CBR TV: McFarlane on "Spawn" Numbering, Al Simmons' Return & Image's Future

[CBR News]

Image Comics founder Todd McFarlane spoke with CBR TV at Comic-Con about the return of the original "Spawn" and the super hero movie bubble.


Full article here.

[dogwelder]

Archie comics, Betty and Veronica, and Sonic the Hedgehog are bigger numbered, Todd.

[DarkBeast]

Archie comics, Betty and Veronica, and Sonic the Hedgehog are bigger numbered, Todd.

And 2000 AD is higher numbered than all those series combined (it's nearly at #1900).

But somehow I think Todd was only talking about titles that sell over 10,000 copies on the direct market.

"Spawn" still does that. Barely.

I remember like 20 years ago when he said that he wanted Spawn to be like Cerebus; he would go to #300 and then stop. And it would be a kind of symbolic act because his big issue of Amazing Spider-Man was also #300. It's kind of pedantic at this point, but I guess he should still do that.

[Dark-Flux]

I dont think he said he'd stop. Just that he wouldnt stop until he broke Cerebus' record of longest running indie title.

[Daredevil is Legend]

Welcome back Simmons!! The most successful black guy to ever hold a series!!!

[KittenLord]

I thought it was Erik Larson who said he was going to do 301 issues of Savage Dragon just to piss off Sim.

[Raph84]

Really great interview, Jonah seems to always bring it in these. I have to say, I have a lot of respect for McFarlane. Dude 100% believes in himself and in Image which is kind of impressive. Hope it isn't some giant load.

[Erik Larsen]

I thought it was Erik Larson who said he was going to do 301 issues of Savage Dragon just to piss off Sim.

I don't think either of us (Todd or me) have any intention of stopping. And really--doing something to piss off Sim would be petty. And why would he care? He wanted to tell a story over 300 issues--he did that--why would he care if somebody wanted to tell a 301 issue story--or a 500 issue one?

[Michael24]

Really great interview, Jonah seems to always bring it in these. I have to say, I have a lot of respect for McFarlane. Dude 100% believes in himself and in Image which is kind of impressive. Hope it isn't some giant load.

Yeah, I always look forward to Jonah's interview, and any Todd McFarlane interview. I could seriously just listen to him talk for hours. I've always admired his enthusiasm and passion, and he always has great things to discuss on a variety of topics. I hope Jonah is able to eventually do that exclusive one-hour McFarlane interview he teased at the end.

[Deviancy]

"McFarlane then fired up a projector and quickly ran through some slides. “Spawn” #200 is coming up. It will be the second time an independent book has made it to 200, he said, the first being “Cerebus.” He hopes to make it to at least issue #301, just to beat “Cerebus” creator Dave Sim."

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?i...6&page=article

However, he was merely being sarcastic or competitive in my opinion. Sim was one of the few who pretty much was on Todd's side during the Gaiman debacle.

[Raph84]

Yeah, I always look forward to Jonah's interview, and any Todd McFarlane interview. I could seriously just listen to him talk for hours. I've always admired his enthusiasm and passion, and he always has great things to discuss on a variety of topics. I hope Jonah is able to eventually do that exclusive one-hour McFarlane interview he teased at the end.

I think I would enjoy an hour long interview, they always seem to have a charisma. Let's hope it happens.

[SilverZeal]

On what he has planned the return of Al Simmons:

From the day Al Simmons' character left [fans] have been screaming to bring him back. I wanted there to be enough breadth of it and it's been five years. So it wasn't like eight issues like some people do and bring him back. The single biggest change that's gonna happen is for 185 issues the Al Simmons character said, "Just leave me alone. Let me do my thing." And now he's sort of matured and he's gonna be wiser, like we all are. Al's gonna come back and he's gonna be the aggressor, and they're gonna actually say, "Al, why don't you start leaving us alone. So he's gonna turn the wheels on them and go, "This is what it felt like for 180 issues, you guys just relentlessly coming after me. I'm coming after you now. Oh, by the way, I've got you off your A-game because you guys have been distracted by this other guy and you're not even paying attention to what's going on, and it's advantage me." That's the starting point.

SOLD!!!!

We/SZ were supa-cautious b4 but not now...cant waaait!!!!!