If you're new to Spawn, issue 350 is the perfect place to start. It concludes a storyline that began way back in issue 100 and sets the stage for major changes in the Spawn universe. Specifically, the vacant throne in Spawn's story will finally be filled, and this will have significant repercussions for Earth and other comic books in the series.
To keep things fresh, artist Brett Booth will be taking over the reins of Spawn, while Carlo Barberi will be moving to Gunslinger. This change will bring new perspectives to the characters and help keep the artists engaged.
In an interview, Todd McFarlane discussed the upcoming Spawn movie, the significance of issue 350, and new toy releases. Issue 350 of Spawn serves as a perfect entry point for new readers, concluding a storyline that began in issue 100. The vacant throne in the storyline will finally be filled, with major consequences for the Earth and other comics in the Spawn universe. McFarlane also shared that artist Brett Booth will be taking over Spawn, while Carlo Barberi will be moving to Gunslinger to bring fresh perspectives. Additionally, McFarlane talked about his ongoing Spawn comic book series, his toy company, and his long-anticipated Spawn movie, which may be developed independently if necessary. He also hinted at the involvement of Jamie Foxx in the upcoming movie and offered a sneak peek at upcoming toy releases.Todd McFarlane discusses the upcoming issue 350 of Spawn, which he claims is a great jumping-on point for new readers. Despite the fact that it may seem daunting to jump in at this point, issue 350 will conclude a story that began in issue 100, where Spawn killed his maker and took over the throne of hell. The throne has been vacant for 250 issues, and in this issue, someone will finally fill it. As a new reader, all you need to know is that the throne is empty, and someone will finally sit on it in issue 350.Todd McFarlane: This is a great jumping on point because readers get a big answer that has been building up for years, and it will have repercussions for the of the series. It's like getting the highlights of a game without having to watch whole thing. The answer in this issue will affect all the other books going forward, so if things seem different in other, you'll know it's because of what happened in issue 350. We will definitively have someone on that throne by the end of this issue.
As for our new interior artist Brett, he was a great choice because I want my artists to enjoy their work and sometimes need something new in their creatively. Booth had been working on Gunslinger and now he’s joining Spawn – I excited for fans to see his take on the artwork!I had a great idea and talked to Brett and Carlo about it. Since both of them have experience with Spawn and Gunslinger, I suggested they switch roles to bring some freshness to the pages. I know they are dedicated workers, but I wanted to be proactive in preventing burnout. Both Brett and Carlo will be on issue 350, which will be a 40-page book for $4.99, a great value compared to other comic books on the market. Brett will continue on Spawn, while Carlo will move over to Gunslinger. In addition, Jimmy Palmiotti, known for his work on Jonah Hex, is bringing his storytelling skills to the Spawn universe with deadly tales of the Gunslinger.Todd McFarlane is excited to introduce Gunslinger Spawn, a character with his own unique identity set in modern times. He didn't want to keep using flashbacks in the regular book, so he decided to create a new book focused on Gunslinger and his backstory. When Jimmy, known for his work on Western stories, came on board, they decided to have two separate books, one modern and one set in the past, showcasing the character's versatility.
In addition to Gunslinger Spawn, Spawn The Dark Ages is making a comeback after 25 years, with artist-writer Liam Sharp leading the charge. Sharp had previously worked on the original series and approached Todd McFarlane with the idea, which was well-received. The new series will take place in 5th-century Britain, and McFarlane is excited to see how the story unfolds.Todd McFarlane is discussing the potential of Medieval Spawn, a character with a rich history that has yet to be fully explored. He believes that if done correctly, Medieval Spawn could become a popular character in the vein of Game of Thrones or Lord of the Rings. McFarlane also mentions that he wants to make Medieval Spawn his own person, even in modern times, without having to rely on guest appearances in other books. Additionally, he discusses his hopes for the upcoming Spawn movie and what elements he believes are necessary for its success.Todd McFarlane mentioned that the team behind the Spawn movie, including writers Matt Mixon, Malcolmman, and Scott Silver, are working hard to create something different for the big screen adaptation. want to avoid falling into an easy formula and strive to bring a new angle to the. Scott Silver has expressed a desire to make a "dangerous" film, not terms of danger in the story itself but as a bold creative risk. This approach is to Todd McFarlane's ears as he believes it's essential for their project to push boundaries and stand out from standard superhero fare.Once again, do movie producers want something risky? It's hard to say. But if they read the script and it's as strong as we hope, they should be intrigued. Right now, superhero movies seem to be losing their appeal, so it might be the perfect time to try something new. Spawn is a lesser-known character, which could make the movie appealing to a wider audience. It's a risk, but maybe the timing is right for something different. The box office numbers for superhero movies haven't been great lately, so a completely unique approach might be the way to go.Todd McFarlane: No, I wouldn't say it's unique, but rather different. The existing formula is still very successful and should continue to exist. However, there should also be additional options available for those who want to try new. We all go through this in comic books.
For the most part, start with superhero comics and gradually move on to other genres like Archie. Then we progress to Marvel and DC superhero comics and devour them. I did the same thing, collecting all them. But as we get older, we start looking for something different like Saga or Walking Dead. It's not a complete shift from superheroes, but more like adding variety to reading list. So what used to be a 100% focus on superheroes becomes more a 90/10 split.
And as we continue aging, the split may become 70/30 or even less in favor of superheroes. Our tastes, and we seek out experimentation and different experiences. So yes, things are changing in comic book world, and I think it's good timing for that change.
As for Jamiexx's involvement in the project you mentioned earlier? In Hollywood, people can be attached projects at various times depending on schedules and availability. While Jamie Foxx is currently attached to the project, scheduling conflicts or other may influence his participation or require us to consider alternate choices. We're all optimistic that the original team we assembled will still be involved, but ultimately, the decisions will be made by those funding the. However, Jamie is my go-to person for now. As for McFarlane' 30th anniversary, we'll be celebrating by revisiting our history and reminding people of our over the years. We'll dive into our past brands and pay homage to our original packaging got people excited during the early years. Our impact on the industry has inspired numerous companies create collector adult toys, which was always part of my plan—to improve and expand the market for collectors like myself.The way it's worked out is that now you can go to Toy Fair, San Diego Comic-Con, New York Comic-Con, and see hundreds of amazing toys in the marketplace. We're going back to our original history and having fun with that. As for expanding, there are some starts and stops with contracts and talent rights, but we're always asking those questions. Interestingly, figures based on the comic book version of a character tend to outsell the movie versions. The Batman-Robin toys turned out really nice, including the Mr. Freeze build-a-figure. We're also looking at potentially adding more Arrowverse figures from Legends of Tomorrow or Black Lightning. And we recently saw the Ben Affleck Batman BvS costume, which will be coming out soon. We're constantly exploring new possibilities for figures based on both cinematic and television shows from DC's past.Todd McFarlane explains that making toys is a challenging process, and it's difficult to decide which characters to create. They constantly evaluate whether to add new characters or variations of existing ones from comic books, video games, or other sources. There are so many options to choose from, and it can be overwhelming. DC Comics has a vast library of characters that they can use, but it's impossible to create figures for all of them. Warner Brothers, who owns DC, keeps adding more characters through movies, TV shows, and video games, making the selection process even more challenging. Despite the frustration, they continue to sift through the options and try to create figures that fans will love.Why aren't you working on this guy, this gal, this character, or this villain? Will the new partnership with Hasbro include Transformers, GI Joe, Dungeons & Dragons, and Power Rangers in the six-inch line seven-inch scale?
Todd McFarlane: We're starting small with the page punch and then expanding sizes for some of them due to restrictions on certain themes. We want to play with well-known brands in the toy industry and see if we can create something meaningful If it works out, we may ask for more opportunities. Every new relationship is a experience. We'll start with page punchers and progress from there. Success breeds more success.
When accuse me of being money hungry or celebrity driven, it's not true. need because it allows me to continue doing what I love and promoting my companies. Success opens doors for future projects.
If you're in the art business and do it regularly, you have to keep at it repeatedly. In Spawn we've reached issue 350 because we've kept at it. There are no second chances if you don't succeed. I'm not after success to buy material things; I want to succeed so I can more art and cool stuff.
Success brings money as a byproduct but my main goal is creating art. You can't have a long career without momentum behind you, so striving for success is essential for any field.
Personal questions now - I love Power Rangers! Will the series begin with Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and then expand into other seasons? Todd McFarlane: Yes. What about Transformers? Will it start with G1s? Todd McFarlane: Yes. And Dungeons & Dragons - will it be based on the tabletop game or the film? Todd McFarlane: It will be based on the tabletop game. We aim to make it retro and fun with a nostalgic appeal.Add a little bit of fun to the mix. Then, we can start having conversations withbro and our team, thinking about how we can expand each brand. But first, need that initial success to keep going, right? We might find that some brands have more than others, and that's okay. We'll just make more of the popular ones It's like when we were in the sports business - we made way more New York Yankees than Florida Marlins.
Now let's talk about the bimonthly Whatnot charity. What do you know about it?
Todd McFarlane: I'm familiar with What and its purpose. I understand why people use it. Sometimes in meetings, I'm to figure out how I can get involved or utilize it, but my needs are different others'. So sometimes the usual rules don't apply to me.
Sure, I could log to Whatnot every day and sell some items for quick cash—I could sign a comic book and make 40 bucks—but money isn't what I. I have enough of it already. My most valuable currency is an audience.
So question is: How do you build an audience? For me, it's all about consistency—like how Spawn has reached issues—and providing quality at a fair price without taking of supporters. If people are you by buying something for 10 bucks, you don't suddenly raise the price to 15 bucks because they're loyal customersAt times, our costs go up and we feel the pressure to raise our prices, but I believe our toys are fairly priced. I am confident that our comic books are the most affordable option available. In fact, I am planning to release a double-size 350-page issue for the same price others are charging for a 20-page comic. I want to provide our customers with double the content for the same price. Could I charge more and still sell the same amount? It's possible, but who benefits from that? Only me, as I would get more money. However, I don't want more money. I don't need it. Increasing the price would only hurt the consumer. Why should I ask for extra money from them? That extra money could be better spent on something else, like another comic book. By treating customers fairly, I believe they will be loyal and appreciate the integrity in our pricing. Although there may be times when we need to raise prices to cover our costs, I believe it would be more meaningful to use our profits to support those in need. For instance, we could put a book up for auction, allowing customers to pay their usual price, but any additional funds would go to a chosen charity. It's a way to give back to the community and help those who need it more than us.
So, once again, I'm trying to select things that we can all agree on. I'm talking about charities that have no political bias, just causes that seem cool and worth supporting. I have a lot of stuff lying around that I don't need, and if we can convert it into money to help others, why not pay it forward a little bit? It's an opportunity to see if this platform can work for that purpose. If not, we'll try something else. It's just another experiment to me. It might exceed my expectations or fall short, and we may need to make adjustments along the way. But the main goal is to have fun, engage with the audience, which is crucial, and raise funds for good causes.
Now, let's talk about the Spawnuary 2024 Cover Challenge. I think it's a fantastic initiative. For those who aren't familiar with it, could you explain what it entails?
Todd McFarlane: Sure, I'll do my best to explain it. We're running a contest where participants submit their artwork, and I will personally select the winners. The chosen artworks will then be featured on one of my comic books. There are no limitations or restrictions, so both professionals and amateurs can participate. It's an opportunity for those who have supported me and found inspiration in my work to showcase their talent. I mean, if someone had offered me a chance to create a Wolverine cover and potentially get it published when I was trying to break into the industry, I would have jumped at the opportunity and created ten covers without hesitation.So, we have a plan in mind. I believe it's important to acknowledge and appreciate both the retailers and the loyal fan base. To show our gratitude, I have an idea for a contest that's even bigger than what we have done before. Even if you don't consider yourself an artist, I think with a little guidance, you can create something functional that we can work with. We'll ask stores to pick two people - one who is their favorite artist and another who is chosen randomly. We'll eventually pick a winner from the random selection, and I'll work on inking and coloring their artwork to make it look as professional as possible. This way, we can give someone who's just a fan of Spawn a chance to be a cover artist for one issue. We're excited to engage with our fans and have some fun this year.You're killing it, man, and I am beyond excited for the upcoming Spawn movie. I really can't wait. Congratulations on all your success, and I truly value our conversations every time we get the chance to chat. Thanks, Todd. Todd McFarlane: Thank you for giving us the time. It's been a long journey, and every now and then we have some big milestones and anniversaries that give us a reason to celebrate. We have some exciting new releases coming up, like the Sam and Choi issue, which has a urban film-like feel. We're also coming out with a variety of other number one issues that I hope fans will enjoy. Thank you to everyone who supports us by purchasing our products. I'm also a fan of the Sam and Twitch series - it's like a new favorite for me.Todd McFarlane expressed his appreciation for the individuals who help to spread the gospel and inspire consumers. He emphasized the importance of understanding that the industry relies on teamwork, with companies, retailers, content creators, and consumers all playing a vital role. McFarlane highlighted the interconnected nature of the supply chain, drawing parallels to the comic industry. He stressed the need for a healthy respect for each other, as without any one piece, the chain falls apart. He expressed gratitude for everyone involved in the process.