GUNSLINGER SPAWN #1 (Spoiler-free Review)

Not since Dr. Emmett Brown has there been such a person that would strike such fear into the soul of man that would make the world stand and take notice. 

Got your attention yet? Ok, maybe Emmett Brown isn’t the best comparison to the highly popular and arguably the most popular hellspawn in the Spawn Universe. Still fitting as Gunslinger Spawn #1 takes on the anthology model and bounces from different eras. Bad time-travel joke? Possibly. Now, let’s talk about this team that has brought another solid offering in the branching out of Spawn’s Universe. 

Much like the gunslinger, Todd McFarlane is armed to the tee with incredible talent that brings to life four solid stories that take Gunslinger Spawn to different eras dealing with various evils. The entire creative team shines on every page in the book, but the art is the book’s hero. Now, that’s not to say the writing isn’t top-notch. It is. My one hang-up (if you can call it that) is that the narration seemed out of place at times. With or without the narration, this book is still badass and deserves every bit of praise that it will get. 

In the first story, the gunslinger finds himself in the modern-day and not knowing how he got there. He meets with an awkward store clerk, Taylor, and from there, the story takes off in classic Spawn detail with Todd McFarlane and Brett Booth conducting the hellish ride. The rest of the book is comprised of “The Lynching,” “Weapons,” and wrapping up this trend-setting first issue is “A Small Gift.” All with seamless transition from one to the other, setting the tone for future issues while giving new readers and well-balanced introduction to Gunslinger Spawn.