Spawn

Creation & Design

Spawn was created by Todd McFarlane and first appeared in 1992. The character was designed to be a dark anti-hero, exploring themes of redemption and the battle between good and evil.

Early Years

Al Simmons was a highly skilled assassin who was betrayed and killed. He made a deal with the devil to return to Earth, only to find himself in a hellish existence as Spawn.

Character Development

Over the years, Spawn has evolved from a vengeful anti-hero to a more complex character grappling with themes of redemption, morality, and the consequences of power.

Cultural Reception

Spawn has received critical acclaim for its storytelling and art, becoming one of the best-selling independent comics of all time.

Character Details

Real Name:
Al Simmons
Aliases:
Hellspawn, The Violator, The Redeemer
Species:
Human
Gender:
Male
Affiliations:
The Hellspawn, The Army of Hell, The Violator
Abilities:
Superhuman strength, Regeneration, Teleportation, Necroplasm manipulation
Equipment:
Cape, Chains, Hellspawn armor
Weight:
200lbs
Height:
6' 0"
Eye Color:
green
Hair Color:
black
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Key Facts

Interior advertisement of "Stan Lee Presents: The Comic Book Greats" a VHS with Spawn on the outer sleeve (December 1991)

Styx Publications ⋅ 1992

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Interior illustration of Spawn in a comic book solicitation catalog and first time the name Spawn is seen in print

Mailing date: February 3, 1992

According to spawnworld.com, only one other image of Spawn is known to exist prior to the mailing of Up 'N Coming #15 and it was in an ad for "Stan Lee Presents: The Comic Book Greats" a VHS with Spawn on the outer sleeve (December 1991), though Spawn was not named or discussed in the video

Value unknown

Comic Shop News ⋅ 1992

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$12
Mid
$40
High
$120

Key Facts

Interior article on the Image publishing company with a cover picture of Spawn #1

Dated February 12, 1992

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First printed images of Spawn in a U.S. publication, Mailing date: February 5, 1992

Front page advertisement of Spawn, preceded all comic book advertisements in Malibu comic books that were published between March/April 1992

Interior black and white, textless cover art for Spawn #1

Only two other images of Spawn are known to exist prior to the mailing of Comics Buyer's Guide #953: the sleeve of a VHS tape titled "Stan Lee Presents: The Comic Book Greats" and a comic book solicitation magazine, Up N' Coming #1, Mailing date: February 3, 1992

Value unknown

Diamond ⋅ 1992

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$40
Mid
$120
High
$450

Key Facts

First published images of Spawn in full color

Interior pin-up advertisement for Spawn #1 in full color

McFarlane reveals details about Spawn in an interior article

Malibu ⋅ 1992

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$8
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$20
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$80

Key Facts

First printed image of Spawn in an actual comic book (advertisement)

One of two comics published in March 1992 that included the advertisement, the other being Robotech II: The Sentinels #13

Earlier images of Spawn have been printed in various catalogs and fanzines

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Key Facts

First printed image of Spawn in a comic book (advertisement)

One of two comics published in March 1992 that included the advertisement, the other being Torg #2

Earlier images of Spawn have been printed in various catalogs and fanzines among other publications

Adventure Publications ⋅ 1992

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$15

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⚠ Misconception: incorrectly cited as the first published image of Spawn in an advertisement

The same advertisement appeared in multiple comics that went on-sale in April 1992: Re-Animator #2, Rocket Ranger #3, Rust #1, The Southern Squadron: Freedom of Information #4, Torg #3

In March 1992, one month prior to Rust #1, Spawn advertisements were printed in two comic books: Robotech II The Sentinels #13 and Torg #2

Prior to the publication of Robotech II #13 and Torg #2, Spawn appeared in numerous catalogs and fanzines

Character Search "Spawn" for more information on early appearances

Key Facts

Interior black and white advertisement for Spawn, released in April, prior to Spawn #1 but after other comics that contained promotional Spawn ads

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$15

Key Facts

Interior black and white advertisement for Spawn, released in April, prior to Spawn #1 but after other comics that contained promotional Spawn ads

Malibu ⋅ 1992

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$8
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$20

Key Facts

Interior black and white advertisement for Spawn, released in April, prior to Spawn #1 but after other comics that contained promotional Spawn ads

Variant ⋅ Adventure Publications ⋅ 1992

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$3
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$9
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$30

Key Facts

Variant cover with gold foil

Advertisement of Todd McFarlane's Spawn

Limited to 10,000 copies

Malibu ⋅ 1992

Low
$50
Mid
$150
High
$500

Key Facts

Cover appearance and interior images of Spawn

Back cover appearance of Spawn

Eternity ⋅ 1992

Low
$3
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$9
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$30

Key Facts

Conclusion of limited series that introduced Lady Death and Evil Ernie

Interior black and white advertisement for Spawn, released prior to Spawn #1 but after other comics that contained promotional Spawn ads

Error ⋅ Malibu ⋅ 1992

Low
$120
Mid
$400
High
$1.2k

Key Facts

Error edition, green-colored Spawn on back cover - tap cover and swipe to view

Image ⋅ 1992

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Key Facts

1st appearance of Spawn

1st appearance of Sam & Twitch

1st appearance of Malebolgia

1st cameo appearance of Jason Wynn

Pin-up of Pitt

Comic Shop News ⋅ 1992

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$12
Mid
$40
High
$125

Key Facts

Early cover appearance of Spawn

Comic Shop News is a free publication, printed on newsprint paper, given away at comic book stores

Key Facts

Cover art by Todd McFarlane

Polybagged with a Spawn trading card

Parody Press ⋅ 1992

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$15

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Parody of Spawn

Image ⋅ 1993

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$3

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Death of Al Simmons, in a flashback

Origin of Spawn, where it is discovered that Chapel was his murderer

1st full appearance of Jason Wynn, previously appeared in multiple cameos

Hardcover ⋅ Image ⋅ 1993

Low
$40
Mid
$460
High
$1.4k

Key Facts

Unreleased 200-page hardcover collection of Spawn #1 - #12

Distributed to employees, family and friends of the McFarlane company

There are eight similar hardcover editions that collect up to issue #96, Curse of Spawn #1- #29 and a mini-series collection which will be added when there is sales data

Calliope Comics ⋅ 1993

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$3
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$12
High
$35

Key Facts

Cover art by Greg Capullo

Image ⋅ 1993

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$3

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Jason Wynn becomes Anti-Spawn aka the Redeemer, in final panel

1st appearance of Major Vale

First artwork on the Spawn title by Greg Capullo

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Key Facts

Batman/Spawn crossover distributed by Image, created by Todd McFarlane and Frank Miller

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$15

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Batman/Spawn crossover distributed by DC, the second crossover of the characters

Promo ⋅ Todd Toys ⋅ 1995

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$50

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12-page promotional comic book, distributed with the Spawn board game by Pressman

Interior story titled Dead End featuring Spawn, Violator and Overtkill with four additional pages of game instructions

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$12

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1st appearance of Cut Throat, a pirate version of Spawn

16-page retailer incentive delivered with orders of Spawn #32 (1995)

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$3

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Revealed that Spawn's suit is named K7-Leetha

1:25 ⋅ Image ⋅ 1995

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$20

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Variant cover art by Brad Gorby

1st cover appearance of Cut Throat, the pirate Spawn

16-page retailer incentive delivered with orders of Spawn #32 (1995)

Infinity Verlag ⋅ 1995

Low
$2
Mid
$8
High
$25

Key Facts

German reprint of Spawn #36 and #37

Distributed with the Director's Cut of Spawn on VHS

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$3

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1st appearance of Daniel Llanso as Spawn, born 400 years in the future, post-Armageddon

Image ⋅ 1996

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$2
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$5

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1st appearance of the Commando Spawn suit, equipped with artillery to preserve Spawn's powers

International ⋅ Infinity Verlag ⋅ 1997

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$20
Mid
$80
High
$200

Key Facts

52-page German reprint of Spawn #1 and #2

1:50 ⋅ Image ⋅ 1997

Low
$65
Mid
$180
High
$650

Key Facts

Reprint of Spawn #1 in black and white

Comic shops qualified to receive one copy of this variant for every 50 copies purchased of Spawn #65

Promo ⋅ Image ⋅ 1998

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$30
Mid
$100
High
$300

Key Facts

BET (Black Entertainment Television) exclusive giveaway to promote the Spawn film

Reprint of the Spawn Bible (1996)

As of February 2024 there exist only three copies of this exclusive in 9.8

Image ⋅ 1998

Low
$5
Mid
$18
High
$65

Key Facts

One-shot that features character biographies from Spawn and Eclipse, a defunct publisher whose properties were purchased by McFarlane in 1996

Cover art by Todd McFarlane

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1st appearance of Hatchet, the zombie Hellspawn

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$15

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Official crossover appearance by Image characters: Spawn, Maxx, Savage Dragon, Shadowhawk and others

Image ⋅ 1998

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$12
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$40

Key Facts

1st cover appearance of Wings of Redemption Spawn, Al Simmons touched by both darkness and light

Variant ⋅ Image ⋅ 2000

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$15
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$50

Key Facts

Variant cover art by Greg Capullo

Variant ⋅ Image ⋅ 2000

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Variant cover art by Mike Mignola

Variant ⋅ Image ⋅ 2000

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$8
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$25

Key Facts

Variant cover art by Alex Ross

Variant ⋅ Image ⋅ 2000

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$9
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$30

Key Facts

Variant cover art by Frank Miller

Image ⋅ 2001

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$3

Key Facts

1st full appearance of Mike Moran in the Spawn Universe, the alter ego of Miracleman

1st appearance of Raven Spawn, a Malebolgia Death Knight

Image ⋅ 2002

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$10
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$30
High
$115

Key Facts

1st team appearance of a Hellspawn Army

1st cameo appearance of Gunslinger Spawn, first full appearance occurred 6 years later

Cameo appearance of an unknown She-Spawn and a few other distinctly different characters that could be developed at some point in the future

Copies ordered by retailers: 45,953

Image ⋅ 2004

Low
$9
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$25
High
$90

Key Facts

1st cover appearance of She-Spawn in the U.S.

Image ⋅ 2005

Low
$8
Mid
$18
High
$70

Key Facts

1st appearance of Disciple, the final and weakest of twelve heavenly warriors

1st appearance of The Man of Miracles, a powerful being responsible for creating God and Satan in the Spawn mythos

The Man of Miracles was meant to be Miracleman until a lawsuit rescinded McFarlane's ownership of the character

Variant ⋅ Image ⋅ 2005

Low
$3
Mid
$8
High
$35

Key Facts

Variant cover art by Phillip Tan

Variant ⋅ Image ⋅ 2005

Low
$5
Mid
$15
High
$70

Key Facts

Variant cover art by Jim Lee

Variant ⋅ Image ⋅ 2005

Low
$9
Mid
$25
High
$90

Key Facts

Variant cover art by Todd McFarlane

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