In 1992, after leaving Marvel, Todd McFarlane and other high-profile illustrators launched Image Comics – you know the story… It was a gamble, to say the least, but it paid big. This success didn’t take long to come as the first issues published were smashing hits. Spawn was no exception. In fact, it was the most consistent one because of McFarlane, and that stayed that way.
In fact, in 2020, Spawn reached issue #300, a rare feat for an independently published comic. Now, there’s even a Spawn Universe with new spin-offs to expand the world of Spawn like never before.
Here is the story: Murdered during a mission in Botswana by fellow mercenary Bruce Stinson (aka Chapel), Al Simmons was sent to Hell because of his life as an assassin. There, he made a deal with the being known as Malebolgia to become a Hellspawn in exchange for being allowed to see his wife Wanda Blake one last time. He is now back in town, but five years have passed, and, off-balance and disoriented, Simmons quickly realizes that he couldn’t pick up things where he left them. As Spawn, he becomes some kind of hero in order to find a new purpose in life.
Spawn Reading Order:
The New Spawn Compendium Edition
Let’s start with the last collection, the Compendiums, which are huge volumes collecting every issue of the main Spawn series in order. Those big books are affordable, easily accessible, and even collect some issues that were unavailable for so long (due to legal conflicts).
- Spawn Compendium Vol. 1
Collects Spawn #1-50. - Spawn Compendium Vol. 2
Collects Spawn #51-100. - Spawn Compendium Vol. 3
Collects Spawn #101-150. - Spawn Compendium Vol. 4
Collects Spawn #151-200. - Spawn Compendium Vol. 5
Collects Spawn #201-250. - Spawn Compendium Vol. 6
Collects Spawn #251-300.
The “Spawn Origins Collection” was launched in 2009, it’s a line of TPB reprints (with new cover art by Greg Capullo). After 20 volumes, the collection was stopped in 2014 but restarted in 2022.
“Curse of the Spawn” is a spin-off exploring the life of the previous Hellspawns and other supporting characters. All is not collected yet (all the issues are nevertheless available here) and the stories were not published in chronological order.
- Spawn Origins Collection Volume 1
Collects Spawn #1-6. - Spawn Origins Collection Volume 2
Collects Spawn #7–9, 11–14. (#10 is the Dave Sim issue and is now only collected in the Compendium)- After #7: Curse of the Spawn #23-24.
- Spawn Origins Collection Volume 3
Collects Spawn #15-20.- Spawn/Batman (one-shot)
- Spawn Origins Collection Volume 4
Collects Spawn #21-26.- The “Violator” miniseries (3 issues) written by Alan Moore takes place during Spawn #21-24.
- After #23, Youngblood #7.
- Spawn, Fan Edition (3 issues) – to read directly after Violator.
- Spawn Origins Collection Volume 5
Collects Spawn #27-32.- The “Angela” miniseries (3 issues) takes place between Spawn #28 and 29.
- Spawn Origins Collection Volume 6
Collects Spawn #33-38.- Spawn: Blood Feud (4 issues) written by Alan Moore takes place after Spawn #34.
- Violator vs. Badrock (3 issues)
- Spawn Origins Collection Volume 7
Collects Spawn #39-44.- After #39, multiple crossover miniseries take place:
- Spawn/WildC.A.T.s: Devil Day (4 issues)
- Medieval Spawn/Witchblade (3 issues)
- Medieval Spawn and Witchblade (4 issues)
- Spawn Origins Collection Volume 8
Collects Spawn #45-50. - Spawn Origins Collection Volume 9
Collects Spawn #51-56.- After #52, the story continues in Savage Dragon #30 (optional)
- Read between #50-54, Spawn the Impaler (3 issues). Mostly non-canon now.
- Spawn Origins Collection Volume 10
Collects Spawn #57-62.- After #61, you can read the Cy-Gor miniseries (6 issues).
- After #61: Curse of the Spawn #5-10, after #62: Curse of the Spawn #11.
- Shattered Image (4-issue crossover miniseries)
- Spawn Origins Collection Volume 11
Collects Spawn #63-68.- Spawn Movie Adaptation
- After #66: Curse of the Spawn #12-19, then Curse of the Spawn #1-4.
- Spawn: Blood & Salvation #1 (1999)
- Spawn Origins Collection Volume 12
Collects Spawn #69-74. - Spawn Origins Collection Volume 13
Collects Spawn #75-80. - Spawn Origins Collection Volume 14
Collects Spawn #81-86. - Spawn Origins Collection Volume 15
Collects Spawn #87-92.- After #87: Curse of the Spawn #22-29
- After #87: Sam and Twitch Origins Book 1
- Between #87 & 88: Spawn, The Undead (9 issues)
- Curse of the Spawn #20-21
- Spawn: The Dark Ages #1-8 (available in Spawn: The Dark Ages: The Complete Collection)
- Spawn Origins Collection Volume 16
Collects Spawn #93-98. - Spawn Origins Collection Volume 17
Collects Spawn #99-104.- After #101: Sam and Twitch: The Complete Collection Book 2
- After #101: Spawn: The Dark Ages #9-14 (available in Spawn: The Dark Ages: The Complete Collection)
- Spawn Origins Collection Volume 18
Collects Spawn #105-110.- After #106: Hellspawn (16 issues)
- After #106: Spawn: The Dark Ages #15-28 (available in Spawn: The Dark Ages: The Complete Collection)
- Spawn Origins Collection Volume 19
Collects Spawn #111-116. - Spawn Origins Collection Volume 20
Collects Spawn #117-122.
- Spawn Origins Collection Volume 21
Collects Spawn #123-128. - Spawn Origins Collection Volume 22
Collects Spawn #129-134.- After Spawn #131: Spawn: Architects of Fear (One-Shot)
- Spawn Origins Collection Volume 23
Collects Spawn #135-140. - Spawn: Origins Collection Vol. 24
Collects Spawn #111-146- Between Spawn #144 & #145: Case Files, Sam and Twitch #1-25 (not collected).
- Spawn: Origins Collection Vol. 25
Collects Spawn #147-153 - Spawn: Origins Collection Vol. 26
Collects Spawn #154-160 - Spawn: Origins Collection Vol. 27
Collects Spawn #161-166 - Spawn: Origins Collection Vol. 28
Collects Spawn #167-172 - Spawn: Origins Collection Vol. 29
Collects Spawn #173-178 - #179-184: Not collected yet
- Spawn: Endgame
Collects Spawn #185-196.- #197-200: Not collected yet1
- Sam and Twitch: The Writer
- Haunt, Volume 1
- Spawn: New Beginnings Vol. 1
Collects Spawn #201-206. - Spawn: New Beginnings Vol. 2
Collects Spawn #207-212. - Spawn #213-219: Not collected yet
- Spawn #220-228: Not collected yet
- Spawn #229-250: Not collected yet
- Spawn: Resurrection
Collects Spawn: Resurrection #1 & Spawn #251-255. - Spawn: Satan Saga Wars
Collects Spawn #256-262. - Spawn: Hell On Earth
Collects Spawn #263-275.- Ant Vol. 1: Reality Bites (Spawn #265 takes place between Ant #2 & #3, Spawn #266 between Ant #4 & Savage Dragon #217)
- Spawn: Dark Horror
Collects Spawn #276-283. - Spawn: Enemy of The State
Collects Spawn #284-290. - Spawn: Vengeance
Collects Spawn #291-297 - Spawn: The Record-breaker
Collects Spawn #298-301 - Spawn: Aftermath
Collects Spawn #301-307 - Spawn: Omega
Collects Spawn #308-314 - Spawn: Shadows
Collects Spawn #316-323
The Spawn Universe
Spawn #318 leads right into Spawn’s Universe #1 which launched the Spawn Universe. The world of Spawn changes forever! New heroes. New villains, and more importantly, new titles.
- Spawn’s Universe Collection
Collects Spawn’s Universe #1 along with extra stories from Gunslinger Spawn #1 and Scorched #1. - Gunslinger Spawn Vol. 1
Collects Gunslinger Spawn #1-6. - King Spawn Vol. 1
Collects King Spawn #1-6. - Gunslinger Spawn Vol. 2
Collects Gunslinger Spawn #7-12 - The Scorched Vol. 1
Collects The Scorched #1-6. - Spawn: Bad Business
Collects Spawn #324-330 - King Spawn Vol. 2
Collects King Spawn #7-12. - The Scorched Vol. 2
Collects The Scorched #7-12. - Spawn #331-336 (not collected yet)
- Batman Spawn
- Spawn: Unwanted Violence
Collects Spawn: Unwanted Violence #1-12. - King Spawn Vol. 3
Collects King Spawn #13-18. - Gunslinger Spawn Volume 3
Collects Gunslinger Spawn #13-18 - Spawn #337-343 (not collected yet)
- The Scorched Vol. 3
Collects The Scorched #13-18. - King Spawn Vol. 4
Collects King Spawn #19-24. - Gunslinger Spawn Volume 4
Collects Gunslinger Spawn #19-24 - The Scorched Vol. 4
Collects The Scorched #19-26. - Spawn #344-347 (not collected yet)
- King Spawn Vol. 5
Collects King Spawn #25-30.
More to Come!!!