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The horror superhero Spawn was originally blue and from space because Todd McFarlane was influenced by Star Wars

A Spawn from a galaxy far, far away? It’s more likely than you’d think

An image of Spawn from Image Comics
Image credit: Image Comics

Today, Spawn is one of the most distinctive-looking comic book characters. He wears a cape that’s alive, for goodness’ sake. And if you’ve ever heard his creator, Todd McFarlane, talk about him, you’d know just how much Todd loves Spawn. The two go way back. 

Back to when McFarlane was 16, to be exact. At his spotlight panel at WonderCon, Todd McFarlane showed the audience a drawing that the had done when he first created Spawn as a teenager. The character looks similar to his later Image Comics incarnation, except for the fact that his costume is a cobalt blue. McFarlane explains, “He was blue… because Star Wars was out. I was 16, it was 1977, right? Star Wars was the thing… And I go, ‘He’s going to be a guy and he’s going to be in space,’ which is where I got that little pink alien guy from.” 

The “pink alien guy” named “Sal Lami” was featured in a page that teenage McFarlane had drawn of Spawn. And while we all know Spawn today as a guy who frequents Hell, I’m intrigued as to what a cosmic Spawn story would look like. If we can get Gunslinger Spawn, why not space Spawn? The ball is in your court, Mr. McFarlane. 


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Jules Chin Greene

Jules Chin Greene: Jules Chin Greene is a journalist and Jack Kirby enthusiast. He has written about comics, video games, movies, and television for sites such as Nerdist, AIPT, Multiverse of Color, and Screen Rant.

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