REVIEW: ‘King Spawn,’ Issue #2

King Spawn #2 is published by Image Comics in association with Todd McFarlane Productions. The issue is written by Sean Lewis (with Todd McFarlane providing additional dialogue), illustrated by Javier Fernandez, colored by FCO Plascencia, and lettered by Andworld Design. The antagonist from the first issue has revealed himself to be Billy Kincaid—better known as the child killer that faced Spawn’s wrath in Spawn #5. Kincaid has gathered a collection of disciples who are convinced that killing children will transform them into something greater. Spawn is locked into a race against time to stop Kincaid and his disciples, which leads to conflict with his allies.

Lewis’s script digs deep into the annals of Spawn history, not only referencing the early issues but also bringing back another longtime character in the form of Terry Fitzgerald—Al Simmons’s longtime friend who married Al’s wife Wanda after his death. Things have been tense between Simmons and Terry, but the two are determined to work together for the sake of Terry’s daughter, Cyan. Simmons has also formed a bond with Cyan over the years, which explains his laser-focused intensity. Lewis is also smart to have Jessica Priest call out Simmons on his behavior, as she points out that he gathered his allies for a reason and needs to depend on their help rather than go it alone. Not only is this a sensible position, but it also hints at the upcoming Spawn spinoff The Scorched which Lewis is also set to write.

Fernandez is slowly starting to establish himself as one of the best artists ever to draw Spawn. He leans into the horror roots of the title and his art has a similar vibe to Jason Shawn Alexander’s work on Killadelphia. Spawn’s often shown as a hulking figure possessing glowing green eyes and a mouthful of razor-sharp fangs arranged in a perpetual grimace. And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that the very first page serves as a homage to Kincaid’s first appearance in Spawn #5, with a sinister smile stretched across his face. And as Al Simmons, the hellish antihero possesses more than a passing resemblance to The Boys‘ Laz Alonzo, complete with a pair of sunglasses to hide his glowing green eyes. The coolest page features Spawn standing atop a building, with a sniper rifle in hand; Fernandez draws his cape twisting and warping in the wind, obscuring the American flag; Plascencia’s color art makes the cape pop with a bloodred color and serves as a contrast to Spawn’s dark bodysuit and grey-bordered word balloons.

The one scene that left me conflicted takes place toward the end of the issue, where Spawn confronts two of Kincaid’s disciples at the Capitol Building. While I understand what the creators were going for in forcing Spawn to make a moral choice, the events of January 6th are still raw in so many people’s minds-having a fight set there may not have been the right move. And the end of the battle is what matters in terms of the story and its impact, so theoretically it could have been set at any location.

King Spawn #2 digs deep into the hellish antihero’s history, as he encounters an enemy from his past and a battle that’s growing personal. With Kincaid set to “enlighten” him by any means necessary and the stakes growing more personal, Spawn is truly in uncharted territory.

King Spawn #2 is available wherever comics are sold.