Ummm….
Okay, I’ll admit, that title is a little gross. But what ev’s. Also, I know WHAT EV’S isn’t really used anymore but I bet you can guess what I have to say about that…WHAT EV’S.
As I’ve been brainstorming new I HATE FAIRYLAND stories and cooking up ideas for a new book, it got me thinking a lot about what made me want to start making up my own stories for comics. Look at where you came from to find out where you’re going, and all that. I first learned how to draw by using my Transformers, Mask, and He-Man toys as my “live” models. Then I graduated to reading and copying all the drawings I could from the pages of MAD MAGAZINE. Then, this little, mostly unknown, character with a big yellow S on his chest went and died. And like a lot of us Gen Xers, I discovered what would become my new sacred, holy ground…
…THE LOCAL COMIC SHOP!
THE DEATH OF SUPERMAN was all over the news and, while I had a few dozen comics laying around, I couldn’t really call myself a comic reader yet. Because of all the hype around the Kryptonian guy, my mom took me to HERO’S HAVEN, a small shop between Bristol and Johnson City, TN. My eyes were blasted with every color on the spectrum and the rows of long boxes filled with comics! And I was in love.
I did buy the Death Of Superman comic and whatever else grabbed my attention that day. I spent months trying to figure out how all of this worked. I felt a little lost. When and where did these stories start? There weren’t really that many collected editions back then so it was difficult to make your way back in time to get the whole story, if not completely impossible.
But then I found a comic that had a big #1 on it! And that comic was SPAWN! So I bought it. I had no idea what it was about. I didn’t know what Image Comics was and I hadn’t been reading comics for long, so I had no idea who Todd McFarlane was and that he was insanely popular for his visually redefining run on Spider-Man. It was just a book with a really cool looking, spiked-up, chained-out character with the craziest cape I had ever seen. I bought the issue and it was so perfect for my 13-14 year old self. I called back to the shop and had them add it to my subscription box and I was now an official comic book reader with a favorite character/comic.
As I got sucked into the world of Spawn, I couldn’t help but to start thinking up ideas for stories I wanted to write and draw. So I did that. I made up my own story. And by “my own story” I mean my own version of Spawn, but blue and white with blond hair sticking out of his mask Gambit Style, but also rocking a ponytail and dealing with some heaven and hell stuff. You know, super original.
Clearly, I didn’t take that concept very far, but I did stick with Spawn throughout the years. I watched as Todd handed over art duties to Greg Capullo, who showed us what mastering the art form looks like, and I wanted to be one of those guys!
Eventually, and to my complete shock, I would follow in their footsteps. I got a job at Marvel where I learned how to make comics and still do so to this day. Just like Todd, and because of what he and the other Image founders created, I was able to finally publish my own comic with I HATE FAIRYLAND!
FULL CIRCLE
I owe a lot to Todd and his creation. Spawn fueled my love for a medium that would go on to change my life forever and inspire me to create my first of many creator-owned comics! Teenage me would never believe that I’ve become friends with Todd now and he’s given me mountains of advice and guidance over the years. We’ve argued about which side I should sit on when we had dinner because we’re both left handed, but I actually eat right handed. (He tried to give me shit when I got it wrong, but I was defended by his lovely wife, Wanda.) And best of all, I was asked to do a cover for Spawn’s 250th issue. That was one of the fastest YES’S I’ve ever given.
So, thank you Todd, Greg, and all the rest of the crew that has kept Spawn on comics shelves all these years. I’m here in big part because of you all.
I’ll leave with some sketches, commissions, and process shots of the 250 cover!
Spawn and Gert, the crossover we NEED!
First off, I 100% use what-evs regularly! Secondly, I was born in '92 when Spawn came out (sorry if that makes you feel old but also feeling old is overrated lol). But I for sure remember watching at some point the Spawn movie with my dad and going what a complete badass! I eventually found the first 12 issues at a comic store and still have 'em! Unfortunately I've not read the entire story but it's on my list! It's always so fun to see what inspired the artists that inspired me!
I also completely missed that FCBD I Hate Fairyland so definitely gonna need to pick that up! And regrettably still need to pickup that Spawn variant!