Gail Simone Writes New She-Spawn For Todd McFarlane Drawn By Ig Guara

Posted in: Comics, Image | Tagged: gail simone, she-spawn, spawn, todd mcfarlane

Gail Simone writes the new She-Spawn comic book series for Todd McFarlane drawn by Ig Guara

Comic book writer Gail Simone of Uncanny X-Men, Red Sonja, Birds Of Prey, Secret Six and Deadpool is to write the new She-Spawn comic book series starring the character of Jessica Priest from Todd McFarlane Productions and Image Comics, kicking off a five-issue mini-series in May, drawn by Ig Guara. The series marks Simone’s first project collaborating with Todd McFarlane and will have as many variant covers as you can imagine.

Jessica Priest was a character created by necessity. In the original 1992 Spawn comic book, it was revealed that Spawn’s human self, Al Simmons, had been originally killed (and then sent to hell) by the Youngblood character Chapel. Owned (then) by Rob Liefeld, the character couldn’t be used in the Spawn movie, so Jessica Priest was created to replace his role, played by Melinda Clarke. And then, in the comic, Jessica Priest was introduced and revealed in Spawn #61 in 1997, as the actual assassin who killed Al Simmons, under the command of Jason Wynn. She went away for a decade or so, before returning in 2019 in time for Spawn #300, where she gained her new identity, of She-Spawn.

“She-Spawn centers around Jessica Priest, a character whose life has been shaped by violence, duty, and sacrifice. A former solider, assassin, superhero, and mother, Priest now finds herself pulled into a brutal confrontation with an angelic cult determined to sacrifice a child in the name of their God. What begins as a mission quickly becomes something far more personal, forcing Jessica to confront the regret and responsibility that have followed her long after she stepped into the role of She-Spawn. Jessica Priest has been leading The Scorched super-hero team under the watchful eye of Spawn, serving as a crucial line of defense when he cannot be everywhere at once. Readers have seen her navigate high-stakes missions and mounting pressure throughout The Scorched regular comic series, which is about to reach its 50th issue. While this She-Spawn miniseries stands on its own as a complete story arc, it draws from the character’s existing history, offering a deeper look at her current state of mind rather than tying directly to a specific event or crossover. Simone brings her distinct voice to this new She-Spawn series, leaning into themes of power, consequences, and moral ambiguity while framing Jessica Priest as a deeply human figure navigating a supernatural world.

“Look, at times, the goal of publishing comic books that fans want to read can be quite simple,” said McFarlane when sharing his thoughts on the creative team behind She-Spawn and the approach behind the new miniseries. “Choose a character the readers want to see more of, tell a story that is engaging, price the book fairly and hire smart, creative people. That’s what I think we’ve done here. Writer Gail Simone has been on my (and thousands of other folks’) radar for quite some time. I’ve admired her taking many different heroes and characters into worlds that feel like I’ve met that personality before. So, to now have the chance to get her to bring that talent to the Spawn Universe was an opportunity I wasn’t going to pass up. Her enthusiasm for her story of the Jessica Priest character along with her advocating for the artistic skills of the wonderful Ig Guara made this a creative team I am anxiously awaiting to see myself as a comic book fan. I hope the fans will give this book a look as I promise they won’t be disappointed.”

Simone added: “It’s a thrill to be chosen specifically by one of the iconic founders of Image to create in his playground. Apparently, he’d read a DC book I’d done and was impressed by the dialogue, which was incredibly gratifying. The next thing I know, I was having hour-long conversations with Todd McFarlane–not just about She-Spawn, but about his passion for storytelling and character. Each one felt like a masterclass. He asked a lot about my process, with genuine and heartfelt curiosity, and it was one of the nicest and most collaborative introductions I’ve ever had with a publisher. I’m proud to get to write part of the Spawn Universe, and grateful to Todd and his team for making this connection happen. I also want to give credit to Erica Schultz, writer of the incredible Rat City Spawn series for helping me pave the path for She-Spawn.

“About She-Spawn herself, I love her. I see her as one of the few supernatural badasses who drives a pick-up truck and has a family cabin in the woods. She goes up against a religious sect to save a child, making her a bad person fighting for something good, with stakes she couldn’t possibly imagine. Ig Guara did meticulous, gorgeous work, with typically beautiful classic Image coloring by Robert Nugent. It just looks stunning. It’s a story with no-seat belt and the engines on high––violent, a little kind, a little mean, about an exploration of the country and a character’s soul.”

She-Spawn #1 will be published on the 6th of May with covers by Guara, Francesco Mattina and Brett Booth, along with a virgin black-and-white edition of Booth’s artwork and a blank sketch cover for collectors:

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