Spawn #318 Review

by Wes Greer on May 25, 2021

Writer – Todd McFarlane
Art – Carlo Barberi
Colors – Jay David Ramos & Andrew Dalhousie
Letters – Tom Orzechowski
Publisher – Image Comics




It’s finally here! The Spawn issue that sets up the new expansion of the Spawn franchise Todd McFarlane has announced with this issue being the intro to Spawn’s Universe #1, coming out in June. McFarlane has deemed 2021 the year of Spawn with the world expanding from one mo they title into four monthly titles all kicked off by a special one shot Issue, already setting records and may be one of the biggest single issues published by I age since 1998. The hype is all real and this is the final issue of the main title before Spawn’s world get a whole lot bigger!

Spawn #318 picks up during the aftermath of the battle on the island between Spawn, Medieval Spawn, Plague Spawn, and Omega Spawn. As Medieval Spawn helps Spawn get back to his hideout because of his weakened state, Spawn tries to piece together what exactly happened on that island and where all of these new Hell Spawn’s appeared from. Spawn also tried to piece together how Medieval was able to appear and why he is helping Spawn because previous,y they had been at each others throats. The issue revolves around Spawn and his allies being back at the hideout trying to piece together how all of the previous events came to be and they piece together bits and pieces of what is yet to come, which looks to be one of the biggest events in Spawn history. McFarlane uses this story as more of a buffer story before expanding the universe and while there is some important information delivered in this issue, there isn’t really anything that impactful or exciting. It does build up to the new one shot and there is enough there to excite readers to pick up the new one shot but this is easily one of the least exciting stories McFarlane has delivered since issue #300. If you are a Spawn fan and excited about the new universe and have been reading along, this issue is well worth picking up as it puts some pieces together of what’s been happening and what’s to come but as a single story issue really doesn’t offer much else. 
The art of this story is really the biggest selling point with Carlo Barberi delivering another stunning issue full of incredible character designs and immersive backgrounds that give Spawn a bit of a facelift from the previous dark and gloomy world that was created by Jason Shawn Alexander. Barberi gives the series a more familiar look, much like the original issues of the series but with more modern and stylized art. All of his line art is on point and delivers a fascinating overall aesthetic that really creates an immersive and exciting world for the reader as they go panel by panel. The colors of the issue also build upon the aesthetic of the book, giving it a more dynamic and vivid look that makes it feel more like your average superhero comic while still delivering that feeling a Spawn book should have. An overall excellent issue delivered by this art team that is enjoyable and appealing to the readers eyes at they read through the issue.

Overall, Spawn #318 puts some of the puzzle pieces of the story together while building up to the new one shot coming next month. While it’s an important issue for readers before jumping into the new one shot book, it does lack a bit in the excitement department and one of its only saving graces is the dynamic art and colors delivered by the art team that creates a beautiful and immersive visual that makes up for the lackluster of the story telling. The issue is more of a filler before directing all creative effort into the beginning of the new expanded universe.

Spawn #318 is available now at your local comic shop so if you are excited about the new universe, be sure to pick it up in preparation of what’s to come! Let us know what you thought of the issue below by leaving us a comment in the comment section.

-Wes Greer



 
 

Our Score:

7/10

A Look Inside