Spawn is more popular than he has been in years, with new books launching that greatly expand his universe and reach. For the first time since the '90s, the name of Al Simmons is constantly on the tongues of superhero fans and comic book readers. As his fans know, however, Simmons isn't the only one to have been a Hellspawn.
Jim Downing appeared briefly in the earliest issues of Spawn, but he later returned to a much more prominent role in the series following Al Simmons' seeming disappearance. As a Spawn, Jim would sport a set of angelic wings and a backstory even more confusing and convoluted than Al's. Here's what happened to the series' second star and what he's been up to since.
Spawn's Patient 47
Jim Downing would "officially" debut in Spawn #185, awakening in a hospital bed after the second death of Al Simmons, who had theretofore been the current Spawn. Jim was simply referred to as "Patient 47" in the hospital, with no one, including himself, having any knowledge of who he was or where he came from. His awakening from his coma also triggered several other events, such as the suicide of an upstate New York lawyer.
Others, such as the superpowered being The Extractor, also sought out Downing for their own ends, though Downing quickly fended them off with his own mysterious powers. It was revealed that Downing was the new Hellspawn, with the mantle having switched to him following Simmons' death. Simmons himself would reach out to and speak with Downing, stating that Downing's soul was one of several contained in Spawn's being before he killed himself. With his death, this Legion of Lost Souls was released and Downing finally reunited with his physical body. Simmons also informed him that when he first tried to take on a human appearance again in the 3rd issue of the Image comic book, it was Downing's body that he appeared in.
Downing developed a litany of incredibly Hellspawn powers, namely healing, which he used on several occasions during his travels. Old foes such as The Violator and Malebolgia vied for control of this new Spawn, who was seemingly removed from some of the constraints of his predecessors. This had Violator convincing Jim that he and the Clown were separate, with Clown actually mentoring him.
The New Spawn
Jim found himself soon becoming a celebrity, achieving notoriety that Al Simmons never had as a Spawn. His healing powers made some consider him the second coming of Jesus Christ, though just as many questioned his presence, with some even trying to assassinate him. Capitalizing on this, Jim forced the vampire Bludd to fund his new campaign of heroism, hoping to master his powers and use them to help others. He also earned the begrudging aid of Violator, having brutally fought the demon after learning that he and Clown were one and the same.
This fame allowed Jim to finally find out the truth behind his origins. He was once a married man named Kramer who was part of a genetic experiment funded by Jason Wynn. Other villains such as Tremor were also a part of this experiment, which sought to give humans superhuman abilities. This wasn't all, however, as before this, he had also been an angel who attempted to kill God. Upon rediscovering this, the K7-Leetha living symbiote suit on Jim made its own aims clear, hoping to get revenge on both Malebolgia and God himself. This would jumpstart a growing feud between Jim and his own suit, which ended with Downing being sucked into the ground in the book's 250th issue.
Jim would later be recovered and begin his own crusade anew, still retaining magical powers such as healing from his time as a Hellspawn. His actions, such as healing Cy-Gor and Overtkill, would infuriate Al Simmons, who had returned to the role of Spawn. Since then, Jim's refused Al's requests to join his side, leaving his current path and ambitions not quite certain.