Review: Spawn #315
[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]
Writer: Todd McFarlane
Artist: Carlo Barberi
Letters: Tom Orzechowski
Colors:
Reviewed by: Carl Bryan
Summary
“CHAIN GANG,” INTRODUCING A NEW SUPER-TEAM…the CHAIN GANG! Overt-Kill has been decimated. Spawn and Medieval Spawn battle the Omega Spawn.
If this villain cannot be defeated, then the fabric of time will begin to tear and out will pour the savage warriors of Heaven and Hell upon Earth.
Todd McFarlane and Carlo Barberi unveil a gut-wrenching battle story that adds more to the mix that we all bargained for….. the last frame unleashes something from the bowels from Hell.
Positives
Carlo Barberi’s pens provide a clean, clean look to this comic. Most of the Spawn comics are in the dark, but here we have a battle on the beach where the blue sky and brown sand give the backdrop to let colors pop and pencil marks display.
Barberi falls right in lines with McFarlane and Capullo in how he details the drawings of these characters as he not only works on our beloved Al Simmons’ Spawn, but he gives the Monolith quite the treatment.
Omega Spawn is in a league of its own and Barberi’s pens coloring is to be celebrated. The symphony of moves exhibited by Medieval Spawn, Monolith and Al working together fighting the Omega Spawn is priceless! The entire comic is about battle, with a cliff hanger that peels back even more layers to what Al Simmons let loose in issue #300!
Story wise, we find out a lot more now in regards that there are more Spawn than we anticipated.
Positives 2.0
Spawn #315 – “7691”…. The Power Meter is filling back up fast. McFarlane teases another Spawn. Kudos for Tom Orzechowski who turns lettering into a “read between the bubbles” art! Look at the voices when each Spawn speaks. There’s a string of pearls that Orzechowski has strung together for us.
Accolades for World Record Setting
Each issue of Spawn sets a new World Record for independent comics. That’s history every time you buy an issue!
Speaking of Record Breaking….
2021 is the year of Spawn. Spawn’s Universe #1 will kick things off. The first title will release in August with a book called King Spawn #1. This will mark the first time in twenty-eight years that anyone can buy a monthly issue #1 Spawn book. This will give McFarlane hope of reaching a new generation of readers that missed out on the initial launch of the Spawn back in 1992.
October will bring Gunslinger Spawn #1.
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 begin the group’s adventures, but McFarlane promises a rotating cast of heroes over the coming months to keep the roster of heroes fresh.
Negatives
Okay…we now get it. The snail’s pace of trickling out characters is coming to fruition. The conflict between the existing Spawns is resembling an Avengers or JLA movie as they come together after they beat each other around a bit. Patience seems to be the key, but there are not enough pages to contain the questions we all have.
Verdict
Spawn #315 – If you need to catch up on all things Spawn, then check out Spawn: Compendium that is out this week. It collects Spawn #1-50, and is a wonderful down and dirty on the origin of Spawn. It comes out just in time to be in concert with what is coming up in the Spawn Universe. Since #300, McFarlane has been on fire! Hold on to your chains, it’s about to get even messier!
