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Spawn (Single Issues) #10
Spawn #10
When Spawn tries to examine Angela's abandoned lance, it transports him into a realm beyond his wildest imaginings. While in this strange world, Spawn encounters imprisoned heroes, faces a mockery of Blind Justice in the form of the Violator, and glimpses a dreamlike scenario of happiness for him, Wanda and Cyan.
23 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 10, 1993
6 people are currently reading
41 people want to read
About the author
Dave Sim
1,034Ìýbooks136ÌýfollowersDavid Victor Sim is a Canadian comic book, artist and publisher, best known as the creator of Cerebus the Aardvark.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
May 2, 2024
(A-) 83% | Very Good
Notes: It's an allegory (not a story): Spawn and Todd are free, re: creator rights, while great insight, it's still too meta for me.
*Progress update
Notes: It's an allegory (not a story): Spawn and Todd are free, re: creator rights, while great insight, it's still too meta for me.
*Progress update
December 10, 2014
This is possibly one of the coolest things that I have ever read, hands down. The overlapping of comic book universes was perfect and it brought pure joy to my heart. I could read this over and over again and still love it just as much as the first time. Seriously, I loved this.
January 10, 2019
Not included in Spawn Origins, Volume 2, even though it could possibly be the quintessential issue.
July 19, 2021
There's a funny story behind how I found this one - I was scrolling on a site, I forget which, when I saw mention of this issue. Intrigued, I decided to read it, and left feeling somewhat floored (in a good way, that is).
First off, I'll mention a slight issue with the comic (pardon the pun). As a feminist, it's a bit hard to enjoy the issue knowing it was written by Dave Sim, who's a rather vocal critic of women's rights, but even if he did the writing, Todd McFarlane did the art - the art being what blows me away about the story and what truly brings it to life.
With that said, I won't spoil or recap the whole issue, so instead, I'll cut to the main reason I enjoy it so much. Wandering through the Seventh Layer of Hell, Spawn finds a dungeon full of imprisoned comic book characters, both good and evil - but all we see of them is their arms. It's enjoyable to identify all the characters, and what's particularly cleverly done is the cameo he includes by Superman; while he's obscured by shadows, the dialogue makes it clear who's being referred to, and in a way that doesn't infringe on copyright. Also effective about the scene is the line of hooded, rope-bound figures who watches helplessly; these are identified as the comic creators.
For how much I like this scene, there are also minus points about it. Do I agree that comic creators shouldn't be denied royalties? Absolutely, but the way it's portrayed - having the characters as literal prisoners of Hell - is a bit much. Likewise, one scene has Superman say "Doomsday," which appears to be the writers assuming he was only killed to make money; in actuality, there was more to it than that. Also of note is that the issue feels kind of hypocritical today knowing McFarlane Toys licensed many characters they didn't create, most recently DC Comics - not to mention all the legal battles McFarlane's been in over character ownership.
Nevertheless, the issue remains an enjoyable one, primarily for its art - the scene with the arms sticking out from the dungeon cell really sticks with the reader, long after they've seen it for the first time. Recommended.
Rating: 4 out of 5
First off, I'll mention a slight issue with the comic (pardon the pun). As a feminist, it's a bit hard to enjoy the issue knowing it was written by Dave Sim, who's a rather vocal critic of women's rights, but even if he did the writing, Todd McFarlane did the art - the art being what blows me away about the story and what truly brings it to life.
With that said, I won't spoil or recap the whole issue, so instead, I'll cut to the main reason I enjoy it so much. Wandering through the Seventh Layer of Hell, Spawn finds a dungeon full of imprisoned comic book characters, both good and evil - but all we see of them is their arms. It's enjoyable to identify all the characters, and what's particularly cleverly done is the cameo he includes by Superman; while he's obscured by shadows, the dialogue makes it clear who's being referred to, and in a way that doesn't infringe on copyright. Also effective about the scene is the line of hooded, rope-bound figures who watches helplessly; these are identified as the comic creators.
For how much I like this scene, there are also minus points about it. Do I agree that comic creators shouldn't be denied royalties? Absolutely, but the way it's portrayed - having the characters as literal prisoners of Hell - is a bit much. Likewise, one scene has Superman say "Doomsday," which appears to be the writers assuming he was only killed to make money; in actuality, there was more to it than that. Also of note is that the issue feels kind of hypocritical today knowing McFarlane Toys licensed many characters they didn't create, most recently DC Comics - not to mention all the legal battles McFarlane's been in over character ownership.
Nevertheless, the issue remains an enjoyable one, primarily for its art - the scene with the arms sticking out from the dungeon cell really sticks with the reader, long after they've seen it for the first time. Recommended.
Rating: 4 out of 5
January 2, 2024
This is the only issue of Spawn I have read. Despite that I'm going to assume it's the best of the bunch.
Dave Sim's does a comment on how lucky both McFarlane and Spawn are that that the former didn't have to sell him to a heartless publishing company.
Dave Sim's does a comment on how lucky both McFarlane and Spawn are that that the former didn't have to sell him to a heartless publishing company.
February 20, 2020
Trippy and awesome. Wish this would have been included in the Spawn Origins Trade Paperback series.
October 18, 2023
An issue of Spawn that has little to do with the monthly comic itself. Instead, it's about creators' rights and how creators give up those rights to work at the big two. McFarlane is doing his own thing here and can do whatever he wants good or bad in it. I do find it ironic that Neil Gaiman sued him over the rights to Angela. Spawn in this isn't really even Spawn but Todd himself. You meet the real life Wanda and Cyan, McFarlane's wife and first child. There's some really striking imaging in this with all of the big characters at Marvel and DC reaching out their arms from behind bars. This was also the period that the Death of Superman occurred which is also referenced. This is probably the best issue of Spawn ever written. It is not in any collections because Dave Sim refuses to allow it to be in one.
August 17, 2020
What an odd book... takes characters from all universes (Marvel, DC. others) and their creator and basically takes a dig at them (at least that's my interpretation).
Spawn wanders thru Hell, is guided "home" by Cerebus the Aardvark, and the story ends... very odd indeed.
Spawn wanders thru Hell, is guided "home" by Cerebus the Aardvark, and the story ends... very odd indeed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 8, 2025
I would argue if you’re looking to write comics, especially self published this is a must read. I’ve read a selection of Dave Sim’s work and a huge chunk of Todd McFarlane’s and this is something special, not just a crossover. Something bigger, better and with true meaning.
July 9, 2021
Good issue, was not in vol 2 of origins so bought it on Kindle so I wouldn't miss anything. The coolest part of the issue is the cross over with other heros. Pretty cool idea.
December 8, 2023
A completely unexpected sequence of events. I'm not familiar with Dave Sim but his style of writing greatly intrigues me as does his creation Cerebus.
October 14, 2024
Should I have started with volume one?
March 14, 2025
I…I think that was a masterpiece.
November 21, 2020
The issue is an interesting artefact of the comic book world in the 90's. It was published not long after the launch of Image comics and contains a story all about Dave Sim's views on creator-ownership, self publication and how they impact overall on a work of art.
If you're interested in these topics, or if you view the comic book medium as potentially being that of artistic expression, I would give this issue and read. It certainly provides food for thought if nothing else.
Spawn #10 is not necessary to read in order to get the wider characters continuity but it is worth checking out in its own right.
If you're interested in these topics, or if you view the comic book medium as potentially being that of artistic expression, I would give this issue and read. It certainly provides food for thought if nothing else.
Spawn #10 is not necessary to read in order to get the wider characters continuity but it is worth checking out in its own right.
March 6, 2023
I don't get this issue, I've never gotten this issue, I've read analysis on it, I just don't like it. I suspect Cerebus wouldn't be for me. This just annoyed me: it felt so unlike Spawn and like it was trying to talk down to me because of how intellectual it was trying to be although I felt it was just kinda pointless.
October 28, 2022
Unfortunately, this isn't inclused in the Spawn Origins Collection Vol.2. Was an interesting little side story with a very on the nose message of defiance, of McFarlane's unwillingness to ever sell the rights to Spawn like so many other creators had done in the past.
July 24, 2015
Why? Why didn't I buy the first volume? This is the best! This antihero is very interesting. I want this!!! I want more of Spawn and Cerebus!
May 15, 2020
well if this isn't a story about creator owned characters and the state of comics in the early 90s then I've misunderstood it entirely.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
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