Gunslinger Spawn #1
Gunslinger Spawn #1 is everything you’d expect from a visual standpoint. Brett Booth is among the best of the best in the business, and he reminds you of that quickly in this series-opening issue. As much as the character of Gunslinger Spawn instantly gives this story a western vibe, Booth’s interpretation of the character provides great urgency to the story.
Image Comics
Written by: Todd McFarlane with Ales Kot
Art by: Brett Booth, Thomas Nachlik, Philip Tan and Kevin Keane
Colors by: Andrew dalhouse, Nikos Koutsis, Marcello Iozzoli, Marcelo Maiolo and FCO Plascencia
Letters by: Tom Orzechowski
By the end of the issue’s main story, readers learn quickly the stakes are going to be high in this series. And that’s probably McFarlane’s greatest strength as a writer — the plotting. The dialogue is good enough here, but narration leaves a bit to be desired. (That’s what makes King Spawn stand out so much.) Still, the constant mix of intense art in every Spawn book makes up for its flaws, especially when the plot has direction.
Gunslinger Spawn #1 also had backup stories, with art from Thomas Nachlik, Philip Tan and Kevin Keane. They all serve as a greater look at this character’s past, building Gunslinger Spawn up further. It seems like at least one of those stories could continue beyond the first issue. That’d be a welcome decision, along with more one-offs from period in time where Gunslinger Spawn belongs.
Looking for more comic book content? Go check out the latest episode of Geeks WorldWide Radio‘s TLDR podcast, where Joseph Gilmore and Nick Friar discuss comics weekly and talk to creators from the industry — available on SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts and Spotify! For more on Spawn’s expanding universe, check out TLDR’s conversation with King Spawn writer Sean Lewis.