SPAWN #66 - October 1997

Demons

Credits: Todd McFarlane (story), Greg Capullo (pencils), Todd McFarlane & Chance Wolf (inks), Tom Orzechowski (copy editor & letters), Brian Haberlin & Dan Kemp (colors)

Summary: Before Sam and Twitch can continue questioning Cogliostro, he disappears. Spawn returns to New York, only to learn his face has rotted. He ignores Cogliostro’s counsel and proceeds to stab himself repeatedly in anger. Later, he tells Terry that their joint investigation will continue, but Terry refuses to forget their earlier confrontation. That night, Spawn grows dizzy after feeding on his worms. He collapses on top of a nearby derelict and crushes his leg. Meanwhile, Cyan remains obsessed with Spawn’s shoelace.

Spawntinuity: According to Cogliostro, God placed Spawn in these alleys for a specific purpose. He goes on to say, “Hell may have chosen you but Heaven had the call to locate you wherever on Earth they wanted.” McFarlane would occasionally drop vague references to the relationship between Heaven and Hell, but I don't know if the association was ever explicitly spelled out.

Creative Differences: I have no idea what the cover is supposed to represent. This series isn't shy about using portrait covers, but this isn't some generic shot of Spawn you can put on the cover of a video game. Maybe the tentacle attacking him is supposed to represent the worms, but that's a stretch.

Spawn Stuff: An alternate Christmas cover of the Spawn soundtrack is on sale for a limited time. It also includes a new song by Apollo Four Forty & Morphine. The Manga Spawn line of action figures is also being released.

Review: More dreariness, more recycled scenes, more running in place. Yet, this issue does have something the previous sixty-five issues usually ignored -- humor. Okay, it’s one joke that runs for less than a page, but it still counts. While Spawn walks the streets of New York, unaware that his rotted face has returned, he struts to the beat of “Stayin’ Alive” and sings the words to himself. For at least one page, you’re supposed to laugh at Spawn. McFarlane might’ve narrowly avoided a lawsuit by using the song, but it’s worth it to get any break from the monotony. The rest of the issue is the same nonsense McFarlane can’t let go of, only now Spawn’s reached new levels of melodrama by repeatedly stabbing himself in the stomach with a giant blade that’s appeared out of nowhere. Hopefully, McFarlane got a “Self-Mutilation Spawn” action figure out of the issue.