Comic Review: Gunslinger Spawn #1 (Image Comics)

After the events of Spawn Universe, Gunslinger Spawn finally has his own series that spans through different time periods leading to the present (2021). What’s Gunslinger Spawn’s reason for being stranded in the present? And what is it from his 200-year-old past that will come to haunt him in the modern-day?

For many modern readers of the superhero genre, some can jump in and hit the floor running with ease. While others might feel overwhelmed with continuity that they might not know where to start and stop depending on the length of a run or duration of a creative team. When I was a kid, I read Spawn (during the Capullo run), and mostly recall the classic collab with David Hine and Philip Tan otherwise known as Spawn: Armageddon (which remains my favorite spawn story due to the pacing, tone, twists, you name it). Once Mcfarlane announced that he was going to expand on the world of Spawn, I was intrigued. I was a kid when Spawn came out, but now I’m an adult witnessing something akin to that moment in time, something new.

Of all the titles mentioned, Gunslinger Spawn caught my eye simply due to how aesthetically cool he looked. Obviously, Mcfarlane has grown since launching Spawn in the 90s, so there’s gotta be more substance and growth right? With a whole assembly of talented illustrators and colorists, along with a co-writer, it’s definitely promising. In regards to the writing, Mcfarlane, and Kot get straight to the point providing fast-paced moments with humorous dialogue. There’s some clever humor implemented in the book that’s justified due to the very nature of Gunslinger Spawn’s existence as a Hell Spawn out of time. Gunslinger is out of his element that his reaction to technology such as motorcycles is genuinely hilarious to read. Aside from the clever interactions between Gunslinger Spawn and his companion Taylor. What strikes me about Gunslinger Spawn is his charm, making him more likable as a character as an added bonus to his entire concept and setup. He’s not Al Simmons, and that’s what makes him interesting.

There is comedic chemistry between the two contrasting characters as they try to connect despite generational differences. The only gripe I have with the writing is the narration of the book. It sorta does just as much telling as it does showing. If the narration provided narration that described other information other than what’s already occurred within the panels, I feel the book could be near perfect. More focus on show don’t tell is always a better thing to do. Thankfully that doesn’t hamper the book entirely thanks to character interactions, dialogue, and overall story. All the other stories in this book are great, but personally, I enjoyed the first story given that I liked the man out-of-time element.

In regards to the art in this book, Mcfarlane assembled a killer art team that excel at their job by delivering a book that exudes awesomeness. Brett Booth, Thomas Nachlik, Philip Tan, Kevin Keane provide great action-packed pencils that deliver what is expected of this kind of title, providing cool, dark, and exciting art that readers can enjoy consuming. Accompanied with Adelaide Corona & Daniel Henriques inks in addition to Dalhouse, Koutsis, Iozzoli, Maiolo, and Plascencia’s colors, with Orzechowski’s lettering, the book looks amazing.

While I haven’t been keeping up with the latest of Spawn books, this one was definitely the most fun I’ve had reading a Spawn title in a minute. The concept, the character, the writing, the art, it’s a full package. It’s a good jumping-on point for anyone that wants to read Spawn or Spawn-related content, especially with a book that’s 56 pages long that’s worth your dollar. I look forward to seeing how Gunslinger Spawn’s journey unfolds and I recommend adding this to your pull list.