Ever since he first graced the pages of his eponymous comic book in the early 1990s, Spawn has been a defining figure not only for Image Comics but independent comic books in general. This success catapulted the character into being used in a variety of different media, including an HBO animated series, a movie and several action figures. There were also spinoff comics, such as Hellspawn, Curse of the Spawn, Sam and Twitch and Violator.
Toward the late ‘90s, though, the character would reach the peak of his popularity, resulting in another new adaptation of the franchise in the form of a manga. Using a slightly similar premise to the American comic book, Shadows of Spawn by Juzo Tokoro placed a new hellspawn into the underworld of Japanese mobsters and demons.
UNDERWORLD UNLEASHED
Though his manga costume is essentially the same, the Spawn in Shadows of Spawn isn’t Al Simmons. Instead, he’s Ken Kurosawa, a Japanese-American gangster who’s gained a reputation on the streets for his violent ways. As merciless as he seems to his victims, he embarks on this life to provide for his sickly sister Mariko. Unfortunately, Ken is eventually killed by clients, before returning to the mortal plane seven years later. Though the American comic’s continuity explained that new Hellspawn arrived every 1,000 years, the manga suggests that its events coincide chronologically with Al Simmons becoming Spawn. Unaware of who he is or why he came back, Ken bumbles through the streets as he is guided by both a fairy named Beelzebub and the infamous Clown/Violator.
Similar to Al’s clinging to churches and other ironically religious symbology, Ken begins to hang out inside of an abandoned church. Operating in California, he’s also conveniently on the opposite coast of Al Simmons, who lived in New York. Still piecing together who exactly he is, he eventually finds out that his sister has now begun to become a star in Hollywood. Living now simply to protect her, he keeps her safe from a myriad of monsters and demons that begin attacking her. Ironically, she believes him to be a murderer, adding a fitting bit of tragedy to the undead avenger.
SHRUNKEN SHADOW
Numerous paranormal foes appear on the West Coast, many of whom target Mariko for one reason or another. One particular enemy is a new version of Spawn’s familiar foe Tremor, while another, the Spawn-hunting angel Mikaela, is very similar to the existing characters of Tiffany and Angela. Ken also encounters former Spawns, who display varying degrees of benevolence. Cheveyo, a maskless version who wars against Malebolgia and the denizens of Hell, acts as a mentor figure, similar to Cogliostro. Likewise, Caleb, who despite the name is a female pirate Spawn, feeds off of necroplasm like a vampire, attacking both Ken and Cheveyo.
Ken would eventually learn more of the coming apocalyptic war to be fought on Earth between Heaven and Hell and sought to protect his old loved ones from being caught in the crossfire. This leads to a series of seeming murders, as people in Mariko’s life are killed by the mysterious caped monster. This is the result of Ken killing demons who were themselves targeting Mariko, such as her professor. Sensing that his forwardness was frightening his sister as much as it was keeping her safe, and knowing that stopping Malebolgia could result in his own destruction, Spawn relegated the task of protecting her to her friend. In this respect, Ken’s Spawn is far more direct than the meandering brooding of Al Simmons, and he also seemed to lack an early Spawn weakness. The original comics suggested that when his dwindling necroplasmic power was used up, Al Simmons would die permanently. Ken’s situation, on the other hand, suggested that he would simply come back, but even more under the control of Malebolgia.
Unfortunately, Shadows of Spawn wouldn’t continue past Ken’s resigning himself to his new fate. The series, which ran in Dengeki Comic Gao!, was canceled after three volumes. With the current renewed interest in the property, however, it’s possible that McFarlane could finally return to the story of the Japanese Hellspawn.