Spawn goes deeper into Compound 8 and finds himself face to face with the remains of Overt-Kill. What cruel fate awaits Al Simmons?
Spawn #287
Writer: Todd McFarlane
Artist: Jason Shawn Alexander
Cover Artist: Todd McFarlane
Colorist: Jose Villarrubia
Letters: Tom Orzechowski
Publisher: Image Comics
What You Need to Know:
After returning to the United States, Spawn has been on a mission to locate Demons holding high positions of power. Allowing himself to be arrested and sent to prison. The goal to eventually land in the special facility Compound 8, where only the worst criminals are kept. Including the once mighty Overt-Kill…
What You’ll Find Out:
This chapter opens with the ruined remains of the once mighty Overt-Kill. Having been reduced to just a torso and head after years of imprisonment. But the showcase of his former enemy doesn’t last as Spawn is handcuffed and chained to hanging hooks much like Overt-Kill. The Secret Agent has given up on trying to get answers out of Spawn and has switched to outright torture. Noting that he fully suspects that Spawn isn’t even human after the autopsy incident several chapters ago. At this point, the Secret Agent says he just wants Spawn to die since his consistent survival has been the problem. Leaving while his men begin the torture. After an unspecified amount of time, he tells Spawn that the torture can stop if he just tells them what he knows. Spawn replies that he does know something and that he’ll be coming for the Secret Agent tonight. The torture continues for twenty minutes before they finally resort to electrical torture. But like with the autopsy, the machines go haywire and an explosion shoots the door of the hinges. Security arrives just in time to find that the guards watching Spawn are now the ones hung up to the hooks…Later that night, Spawn pays a visit to both an old and new friend. The news reporter Marc Rosen who immediately thinks Al is Jim Downings, the previous Spawn.
Spawn, having never met Marc himself, asks if he really was the person helping Jim. He replies that he did and that Spawn looks like him, only for Spawn to say it was actually the reverse. Ever the inquisitive one, Marc asks if this meant there were multiple “Spawns” but Al says there aren’t. However, he and Jim can’t both exist simultaneously. He didn’t come for Jim but he’s willing to help Marc in exchange for his journalistic skills. Spawn wants to use Marc’s contact at the New York Times to find people in the Press Corps Briefings at DC. Then to tell them to ask the White House if they’re still holding the man responsible for kidnapping Bonz. Then when they’re told that he’s still in custody how is it that Spawn is standing very much outside of a cell. Marc does as Spawn asks and the news goes wild with questions once more. A fact that annoys two unknown figures who wonder how Marc knew to ask such things. One says they have agents tracking Marc but killing him would just martyr him and make things worse for them. It’s then revealed that the two men are actually Demons. They know Spawn is just taunting them and one suggests he’s out for revenge because of Wanda’s death.
Back in Compound 8, we find out that the government wants it sealed to prevent the media from discovering their dirty little secrets. Wholly unaware that Overt-Kill has come back online behind their backs. The scene switches over to the Secret Agent as he lay asleep at 2AM only to be found by Spawn and an eerie black crow asking what he was promised. We’re then greeted to the full scope of Spawn standing at the foot of his bed with crows slowly oozing out of his cloak and filling the bedroom. Spawn speculates on what it was the Demons offered the Secret Agent. That whatever it was it won’t last and he’ll eventually be corrupted. Yet he’s clearly not an idiot but continues to follow their orders no matter how cruel it is. The Secret Agent asks what he wants and Spawn admits he wants to make the Demons pay for killing his wife and asks who Gideon is. The Secret Agent is surprised he knows who this person is but Spawn admits he didn’t but thanks to the Secret Agent, he now knows he is real. The Secret Agent refuses to answer Spawns question as more crows begin to escape from his shroud. Finally admitting he never met him in person and only met messengers. But since Spawn escaped it doesn’t matter and now that he’s made his message, he’ll be killed. Unfortunately for the Agent none of this was Spawn sending his message…
With the man at his mercy, Spawn sends his crows out to do his bidding. Attacking him as painfully and slowly as possible for an agonizing 30 minutes. Having gained the answers he sought, Spawn leaves the eviscerated corpse of the Secret Agent to his crows to continue feeding on. Curious how the Demons will respond to his next move. The following day, life begins to return to Compound 8 as if nothing happened the previous night. That is until they discover Spawn once more hanging in his special cell. But while they’re focused on Spawn’s return they failed to realize that Overt-Kill has disappeared…
What Just Happened?
Everything seems to go back to Wanda with Spawn but in this case, it is an interesting turn. This chapter as a whole seemed like its leading back to Spawn’s past on multiple levels. First by bringing back Wanda in a sense. She occasionally got references when Cyan was involved but now she’s a motivating force for Spawn once more. Overt-Kill is back and very likely going to be gunning for Spawn. Given how long he’s waited and the advancement of technology perhaps his revenge won’t just be for nothing. Though his disappearance raises the question of who freed him or did Overt-Kill somehow free himself despite just being a torso and head?
Like Overt-Kill, the return of Marc is a surprise. Since the return of Al Simmons, Jim Downings and Marc had been all but forgotten. Seemingly forever like a bad memory. But now we got to see not only Marc return but also a strange double-edged sword. Being just another soul inside of Spawn’s costume, we know Jim can’t exist while Al is around. But Al is suggesting there might be a loophole of sorts that will at the very least allow Jim to exit his coma. Possibly as just a regular person and not both as a Hellspawn.
Overall we now know exactly why Spawn is doing what he’s doing but we still don’t know who this “Gideon” is. Given how many callbacks Spawn has been getting lately (Wanda, Overt-Kill, Marc, and Cogliostro) it’s looking more and more likely that Gideon is going to be a returning veteran character.
Rating: 9/10
Final Thought: I know they’ve been showing how terrifying Spawn can be but this is by far the most terrifying he has ever been. What makes it more terrifying is that he did it all without even using his chains. Just his own magic and the familiars he summons.
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