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Spawn is emblematic of the grim and gritty '90s, with the chain-wearing hellbound hero being a far cry from the squeaky clean characters in other comic books. This need for something outside the superhero norm is likely a big reason behind the character's current revival, with the Spawn franchise arguably bigger than ever. This presents the perfect opportunity for the character's strangest incarnation to make a comeback.
The Adventures of Spawn took many of the concepts created by comic book bad boy Todd McFarlane and gave them a kid-friendly makeover. It certainly wasn't the same series that dared to take comics straight to Hell back in the day, but it did present a unique opportunity for it to be more than that. With Spawn comic books and toys becoming hot items once again, it's time that their "younger siblings" become part of this comeback story, as well.
The Adventures of Spawn Combined McFarlane's Creation With Saturday Morning Cartoons
The subseries that would become The Adventures of Spawn got its start as a toy line produced by McFarlane Toys. These toys were meant to represent a kid-friendly cartoon adaptation of Spawn that never actually came about. Al Simmons, a.k.a. Spawn was reimagined as Spawn-X, who teamed up alongside Redeemer and the gigantic Omega Spawn. Spawn-X got his powers from a mystical Necro Stone and was happily married to Wanda, eschewing the dark, devilish-deal-making nature of the mainstream version of the character. Spawn's hellish host of villains was also brought in, including Mammon, Tiffany, Cy-Gor, and Overtkill. Given their already over-the-top nature, these crazy-looking villains fit right in with the cartoony remix.
The lore of this more sanitized version of Spawn's adventures was showcased in the webcomic The Adventures of Spawn, which was written and drawn by Jon Goff and Khary Randolph. The title of the series does a great job of making its intentions clear. After all, the comic book spinoffs of '90s superhero cartoons such as Batman: The Animated Series,Superman: The Animated Series,and Jim Lee's WildC.A.T.s all had the subtitles Adventures tacked on. There was also the Marvel Adventures line that provided more all-ages fare for mainstream superheroes such as Spider-Man. The Adventures of Spawn only lasted for enough material to publish into two issues, but it's prime time for a revival or reboot of the concept.
The Spawn Franchise Can Expand With a More Kid-Friendly Book
Right now, there are several Spawn comic books being published, including Spawn, King Spawn, Spawn's Universe, Gunslinger Spawn, and the team-up book The Scorched. These books have all had very good sales, proving that Spawn's comeback isn't simply a fad. One way to cement that longevity, however, is with a new version of The Adventures of Spawn. With the dark and gritty bases of the franchise full covered by multiple other books, The Adventures of Spawn would be able to use their success and work its way into the market for younger readers. The series could still kep some of its macabre elements while still being kid-friendly, somewhat similar to the games and books for the Five Nights at Freddy's series.
Being a success with children would also make Spawn last in the same way that other superheroes have. Superman, Spider-Man, and especially Batman can be handled in different ways, with Batman comics, in particular, being rather dark for how mainstream the character is. Being malleable in order to reach different audiences is a major requirement for forming lifelong fans. The best way to do so would be new comic books and even novels for The Adventures of Spawn, putting Al Simmons in the Scholastic Books setting and letting him rub shoulders with Clifford and Dog Man. It might be a weird place to put a Hellspawn, but it could see him grab a new generation of lifelong fans and take them from the cradle to the grave.