Spawn Origins Collection, Volume 8

Spawn Origins Collection #8

by Todd McFarlane (Writer/Illustrator), Greg Capullo (Illustrator), Tony S. Daniel (Illustrator)

With Spawn, legendary writer and artist Todd McFarlane unleashed his iconic antihero on the world, and launched the most successful independent comic book in history. Spawn: Origins, Vol. 8 contains the stories and artwork that helped create the Spawn legacy. Featuring awe-inspiring art by fan-favorites Greg Capullo (The Creech) and Tony Daniel (Batman), with stories written by Spawn creator Todd McFarlane. Collects Spawn #45 through the double-sized milestone issue Spawn #50.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Horror, Fiction, Superheroes, Spirituality, Ebooks

185 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 1, 2010

About the author

Todd McFarlane is a Canadian comic book artist, writer, toy manufacturer/designer, and media entrepreneur who is best known as the creator of the epic occult fantasy series Spawn.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, McFarlane became a comic book superstar due to his work on Marvel Comics' Spider-Man franchise. In 1992, he helped form Image Comics, pulling the occult anti-hero character Spawn from his high school portfolio and updating him for the 1990s. Spawn was one of America's most popular heroes in the 1990's and encouraged a trend in creator-owned comic book properties.

In recent years, McFarlane has illustrated comic books less often, focusing on entrepreneurial efforts, such as McFarlane Toys and Todd McFarlane Entertainment, a film and animation studio.

In September, 2006, it was announced that McFarlane will be the Art Director of the newly formed 38 Studios, formerly Green Monster Games, founded by Curt Schilling.

McFarlane used to be co-owner of National Hockey League's Edmonton Oilers but sold his shares to Daryl Katz. He's also a high-profile collector of history-making baseballs.

Reviews

[Jayson · Rating 3 out of 5]

(B+) 77% | Good
Notes: Jogs in place, filling space, plots feel fairly incidental, just too slow and status quo, though its ending's consequential.

*Progress updates: Preamble ◦ Issues #45-47 ◦ Issues #48-50

[Gianfranco Mancini · Rating 4 out of 5]

McFarlane is a far better artist than writer, main storyline is still meandering, the outcome of issue #50 was far from surprising and the Tremor/Cy-Gor characters are there just to promote the McFarlane Toys merchandising ones who inspired them.



But the artists involved are so good that you can just close one eye on flaws and enjoy the ride.

[Derek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Todd McFarlane's Spawn is lurid, over the top, and decidedly adolescent in tone. Despite this, or perhaps in some ways because of it, the series, and this volume in particular, is quite a fun read. McFarlane's writing still smacks of the amateur but now it charms where it used to bore. And to be fair, despite all the bombast, you still end up actually caring about these characters. The same can't be said for a great many other series.

[Timo · Rating 4 out of 5]

More and more soapy opera aspects seep in to the story of Spawn. It is not all bad because there is also too much wanking with religion. I know, I know.... no hell unless there is the otherside also, but it is still annoying.

[Sarospice · Rating 3 out of 5]

My! These Spawn comics are wordy! I suppose it's to give you your money worth, but when it repeats every issue. Something does happen here: Terry gets in a car accident and almost dies except for a save from Spawn... Will he have ectoplasm too?

[Михаил · Rating 2 out of 5]

Картинки в этой книжке делали мне слишком приятно, пока я не начал читать окружавшие их буквы.

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This kind of serialized storytelling was very popular back when Spawn was first being published. Show something "BIG" happening and tell the audience that it's important, but don't show or tell them WHY it's important until the next season or episode.

It wasn't ever my favorite type of narrative, but it works here.

[Deepak Chaudhary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Volume eight gets me to issue 50, and this is where I think I will stop. The reason I started reading the Spawn comics was because I wanted to know what the story was going to be after the cliffhanger ending of the animated TV show, and even after seeing how different the books were from the TV show, I figured the main highlights of the show would be in the books, but through research, I have learned that that will not be the case.

I have still enjoyed reading the comics; the Spawn of the comics is a lot more likeable than the Spawn of the TV show, but I don't really want to commit to reading over three hundred books. This issue ends with Spawn losing all the energy he had from coming back to earth and going to hell, and the Violator going to Wanda's home. This is a very interesting ending, and I want to see where it goes, but I know if I continue reading, there will be more cliffhangers, and I will want to know more.

This being the first comic I have read so much of, I did really like Todd Mcfarlen's writing; however, reviewers on Youtube have said that Todd is not a good writer. This makes me wonder what I am missing, so I may try reading some other comic books, and I may come back to Spawn in the future.

[Lksreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Things start getting back on track here. The pace is still a little slow but the story doesn’t get derailed for no reason at least, and the continuity is there. No idea where it’s going. I’ll let you decide if that’s good writing, or if that’s because Todd doesn’t know where it’s going either.

Interesting stuff going on at least though. Spawn’s power being drained and recuperated through essentially filth, repercussions of the gang wars going back 30 issues, and Sam and Twitch are always a fun subplot. Their current subplot is moving agonizingly slow, but their banter doesn’t get old and to be honest, I don’t really care about what their current arc is - I’m always happy to see them.

Spawn commanding legions of animals is a “hell yeah” moment. It comes out of nowhere but the powers and lore are consistently added to. Todd doing whatever he wants in the writers room. What happens to Cy-Gor?

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

For a longer volume most of the plots don't get advanced. Yes, Terry goes through some things but I think it could have been done better. We do find out what's up with Spawn's costume and why there's always worms crawling through Spawn's face now. Still not all that great.

Then it's combined with bad editing. Tony Twist is a hockey player who didn't like that McFarlane named his scumbag mafia boss after him and sued. The character was renamed Vito Gravano but there was at least two instances here where it was missed and he was still referred to as Tony Twist. If you don't know about the change, I can see where you'd be confused. I guess Chris Pronger didn't care about his name being in Spawn as he also played hockey. Greg Capullo and Tony Daniel have now settled in alternating drawing the book.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was good! The battle of Spawn with Angel was okay. Cygor was boring! Don’t understand why that character is even there. The story of Terry’s cancer and Spawn recovering him- well that warmed my heart. Knew Spawn had some good in him. Okay okay I knew he did it for Wanda and not Terry, but Spawn was not going to have Wanda back and he wanted to keep her happy even if it means giving up his own. That to me is his selflessness. :) surprised that now Terry realizes Spawn May be Al. So that probably means Wanda May be the last one to know.

[The Wintermute System · Rating 5 out of 5]

Y'know what, I'm starting to really get into what they're doing with the costume and the symbiotic relationship between her and Spawn himself.

I'm really getting into the Sam and Twitch storyline, as well as the way they're hinting at gearing up to a greater war and giving us the barest whiffs of a larger storyline at play here, although they're careful not to give away too much so we come back.

So upping this to five stars now, I'm hooked on Spawn again!

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, this was one of the better volumes, as far as story, and parts of it hit me right in the feels... but this was the worst edited volume so far. Spawn always has grammatical and spelling errors (even in current issues), but this book “definately” had the most. “Awhile” is an adverb. “I” is not a direct object. It’s rather distracting when so many such errors are left uncaught.

[Eli Poteet · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is the best volume I've read of the spawn series so far. I am thrilled by the spawns evolution and by the familiar intertwined storylines. I've become by far more comfortable with the art style and I was so genuinely impressed by the volumes last book and it's huge spawn money shot.

[Eric Williamson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The series reread continues to get better and better as more of Spawn is unlocked 🔓 both story and power. Elegant, exacting and precise brilliant art, inks and lettering. A joy to read and so vibrant digitally... each cell a screenshot.

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really good volume, though much of it is quite soap opera-y. This is the volume where you begin to see the McFarlane and Capullo team hitting their stride.

[Derek Moreland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Issue 50 is a series' high point, creatively and artistically, and it raises the quality of a cromulant but otherwise uninteresting volune.

[Martijn Van · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my favoriete Spawn paperback til l now. There happens a lot and all the characters het there own time and scenes to grow.

[Xroldx · Rating 4 out of 5]

Todd, Greg and Daniel are on fire in this volume. Spawn saves Terry once again but this time from cancer. Plus another angel gets defeated. Solid read.

[Alex Johnston · Rating 3 out of 5]

In which Spawn asks would you still love me if I was a worm.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading these it always feels like half of it is recapping, due to the monthly release schedule, but when combined it makes everything take forever to progress.

[Gav451 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Still amazing art. A wonder to look at. The story is solid and entertaining but the weakness of an ongoing title is that, because the long term plan if for it to always be around, the narrative can lose focus. I found myself wondering at the lack of forward motion in this volume. Also the large amount of exposition felt slightly more intrusive in this volume.

Its probably time to give this a break for a short while. Lets make it clear that this is not a bad book but I may have lost a little engagement with it. I'll return to my Spawn odyssey shortly.

[47Time · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spawn is attacked by an angel wanting to prove herself as a replacement for Angela. She is defeated by Spawn's suit thanks to the creatures of evil who help it regenerate. But the secondary effect on it is much more destructive. It becomes so powerful that it threatens to take control, so Spawn must reassert himself before that happens. Cog is the only one who knows how to help, but Spawn himself must act.

Sam and Twitch rent a place for their Private Investigator business and continue to be fed proof about Wynn's dealings. Terry is looking into Wynn as well, to the point where his health is affected.

He passes out at the wheel and gets into an accident. Tests reveal he has a malignant tumor in his brain. Soon he slips into a coma which spells the coming end.

Spawn still sees Terry as a traitor, but remembers his promise to Wanda to keep her happy forever. He gives up a large quantity of his remaining energy to heal him. He is drawn back to hell where he must fight to survive.

[Michele Rice Carpenter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent continuation of an excellent graphic novel. I enjoy the character, Spawn.