Spawn vs Scorpion
The cover is obviously inspired by Spawn vs Batman. But instead of Batman, this original (unlicensed) work features Scorpion, a game character from Mortal Kombat.
This work has occassionally been claimed as sprite comics, a sub-culture of webcomics where characters are taken from a computer game and turn into a graphic medium. The only problem is that Spawn vs Scorpion is technically very different from a sprite comics, it features instead original art work.
To learn more about sprite comics, check out the following teaching site.
The comics presents Spawn and his mentor Cogliostro with two characters from Mortal Kombat: Scorpion and Quan Chi. The former has a fate similar to Spawn, he was killed during a mission and given a reprieve from death...only to discover upon his return to Earth that his soul mate has been killed. Naturally, that only meant vengeance and more bloodshed.
The bad guy here is Quan Chi, another game character. More likely than not, many of you have been pronouncing his name incorrectly. The spelling is derived from hanyu pinyin, a romanisation system of Chinese pronunciation. In the wade-gides romanisation system however, Quan would be spelled as Ch'uan. Bet many would still mispronounce it but I reckon that Ch'uan sounds truer as compared to Quan. I studied hanyu pinyin and am all for hanyu pinyin but romanisation systems are not exactly intuitive, so take time out to check this instantspeakchinese.
And since it is a "versus" kind of book, there is the obligatory battle between Spawn and Scorpion with the latter scoring the 'W'.
The entire book can be viewed in Midwood site hosted by geocities. Note that this is originally written in Japanese so if you find chuckles aplenty in the translated version, "credit" it to the translation software tool.
Radioactive Man #1000
Acknowledgement
First, let's start with the acknowledgement. This post is a copy from a 1994 post by Marc Singer, see his copy at the newsgroups enjolrasworld.com where besides Image, he goes into researching on Marvel. What I did is that I scanned and added in the images plus some comments in italics. I also leave out those comments not related to Image Universe.
Introduction
RADIOACTIVE MAN is a six-part limited series published in 1994. However, the comic RADIOACTIVE MAN, which was first introduced on the TV show "The Simpsons," has supposedly been printed continuously since the 1950s. The current series is maintaining that facade, by printing the issues as if they were written over a forty-year span. By issue #1000, they've caught up to the present day, and they provide a frighteningly accurate satire on modern comics. In these annotations, I use the fictional numbering of the issues themselves. The second issue is called #88, the third is called #216, the fourth #412, and the fifth #679. RADIOACTIVE MAN #1000, "Jan. 1995".
Steve Vance: Story and layouts
Bill Morrison: Inks
Cindy Vance: Colors
Mike Sakamoto: Vancoptics
Matt Groening: Wasted a half-hour on Conan O'Brien hawking his new books
AND HERE WE GO...
Cover: Radioactive Man is tripping over his own cape, which is drawn super-long in the style of Image artist Todd McFarlane.
Inside front cover: Rather than putting its credits on the opening or splash pages, Image puts them on the inside front cover, often with layouts similar to this one. The title of this issue "in his own IMAGE" is an obvious reference to Image Comics, the financially-successful 90s comics group whose style and formation are skewered in this issue.
Page 5, panel 1: I have a feeling these two are parodies of somebody, but I haven't the slightest idea who. Some Image character's supporting cast? Anyone? Residents of Spawndom knew only too well its Sam & Twitch - david -.
Page 6: "Prawn" is an obvious poke at SPAWN, Todd McFarlane's Image character (who also lives in an alley with a bunch of homeless people). However, he's obviously an overly-mutated Dr. Crab, Radioactive Man's archenemy who we last saw in issue #412. Additionally, some of the word balloons have unconventional shapes or lettering. This is a pretty modern trend, and one Image uses a lot.
Page 8 : Apparently, these two guys are police department liasons. If I had to make a guess, I'd say they parody two cop characters from Spawn (just because it's mostly Spawn and McFarlane who take it on the chin this issue). Again, Sam and Twtich - david -
Page 8 panel 4: "that fake-eyelash magnate": A reference to Revlon's purchase of Marvel Comics. Marvel has recently become more interested in making profits rather than quality products (if you think that's just my subjective opinion, try reading EXCALIBUR... if you dare!), and similarly the new boss wants to make money off RM and the Superior Squad. And at the bottom "your *image*', another unsubtle allusion to Image Comics.
Page 8 panel 5: Most new heroes, including Image ones, aren't "nice guys" like RM. They fall more into the "mean and nasty" school.
Page 9: McFarlane likes to draw huge capes for his characters. Also, check out the way RM can't fit his big McFarlane cape inside his suit.
Page 10, panel 3: Proof that the backwards-cap thing really does make people look like idiots. (Okay, so Claude was an idiot before.)
Notice the cap says "treme"; the whole word is probably "Extreme," the name of Image founder Rob Liefeld's studio.
Page 11, panel 2: RM notices the speed lines that are omnipresent in the works of all the Image artists and imitators. Another joke about super-hero conventions, "the abandoned warehouse district" seems to be where every super-battle takes place. A side note: unless RM's into film noir (doubtful), I'd be willing to bet that the Fred McMurray movie he wants to see is one of the "Flubber" movies.
Page 11 panel 3: The "McFar Lanes" bowling alley is a reference to Todd McFarlane. But we've seen it before! It was called "Finger's House of Giant Props" in issue #1, and "Kirbyco Giant Equipment Rental" in #88. Now it's changed once again, showing the shift from DC to Marvel to Image. And RM and Dr. Crab had their very first battle here, back in RM #1.
Page 12, panel 1: The new RM is done "Image style," with bulging muscles, bad attitude, spiky costume, the works. He's even got an extra spike on top of his lightning bolt!
panel 2: Bleeding Heart's and the others' departure from the Superior Squad to form a "Hero-Owned Super-Team" mimics the original Image founders' departure from Marvel to form a creator-owned comics company. BH's name change to Bloody Heart refers to the "Extreme" violence of most Image titles.
Page 14: The growing "doom Doom DOOM" sound effects were used in the first story arc of the adjectiveless SPIDER-MAN comic, which was done by, you guessed it, Todd McFarlane. That's the drum beat accompanying The Lizard. It is quite a feature in the first issue of Spider-Man. To see exactly how many, check out Doom Doom Doom in the Addendum page.
First, let's start with the acknowledgement. This post is a copy from a 1994 post by Marc Singer, see his copy at the newsgroups enjolrasworld.com where besides Image, he goes into researching on Marvel. What I did is that I scanned and added in the images plus some comments in italics. I also leave out those comments not related to Image Universe.
Introduction
RADIOACTIVE MAN is a six-part limited series published in 1994. However, the comic RADIOACTIVE MAN, which was first introduced on the TV show "The Simpsons," has supposedly been printed continuously since the 1950s. The current series is maintaining that facade, by printing the issues as if they were written over a forty-year span. By issue #1000, they've caught up to the present day, and they provide a frighteningly accurate satire on modern comics. In these annotations, I use the fictional numbering of the issues themselves. The second issue is called #88, the third is called #216, the fourth #412, and the fifth #679. RADIOACTIVE MAN #1000, "Jan. 1995".
Steve Vance: Story and layouts
Bill Morrison: Inks
Cindy Vance: Colors
Mike Sakamoto: Vancoptics
Matt Groening: Wasted a half-hour on Conan O'Brien hawking his new books
AND HERE WE GO...
Cover: Radioactive Man is tripping over his own cape, which is drawn super-long in the style of Image artist Todd McFarlane.
Inside front cover: Rather than putting its credits on the opening or splash pages, Image puts them on the inside front cover, often with layouts similar to this one. The title of this issue "in his own IMAGE" is an obvious reference to Image Comics, the financially-successful 90s comics group whose style and formation are skewered in this issue.
Page 5, panel 1: I have a feeling these two are parodies of somebody, but I haven't the slightest idea who. Some Image character's supporting cast? Anyone? Residents of Spawndom knew only too well its Sam & Twitch - david -.
Page 6: "Prawn" is an obvious poke at SPAWN, Todd McFarlane's Image character (who also lives in an alley with a bunch of homeless people). However, he's obviously an overly-mutated Dr. Crab, Radioactive Man's archenemy who we last saw in issue #412. Additionally, some of the word balloons have unconventional shapes or lettering. This is a pretty modern trend, and one Image uses a lot.
Page 8 : Apparently, these two guys are police department liasons. If I had to make a guess, I'd say they parody two cop characters from Spawn (just because it's mostly Spawn and McFarlane who take it on the chin this issue). Again, Sam and Twtich - david -
Page 8 panel 4: "that fake-eyelash magnate": A reference to Revlon's purchase of Marvel Comics. Marvel has recently become more interested in making profits rather than quality products (if you think that's just my subjective opinion, try reading EXCALIBUR... if you dare!), and similarly the new boss wants to make money off RM and the Superior Squad. And at the bottom "your *image*', another unsubtle allusion to Image Comics.
Page 8 panel 5: Most new heroes, including Image ones, aren't "nice guys" like RM. They fall more into the "mean and nasty" school.
Page 9: McFarlane likes to draw huge capes for his characters. Also, check out the way RM can't fit his big McFarlane cape inside his suit.
Page 10, panel 3: Proof that the backwards-cap thing really does make people look like idiots. (Okay, so Claude was an idiot before.)
Notice the cap says "treme"; the whole word is probably "Extreme," the name of Image founder Rob Liefeld's studio.
Page 11, panel 2: RM notices the speed lines that are omnipresent in the works of all the Image artists and imitators. Another joke about super-hero conventions, "the abandoned warehouse district" seems to be where every super-battle takes place. A side note: unless RM's into film noir (doubtful), I'd be willing to bet that the Fred McMurray movie he wants to see is one of the "Flubber" movies.
Page 11 panel 3: The "McFar Lanes" bowling alley is a reference to Todd McFarlane. But we've seen it before! It was called "Finger's House of Giant Props" in issue #1, and "Kirbyco Giant Equipment Rental" in #88. Now it's changed once again, showing the shift from DC to Marvel to Image. And RM and Dr. Crab had their very first battle here, back in RM #1.
Page 12, panel 1: The new RM is done "Image style," with bulging muscles, bad attitude, spiky costume, the works. He's even got an extra spike on top of his lightning bolt!
panel 2: Bleeding Heart's and the others' departure from the Superior Squad to form a "Hero-Owned Super-Team" mimics the original Image founders' departure from Marvel to form a creator-owned comics company. BH's name change to Bloody Heart refers to the "Extreme" violence of most Image titles.
Page 14: The growing "doom Doom DOOM" sound effects were used in the first story arc of the adjectiveless SPIDER-MAN comic, which was done by, you guessed it, Todd McFarlane. That's the drum beat accompanying The Lizard. It is quite a feature in the first issue of Spider-Man. To see exactly how many, check out Doom Doom Doom in the Addendum page.
DOOM DOOM DOOM
This drum effect has been parodied quite often. Instead of letting it fade into footnote, here is a complete reproduction of all the pages with the doom doom doom in Spider-Man #1 (August 1990). Enjoy. I certainly do!
SPOON VS BATBABE
Parody can be cruel but if you are spoofed at, it probably meant that you have reached a nadir in your profession! In this parody, Spoon (the parodied version of Spawn) is accused of plagiarism and Batbabe is out to stop her from plagiarising any further. There is little doubt that McFarlane is inspired by existing characters, I mean, who wouldn't, especially if you are plying your trade in an existing industry, for example how do you ignore the existence of Superman? I have never collect a single copy of Superman but I am certainly aware of how he looks like.
If Spawn is copied, he would end up with a lawsuit ala Captain America. Therein lies the crux of the issue, there are enough unique points in Spawn not to warrant a lawsuit. His cape is inspired by the croak of Dr Strange and the bridal gown of the late Princess Dinah but it is unique enough to be spawnesque in stature. The skull and chains are Ghost Rider but not a figure wears it with such aplomb. The spikes and belts are weird accessories but so are sadomachoism and I am sure adherents of PLU would love it. Which lawyers when they scent blood would not jump in, but for the fact that Spawn cannot be accused of imitation. When Nightwatch was released by Marvel, it actually have a last minute change of costume because the cover version is too similar to Spawn and they are afraid of a lawsuit but of course Spoof Comics would not make a parody of Nightwatch, it is just not "big" enough.
This is the second appearance of Spoon in Spoof Comics. It was pure irony that for the criticism of plagiarism, this parody of Batman and Spawn would led a year later to an actual collaboration between Image and DC Comics.
Fans of comicdom know that McFarlane (called Toad McFarout here) gains fame for his drawings of Spider-Man before he embarked on his quest in entrepreneurship. Since this is Personality Comics Inc, with their heavy emphasis on bad girls and adult comics, all the main characters are necessarily turned into heroines. In Page 2, Spider-Man, now Spider-Femme came to the aid of Spoon in her fight against Ghost Ladler, Paddler and Farce. What Spoon refers to in Panel 3 about the overdrawn webs is a reference to McFarlane's infamous detailed Spider-Man illustrations and Panel 5 again alludes to the fact that both Spider-Man and Spawn shares the same creator.
In page 4 are themes borrowed extensively from Spawn. In Panel 2, Daffy Duck replaces Malebolgia as one of the top honcho in hell offering Spoon a way out. In Panel 3, Toad McFarout is a Dink. I always thought Dink is a two-career couple with no kids but I doubt the kindness of the parody writer here. And in panel 4, she shouted "why" which is the famous utterance Spawn did in the beginning of #1. The two famous one-word utterance of Spawn are "Why" and "No" and you would see them use frequently in parody of Spawn, unfortunately both words lack the oomph of "STELLAAAAAAAAAA".
More "Why", this time with dramatic effect as seen in the first issue of Spawn.
In Panels 4 and 5, the infamous drum beat of Spider-Man #1 August 1990 written and illustrated by McFarlane. For a complete list of the drum beats - check out Doom Doom Doom. The character is a parody of Lizard and Batbabe is talking about McFarlane allegedly claiming to take credits for the new Lizard's creation.
Page 21 Panel 1 refers to Alan Moore, the prolific guest writer of Spawn.
My power was so strong in Heck that my ego has ruined my Image. Translated: My power was so strong in Marvel that my ego has ruined Image.
If Spawn is copied, he would end up with a lawsuit ala Captain America. Therein lies the crux of the issue, there are enough unique points in Spawn not to warrant a lawsuit. His cape is inspired by the croak of Dr Strange and the bridal gown of the late Princess Dinah but it is unique enough to be spawnesque in stature. The skull and chains are Ghost Rider but not a figure wears it with such aplomb. The spikes and belts are weird accessories but so are sadomachoism and I am sure adherents of PLU would love it. Which lawyers when they scent blood would not jump in, but for the fact that Spawn cannot be accused of imitation. When Nightwatch was released by Marvel, it actually have a last minute change of costume because the cover version is too similar to Spawn and they are afraid of a lawsuit but of course Spoof Comics would not make a parody of Nightwatch, it is just not "big" enough.
This is the second appearance of Spoon in Spoof Comics. It was pure irony that for the criticism of plagiarism, this parody of Batman and Spawn would led a year later to an actual collaboration between Image and DC Comics.
Fans of comicdom know that McFarlane (called Toad McFarout here) gains fame for his drawings of Spider-Man before he embarked on his quest in entrepreneurship. Since this is Personality Comics Inc, with their heavy emphasis on bad girls and adult comics, all the main characters are necessarily turned into heroines. In Page 2, Spider-Man, now Spider-Femme came to the aid of Spoon in her fight against Ghost Ladler, Paddler and Farce. What Spoon refers to in Panel 3 about the overdrawn webs is a reference to McFarlane's infamous detailed Spider-Man illustrations and Panel 5 again alludes to the fact that both Spider-Man and Spawn shares the same creator.
In page 4 are themes borrowed extensively from Spawn. In Panel 2, Daffy Duck replaces Malebolgia as one of the top honcho in hell offering Spoon a way out. In Panel 3, Toad McFarout is a Dink. I always thought Dink is a two-career couple with no kids but I doubt the kindness of the parody writer here. And in panel 4, she shouted "why" which is the famous utterance Spawn did in the beginning of #1. The two famous one-word utterance of Spawn are "Why" and "No" and you would see them use frequently in parody of Spawn, unfortunately both words lack the oomph of "STELLAAAAAAAAAA".
More "Why", this time with dramatic effect as seen in the first issue of Spawn.
In Panels 4 and 5, the infamous drum beat of Spider-Man #1 August 1990 written and illustrated by McFarlane. For a complete list of the drum beats - check out Doom Doom Doom. The character is a parody of Lizard and Batbabe is talking about McFarlane allegedly claiming to take credits for the new Lizard's creation.
Page 21 Panel 1 refers to Alan Moore, the prolific guest writer of Spawn.
My power was so strong in Heck that my ego has ruined my Image. Translated: My power was so strong in Marvel that my ego has ruined Image.
Morana the Spawn
Morana in #182 about to become a Spawn
The cover of #183
Morana in #183 about to destroy the legion
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)