The Wikipedia article on the universe of Image comics (the home of such characters as Spawn, Youngblood, etc) seems to indicate its setting is the same as the continuum of Top Cow comics, e.g. Witchblade and the Darkness. I always thought they were separate. Furthermore, the Spawn mythology includes Hell and the Devil, and associated Judeo-Christian lore, and when the Marvel universe's Mephisto discovers the Top Cow 'verse in the Marvel/Top Cow crossover saga "Devil's Reign", he comments that it does not have a Devil being as part of its structure. Logically, if Spawn is part of it, then it should, right?
Are the Image Universe and Top Cow Universe one and the same?
- Thread starter EJA
- Start date
Nope. Although at first the appearance (and possibly the intent) was that each of Image Comics' studios (ie Top Cow, Wildstorm, etc etc) were developing storylines adhering to a shared universe, they began to diverge as time went on, with creations such as Spawn -as you rightly indicated- negating this.
Well maybe Malbogia isn't technically THE Devil and Mephisto is talking smack.
It's really complicated.
Like, I know that the Liefeld stuff became its own universe, so--for example--Chapel is no longer Spawn's slayer. And of course Wildstorm became its own universe (and then was absorbed into the DC multiverse, in fact maybe more than once), but afaik Savage Dragon and Spawn still share a universe. Marc Silverstri's stuff was always terrible, and it was still better than the other Top Cow series, so I never paid his studio that much attention. Is there anything, really, more 90s than Cyberforce? The very name sends a antemillennial shiver down my spine.
But you know what was a really great concept that was brushed off as stupid because of its dork age trappings, and then basically forgotten? Project Born Again, from Brigade and Bloodstrike. I mean, the execution was all over the place and often just bad, but it was a really neat, original idea. Whether it was Liefeld or Eric Stephenson or both, I'm not sure, but there's your credit, dudes.
Like, I know that the Liefeld stuff became its own universe, so--for example--Chapel is no longer Spawn's slayer. And of course Wildstorm became its own universe (and then was absorbed into the DC multiverse, in fact maybe more than once), but afaik Savage Dragon and Spawn still share a universe. Marc Silverstri's stuff was always terrible, and it was still better than the other Top Cow series, so I never paid his studio that much attention. Is there anything, really, more 90s than Cyberforce? The very name sends a antemillennial shiver down my spine.
But you know what was a really great concept that was brushed off as stupid because of its dork age trappings, and then basically forgotten? Project Born Again, from Brigade and Bloodstrike. I mean, the execution was all over the place and often just bad, but it was a really neat, original idea. Whether it was Liefeld or Eric Stephenson or both, I'm not sure, but there's your credit, dudes.
Image last year made a conscience effort to unite their universe by establishing the Global Guardians, the Justice League of their universe. I thought it was revealed in an issue of Spawn a few years ago that Malbolgia isn't Lucifer but merely one of the Seven Lord's of Hell or some such like that?
^Yes, that's what I read too. God and THE Devil do exist in the Image 'verse though, as there's a Spawn story were it turns out they've been reincarnated as mortal children for a while, and then get their memories and powers back, or some crap. It all sounded a bit dumb to me, IMO.
Wasn't there a Witchblade comic book a while back that had a medieval Spawn character in it? Is this story canon? I'm still a bit unsure as to whether Spawn is in the mainstream Image 'verse or not; things sound a bit confusing.
Interestingly, "Devil's Reign", the aforementioned Marvel/Top Cow crossover, was actually referenced in the mainstream Top Cow comics. At the end of one issue of Witchblade, it said "To be continued in Devil's Reign."
Wasn't there a Witchblade comic book a while back that had a medieval Spawn character in it? Is this story canon? I'm still a bit unsure as to whether Spawn is in the mainstream Image 'verse or not; things sound a bit confusing.
Interestingly, "Devil's Reign", the aforementioned Marvel/Top Cow crossover, was actually referenced in the mainstream Top Cow comics. At the end of one issue of Witchblade, it said "To be continued in Devil's Reign."
I'm pretty sure medieval Spawn is cannon and I vaugely recall the issue of Witchblade, it might have even been a crossover and featured Angela as well.
I thought the global guardians were simply all characters who were owned by Robert Kirkwood?
My understanding is that the image universe is a very loose universe in that if creators don't mind their characters appearing in each other's stories, then they can appear but if one day Kirkman said "no" to an appearance of Brit, then he couldn't be used anywhere. Moreover, the world-shattering events in one series are generally never referenced anywhere else. It's more like a series of shared universes than anything unified.
The Image United crossover from 2009 has Al Simmons (apparently now a villain calling himself Omega Spawn) unleashing the forces of Hell on Earth and attacking all its heroes - including Sara Pezzini and the Darkness. This would seem to cement the characters into one world.
It's been many years since I read any Spawn comics. I tried getting into Witchblade and the Darkness, but I never really became a true fan.
It's been many years since I read any Spawn comics. I tried getting into Witchblade and the Darkness, but I never really became a true fan.
In that story - it doesn't impact on what individual writers do. For example, Savage Dragon appears in a lot of these crossovers, only problem is that Savage Dragon's original earth was destroyed a while back and Savage Dragon lives on an identical earth in an alternative Universe but when it comes to crossovers or other characters appearing in his comic or him appearing in other comics, the writers just shrug their shoulders.
Omega Spawn is not Al Simmons. When Simmons committed suicide he inadvertently created an entirely new and dangerous breed of Spawn...the Omega Spawn. Al is in limbo right now.
@Joe Zhang you mean Robert Kirkman, not Kirkwood. Global Guardians is the result of a bet apparantely between Todd McFarlane and Robert in which Todd lost.
@Joe Zhang you mean Robert Kirkman, not Kirkwood. Global Guardians is the result of a bet apparantely between Todd McFarlane and Robert in which Todd lost.
What universe does WildC.A.T.S. belong to? I haven't read an Image comic since the mid 90's.
Wildstorm Universe.
I thought they were part of the DC multiverse. And then Captain Atom blew up. Or something.
After not having read Spawn for 150 issues I did pick up #200. Your summary confirms what I thought I was reading. Do you read Spawn monthly? I lost interest in it and was only curious to see its #200 issue.
I'll check out Savage Dragon #200 soon I suppose. Know anyone reading that? Some guys on the DC boards think it's an underrated book.
It would appear that Witchblade and Spawn do both coexist on the same Earth though, as seen in the aforementioned Witchblade/Medieval Spawn crossover, which I understand is canon to both characters.
^ I believe so yes. It was a huge thing since it was the first time in a long time where all the original artists were drawing their characters again. Kirkman wrote it. I believe he's writing and drawing the Global Guardians right now, could be wrong about that.
@Captain Craig...I used to read Spawn but dropped the title when Simmons was written out and recently got back into it. It's started to get a little bit interesting again.
The Wildstorm Universe is Jim Lee's thing so it's considered one of the 52 Earths. Apollo appeared as one of the Supermen in Grant Morrison's Superman Beyond Final Crisis two parter but wasn't mentioned by name.
@Captain Craig...I used to read Spawn but dropped the title when Simmons was written out and recently got back into it. It's started to get a little bit interesting again.
The Wildstorm Universe is Jim Lee's thing so it's considered one of the 52 Earths. Apollo appeared as one of the Supermen in Grant Morrison's Superman Beyond Final Crisis two parter but wasn't mentioned by name.
For that story and those aspects of it but that doesn't stop any of the owners going away and writing a story where the earth is destroyed or the USA is enslaved and it's not mentioned anywhere else. It's a shared universe when they want it to be and it's not when they don't. It doesn't fit together like the marvel or DC universes.