Spawn #5

Spawn (Single Issues) #5

by Todd McFarlane (Writer/Illustrator), Steve Oliff (Colorist), Reuben Rude (Colorist)

Sometimes in our judicial system, bad men like Billy Kincaid slip through the cracks. Posing as an ice cream man, Kincaid lured children into his van and killed them. When Spawn learns that Kincaid has been set free, he remembers he once turned down a chance to kill the child molester. He does what the courts couldn't, passing his own death sentence on the pervert.

Genres: Comics, Comic Book, Horror

24 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 10, 1992

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+) 78% | Good
Notes: Read in trade paperback. Collective review for issues #1-6 can be found here: Spawn Origins Collection, Volume 1.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spawn sees that child rapist/killer, Billy Kincaid is being let loose again after serving a few palty years in an institution for his crime. They only got him for one murder as evidence of others went missing or was destroyed.
Al Simmons was hired by the dead girls father, a senator, to finish Kincaid off before he was caught. However Al was too late and the police caught Kincaid. Now only a few years later he's free and on the hunt again and it's up to Spawn to put a stop to him for good.
I love stories like this, where the evil bad guy gets his comeuppance and the hero (or anti-hero in this case) gives out some much needed justice. This issue takes a few swipes at justice, how the victim and their family often come second to the perp and societies need to rehabilitate even when they are a known risk.
Sam and Twitch are used to show the frustration of how the justice system work and Twitch shows himself to be a little more badass and a bender of rules, earning respect from Sam.

[Andrew Alvis · Rating 5 out of 5]

So deserving be the fate of those who would hurt the innocent like that which befell Billy Kincaid.

[Phuong Nguyen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just love it when he kills Billie like rightfully so.

[Nathan Duvall · Rating 2 out of 5]

After the events of the last issue we are introduced to a new villain. A man who kills children and somehow didn’t get a life sentence? Let out after only 6 years? When he’s released he has access to an ice cream truck and a shack? This issue makes ZERO sense. Unless we are being shown that he is working with someone to do these things but that doesn’t seem to be the case.

McFarlane is trying to show us more and more Spawn is upset that he didn’t get to have a kid with Wanda. However this issue seems forced instead of naturally putting it in a story. I am not a fan of this issue at all. The very last page was crazy to see but the rest of it was tough to get through.

[bryan states · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spawn 5

Artistry and story of this series so far is gorgeous. Progression is perfect and story arc make you just want to open another and another.

[Devin Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't know how I felt about Kincaid at first, but especially given how that resolves it just feels... deceptively safe? Like, I'm sure it all read differently in 1992 especially with how explicit it leans, but it's just... like...

Hey, you know what kind of hideous monster everyone hates? Let's put that in one issue.

It just feels like low-hanging fruit that (to 2023 eyes, at least) offers vanishingly little specificity to what is a story that is still establishing itself.

To put it another way: this issue seems surprisingly disposable as a #5. If this was the story of a 1993 issue of Spawn, it'd be a different story.

[Vyshakh Aravindan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spawn #5 is disturbing, in a good way. Billy Kincaid is Spawn’s most horrifying villain yet. The story dives into vigilante justice, pushing moral boundaries. The dark tone lands well. Still, the issue feels a little rushed, and the resolution lacks emotional weight.

[Gabriel Vargas-Gonzalez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good

They keep asking for a review every time I finish one of these so here it is... Nice book, buy it.

[JACOB WEEKS · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorites so far