By T.W. Worn — We all know the image of the cowboy. The leather studded hero of the western frontier.  Working the ranch during the day, spilling blood and whiskey in the saloon at night. The Cowboy is so prominent within American culture, we have sports teams, hamburgers, and sex positions named after the heroes of old. I would be willing to argue that the only thing more American than the Cowboy, is Jazz. And just like jazz, Gunslinger Spawn #1 is a hard Vibe to swallow, even when you consider yourself a fan.

Gunslinger Spawn #1 is the first installment of the new title set within the Spawn Universe, written by Todd McFarlane (SPAWN/KING SPAWN,) but unlike King Spawn (which I have reviewed previously) Gunslinger Spawn #1 feels like a step back in the over-all Spawn Universe. Where King Spawn is taking steps towards a new future in the universe, Gunslinger Spawn #1 feels like the retreading of old ground, but this time we get a six-shooter and a cowboy hat. The Gunslinger we met back in the earlier days of Spawn felt much more dynamic then the Gunslinger we see today. And while I understand this is the first issue, not much is shown to us to keep us interested in why Gunslinger Spawn has shown up in the modern day. The most interesting portion of the comic was one of the later stories written by Ales Kot (LOST SOLDIERS/MATERIAL) which takes place 200 years ago and doesn't seem to pertain to the rest of the story. As a fan of almost everything Spawn, the story in GUNSLINGER SPAWN #1 starts off with a slow crawl. 

The stand-out of this issue is the artwork by Brett Booth (TEEN TITANS/BACKLASH.) Booth brings a liveliness to an otherwise stagnant comic. The characters that exist around Gunslinger Spawn are filled with a life that contrasts against the dark void that is the Gunslinger. Throughout the entire comic, you can understand the emotions of all the characters. On top of that, the additional number of artists also bring a moodiness to the character of Gunslinger Spawn, as well as the sleepiness of the town he finds himself in. 

The colors by Andrew Dalhouse (GRIFTER/BLOODSHOT) blend well with Booth's art, giving us surprising lively tones that contrast against the subject matter quiet well. Dalhouse takes the traditional Spawn color palette and males something unique to this title. From a technical standpoint, all of the colorists and artists are what made Gunslinger Spawn worth reading. The lettering of Tom Orzechowski (UNCANNY X-MEN/ SPAWN) is the lettering you have come to know and love throughout the run of the main Spawn series, and was a lovely addition of familiarity to the new series. 

While there are a lot of things I enjoyed about this comic, it doesn't make up for the title as a whole. So while cowboys and jazz may be in our hearts forever, Gunslinger Spawn #1 seems unlikely to join the list. 

Overall: Gunslinger Spawn #1 is an underwhelming addition to the overall Spawn Universe, so fans, and new readers alike, may find this first issue to be more sluggish than a typical Spawn book. 6 /10

REVIEW: Gunslinger Spawn #1

Gunslinger Spawn #1
Writer: Todd McFarlane
Additional Writer: Ales Kot
Artist: Brett Booth
Additional Artists: Thomas Nachlik Of Magnus Arts, Philip Tan, Kevin Keane
Inkers: Adelso Corona, Daniel Henriques
Colorist: Andrew Dalhouse
Additional Colorists: Nikos Koutsis, Marcello Iozzoli, Marcelo Maiolo, FCO Plascencia
Letterer: Tom Orzechowski
Publisher: Image Comics 
Introducing the launch of the second new monthly title spinning out of the SPAWN UNIVERSE, with one of the most popular characters in the entire SPAWN mythology! This book contains three separate GUNSLINGER stories, each taking a look at his journey through time—from the wild, wild west to the 21st century. Will his 200-year-old past come back to haunt him as he navigates the strange world of 2021? Get ready for the past and present to collide in this new ongoing title!
Release Date: October 20, 2021
Price: $5.99
Buy It Here: Gunslinger Spawn #1

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'm T.W. Worn (@twworn) and yeehaa.