The Spawn Universe expands once again with Bloodletter, the latest addition to the ever-expanding world, and coming from Image Comics!
Helmed by celebrated former editor, Illuminous founder, and writer, Joseph P. Illidge alongside Tim Seeley and Christian Rosado, Bloodletter takes readers deep into the unspoken lore of Spawn’s world, uncovering a secret history stitched together with horror, espionage, and sorcery.
Illidge—known for his industry-defining work across the comics platform—brings a commanding vision to the title’s lead, crafting a protagonist as powerful as she is haunted. Working in lockstep with Seeley, Rosado, colorist DC Alonso, and letterers AndWorld Design, the creative team paints a portrait of a woman waging war against human and infernal forces.
Tasha Thornwall is THE BLOODLETTER, mystical mercenary of the world’s secret underground. A former CIA operative forced to live in the shadows after being outed by Al Simmons 10 years ago, Tasha is now out for revenge when she learns Al Simmons is alive as Spawn. The mission to hunt down and kill Spawn begins in this debut miniseries.
While Bloodletter carves its own path, the series remains grounded in the legacy of Spawn—a character and universe created by Todd McFarlane that redefined creator-owned comics. With Tasha now stepping into the shadows left behind, the series builds a bridge between the foundational myths and the next era of supernatural storytelling.
Bloodletter #1 hits shops June 18, 2025, and is now available for preorder, with Bloodletter #2 arriving July 23.
Todd McFarlane Productions has revealed its latest addition to the Spawn Universe with Violator: Origin. Written by Marc Andreyko and featuring a lineup of artists—including Piotr Kowalski, Kyle Hotz, Jonathan Wayshak, Gianenrico Bonacorsi, Cully Hamner, and Von Randall—this six-issue saga will reveal the mythos behind one of the most popular figures in the Spawn Universe.
In Violator: Origin, readers will embark on a fantastic journey through time, revealing the long-awaited origin of the Violator. The story is narrated by the devious storyteller, Violator, himself. It begins with his celestial inception to his catastrophic decent into the fiery depths of hell, and ultimately his banishment to the mortal realm of earth.
The story will run throughout earth’s history, as Violator lurks in the shadows, manipulating the course of events and ensnaring some of the most influential figures to ever walk the earth. With six extra-length issues, and six talented artists—each artist doing a different chapter to the series—readers will be transported through six distinct eras.
Violator: Origin invites readers on a thrilling journey through the depths of the Spawn Universe with captivating narrative and stunning artwork.
Violator: Origin #1 will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, August 14 (the Final Order Cutoff deadline for retailers is Monday, July 8):
Cover A by Piotr Kowalski – Lunar Code 0624IM246
Cover B by Francesco Mattina – Lunar Code 0624IM801
Todd McFarlane Productions has announced a lineup of new titles, offered at competitive prices, to be dubbed “The New U” and to build upon the foundation laid by the smash-hit-maker Spawn Universe. This earthshaking new era will follow the monumental events of Spawn #350 and will kickoff with the upcoming Sam & Twitch: Case Files series launch this March.
The New U will offer fans a next-level reading experience featuring gripping storylines, dynamic characters, and jaw-dropping plot twists—all while retaining the low introductory price points that make Spawn titles the best bargain in the industry to date.
First up, Sam & Twitch: Case Files will drop readers into the gritty world of crime-solving with everyone’s fan-favorite Spawn Universe detectives in their own, brand-new series, Sam and Twitch: Case Files. Episodic tales of murder, intrigue, and deception abound in this noir crime drama masterfully created by McFarlane, and co-plotted by Jon Goff. It boasts art by Szymon Kudrański, whose ultra-realistic visuals and cinematic style jump from the page and make it feel more like a movie than a comic.
Readers will join Sam and Twitch as they navigate the treacherous streets of New York City, gumshoeing and confronting the darkness lurking around every corner. For readers in search of a comic outside the traditional superhero action found in the other popular Spawn Universe tales, these Case Files will be true-crime style murder mystery cases, showcase film noir aesthetics, and unfold like an R-rated Drama. The Sam and Twitch characters were created in 1992 by McFarlane and appeared in the chart-topping, history-making launch of Spawn #1. They have been a staple in the Spawn Universe ever since.
Next, Rat City #1 will launch in April with an extra-length debut and feature the talents of Erica Schultz and Zé Carlos. Readers will be immersed in the fantastical, sci-fi story of Peter Cairn, an ex-soldier, an amputee, and a Hellspawn in a post-war future. But Peter isn’t dead like Al. Peter got his Spawn powers from the nanites in his prosthetic legs—nanites that were affected when Al Simmons initiated his necroplasmic detonation in the present. Al had no clue that the effects would ripple across—not just space—and but time as well.
Then, May will bring forthMonolith #1 by Sean Lewis and Valerio Giangiordano will explore the origin of the hulking Hellspawn. What connection does he have to one of the most savage of his kind, Omega Spawn? Readers will follow his journey from the cosmic depths of deep-spawn to his first encounter with Al Simmons in this three-part miniseries.
The upcoming New U series will retain the usual low introductory price points of either $3.99 or $2.99—well below the $4.99 that is fast becoming the industry standard. McFarlane’s commitment to accessible pricing removes barriers for fans seeking to try out—and add—New U comics to their buy piles alongside the ever-expanding catalog of Spawn Universe offerings. New U titles will range in genre from Horror to Drama, Crime to Science-Fiction, and even Comedy and provide a story for every type of reader.
The repercussions of Spawn #350 affected every character’s fate, lead to a massive shift in the power dynamics within the universe, and gave birth The New U. Sam & Twitch: Case Files is only the first glimpse at what’s to come, with more series announcements and details yet to be revealed.
The rollout will continue in June and July with three more four-issue miniseries all sure to excite fans: Misery, Medieval Spawn, and Spawn Kills Every Spawn. In August, Violatorwith give the popular villain his own oversized, six-issue miniseries and the highly buzzed-about Knights vs. Samuraiwill follow later that the month. In September an all-new ongoing series titled Deadly Tales will launch. And in October, a bi-monthly series—with extended page count—No Home Here—will launch. Several more titles, including Focus, Spawn: The Dark Ages, She-Spawn, Bloodletter, andSpawn 77 will hit shelves and more information will be revealed for each in the coming months.
Sam & Twitch: Case Files #1 will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, March 27 – Lunar Code 0124IM212
Sam & Twitch: Case Files #1 Cover B by McFarlane will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, March 27 – Lunar Code 0124IM899
Rat City #1 will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, April 10 – Lunar Code 0224IM216
Monolith #1 will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, May 15 – Lunar Code 0324IM178
Todd McFarlane’sGunslinger Spawn has been a blast so far, tapping into the raw power of the early Spawn comics all while setting the titular gunslinger as an independent character within its universe. It’s been working quite well, thanks in part to McFarlane’s approach to character development via badass moments drenched in blood and violence.
The star of the show in this new series, though, is Brett Booth’s art. It’s gotten to the point that I can’t imagine anyone else taking on this Spawn other than him. In fact, Booth should draw Gunslinger Spawn till the end of time, and then continue doing so when time starts up again.
Issue #2 starts with the angel vs. gunslinger face-off that closed the first entry. A generations old feud is paving the Gunslinger’s path of destruction as he looks for the relatives of the man that left him to die back in his place of origin. Angels have descended to put a stop to his revenge mission, but they only seem to anger this Spawn even more. Ripped angel wings and shotgun blasts ensue.
The scripting is relentlessly fast-paced, with characters exchanging plot points through snappy banter and doing a fair bit of worldbuilding during action sequences. It keeps the story from feeling heavy-handed, although things feel a bit thin in the narrative department. It might become somewhat more complex as more playing blocks get thrown into the mix, but so far it’s pretty straightforward revenge tale.
Booth’s art on the other hand does wonders to elevate the storytelling, making each panel explode with detail and expression. It’s not enough to just say his work is kinetic. It’s moves and transitions like it has a life of its own. Characters derived from the original Spawn already possess that iconic quality found in the original design. Booth captures with the Gunslinger, but he adds a whole other level of presence to the character that allows him to forge a more unique identity.
Part of what makes this work is how brutal Booth’s pencils can be when capturing the rage and the emotion behind the Gunslinger’s actions. Al Simmons’ Spawn possess those same things, but there’s a sadness to him that shapes his existence differently. Booth’s Gunslinger has tragedy in his backstory, but red hot anger is his emotional anchor. This is a man that breathes heavy and walks with malice in his footsteps. Booth captures that all the time and it’s nothing short of impressive.
Gunslinger Spawn #2 is another great showcase of Brett Booth’s skills and they’re enough to warrant a purchase. The story itself might need a bit more kick to rise to the occasion, especially in the ‘man out of time’ aspects of it where the Gunslinger pokes fun at modern practices (which seems a bit forced), but the necessary elements for success are there. While the story catches up, though, you can just sit back and enjoy the art.
Story: Todd McFarlane Art: Brett Booth Inks: Adelso Corona Colors: Andrew Dalhouse Lettering: Tom Orzechowski Story: 7.0 Art: 9.0 Recommendation: Buy for Booth’s art and look for his original pages at conventions!
Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with a free review copy
Wednesdays (and now Tuesdays) are new comic book day! Each week hundreds of comics are released, and that can be pretty daunting to go over and choose what to buy. That’s where we come in
Each week our contributors choose what they can’t wait to read this week or just sounds interesting. In other words, this is what we’re looking forward to and think you should be taking a look at!
Find out what folks think below, and what comics you should be looking out for this week.
American Cult: Graphic History of Religious Cults in America (Silver Sprocket) – This graphic novel is a series of shorts from a variety of creators examining famous cults in the US.
Batman: Reptilian #1 (DC Comics) – Garth Ennis and Liam Sharp dive into the world of Batman. Yes please!
Checkmate #1 (DC Comics) – The events of Event Leviathan pick up as DC’s best spies come together as part of the new Checkmate to take on Leviathan.
Gamma Flight #1 (Marvel) – The gamma-infused group gets the spotlight in a new series and we’re excited to see where this quirky group goes.
Good Luck #1 (BOOM! Studios) – What if luck was quantifiable and something everyone was born with? The concept sounds really cool, especially since this focuses on those that are born with absolutely zero luck.
Harley Quinn #4 (DC Comics) – The series has been a lot of fun tying into the greater Batman meta-story while keeping it squarely on Harley and in her own voice. Add in amazing art and you have a combination we love.
Infinite Frontier #1 (DC Comics) – The latest DC status-quo has opened up an infinite amount of possibilities. This series looks to explore that and what this new status means both good and bad.
Heroes Return #1 (Marvel) – The event has been a bit mixed in quality but we want to see where it goes and how it ends.
MFKZ #1 (Behemoth) – We don’t know about the movie but the art looks really cool.
Nuclear Family #5 (AfterShock) – The series has been some B-movie fun and we really want to see how it all wraps up.
Shadowman #3 (Valiant) – The series has been solid so far as a re-introduction of the character that’s perfect for long-time fans and new readers.
Spawn Universe #1 (Image Comics) – Back in the day Spawn had a corner of the comic universe with numerous tie-in comics. History repeats itself as Spawn again expands out in the first of what is many series to come. We’re intrigued to see where this decades-old franchise goes.
Stray Dogs #5 (Image Comics) – The series has ramped up the tension and scares and it’s clear who the villain is. We’re tense to see how this series wraps up and if the dogs get out alive.
Undiscovered Country #13 (Image Comics) – The series has been completely out there in concepts and kept us on our toes as to what will happen next. After a slight break, it’s back and we’re excited to see where it goes.
Vinyl #1 (Image Comics) – A story of psychopaths, sweet love, and a serial killer named Walter. Well, ok then.
Wonder Woman: Black & Gold #1 (DC Comics) – DC has been knocking it out of the park with a series of releases focused on the “colors” of various heroes. The anthologies have been top-notch with some real gems. We can’t wait to see what this one brings.
Image Comics‘ President Todd McFarlane has announced his attempt at creating his own multi-character, interconnected comic book universe. His stated goal is to establish a shared fictional universe over time in the vein of what the other comic industry giants, Marvel, and DC Comics, have accomplished with their comic book universes.
The announcement was given by McFarlane during a first look presentation at the Direct Market Retailers at the Annual ComicsPRO Conference.
The character Spawn, created by McFarlane, will be at the forefront of the initial launch of new titles, but the long-term goal is that Spawn will become but one of many characters that will succeed not only in the comics industry but in many mediums across the globe.
McFarlane will capitalize on the twenty-eight-year success story of Spawn, which has seen sales increase between 150 to 600% from pre-pandemic orders. The Spawn title currently is a top 5 monthly selling title on the Diamond Distributors Top 100 Chart. Recently, a new release of a Spawn figure on Kickstarter set a new Kickstarter record, in its category, for raising just under $3.5 million in 30 days. That figure was also recently awarded the prestigious People’s Choice 2021 Toy of The Year (TOTY) by The Toy Association, Inc.
As part of his announcement, McFarlane announced four new titles coming out in 2021, with three of them continuing as regular monthly titles, meaning that there will be an opportunity for fans of the Spawn character and his new expanding world to get their stories from it on a weekly basis instead of just twelve times a year.
In June, in what McFarlane is calling “2021 the year of Spawn,” comic retailers will be able to order Spawn’s Universe #1. This will be a book that will set the stage with a story that will then spill out into the other new monthly titles. The first title will release in August with a book called King Spawn #1. The character Spawn will now join the rare company of stalwart characters, like Superman, Batman, and Spider-Man, that will have multiple monthly books for the same title character. It will also mark the first time in twenty-eight years that anyone can buy a monthly issue #1 Spawn book. It gives McFarlane hope of reaching a new generation of readers that missed out on the initial launch of the Spawn back in 1992.
Spawn Universe cover – J. Scott Campbell
Spawn Universe interior art – Jim Cheung Artist- FCO Plascencia on Colors
In October comes the second new monthly called Gunslinger Spawn. This title character has been a huge hit among the fanbase over the past year, and each of his appearances has garnered enthusiasm at the stores and online.
Finally, there will be a new #1 team book, which will band five characters together to fight against forces too big for any of them to take on alone. That book is titled The Scorched. Spawn, Redeemer, Gunslinger, Medieval Spawn, and She-Spawn begins the group’s adventures. However, McFarlane promises a rotating cast of heroes over the coming months to keep the roster of heroes fresh. He also said that he would be bringing in new major villains into the fold, too.
To lend a creative hand on some of this expanding list of titles, McFarlane has recruited an all-star list of comic book creators such as Art Adams, Jason Shawn Alexander, Carlo Barberi, Brett Booth, J. Scott Campbell, Greg Capullo, Donny Cates, Jim Cheung, Mike del Mundo, Javier Fernandez, David Finch, Jonathan Glapion, Kevin Keane, Aleš Kot, Puppeteer Lee, Sean Lewis, Sean Gordon Murphy, Ben Oliver, Stephen Segovia, Paulo Siqueira, Marc Silvestri, Marcio Takara, and Frank Quitely, as well as others he will be announcing in the coming months.
