Silvestri and Phillip Tan. This is especially true of covers, where some of the biggest names in the industry have turned out vibrant and attention-grabbing art.
10 Cover of Spawn #38
Illustrated by Tony Daniel and Kevin Conrad
Spawn #38 takes the revised origin of DC’s Mr. Freeze and turns it into a Frankensteinian horror story, exploring Dr. Friedrich Wilhelm’s experiments to save his dying wife. This leads to the creation of the iconic Spawn villain Cy-Gor, a large gorilla with a human brain implanted in his head, leading to a collective rage and power.
cover for Spawn #38 features Cy-Gor tearing his way through a wallSeemingly victorious Wilhelm looked up. The cover is one of the most compelling in the series, demanding fans read to understand who the scientist is and what the creature behind it is planning. The issue harks back to a time when the series was more open to “monster of the week” style stories, reflecting the formula of a standard superhero comic.
9 Cover of Spawn #9
Illustrated by Todd McFarlane
Spawn #9 stands out as a key issue in MacFarlane’s series due to its medieval spawn and the identity of a key villain, Angela — an angel charged with hunting Hellspawn. The cover reflects the nature of the story inside, Highlighting a victorious Angela standing on the remains of armor scarred from a medieval Spawn battle.
Spawn #9 is an infamous issue from the series’ history as the book sparked a feud between Todd MacFarlane and Neil Gaiman. Whereas MacFarlane emphasized Angela’s ownership by placing her in his series, Gaiman pointed to Image Comics’ emphasis on creator rights and ownership. This led to one of the most famous modern comic book court cases, as the two creators battled over the character, with Gaiman ultimately winning and integrating him into the Marvel Universe.
8 Cover of Spawn #63
Illustrated by Greg Capullo and Todd McFarlane
Spawn #63 follows Al Simmons after his face finally heals, while preparing to confront Winn — who plans his own next move. After a run-in with Terry Fitzgerald, the hero prepares for his upcoming fight. While the issue doesn’t have much in the way of action, Greg Capullo’s stunning interior art makes it as compelling as any issue in the series, especially as the protagonist is given back his identity.
comePan #63 is one of the more underrated covers, featuring the antihero with a pair of smoking machine guns. Like he’s standing on top of a monster. Despite being a pin-up cover rather than reflecting any internal action, the cover casts Al as one of the series’ most engaging, gun-toting warriors ready for battle.
7 Cover of Spawn #4
Illustrated by Todd McFarlane
While many may associate Al Simmons’ story with action, it wasn’t until Spawn #4 that the hero actually threw so many punches. At this point, the series’ action was a combination of flashback sequences and the treacherous macabre of the other characters. Here, their conflict eventually turns into a war, albeit a brief one.
Spawn #4’s cover remains the definitive infringing coverPreparing for his fight with Simmons, readers are given a close-up of the monster’s blurred face. Drawn by Todd McFarlane, the cover was the series’ first villain-focused installment, setting the tone for its story and what would become Spawn’s defining enemy, as well as offering a further evolution of the book’s original style and tone.
6 Cover of Spawn #224
Illustrated by Todd McFarlane
During 2012, Todd McFarlane published a string of tribute covers to classic comics, from The Walking Dead #1 tone the guard. Spawn Frank Miller’s cover for Dark Knight Returns #2 delivered #224, the most popular of these covers, remaking it as an influential version of Spawn (who was actually Jim Downing at this point). The story delves into Jim’s history as he encounters Jason Wayne.
The Dark Knight Returns #2 is one of the most noted covers in comic book history, And McFarlane’s tribute is, by far, the best ever. The cover brings out McFarlane’s keen attention to detail, breaking down the artist’s love of chains and spikes as Jim Downing looks down on the reader.
5 Cover of Spawn #8
Illustrated by Todd McFarlane
Spawn #8 follows the story of one of the hero’s most despicable villains, child-murderer Billy Kincaid, as he navigates the perilous landscape of Hell. Alongside a group of children, the serial killer fights through various demons, eventually encountering Malebologia. This sets the stage for the King of Hell’s next play to take down Al Simmons.
Issue #8 isn’t the only early feature of spawn The most stunning interior art, it is also a fantastic cover game that pays homage to McFarlane’s covers Spider-Man #1 (1990). In the years since, references to the veteran creator’s covers for the Big Two have become a staple of his art, and issue 8 remains one of the best.
4 Cover of Spawn #19
Illustrated by Greg Capullo and Mark Pennington
Spawn #19 features Al Simmons working with the great Harry Houdini, who, in this universe, is capable of truly performing magical feats. This allows him to help the antihero realize his own powers, something that proves key when the pair are forced to fight street gangs together.
Spawn #19’s cover almost immediately overshadowed every issue of the series since the firstSimmons is shown without his mask as he is surrounded by flames. For a series centered around a character empowered by Hell himself, few covers have been as perfect for the hero, and the vibrancy of Greg Capullo and Mark Pennington makes this stand out. At this point in the franchise’s history, Spawn’s character was still very much defined — and visually-arresting covers by the likes of Capullo and Pennington were as essential to that process as the interior art.
3 Cover of Spawn #301
Illustrated by Todd McFarlane
As Todd MacFarlane’s winning, record-setting comic, Spawn #301 has officially outlived Dave Sim Cheers As the longest running indie comic series in history. Still running and just passed #360, This landmark issue cemented the creator’s status as one of the industry’s most successful indie creators.
Spawn #301 shows a victorious Al Simmons holding his crown in his suit while stepping on a pile of back problems. The issue itself follows Simmons after his battle with the Violator, addresses his new place in the world since going public, and explores the aftermath of sealing the Dead Zone. Spawn #301’s triumphant cover is a testament to the level of achievement it’s achieved for any comic book series over three hundred issues, especially for an independently owned and created title like McFarlane’s.
2 Cover of Spawn #77
Illustrated by Greg Capullo and Todd McFarlane
Spawn #77 follows the protagonist, still recovering from his battle with the hip, as he turns to Cogliostro for advice and help. Here, the former Hellspawn advises Al to make a play for the throne of Hell and fight Malebologia once and for all. In this issue, the antihero’s determination to kill his guardian begins. Meanwhile, Sam and Twitch’s search for Al leads them into dangerous territory.
Spawn #77 has become one of the hero’s most sought-after covers due to its stunning subject matterThe hero is featured with angelic wings looking up to the heavens Drawn by McFarlane and Capullo, the issue stands as a reminder of the fact that the series reliably provided some of the most iconic art of the modern era of comics, which Spawn It helped to reach the next step.
1 Cover of Spawn #1
Illustrated by Todd McFarlane
When it comes to truly iconic comic book heroes and their series, it’s not uncommon for the first issue cover to be the most appealing and popular among readers. This is especially true for spawn, In his debut comic feature, the hero flies into action in full costume, channeling his Necropasm powers.. The cover perfectly sets the tone for the series, emphasizing its supernatural elements and a dark background, with the protagonist’s red cape soaking up the space in typical MacFarlane fashion.
Spawn #1 Malebologia follows Al Simmons’ resurrection as the Hellspawn, as he navigates the streets of New York City in his new form. Aside from a brief skirmish, the issue is largely an introduction to Al Simmons with his insider-monologue, as well as the situation in the city via MacFarlane’s signature TV news-based show, as the book establishes many of the beloved aspects that are still ongoing. Spawn the story