Editing Todd McFarlane (section)

===Image Comics<!--'Todd McFarlane Productions, Inc.' and 'Todd McFarlane Productions' redirect here-->===
McFarlane then teamed with six other popular artists<ref>[https://imagecomics.com/faq "FAQ"]. Image Comics. Retrieved March 12, 2020.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9a1XSyjjNg| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211117/c9a1XSyjjNg| archive-date=2021-11-17 | url-status=live|publisher=[[SyFy Wire]]|title=The History of Image Comics (So Much Damage): Part 1: The Founding|date=November 20, 2017|access-date=March 12, 2020|via=[[YouTube]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref> to form [[Image Comics]], an [[umbrella company]] under which each owned a [[publishing house]]. McFarlane's studio, '''Todd McFarlane Productions, Inc.'''<!--boldface per WP:R#PLA--> ('''TMP'''), published his creation, the [[occult]]-themed ''Spawn'', written and drawn by McFarlane. It was Image's second release, following the release of [[Rob Liefeld]]'s ''[[Youngblood (comics)|Youngblood]]'' the month prior.<ref name=Paste/> Upon its release in 1992, ''Spawn'' #1 (May 1992) sold 1.7 million copies; as of 2007, this remains a record for an independent comic book.<ref name=ComicsBulletin/><ref name=Paste/>

[[Image:Spawn.jpg|right|thumb|200px|The cover of ''[[Spawn (comics)|Spawn]]'' #1 (1992)]]
Responding to harsh criticism of his abilities as a writer, McFarlane hired acclaimed writers to guest-write issues #8–11, including [[Alan Moore]], [[Neil Gaiman]], [[Dave Sim]], and [[Frank Miller]].<ref name=Paste/> Subsequent writers he would hire on the series included [[Grant Morrison]], [[Andrew Grossberg (comics)|Andrew Grossberg]], and [[Tom Orzechowski]]. [[Greg Capullo]] penciled several issues as a guest artist, and became the regular penciler with #26, with McFarlane remaining as writer and inker until #70. The series continued to be a hit, and in 1993 ''[[Wizard (magazine)|Wizard]]'' declared ''Spawn'' "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> ''Spawn'' is notable for being one of only two Image books that debuted during the company's 1992 launch, along with Erik Larsen's ''[[Savage Dragon]]'', that continued to be published into the 2020s.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbr.com/savage-dragon-creator-erik-larsen-no-digital-release-before-print/|publisher=[[Comic Book Resources]]|author=Jennings, Collier|title=Savage Dragon Creator Erik Larsen Vows Not to Release Digital Before Print|date=March 24, 2020|access-date=June 1, 2020|archive-date=March 25, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200325130420/https://www.cbr.com/savage-dragon-creator-erik-larsen-no-digital-release-before-print/}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/preview-image-comics-savage-dragon-250-super-spectacular|author=Spry, Jeff|title=Image Comics Celebrates Savage Dragon #250 With A 100-Page Super Spectacular|publisher=[[SyFy Wire]]|date=May 19, 2020|access-date=June 1, 2020|archive-date=May 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200527174820/https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/preview-image-comics-savage-dragon-250-super-spectacular}}</ref>

During Image's early years of operation, the company was subject to much industry criticism over aspects of its business practices, including late-shipped books,<ref name=Paste/> and its creators' emphasis on art over writing. One of these critics was McFarlane's former ''Hulk'' collaborator, writer [[Peter David]]. This came to a head during a public debate they participated in at [[Philadelphia]]'s Comicfest convention in October 1993, which was moderated by artist [[George Pérez]]. McFarlane stated that Image was not being treated fairly by the media, and by David in particular. The three judges, [[Maggie Thompson]], editor of the ''[[Comics Buyer's Guide]]'', [[Avatar Press|William Christensen]] of ''Wizard Press'', and John Danovich of the magazine ''[[Hero Illustrated]]'', voted 2–1 in favor of David, with Danovich voting the debate a tie.<ref>Gary St. Lawrence (November 19, 1993). "The Peter David-Todd McFarlane Debate: Topic: Has Image Comics/Todd McFarlane been treated fairly by the media?". ''[[Comics Buyer's Guide]]'' #1044, pp. 92, 98, 102, 108, 113, 116</ref>

In 1994, McFarlane and DC Comics collaborated on an intercompany crossover, each producing a book featuring Batman and Spawn. The first of the two books, ''[[Batman-Spawn: War Devil]]'' was written by [[Doug Moench]], [[Chuck Dixon]], and [[Alan Grant (writer)|Alan Grant]], drawn by [[Klaus Janson]], and published by DC.<ref>[http://www.comics.org/issue/54847/ ''Batman-Spawn:War Devil''] at the Grand Comics Database</ref><ref name=ManningP267>Manning (2010), p. 267: "Fans were also treated to a companion special entitled ''Batman-Spawn''...by writers Doug Moench, Chuck Dixon, and Alan Grant, and artist Klaus Janson."</ref> It was followed by ''[[Spawn/Batman]]'', which was written by Frank Miller and drawn by McFarlane.<ref name=ManningP267/> That year marked the point when McFarlane ceased to be the regular writer and artist of ''Spawn''. The first issue that he did not draw was issue 16, which was drawn by [[Greg Capullo]]. Aside from the four fill-in writers on issues #8–11, it was the first issue on which McFarlane was not the regular writer, as it was the first of a three-issue storyline written by [[Grant Morrison]]. Over the ensuing decades, he would hire other writers such as [[Brian Holguin]] and [[David Hine]], and artists such as [[Whilce Portacio]], [[Angel Medina (artist)|Angel Medina]], and [[Philip Tan]]. McFarlane occasionally offered story input and inked covers. He would sporadically return as the interior artist for intermittent issues, and for a few years wrote it under a [[pseudonym]] to generate interest in the book by fostering the illusion that new talent was being brought into the book's production.<ref name=Paste/><ref>Terror, Jude (March 3, 2017). [https://www.bleedingcool.com/2017/03/03/oh-snap-todd-mcfarlane-throws-stones-slow-artists-roof-glass-house-emerald-city-comic-con/ "Oh Snap! Todd McFarlane Throws Stones At "Slow" Artists From Roof Of Glass House At Emerald City Comic Con"]. [[Bleeding Cool]]. Retrieved January 17, 2018.</ref>

In 2006, McFarlane announced plans for ''[[Spawn/Batman]]'' with artist Greg Capullo, which McFarlane wrote and inked, and which paid tribute to Jack Kirby. He also began taking an active role in comics publishing again, publishing collections of his ''Spawn'' comics in [[trade paperback (comics)|trade paperback]] form. ''Spawn Collection'' Volume 1 collecting issues 1–12 minus issue 9 (due to royalty issues with Neil Gaiman) and 10 (due to a vow he made to Sim) was released in December 2005. The first volume achieved moderate success, ranking 17 in the top one hundred graphic novels, with pre-order sales of 3,227 for that period.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.icv2.com/articles/home/8068.html|title=Top 100 Graphic Novels Actual—December 2005|publisher=icv2.com|date=January 16, 2006}}</ref>

In 2008, McFarlane returned to co-plot the series with returning writer Brian Holguin, with issue 185. The book survived the [[comics speculator bubble's crash]], but its sales have fluctuated, never matching the sales figures of the 1990s. Though it continues publication, its appearance on the [[Diamond Top 300]] chart has been intermittent since the mid-2000s. Nonetheless, Shea Hennum of ''[[Paste (magazine)|Paste]]'' magazine has observed of the series, "It's a book that, for a time, people continued to buy because of the character instead of the creator. It has become as much of an institution as it is a comic.<ref name=Paste/>

''[[Haunt (comics)|Haunt]]'', an ongoing series co-created by McFarlane and [[Robert Kirkman]], was announced in 2007 and launched on October 7, 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dreadcentral.com/news/36459/robert-kirkman-and-todd-mcfarlane-want-haunt-you|title=New Teaser Trailer Eases on Down Munger Road|website=Dread Central|date=August 16, 2012|author=Barton, Steve}}</ref> The comic was initially written by Kirkman, penciled by [[Ryan Ottley]], and inked by McFarlane, with Greg Capullo providing layouts. McFarlane contributed pencils to some issues, and co-wrote issue 28, the series finale, with [[Joe Casey]], who took over writing duties from Kirkman.<ref>{{cite web|last=Wigler|first=Josh|url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=22223|title=CCI Exclusive: Kirkman and McFarlane on ''Haunt''|publisher=[[Comic Book Resources]]|date=July 25, 2009}}</ref>

In 2019, McFarlane wrote and drew ''Spawn'' #301, surpassing [[Dave Sim]]'s 300-issue series ''[[Cerebus]]'' as the longest-running [[creator-owned comics]] series.<ref>{{cite web|author=Lovett, Jamie|url=https://comicbook.com/comics/2019/06/18/spawn-301-todd-mcfarlane-writing-drawing-art-interview/|title=EXCLUSIVE: Todd McFarlane to Write and Draw in Spawn #301|publisher=[[ComicBook.com]]|date=June 18, 2019|access-date=September 30, 2019|archive-date=June 18, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190618191134/https://comicbook.com/comics/2019/06/18/spawn-301-todd-mcfarlane-writing-drawing-art-interview/}}</ref> The book, released on October 2 of that year,<ref>{{cite web|author=Quaintance, Zack|publisher=[[Comics Beat]]|title=Massive SPAWN #300 rushed back to print days after release|url=https://www.comicsbeat.com/massive-spawn-300-rushed-back-to-print-days-after-release/|date=September 5, 2019|access-date=September 30, 2019|archive-date=September 9, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190909014335/https://www.comicsbeat.com/massive-spawn-300-rushed-back-to-print-days-after-release/}}</ref> earned McFarlane a place in the [[Guinness World Records]], for which McFarlane was given a certificate on October 5, 2019 at the [[New York Comic Con]], prior to his panel, "The Road to Historic Spawn 300 and 301."<ref>{{cite web|author=Sheridan, Wade|publisher=[[UPI]]|title='Spawn' creator Todd McFarlane earns Guinness World Record|url=https://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/2019/09/30/Spawn-creator-Todd-McFarlane-earns-Guinness-World-Record/1611569859853/|date=September 30, 2019|access-date=September 30, 2019|archive-date=September 30, 2019|archive-url=https://archive.today/20190930172253/https://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/2019/09/30/Spawn-creator-Todd-McFarlane-earns-Guinness-World-Record/1611569859853/}}</ref><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}}</ref>
At [[San Diego Comic-Con]] 2022, it was announced that McFarlane would write a new Batman/Spawn crossover, with [[Greg Capullo]] as artist, and a release date of December 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schedeen |first=Jesse |date=2022-07-22 |title=Batman and Spawn Are Crossing Over Again - Comic-Con 2022 |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/batman-spawn-crossover-comic-todd-mcfarlane-grep-capullo |access-date=2022-08-08 |website=[[IGN]] |language=en}}</ref>