Spawnography
A podcast covering Todd McFarlane's Spawn arc-by-arc, hosted by two longtime comic book journalists: George Marston and Pierce Lydon.
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Episode 93: "Hellbound" - Spawn #139-#141
12/29/2025
Episode 93: "Hellbound" - Spawn #139-#141
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 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 for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful . Thank YOU for listening!
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Episode 92: "A Thousand Clowns, Parts 3-5" - Spawn #136-138
12/22/2025
Episode 92: "A Thousand Clowns, Parts 3-5" - Spawn #136-138
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 for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful . Thank YOU for listening!
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Episode 91: "A Thousand Clowns, Part 1 & 2" - Spawn #134 & #135
12/15/2025
Episode 91: "A Thousand Clowns, Part 1 & 2" - Spawn #134 & #135
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 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 . Thanks to for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful . Thank YOU for listening!
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Episode 90: “Pratfall” & “Gentleman Caller” – Spawn #132 & #133
12/08/2025
Episode 90: “Pratfall” & “Gentleman Caller” – Spawn #132 & #133
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 by Jeremy Adams and Adrian Guiterrez and by Al Ewing and Jethro Morales as well as the big tunes of Cheap Death, specifically the song "." Thanks to for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful . Thank YOU for listening!
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Episode 89: "Seven and a Half Ghosts" - Spawn #130 & #131
12/01/2025
Episode 89: "Seven and a Half Ghosts" - Spawn #130 & #131
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 for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful . Thank YOU for listening!
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Episode 88: "Wake Up Dreaming, Part 3-5" - Spawn #127-129
11/24/2025
Episode 88: "Wake Up Dreaming, Part 3-5" - Spawn #127-129
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 for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful . Thank YOU for listening!
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Episode 87: "Wake Up Dreaming, Part 1 & 2" - Spawn #125-126
11/17/2025
Episode 87: "Wake Up Dreaming, Part 1 & 2" - Spawn #125-126
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 for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful . Thank YOU for listening!
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Episode 86: "Salvation Road, Part 3 & 4" - Spawn #123 & #124
11/10/2025
Episode 86: "Salvation Road, Part 3 & 4" - Spawn #123 & #124
"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 , a queer zombie romp that is a love letter to her father George Romero's work. Thanks to for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful . Thank YOU for listening!
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Episode 85: "Salvation Road, Part 1 & 2" - Spawn #121 & #122
11/03/2025
Episode 85: "Salvation Road, Part 1 & 2" - Spawn #121 & #122
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 for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful . Thank YOU for listening!
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Episode 84: “A Season in Hell, Parts 3 & 4” – Spawn #119 & #120
10/27/2025
Episode 84: “A Season in Hell, Parts 3 & 4” – Spawn #119 & #120
"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 for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful . Thank YOU for listening!
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Episode 83: "A Season in Hell, Part 1 & 2" - Spawn #117 & #118
10/20/2025
Episode 83: "A Season in Hell, Part 1 & 2" - Spawn #117 & #118
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 for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful . Thank YOU for listening!
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Episode 82: Talking "I Saw Santa" with Chris Killian & Andrew Sanders
10/13/2025
Episode 82: Talking "I Saw Santa" with Chris Killian & Andrew Sanders
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 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 . 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: and Thanks to for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful . Thank YOU for listening!
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Episode 81: "The Bridge, Part 2" & "Consequences" - Spawn #115 & #116
10/06/2025
Episode 81: "The Bridge, Part 2" & "Consequences" - Spawn #115 & #116
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 for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful . Thank YOU for listening!
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Episode 80: "The Kingdom, Part 7" & "The Bridge, Part 1" - Spawn #113 & #114
09/29/2025
Episode 80: "The Kingdom, Part 7" & "The Bridge, Part 1" - Spawn #113 & #114
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 for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful . Thank YOU for listening!
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Episode 79: "The Kingdom, Part 5 & 6" - Spawn #111 & #112
09/22/2025
Episode 79: "The Kingdom, Part 5 & 6" - Spawn #111 & #112
"The Kingdom" continues! Spawn versus Simon Pure and his hordes of Christian vampires! Absorbing the sins of all New Yorkers, he purifies the city and robs the zealots of their targets, forcing their crusade to a standstill. With the help of the demons Ab and Zab, Spawn rescues Twitch's son, Max and confronts the Kingdom head-on. But his victory comes at a cost, leaving him burdened with unimaginable darkness and standing further apart from both Heaven and Hell! We'll get into it! This week's recommendations are to interrogate the thing within you that is keeping you from being the person you want to be as well as Zach Cregger's excellent flick, Weapons. Thanks to for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful . Thank YOU for listening!
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Episode 78: "The Kingdom, Part 3 & 4" - Spawn #109 & #110
09/15/2025
Episode 78: "The Kingdom, Part 3 & 4" - Spawn #109 & #110
"The Kingdom" continues! Simon Pure and his army of Christian vampires are out for blood! But George and Pierce are liking how this story is unfolding as McFarlane, Holguin and Medina are bringing some interesting depth to Spawn's world by involving side characters and finding a new style for the previously established visual langauge of the book. This week's recommendations are the lovely kitty Instagram of as well as the comic book work of indie creator . Thanks to for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful . Thank YOU for listening!
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Episode 77: "The Kingdom, Part 1 & 2" - Spawn #107 & #108
09/08/2025
Episode 77: "The Kingdom, Part 1 & 2" - Spawn #107 & #108
We're back! The #SummerofHellspawn is over and we've got vampires. More specifically, we've got some of those Heaven vampires and the return of George's favorite character, Wolfram! But who exactly is Simon Pure? And what fate will befall Twitch Williams' son Max and his new friend, Dawn? We'll get into it! This week's recommendations are Thin Lizzy's Thunder & Lightning and the boxing anime Megalobox. Thanks to for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful . Thank YOU for listening!
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Episode 76: "Hellworld, Part 3 & 4" - Hellspawn #15 & #16
08/25/2025
Episode 76: "Hellworld, Part 3 & 4" - Hellspawn #15 & #16
The grand finale of Hellspawn is here and with it, the #SummerofHellspawn comes to a close! In this episode, George and Pierce get into Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith's haunting conclusion to the series (despite the fact that they didn't seem to think it was ending just yet). There are a lot of heavy themes as there have been throughout so a light trigger warning for our discussion surrounding abuse and self harm. With Eden’s haunting accusations of Spawn and Hel’s relentless orchestrations, the finale doesn’t shy away from exploring loss, responsibility, and the nature of power. It’s a moving farewell wrapped in beautiful, unsettling art and it leaves you haunted in the best possible way. Apologies in advance to anyone that doesn't want to hear us argue about the Fantastic Four. Skip ahead to 26:56 for discussion of the issues. This week's recommendations are Jack Kirby comics (just any of them) as well as Patrick Horvath's Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees and Deniz Camp & Javier Rodriguez' Absolute Martian Manhunter. Comics are good, y'all, and you should read as many of them as (in)humanly possible. Thanks to for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful . Thank YOU for listening!
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Episode 75: “Hellworld, Part 1 & 2” – Hellspawn #13 & #14
08/18/2025
Episode 75: “Hellworld, Part 1 & 2” – Hellspawn #13 & #14
The final arc of Hellspawn begins here! George and Pierce begin with some chatter about Fantastic Four but then we dive into what turns out to be a couple of breezy issues of Hellspawn. It's clear the team doesn't quite know yet that they are nearing the end of their run but it's interesting to see how the book has evolved and how it fits into the larger Spawn mythos. As always, a hearty trigger warning for some discussion of selfharm. It is kind of inevitable in this book. Sorry! This week's recommendations are to go see Fantastic Four if you haven't already, watch Abel Ferrara's 1990 crime noir masterpiece King of New York starring Christopher Walken and to go do one of your favorite things. Thanks to for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful . Thank YOU for listening!
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Episode 74: “Conflict of Interest” & “Call Her Hel” – Hellspawn #11 & #12
08/11/2025
Episode 74: “Conflict of Interest” & “Call Her Hel” – Hellspawn #11 & #12
George and Pierce get into another couple of issues of Hellspawn because it is, in fact, the #SummerofHellspawn. No one has used that hastag and no one will again. In these two issues, we're going to finish things up with Cy-Gor, seemingly finishing things up with Mike Moran (?) and see what's in store with Eden, the woman who was left in a bathtub previously. As with many of these episodes, trigger warnings for self harm, forced birth and extreme violence if you read these comics. We won't talk about the violence much but the rest we have to at least mention. This week's recommendations are the show Taskmaster, the film Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys and Wong Kar-Wai's Days of Being Wild. Thanks to for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful . Thank YOU for listening!
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Episode 73: “Chains” & “Clash” – Hellspawn #9 & #10
08/04/2025
Episode 73: “Chains” & “Clash” – Hellspawn #9 & #10
Ben Templesmith joins the fray as the #SummerofHellspawn continues! As with many of the previous episodes, we'd be remiss not to give a trigger warning for some of the content in these issues and the discussion of them surrounding self-harm. That said, Steve Niles is clearly trying to set this book on a slightly different path than its been on to this point while Ashley Wood and Templesmith are seemingly trying to be cognizant about bringing a cohesive look to the book as Wood transitions off of it. But we've got Cy-Gor. We've got Mike Moran. We've got Scary Larry and we've got Spawn so we're here for it. The first of this week's recommendations are Dan Jones' "The Plantagenets: The Warrior Kings and Queens Who Made England." This book focuses on the Plantagenet dynasty, which ruled England before the Tudors. If you're a Game of Thrones fan, you might dig it. Our other recommendations are the films Night of the Comet, a super campy and fun 80s sci-fi horror flick, Repo Man, maybe the best Emilio Estevez movie(?) and the Coen Brothers' debut Blood Simple. Thanks to for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful . Thank YOU for listening!
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Episode 72: “Shed” & “The Suicide Gate” – Hellspawn #7 & #8
07/28/2025
Episode 72: “Shed” & “The Suicide Gate” – Hellspawn #7 & #8
We are halfway through the #SummerofHellspawn! There's a lot to cover in these two issues! Trigger warning abound to for self-harm especially in these two issues! Issue #7 offers a surreal psychological portrait of Spawn’s fractured identity, with dreamlike, unsettling visuals as Sam & Twitch strike a secret deal with Mike Moran and John Damascus tortures a broken Jason Wynn. Then, in issue #8, Spawn confronts a twisted abomination from his past—Cy‑Gor reprogrammed into a killing machine—and also attempts to save Eden, an abused woman who tragically chooses to end her life. We've got existential dread and horror in spades! This week's recommendations are Marvel's latest Disney+ show, Ironheart, and for the films aficionados out there, the video essays of For something Spawn-adjacent, Pierce highly recommends the videos about the and the classic about . Thanks to for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful . Thank YOU for listening!
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Episode 71: “Selling Fear” & “The Big Leagues” – Hellspawn #5 & #6
07/21/2025
Episode 71: “Selling Fear” & “The Big Leagues” – Hellspawn #5 & #6
Hey there Hellspawn! We're back with another two issues of the 2000s edgiest Spawn spinoff, Hellspawn. Chatrooms are buzzing about the existence of Spawn and George and Pierce will dive deeper into Brian Michael Bendis and Ashley Wood's darker interpratation of the world of Rat City. But how does this fit into the the grand anarrative of the war between Heaven and Hell? Why don't these angels looks like the ones we've seen before? And who is Mike Moran? Is he really Miracleman? (And who the hell is Miracleman anyway? This week's recommendations are to identify something in your life that is holding you back and trim it out. A little less existentially, George and Pierce both have some t-shrit recs for you. Pierce recommends you check out screenprinter extraordinaire Zach Merrill's . Zach makes really incredible comic book inspired pieces of art and hand screen prints limited runs of those designs. Follow him ASAP to stay informed about the next drop. George is a fan of for some weird kooky designs. Thanks to for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful . Thank YOU for listening!
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Episode 70: "Hate Me" & "Hate You" - Hellspawn #3 & #4
07/14/2025
Episode 70: "Hate Me" & "Hate You" - Hellspawn #3 & #4
Summer of Hellspawn continues! And with it, another heavy trigger warning for discussions of selfharm and racism. This week, Brian Michael Bendis and Ashley Wood get a little assist from the legend Bill Sienkiewicz as the creative team dives deeper into the depths of depravity. They finish up the fight against Clown and then investigate the insidious ways that evil persists in our every day lives through pundits with platforms who seek to divide everyday people. Is this just a darker take on the "Spawn Across America" arc? Not quite. Does it improve upon it? George and Pierce will get into it. This week's recommendations are to drink some water, to read David Pepose and Davide Tinto's new Speed Racer book from Mad Cave Studios (issue number 1 drops on July 30!) and for anyone in New York or visiting New York to visit the wonderful comic shop/record store Vinyl Fantasy in Brooklyn. Thanks to for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful . Thank YOU for listening!
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Episode 69: "The Clown" - Hellspawn #1 & #2
07/07/2025
Episode 69: "The Clown" - Hellspawn #1 & #2
The Summer of Hellspawn is here! For the next two months, we will be covering the entirety of Hellspawn by Brian Michael Bendis, Ashley Wood, Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith before returning to our regular Spawn coverage. Before we go any further, we do was to issue a pretty heavy trigger warning for this book and a lighter trigger warning for our discussions of it. If you are affected by depictions and discussions of self-harm, sexual violence and violence against women, you may want to skip these episodes. Hellspawn is definitely more of an R-rated book compared to the main Spawn title's more PG-13 approach. In this episode, George and Pierce will talk quite a bit about the career and ongoing legacy of Brian Michael Bendis, how Ashley Wood has become a fan favorite Spawn artist, what we mean when we talk about "vibes comics" and how Hellspawn represents a new direction for a character that maybe needed a bit of redefinition 10 years into his existence. This week's recommendations are to listen to John Prine, to get outside and move your body and also to play Final Fantasy 9. 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!
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Episode 68: "Retribution Overdrive" - Spawn #105 & #106
06/30/2025
Episode 68: "Retribution Overdrive" - Spawn #105 & #106
Overtkill's back and he's better than ever! For Spawnie this year, Overtkill's here! (^Obviously, that should be sung to the tune of the Hess truck jingle) But Overtkill is back and he's brought along a new writer for a couple of issues, horror aficionado, Steve Niles. You might be familiar with his work on 30 Days of Night, Batman and Kick-Ass but George and Pierce will dig into how well his work fits into the Spawn universe. We'll also take a brief look back at Curse of the Spawn #23 and #24 and how those issues fit into this era. Along the way, diversions include Jonathan Hickman's Imperial, daring to ask the question 'is Jesus Christ the Original Hellspawn?' and the first three Metallica albums. Plus, we got a letter! This week's recommendations are A Night of Revelry by Havivah Saltz, a lesbian fairytale comic about a knight and a jester falling in love, West Hollywood Monster Squad by Sina Grace & Bradley Clayton, in which a group of high schoolers get more than they bargained for when the drag show they’re attending is attacked by monsters. And also the lovely new record from London post-rock collective, Caroline called Caroline 2. Thanks to for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful . Thank YOU for listening!
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Episode 67: "Cautionary Tales" - Spawn #102-#104
06/23/2025
Episode 67: "Cautionary Tales" - Spawn #102-#104
This week, we've got a trio of stories that aim to refocus the main Spawn title after the events of the #100 milestone. Who and what is Spawn after the death of Malebolgia? What does he stand for? What is his place in the world? Is his humanity just a distant memory? This definitely feels like a retread of similar stories - namely, the "Spawn Across America" arc some 70 issues ago - but with Holguin on board, the stories do have a bit of a different feel. As always, George and Pierce will get into it and along the way, they'll discuss Holguin's exploration of hopelessness in the world of Spawn, fetid fascinations with fascism in fiction and outside of it as well as where The Town Called Malice finds itself post-Urizen. This week's recommendations are to check out the comics of Scott Bustillo and Rodney Rodis' . Their books are rooted in the world of Tokusatsu. With a spotlight on Kaiju, alien heroes, and demi-gods, their stories blend mythology and science fiction into high-octane adventures. We would also love for you to check out Aquaman: Yo-Ho-Hold Onto Your Hook by Josh Trujillo with artists Niky Lelapi, Andrew Drilon, and Bradley Clayton. It launches in July on . Lastly, we'd like to highlight a new initiative from Wellness Together that aims to expand and innovate the mental health movement through increasing awareness, advocacy, and access via student-based workshops and professional development programs. You can find out more . Thanks to for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful . Thank YOU for listening!
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Episode 66: "Spawn: Simony"
06/16/2025
Episode 66: "Spawn: Simony"
Time to take a detour into a weird little artifact in Spawn publishing history, "Spawn: Simony." Originally published in French by the company that put out the main Spawn comics in France, it eventually got an English translation. Is this exactly where it fits in continuity? Uh, sure! Is this some underrated gem? Uh, probably not! But your humble Spawnographers will do their duty while also talking about the similarities to Robocop and the Fifth Element, reminiscing about DC Comics in the EB Games era and which X-Men are queer. This week's recommendations are to carve out some time for your friends and check in on them amidst everything going on in the world and on a lighter note, Dynamite Entertainment's Captain Planet by enemy of the pod, David Pepose and Emmanuel Casallos. Get it at your local comic shop! Thanks to for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful . Thank YOU for listening!
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Episode 65: "Aftermath" - Spawn #101
06/09/2025
Episode 65: "Aftermath" - Spawn #101
And we are back to our regularly scheduled Spawn programming! Thanks again to Todd McFarlane for joining us last episode! This episode we say goodbye to Greg Capullo and hello to new series regular artist, Angel Medina. Spawn hangs out with Granny Blake to decompress after the recent events of the comic and we get acquainted with the beginnings of this new era of Spawn. We'll get into some personal religious traumas, tried to start a rap beef with Drake - you know, the usual. This week, we have two recommendations. Number one is to listen to music that pumps you up and makes you feel something. For George lately, that's and . Number two is to make the thing you want to make the best way you can make it and/or collaborate with other human beings to make your ideas a reality. Make art. This is and always will be an anti-AI podcast. Thanks to for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful . Thank YOU for listening!
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Episode 64: The First 100 Issues with Todd McFarlane
06/02/2025
Episode 64: The First 100 Issues with Todd McFarlane
We've covered 100 issues of Spawn and now we get to talk to the man himself, Todd McFarlane! We had a great conversation about Todd's approach to the book, how the book evolved over those first 100 issues, the secrets behind the Harry Houdini arc and a little bit of what Todd might have done differently. Many thanks to Todd for joining us and his team for helping set up this opportunity. This week's recommendation is a simple one, read some Spawn! Thanks to for being a great resource for our intro atmosphere and sound effects. Thanks to Blake Whitlow for the always useful . Thank YOU for listening!
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