Ken Kurosawa was the bodyguard for a L.A. gang leader. In the midst of a gang war, Ken was murdered by a car bomb. That was when he made his fateful deal with Malebogia, not knowing that from then on he'd be part of his hellish hordes as a Spawn Opposed by numerous enemies, constantly manipulated, he is brought to fight his best friend without knowing it.
This was probably not the ideal entry point into the Spawn universe, but here I am anyway. I did enjoy this compendium of Manga Spawn stories, though it definitely has its flaws. I really liked this take on a Hellspawn and watching Ken adjust to his new life and role in this world. His interactions with Violator and Bee were entertaining and consistently engaging. My biggest issue was how long it took Ken to come to terms with his new identity; nearly all three volumes go by before he truly begins his training. I enjoyed the Spawn elements overall, but the storyline involving Ken protecting his sister dragged on far longer than necessary and easily could have wrapped up sooner. I also wanted to see more of the demonic world directly influencing Ken rather than staying mostly on the sidelines. Still, for what it is, this collection is a fun ride and serves as a solid side story that hits the themes Spawn fans are probably looking for. Grade: B-
Wow, um... you'd think that the Japanese could do something really cool with this title, but this was absolutely brutal! Spawn just doesn't look as great in black and white, and everything about the plot, characters, and dialogue is atrocious. Not worth a goddamn! Unless you're a hardcore Spawn-head, stay FAR FAR away!