Two hot-button topics converge in Spawn #225

Two hot-button topics converge in Spawn #225

You may have heard that America will hold another presidential election in November. You might also remember four years ago, when we last held one of these big events that ran through all 50 titles, er, states, and everyone and their brother featured Barack Obama on the cover of their comic or within its pages.

We haven't seen quite the frenzy from the comic industry this election season, but Todd McFarlane is jumping in feet first. As noted in the Image Comics solicitations that came out earlier this week, Spawn #225 will feature two different endings based on the results of the election. Here's the text:

MILESTONE 225th issue! AND'FOR THE FIRST TIME'the results of a Presidential Election will directly affect the events to come.

On November 6th, the citizens of the United States of America will select their Commander In Chief. The winner, and his goals and agendas, will play a role in shaping the next stage in Jim Downing's evolution.

Meanwhile'Jim's long search for answers about his past comes to an end in this two-part story, featuring the return of fan-favorite villain, Jason Wynn.
Wynn, the master puppeteer whose manipulations led to Al Simmons' original fall from grace, now lays bare the full truth regarding Jim's role in 'The Project.' But what are Wynn's true intentions? And what ramifications do they have on global events.

RETAILERS: This issue contains two alternate endings ' one featuring Barack Obama, the other Mitt Romney. Both are available to order using the unique product codes listed in the order form.

The comic also has two different covers ' or, actually, the same cover, with different text up top based on who wins the election. The cover itself is a homage to Watchmen #1, part of the series of McFarlane-drawn homages to various iconic comic covers from over the years he's been doing to help celebrate Spawn's 20th anniversary.

It's almost like Todd McFarlane logged into my Facebook and noted the two hot-button topics that nobody can stop talking about'the upcoming presidential election and Watchmen ' or Before Watchmen, anyway, if you want to get technical. While I'm more apt to click 'n read something about the latter and get riled up, any link or image or hair-brained comment about the election from either side is usually grounds for hiding the poster's feed or, in some cases, de-friending them ' but I'm really digressing here. (Maybe I should just stay off Facebook until December and just say, 'Check out the two different covers below.')

Check out the two different covers below.

Spawn #225 Romney cover

Spawn #225 Obama cover

8 Comments

Hmm. McFarlane doesn't seem to realize that citizens don't have a commander-in-chief.

Thought that Image cancelled this series by now over the Gaiman-McFarlane Miracleman feud.

Image doesn't have the power to cancel series. 'Image Comics' is essentially just an umbrella title. 'Spawn' is really published through Todd McFarlane Productions. The Gaiman/McFarlane lawsuit was finally resolved earlier this year, too, but I see no way how it could have affected 'Spawn' one way or the other. The issue was with a few specific characters from the comic's first year, not the comic as a whole.

I know he's doing the whole 'homage to great covers thing' but why didn't he break that pattern for this issue and have a cover that really advertised the election gimmick? As it stands 'Canidate Wins!' and the bloody watchman homage seems like some sort of a twisted political statement, especially if you only see one of the two covers.

They could put Megan Fox naked on the cover and people still wouldn't buy it ' because it's Spawn

Oh Spawn, you're so relevant now!

Bluewater-esque.

People are still talking about Before Watchmen?

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