Spawn #339 (March 2023) by Rory McConville & Carlo Barberi

The flagship Spawn comic has been consistently good for a while now. Writer Rory McConville has pulled me in and I’m enjoying the exploration of Heaven and Hell in this current story arc. Barberi’s art is really good. I like his fantasy-esque style when he draws the scenes set in Heaven and Hell. I wish this title was getting a bit more coverage. It’s hard to find reviews of Spawn comics on the internet at the moment. ComicBook Round Up has stopped showing reviews for most of the four current Spawn titles. I’m not sure why because as far as I know the sales have been good, especially for Gunslinger Spawn and King Spawn.

Story Summary

The issue opens with more detail on what the Dead Zones are. We are told that both Heaven and Hell were using them to move their minions around Earth. That was until just over a year ago when Spawn sealed them all. After Nyx invaded Spawn’s mind, she gained access to half the Dead Zones. How long can Spawn keep control of the rest?

Haunt is worried that Spawn isn’t going to show. He needs the antidote to the poison in his suit which is slowly killing him. He’s wondering if he’d have been better off with Nyx and Downing when Spawn appears.

“Don’t be a Fool! Nyx would never give you access to a Dead Zone!”

Spawn tells Haunt there’s a Dead Zone close by and they are going to use it to get to Heaven. Haunt wants the antidote but Spawn seems more concerned with retrieving a weapon that can drain Necroplasm, the energy that powers Hellspawn! Haunt isn’t happy but it seems he has no choice as Spawn opens a Portal.

We switch scenes to Hell and catch up with SINN and Cadiclus. They have just crossed into the 8th Realm. I really like this fantasy style art Carlo Barberi uses to depict the different Realms of Hell. Ramos and Nunes’s colours help seal the deal.

Cadiclus tells Sinn that this is where his ancestors come from. We get some backstory about the demon’s mother and then they arrive at the Tower of Wrath. It is the dwelling of Lord Barbatos and they are challenged by two Tower Guards. Cadiclus informs them that Cogliostro has returned and demands an audience with Lord Barbatos. One of the guards quickly regrets his words of challenge as Cadiclus buries a dagger into his chest.

Spawn and Haunt emerge out of the darkness, Haunt asking what Spawn will do to Nyx and Downing. “You’re not going to allow them to keep control of the Dead Zones are you?” I love the art and limited colouring on this page. You really get the feeling that they are in another world or realm. What is the darkness hiding?

Haunt is concerned about what being there in Heaven may do to him. Will he become trapped there? “If you want to survive this, then abandon everything you think you know about Heaven. They’ve been conning you all from the start!”

Then on the next page we meet the intimidating “SANDALPHON: First Herald of the Magisterium.” He is the lone survivor of ten warrior beings who were trapped in this “Black Void between dimensions” after Spawn sealed the Dead Zones. We can only imagine what he did to survive!

Okay, I will end my story summary here.

SCORE: 7.5 out of 10

My video review of Spawn #339

Thanks so much for reading!

-Wakizashi, *very happy to see the early signs of sakura and plum blossom*

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