Editing Spawn (character) (section)

==Publication history==
[[File:PrototypeSpawnByMcFarlane.jpg|thumb|right|The Spawn prototype, designed by a teenaged McFarlane in 1977]]
[[Todd McFarlane]]'s hobby of drawing began at an early age, and he created the character Spawn when he was 16, spending "countless hours" perfecting the appearance of each component of the character's visual design.<ref name=ArtOfTodd>McFarlane, Todd (November 2012). ''The Art of Todd McFarlane: The Devil's in the Details''. Todd McFarlane Productions/Image Comics.</ref>

''Spawn'' saw considerable popularity upon its initial release in the 1990s. Comic book collecting had a marked upswing at the time, fueled by the [[The speculator boom|speculator boom]] looking for the next hot book that would jump in value after its release.<ref>[[Miller, John Jackson]]. [http://blog.comichron.com/2010/11/x-men-1-one-piece-and-world-records.html "X-Men #1, One Piece, and world records"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101119091128/http://blog.comichron.com/2010/11/x-men-1-one-piece-and-world-records.html |date=November 19, 2010 }}, The Comics Chronicles, November 16, 2010.</ref> McFarlane had enjoyed superstar status among comic fans with his work on ''[[Spider-Man]]'', which had featured McFarlane's name prominently as both writer and artist. McFarlane's subsequent break with [[Marvel Comics]] and the formation of Image Comics was seen by many as a sea-change event, changing the way in which comics were produced. ''[[Wizard (magazine)|Wizard]]'', in May 2008, rated "The Launch of Image Comics" as #1 in the list of events that rocked the comic industry from 1991 to 2008.<ref>{{Cite journal| last = Rossen| first = Jake| title = 50 Events That Rocked Comics| journal = Wizard Magazine #200| date = May 2008}}</ref>

The first issue of ''Spawn'' was very popular, selling 1.7 million copies.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spawn.com/info/todd/bio.long.aspx |title=Todd McFarlane – Complete Biography |publisher=Spawn.com |access-date=March 7, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120921213405/http://spawn.com/info/todd/bio.long.aspx |archive-date=September 21, 2012 }}</ref> During ''Spawn''{{'}}s second year of publication, ''Wizard'' noted that "The top dog at Image is undoubtedly Todd McFarlane's ''Spawn'', which, without the added marketing push of fancy covers, poly bagged issues, or card inserts has become the best-selling comic on a consistent basis that is currently being published."<ref>{{cite news | date = June 1993 | title = Wizard Market Watch | work = [[Wizard (magazine)|Wizard]] | issue = 22 | pages = 134–5}}</ref> Sales slumped around the time of ''Spawn'' #25, but by ''Spawn'' #45 it was again a consistently strong seller.<ref name="WizScorching">{{cite news | last = Pearson | first= Lars | date = August 1997 | title = Spawn's Scorching | work = [[Wizard (magazine)|Wizard]] | issue = 72 | page = 141}}</ref>

The popularity of the franchise peaked with the 1997 [[Spawn (1997 film)|''Spawn'' feature film]], the pre-release publicity for which helped make ''Spawn'' the top-selling comic book for May 1997;<ref name="WizScorching"/> in addition, the spin-off ''Curse of the Spawn'' #9 came in at fifth best-selling in that same month.<ref>{{cite news | date = August 1997 | title = Wizard Top 100 | work = [[Wizard (magazine)|Wizard]] | issue = 72 | page = 142}}</ref> However, the film was only a mild commercial success and failed to start a film franchise based on the character. A 2008 issue, ''Spawn'' #174, ranked 99th best-selling comic of the month with retail orders of 22,667.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/12096.html| title = Top 300 Comics Actual—January 2008| publisher = icv2.com| access-date = March 7, 2008| archive-date = February 28, 2008| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080228094153/http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/12096.html| url-status = live}}</ref> In October 2008, issue #185, which marked both a new creative direction and Todd McFarlane's return to the book, sold out at the distribution level and received a second printing.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.newsarama.com/comics/081030-mcfarlane-portacio-spawn.html| title = McFarlane-Portacio Spawn Sells Out| publisher =[[Newsarama]]| access-date = December 29, 2009}}</ref> By issue #191 in May 2009, with estimated sales of 19,803 copies, ''Spawn'' had dropped below Top 100 titles sold monthly to comic shops as reported by [[Diamond Comic Distributors]].<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.comichron.com/monthlycomicssales/2009/2009-04.html| title = Comic Book Sales Figures for April 2009| publisher = [[Newsarama]]| access-date = December 29, 2009| archive-date = July 9, 2017| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170709223655/http://www.comichron.com/monthlycomicssales/2009/2009-04.html| url-status = live}}</ref> As of September 2010, Spawn was ranked at #115 in the top 300 sales figures chart reported by Diamond Comic Distributors.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.comichron.com/monthlycomicssales/2010/2010-09.html| title = Monthly Comics Book Sales–September 2010| publisher = comichron.com| access-date = June 20, 2019| archive-date = February 21, 2022| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220221153415/https://www.comichron.com/monthlycomicssales/2010/2010-09.html| url-status = live}}</ref> On the day of its release in 2011, issue #200 sold out. This issue featured work by Greg Capullo, David Finch, Michael Golden, Jim Lee, Rob Liefeld, Marc Silvestri, Danny Miki, and Ashley Wood. A second printing was released the next month.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbr.com/spawn-200-sells-out-in-one-day/|title=Spawn #200 Sells Out in One Day|publisher=[[Comic Book Resources]]|date=January 13, 2011|access-date=June 13, 2020|archive-date=January 29, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210129115008/https://www.cbr.com/spawn-200-sells-out-in-one-day/|url-status=live}}</ref> It received a negative review from ''[[IGN]]''.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/01/13/spawn-200-review| title = Spawn #200 – Review| website = [[IGN]]| date = January 12, 2011| access-date = June 13, 2020| archive-date = August 15, 2018| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180815024901/http://www.ign.com/articles/2011/01/13/spawn-200-review| url-status = live}}</ref> ''Spawn''<nowiki/>'s sales continued to decline despite a series of homage covers designed to renew interest, ultimately hitting its lowest sales number of under 12,000 retail orders in ''Spawn'' #243.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Zawlacki |first=Jake |title=Searching for Legitimacy: Spawn, McFarlane, and the Homage Cover – ImageTexT |url=https://imagetextjournal.com/searching-for-legitimacy-spawn-mcfarlane-and-the-homage-cover/ |access-date=October 23, 2023 |language=en-US |archive-date=October 19, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231019002813/https://imagetextjournal.com/searching-for-legitimacy-spawn-mcfarlane-and-the-homage-cover/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

''Spawn'' began a resurgence in popularity as the title approached its 300th issue, with the title once again becoming a fixture in Diamond's Top 100. The 300th issue made Spawn the longest-running independent comic book series of all time.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.comichron.com/monthlycomicssales/2019/2019-09.html| title = Monthly Comics Book Sales–May 2018| publisher = comichron.com| access-date = June 20, 2019| archive-date = February 23, 2022| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220223053940/https://www.comichron.com/monthlycomicssales/2019/2019-09.html| url-status = live}}</ref>

In 2021, McFarlane expanded his Spawn Universe with 3 new ongoing titles and a one-shot titled ''Spawn Universe No. 1'' which sold 211,000 copies.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Couch |first=Aaron |date=June 8, 2021 |title='Spawn's Universe' Sets Sales Milestone for Image Comics |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/spawns-universe-image-comics-todd-mcfarlane-1234964291/ |access-date=May 22, 2023 |website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |language=en-US |archive-date=May 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230522021626/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/spawns-universe-image-comics-todd-mcfarlane-1234964291/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The first spinoff, titled ''King Spawn'', was released in August 2021 having pre-order sales of 497,000 copies and total sales of 520,000 copies.<ref>{{cite web |date=August 11, 2021 |last1=Couch |first1=Aaron |title='King Spawn' No. 1 Sells Nearly 500,000 Copies |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/king-spawn-todd-mcfarlane-image-comics-1234995938/ |website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |access-date=December 10, 2023 |archive-date=December 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231210141716/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/king-spawn-todd-mcfarlane-image-comics-1234995938/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last1=Pitts |first1=Lan |last2=Doran |first2=Michael |date=August 11, 2021 |title=Todd McFarlane on why King Spawn #1 sales are so high and what Spawn can do that Marvel and DC can't |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/todd-mcfarlane-on-why-king-spawn-1-sales-are-so-high-and-what-spawn-can-do-that-marvel-and-dc-cant/ |access-date=May 22, 2023 |website=gamesradar |language=en |archive-date=May 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230522021629/https://www.gamesradar.com/todd-mcfarlane-on-why-king-spawn-1-sales-are-so-high-and-what-spawn-can-do-that-marvel-and-dc-cant/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=September 22, 2021 |title=EXCLUSIVE: Gunslinger Spawn Sales Mark the Biggest Superhero Launch in 25 Years |url=https://www.cbr.com/gunslinger-spawn-biggest-superhero-launch-in-25-years/ |access-date=May 22, 2023 |website=[[Comic Book Resources]] |language=en |archive-date=May 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230522021626/https://www.cbr.com/gunslinger-spawn-biggest-superhero-launch-in-25-years/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The next title, released in October 2021, ''Gunslinger Spawn'' sold 385,000 copies, which made it the biggest launch for a new ongoing superhero title in 25 years.<ref name=":0" /> The final new series, ''The Scorched'', was released in January 2022 and sold more than 270,000 copies.<ref>{{Cite web |title=THE SCORCHED #1 SETS ANOTHER RECORD AS SPAWN FRANCHISE ENDS 2021 WITH 4TH SALES-SHATTERING RECORD |url=https://imagecomics.com/press-releases/the-scorched-1-sets-another-record-as-spawn-franchise-ends-2021-with-4th-sales-shattering-record |access-date=May 22, 2023 |website=Image Comics |language=en |archive-date=May 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230522021637/https://imagecomics.com/press-releases/the-scorched-1-sets-another-record-as-spawn-franchise-ends-2021-with-4th-sales-shattering-record |url-status=live }}</ref>

McFarlane also stated in an interview that he wants Spawn to outlive him the same way characters like ''Spider-Man'', ''Batman'', ''[[Superman]]'', and even [[The Walt Disney Company|''Disney'']] have endured past their creators.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://screenrant.com/spawn-movie-reboot-todd-mcfarlane-update/|title=Todd McFarlane Gives Optimistic Update on Spawn Movie Reboot|website=[[Screen Rant]]|first=Brennan|last=Klein|date=April 17, 2022|access-date=January 5, 2023|archive-date=January 5, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230105075156/https://screenrant.com/spawn-movie-reboot-todd-mcfarlane-update/|url-status=live}}</ref>