Prior to establishing Image Comics in 1992, renowned artist Todd McFarlane illustrated Batman across four issues of Detective Comics between 1987 and 1989. Taking over from artist Alan Davis for the last three instalments of the four-part series titled Batman: Year Two, written by Mike W. Barr, McFarlane’s Batman was later described as resembling “a mass of broken glass, piercing his adversaries.” In Detective Comics issues 576 to 578 from 1987, McFarlane portrayed the Dark Knight as a true denizen of the night, largely shrouded in shadow except for his bright eyes, with tall, pointed bat ears and an exceptionally long, serrated-edged cape that gave off a supernatural feel.
McFarlane subsequently developed Spawn, a somber avenger shrouded in mystery who patrolled the city’s underbelly from concealed vantage points, targeting criminals, whom he perceived as superstitious and fearful. In issue #3 of Spawn, published in 1992 and created entirely by McFarlane, a tribute was made to Jerry “the Joker” Robinson, esteemed Batman illustrator and co-creator of the Joker and Robin, as the titular character – the reborn Hellspawn – confronted the demon Violator with a clown-like face.
However, similarities between McFarlane’s character-owned Spawn and Batman emerged in the 90s due to their shared “no kill” policy. Yet, McFarlane conveyed a distinct message through Spawn #5 in 1992. This issue portrayed Spawn taking vengeance for the murder of Sherlee Johnson, a 7-year-old girl, who was abducted and killed by pedophile serial killer Billy Kincaid. Kincaid had coaxed 27 other children to his “Mr. Chill-ee” ice cream truck before being released from an institution on a technicality.
In another depiction, Spawn exacted a brutal revenge on Kincaid (off-screen), suspending his body using chains and piercing it with an ice cream scoop and popsicle sticks. Later, the police discovered Kincaid’s gruesome remains, accompanied by a chilling note: “Boys and girls used to scream, so I made him scream… and scream… and scream…
As a passionate moviegoer, I’d rephrase it like this: “This was the genesis of Image Comics, and I wanted issue #5 of Spawn to convey a clear message: ‘He’s no Batman.’ McFarlane explains. And as you reach the last page, where the brutality of his actions towards Billy Kincaid is laid bare, I hope, in some way or another, whether it resonated positively or negatively with readers, they understood.
In simpler terms, the ex-Spider-Man artist stated, “That’s all there was to it. Essentially, I was conveying that we have a new character named Spawn coming up, and he won’t be like other characters controlled by corporations,” he explained. “That’s what the story was about.
For three decades, Kincaid would persistently haunt the ongoing “Spawn” comic series, while Sherlee Johnson was only seen in a brief four-panel sequence and the chilling aftermath of her murder. However, this will be different in the new “Spawn: The Curse of Sherlee Johnson” spinoff series, written by Daniel Henriques (making his writing debut) and illustrated by Jonathan Glapion, who has previously worked on both “Spawn” and “King Spawn”.
As stated by Image Comics, the upcoming independent series offers a welcoming introduction for novice readers, yet it delights long-time enthusiasts with unanticipated cameos and profound links to the broader Spawn Universe. Additionally, Image Comics plans to reissue Spawn #5, featuring the debut of Billy Kincaid and Sherlee Johnson.
Daniel and Jonathan extracted a single aspect from that matter and proposed, “How about this instead?” They went on to develop it, and now, thirty years have passed, and we’re discussing its sequel,” McFarlane explains.
Unraveling the Mystery of Sherlee Johnson: The Girl Cursed by Billy Kinkaid in the Spawn Universe”
In this gripping new installment, “The Curse of Sherlee Johnson,” we delve into the enigmatic life of a seven-year-old victim, Sherlee Johnson, who fell prey to the ruthless serial killer, Billy Kinkaid. This heartrending tale exposes her chilling journey alongside the Stranger as we uncover the truth behind her tragic fate and the eerie realm she now resides in.
In “Spawn” #301 of 2019, we witnessed an enormous necroplasmic explosion that created numerous possibilities – from time travel, dimensional travel, and more. As Henriques explains, this event, which McFarlane calls the Time Rip, provides us with a wide range of creative opportunities, ultimately allowing The Stranger to encounter Sherlee.
He goes on to say, “However, there’s a hidden significance we’ll uncover eventually: What links Spawn’s Time Rip bomb with necroplasm to Sherlee? Why does it affect their past? They are connected, and whatever they do next has repercussions in the universe.
Spawn The Curse of Sherlee Johnson #1 goes on sale with a new reprinting of Spawn #5 on May 21.
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2025-04-15 22:16