Spawn #250 and Al Simmons Resurrection

Spawn #250 review

Ah yes, Spawn, my childhood’s coming back in view already, the book that didn’t start it all but one I accepted as my favorite. I was nine or 10, those were better times. So Spawn #250 and Spawn: Resurrection are out, did you know that? Of course you did, it was kind of a big deal, but did you understand the point of having a one-shot Spawn: Resurrection? Did you know Al Simmons was no longer Spawn? Yeah, me neither, probably for the fact that I stopped reading spawn over a decade ago at Spawn #32, which at the time I thought was Greg Capullo‘s introduction to the book (which it’s not) and surprisingly is one of the three books Alan Moore wrote. I had Greg Capullo sign the book way back in the day at some rinky-dink comic convention back in Tacoma, Washington at the Tacoma Dome. Much love to those who know what I’m talking about.

Al Simmons hasn’t been Spawn since around issue #185 by the way, apparently he went by way of self inflicted bullet to the brain. Being infested by hell for over two decades takes its toll I guess. So for the past 64 issues or so, another man by the name of Jim Downing has taken on this unappreciated role. Since I haven’t read any of the issues after 185 and before 250, I have no idea who this poor sap is, and by the looks of Spawn’s sales over the last few years, neither does anyone else.

Todd McFarlane pulls out all the stops in Spawn #250 in preparation of Downing’s departure and Al Simmons inevitable return. The book is dark, twisted, and intriguing. If all of the Spawns McFarlane’s written up to this point were anything like #250, I probably would have been reading the book the whole time, which brings me to the next point that I’ll be going back and checking out some of the issues I missed to see just how well this book has bounced back. Sadly though, the new team at the helm, the one in charge of Spawn: Resurrection and Spawn #251 and on aren’t as impressive.

Paul Jenkins writes a mean Al Simmons. In Spawn: Resurrection he makes certain Al is coming back with furious vengeance, and it makes you very curious about how everything’s going to play out. I’m certain you wont see the same Al Simmons you’ve seen before. Jonboy on the other hand, has little to offer in the art department in my opinion. I didn’t care for it. Maybe it was coming off of the high of Spawn #250, but his art just looks like a high school art students sketch book, a very talented art student, but one that’s lacking experience for the challenges put before him.

I’m uncertain if I’ll be reading past Spawn #250, I may take a glance and see what’s going on with #251 on forward, but for now, Spawn #250 has actually made me more curious about Spawn’s past, than his future.