Spawn or Deadpool who is the king of the 1990s for new character? 0

[AmazingSaul]

Harley is the queen of the 90s... Even though it doesn't answer the question. The truth is any character that suddenly bursts an interest can gain value and attention. Harley slowly gained attention. We don't know but it's possible Spawn could come back and be a big deal! The only problem is the fact that Image printed a billion copies... Sigh...

[mysterio]

I don't think ANY of them are particularly "king-ish."

 

You've got Turtles for the 80's, Wolvie for the 70's, Spidey for the 60's, Flash for the 50's, Cap for the 40's, and Supes for the 30's.

 

None of the 90's folks even come close to the type of saturation that the others do.

 

SONIC is more far-reaching than DP or Spawn. Sure, IN the 90's, Spawn was king...but no one has cared about Spawn for nearly 20 years. How can you claim to be the "king" when everyone's forgotten about you...?

 

If Spawn is brought up, the question is "oh, is that still being published?"

 

And I don't know how you can say the same for Harley, a character who was virtually ignored for nearly 20 years, too.

 

What IS/ARE the breakout character(s) of the 90's....? Do they compare at ALL with the breakout characters of previous decades?

 

Doesn't that really capture the problem at large for the decade...?

 

Though his first appearance was 1988 (which may technically disqualify him) I'm surprised that nobody has brought up Venom. Very popular character in the 90s and today.

[oakman29]

Hellboy.

[Bosco685]

Hellboy.

 

 

Although some would say when Frank Miller talked Mignola into his multi four-issue approach, it made it difficult for readers to feel like there was a steady stream of Hellboy books. So it held the character back from being considered 'a regular' in the way of distribution and impact.

 

But I'd think after two real cool movies that unfortunately were not financial hits at the box office (DVD/Blu-Ray sales made the difference), two animated movies (third supposedly on the way), games (Hellboy: The Science of Evil; Hellboy: Asylum Seeker), books like the Art of Hellboy and a number of novels that tie in with the comic universe, he has definitely had a wide distribution impact through other media.

 

[AmazingSaul]

I don't think ANY of them are particularly "king-ish."

 

You've got Turtles for the 80's, Wolvie for the 70's, Spidey for the 60's, Flash for the 50's, Cap for the 40's, and Supes for the 30's.

 

None of the 90's folks even come close to the type of saturation that the others do.

 

SONIC is more far-reaching than DP or Spawn. Sure, IN the 90's, Spawn was king...but no one has cared about Spawn for nearly 20 years. How can you claim to be the "king" when everyone's forgotten about you...?

 

If Spawn is brought up, the question is "oh, is that still being published?"

 

And I don't know how you can say the same for Harley, a character who was virtually ignored for nearly 20 years, too.

 

What IS/ARE the breakout character(s) of the 90's....? Do they compare at ALL with the breakout characters of previous decades?

 

Doesn't that really capture the problem at large for the decade...?

 

Though his first appearance was 1988 (which may technically disqualify him) I'm surprised that nobody has brought up Venom. Very popular character in the 90s and today.

 

You are correct. I actually forgot about Venom. I personally feel that he was very popular. But that's exactly the point he WAS. He isn't forgotten he just doesn't hold the same charisma Harley Quinn has. Ultimately it has to do with what is popular now vs what was popular for a year or just two. Spawn was at one time more popular than Dead pool. Who knows maybe Savage Dragon will somehow gain attention and become a $300 dollar plus book! People's interests change all the time. This is why I support comic book hoarding.

[ComicConnoisseur]

Hellboy.

 

 

Although some would say when Frank Miller talked Mignola into his multi four-issue approach, it made it difficult for readers to feel like there was a steady stream of Hellboy books. So it held the character back from being considered 'a regular' in the way of distribution and impact.

 

But I'd think after two real cool movies that unfortunately were not financial hits at the box office (DVD/Blu-Ray sales made the difference), two animated movies (third supposedly on the way), games (Hellboy: The Science of Evil; Hellboy: Asylum Seeker), books like the Art of Hellboy and a number of novels that tie in with the comic universe, he has definitely had a wide distribution impact through other media.

 

Good arguments, so now will add Hellboy to the mix.

[newshane]

I feel like I have to pop in here again.

 

Spawn ruled the 90s during the 90s. Simple fact. Visit comicchron.com and look at the sales numbers. For many years, Spawn was consistently one of the top five best-selling comics in production. That was during a time when tens of thousands of comics were being sold.

 

Now let's look at the cultural impact:

 

1. Spawn was adapted into a moderately successful feature film. Had a box-office total of about $88 million, which isn't bad when you consider the budget and inflation. Also the first film to prominently feature an African-American as a major superhero. Spawn even appeared in a Taco Bell commercial around the time of the movie release!

 

2. Spawn was adapted into an HBO animated series that lasted a few years. It won two Emmy awards and two Golden Reel awards.

 

3. A /giant/ toy-line was produced and has fared very, very successfully for over 20 years!

 

5. The comic book is still in production and is about to reach issue 250. It's far from being CURRENTLY popular or from being in the best-sellers list, but the title has shown staying power for what is now 22 years. The longest running independent title is Cerebus, which made it to issue 300. Spawn is close behind and is set to eventually eclipse that record.

 

6. Spawn 1 set a record for the best-selling independent comic book of all time.

 

7. Tons of spin-off titles. I won't list them all.

 

8. Spawn or Spawn references have appeared in TV shows like Robot Chicken, the Powerpuff Girls, The Riches, Death Battle, and even the Sopranos (Anthony Jr. wore a Spawn t-shirt in parts of the show). He is also referenced in the movies: Dogma, Chasing Amy, Live Free or Die Hard, Day the Earth Stood Still (remake), and Orphan.

 

9. Spawn has appeared in several video games on various platforms throughout multiple decades...from the Super Nintendo to the Xbox. This includes an appearance in Soul Caliber.

 

10. Spawn has been used as album artwork for the heavy metal band Iced Earth. Todd McFarlane and Greg Capullo have also done artwork for Korn.

 

So we see that, at least IN the 1990s, Spawn completed dominated the decade in comparison to other characters that were created in the 1990s.

 

Harley Quinn? Flash in the pan. I know she's been meteorically popular lately, but no one really knew who she was in the 90s. I'm not even sure why she is mentioned in this thread.

 

Deadpool - wasn't all that hot in the 90s people. His fame has grown exponentially, and NOW he is more popular than Spawn, but over the years I don't think he can hold a candle to McFarlane's creation. I've never understood the appeal of Deadpool anyway. He is basically just a generic ninja with upgrades. Boring to look at, even. I just think that Spawn is more marketable than Deadpool in the long run.

 

Hellboy in the 90s? Not even close. Venom was more popular than Deadpool, Harley, or Hellboy in the 90s - and not even the symbiote could compete with the impact of Spawn.

 

I think people have short memories...I just don't see how you could have been around in the 90s without realizing how big Spawn was. Sure, things have changed now. But the king of the 90s is definitely Spawn.

 

Spawn has suffered over the years because McFarlane seems to have developed ADHD. If he ever gets his act together, I think that Spawn is set to explode with a properly done, well-written movie or another TV series. I think he ignored the series at a crucial time and it's been hard to recover.

 

But any fan who grew up in the 90s likely has great memories of Spawn. So the sentimental fanbase is out there ripe for the picking.

[AmazingSaul]

I feel like I have to pop in here again.

 

Spawn ruled the 90s during the 90s. Simple fact. Visit comicchron.com and look at the sales numbers. For many years, Spawn was consistently one of the top five best-selling comics in production. That was during a time when tens of thousands of comics were being sold.

 

Now let's look at the cultural impact:

 

1. Spawn was adapted into a moderately successful feature film. Had a box-office total of about $88 million, which isn't bad when you consider the budget and inflation. Also the first film to prominently feature an African-American as a major superhero. Spawn even appeared in a Taco Bell commercial around the time of the movie release!

 

2. Spawn was adapted into an HBO animated series that lasted a few years. It won two Emmy awards and two Golden Reel awards.

 

3. A /giant/ toy-line was produced and has fared very, very successfully for over 20 years!

 

5. The comic book is still in production and is about to reach issue 250. It's far from being CURRENTLY popular or from being in the best-sellers list, but the title has shown staying power for what is now 22 years. The longest running independent title is Cerebus, which made it to issue 300. Spawn is close behind and is set to eventually eclipse that record.

 

6. Spawn 1 set a record for the best-selling independent comic book of all time.

 

7. Tons of spin-off titles. I won't list them all.

 

8. Spawn or Spawn references have appeared in TV shows like Robot Chicken, the Powerpuff Girls, The Riches, Death Battle, and even the Sopranos (Anthony Jr. wore a Spawn t-shirt in parts of the show). He is also referenced in the movies: Dogma, Chasing Amy, Live Free or Die Hard, Day the Earth Stood Still (remake), and Orphan.

 

9. Spawn has appeared in several video games on various platforms throughout multiple decades...from the Super Nintendo to the Xbox. This includes an appearance in Soul Caliber.

 

10. Spawn has been used as album artwork for the heavy metal band Iced Earth. Todd McFarlane and Greg Capullo have also done artwork for Korn.

 

So we see that, at least IN the 1990s, Spawn completed dominated the decade in comparison to other characters that were created in the 1990s.

 

Harley Quinn? Flash in the pan. I know she's been meteorically popular lately, but no one really knew who she was in the 90s. I'm not even sure why she is mentioned in this thread.

 

Deadpool - wasn't all that hot in the 90s people. His fame has grown exponentially, and NOW he is more popular than Spawn, but over the years I don't think he can hold a candle to McFarlane's creation. I've never understood the appeal of Deadpool anyway. He is basically just a generic ninja with upgrades. Boring to look at, even. I just think that Spawn is more marketable than Deadpool in the long run.

 

Hellboy in the 90s? Not even close. Venom was more popular than Deadpool, Harley, or Hellboy in the 90s - and not even the symbiote could compete with the impact of Spawn.

 

I think people have short memories...I just don't see how you could have been around in the 90s without realizing how big Spawn was. Sure, things have changed now. But the king of the 90s is definitely Spawn.

 

Spawn has suffered over the years because McFarlane seems to have developed ADHD. If he ever gets his act together, I think that Spawn is set to explode with a properly done, well-written movie or another TV series. I think he ignored the series at a crucial time and it's been hard to recover.

 

But any fan who grew up in the 90s likely has great memories of Spawn. So the sentimental fanbase is out there ripe for the picking.

 

I totally agree with you! I would purchase Spawn comics in the 90s and the toys. I went to see the movie and all that good stuff.

 

To keep it simple I rather have a Batman adventures 12 than a spawn 1. I actually own both but 1 obviously trumps in people's thoughts and minds, or else spawn would be an expensive book and it isn't... I know he WAS popular. But kings and queens get de-throned easily in the comic world. Most major collectors wouldn't buy a spawn 1 over a batman adventures 12. If there was a movie with Harley, it would probably even double the price it is now.

[Lazyboy]

To keep it simple I rather have a Batman adventures 12 than a spawn 1. I actually own both but 1 obviously trumps in people's thoughts and minds, or else spawn would be an expensive book and it isn't... I know he WAS popular. But kings and queens get de-throned easily in the comic world. Most major collectors wouldn't buy a spawn 1 over a batman adventures 12. If there was a movie with Harley, it would probably even double the price it is now.

Yeah, because supply isn't half of the equation for value.

[Vikingreed]

I remember Spawn had a countdown that sped up whenever he used his powers back in the day.

 

Did they write that out of the storyline?

I'm guessing they had too, but I always thought that was a cool element to the plot.

[towards2112]

Spawn made most of it's money from day one, acquired most of it's fans

from day one, got it's movie deal relatively quickly, has nearly a 25 year run.

Deadpool was a second tier character from day one, made slight income

for a dying series, and picked up the next title as a character that developed

his characteristics with each appearance, then the fan boy investor / speculators

found him, he then made a minor appearance [ hard to identify to me...] in a movie.

Difficult choice.

[divad]

Whichever one I have more of?

[Silverdream]

I remember Spawn had a countdown that sped up whenever he used his powers back in the day.

 

Did they write that out of the storyline?

I'm guessing they had too, but I always thought that was a cool element to the plot.

 

I always wondered this as well. I stopped reading at issue 17 when they had the distribution problems.

 

I recall Mcfarlane saying he wanted Spawn to run like Cerebus, a full begining and ending, and then thats it, no more.

Edited July 21, 2014 by Silverdream

[AmazingSaul]

To keep it simple I rather have a Batman adventures 12 than a spawn 1. I actually own both but 1 obviously trumps in people's thoughts and minds, or else spawn would be an expensive book and it isn't... I know he WAS popular. But kings and queens get de-throned easily in the comic world. Most major collectors wouldn't buy a spawn 1 over a batman adventures 12. If there was a movie with Harley, it would probably even double the price it is now.

Yeah, because supply isn't half of the equation for value.

 

You are correct there are like a billion copies in existence for spawn 1. Harley is still more popular in fact even girls know who Harley Quinn is. Ask any random girl if they know Spawn? They don't know who he is... Spawn is followed by a specific older collector now days. It doesn't appeal to everyone.

[RockMyAmadeus]

I feel like I have to pop in here again.

 

Spawn ruled the 90s during the 90s. Simple fact. Visit comicchron.com and look at the sales numbers. For many years, Spawn was consistently one of the top five best-selling comics in production. That was during a time when tens of thousands of comics were being sold.

 

Spawn ruled the 90's...for about 5 months in 1992.

 

After that, the Death of Superman wiped him off the map, and he has remained there ever since. (Is this where I say "simple fact" to demonstrate how solidly I believe in my position?)

 

Spawn was, indeed, a consistent top seller...until McFarlane left the book.

 

It wasn't Spawn people wanted...it was TODD MCFARLANE.

 

McFarlane left to do what he really wanted to do: run a business empire. And once McFarlane left, no one cared. Spawn has been a mediocre book, written for mediocre 12-14 year old boys, for 22 years.

 

All the other factors you mentioned can be said of all sorts of other characters, including Batman and the X-Men. MAXX had his own cartoon on MTV, and he hardly comes close to ruling the 90's.

 

Don't get me wrong...of the first wave of Image #1s, Spawn definitely rules the roost...but that's not saying much.

 

And sales numbers means little, unless it is indeed sales numbers of the last 15 years you want to look at.

 

Remember: the top 6 selling comic books of 1993 were Adventures of Superman #500, 501, Action #687, Man of Steel #22, Superman #78, and Turok #1....all of which sold more copies than Spawn #1

 

And those are all some of the worst, most ridiculous comics ever printed.

 

I So we see that, at least IN the 1990s, Spawn completed dominated the decade in comparison to other characters that were created in the 1990s.

 

He was the least mediocre in the most mediocre decade in comics...?

 

 

I'll buy that.

 

I do dispute that, even IN the 90's, he "completely dominated the decade." He was dead and buried by issue #50, with a small spurt for the movie.

 

Make NO doubt about it: people didn't want Spawn. They wanted McFarlane.

 

McFarlane could have drawn Strawberry Shortcake, and it would have sold 1.75 million copies.

[AmazingSaul]

I feel like I have to pop in here again.

 

Spawn ruled the 90s during the 90s. Simple fact. Visit comicchron.com and look at the sales numbers. For many years, Spawn was consistently one of the top five best-selling comics in production. That was during a time when tens of thousands of comics were being sold.

 

Spawn ruled the 90's...for about 5 months in 1992.

 

After that, the Death of Superman wiped him off the map, and he has remained there ever since. (Is this where I say "simple fact" to demonstrate how solidly I believe in my position?)

 

Spawn was, indeed, a consistent top seller...until McFarlane left the book.

 

It wasn't Spawn people wanted...it was TODD MCFARLANE.

 

McFarlane left to do what he really wanted to do: run a business empire. And once McFarlane left, no one cared. Spawn has been a mediocre book, written for mediocre 12-14 year old boys, for 22 years.

 

All the other factors you mentioned can be said of all sorts of other characters, including Batman and the X-Men. MAXX had his own cartoon on MTV, and he hardly comes close to ruling the 90's.

 

Don't get me wrong...of the first wave of Image #1s, Spawn definitely rules the roost...but that's not saying much.

 

And sales numbers means little, unless it is indeed sales numbers of the last 15 years you want to look at.

 

Remember: the top 6 selling comic books of 1993 were Adventures of Superman #500, 501, Action #687, Man of Steel #22, Superman #78, and Turok #1....all of which sold more copies than Spawn #1

 

And those are all some of the worst, most ridiculous comics ever printed.

 

I So we see that, at least IN the 1990s, Spawn completed dominated the decade in comparison to other characters that were created in the 1990s.

 

He was the least mediocre in the most mediocre decade in comics...?

 

 

I'll buy that.

 

I do dispute that, even IN the 90's, he "completely dominated the decade." He was dead and buried by issue #50, with a small spurt for the movie.

 

Make NO doubt about it: people didn't want Spawn. They wanted McFarlane.

 

McFarlane could have drawn Strawberry Shortcake, and it would have sold 1.75 million copies.

 

Batman had more movies and TV shows than any other hero in the 90s... But DC didn't really put enough effort into the comic line so the comics weren't that great other than Bane. Otherwise Batman still blows it all out of the water.

[rjrjr]

To keep it simple I rather have a Batman adventures 12 than a spawn 1. I actually own both but 1 obviously trumps in people's thoughts and minds, or else spawn would be an expensive book and it isn't... I know he WAS popular. But kings and queens get de-throned easily in the comic world. Most major collectors wouldn't buy a spawn 1 over a batman adventures 12. If there was a movie with Harley, it would probably even double the price it is now.

Yeah, because supply isn't half of the equation for value.

 

You are correct there are like a billion copies in existence for spawn 1. Harley is still more popular in fact even girls know who Harley Quinn is. Ask any random girl if they know Spawn? They don't know who he is... Spawn is followed by a specific older collector now days. It doesn't appeal to everyone.

 

I just asked my daughter and friends and they don't know Spawn, Harley Quinn, or Deadpool.

 

Just curious, how would any random girl know who any of these characters are? It's not like there is a ton of merchandise for any of them. And most people don't read comics. All the comic readers in the U.S. would make up the population of a small town.

Edited July 22, 2014 by rjrjr

[RockMyAmadeus]

I feel like I have to pop in here again.

 

Spawn ruled the 90s during the 90s. Simple fact. Visit comicchron.com and look at the sales numbers. For many years, Spawn was consistently one of the top five best-selling comics in production. That was during a time when tens of thousands of comics were being sold.

 

Spawn ruled the 90's...for about 5 months in 1992.

 

After that, the Death of Superman wiped him off the map, and he has remained there ever since. (Is this where I say "simple fact" to demonstrate how solidly I believe in my position?)

 

Spawn was, indeed, a consistent top seller...until McFarlane left the book.

 

It wasn't Spawn people wanted...it was TODD MCFARLANE.

 

McFarlane left to do what he really wanted to do: run a business empire. And once McFarlane left, no one cared. Spawn has been a mediocre book, written for mediocre 12-14 year old boys, for 22 years.

 

All the other factors you mentioned can be said of all sorts of other characters, including Batman and the X-Men. MAXX had his own cartoon on MTV, and he hardly comes close to ruling the 90's.

 

Don't get me wrong...of the first wave of Image #1s, Spawn definitely rules the roost...but that's not saying much.

 

And sales numbers means little, unless it is indeed sales numbers of the last 15 years you want to look at.

 

Remember: the top 6 selling comic books of 1993 were Adventures of Superman #500, 501, Action #687, Man of Steel #22, Superman #78, and Turok #1....all of which sold more copies than Spawn #1

 

And those are all some of the worst, most ridiculous comics ever printed.

 

I So we see that, at least IN the 1990s, Spawn completed dominated the decade in comparison to other characters that were created in the 1990s.

 

He was the least mediocre in the most mediocre decade in comics...?

 

 

I'll buy that.

 

I do dispute that, even IN the 90's, he "completely dominated the decade." He was dead and buried by issue #50, with a small spurt for the movie.

 

Make NO doubt about it: people didn't want Spawn. They wanted McFarlane.

 

McFarlane could have drawn Strawberry Shortcake, and it would have sold 1.75 million copies.

 

Batman had more movies and TV shows than any other hero in the 90s... But DC didn't really put enough effort into the comic line so the comics weren't that great other than Bane. Otherwise Batman still blows it all out of the water.

 

 

Well, we started off the decade coming off the greatest Batmania ever....

 

LOTDK was going, Robin was back....

 

Then, we got Knightfall/Knightquest, which, all things considered, was pretty much the IT event in comics for 1993.

 

 

I can see a lot of the rest of the decade being rather blah, BUT...we did close it out with one of the most critically acclaimed Bat crossovers ever, No Man's Land, which was the IT event in comics for 1999.

 

 

I dunno, there's a lot of really huge Bat stuff there in the 90's.....

[General Zod]

I remember Spawn had a countdown that sped up whenever he used his powers back in the day.

 

Did they write that out of the storyline?

I'm guessing they had too, but I always thought that was a cool element to the plot.

 

I always wondered this as well. I stopped reading at issue 17 when they had the distribution problems.

 

I recall Mcfarlane saying he wanted Spawn to run like Cerebus, a full begining and ending, and then thats it, no more.

 

From what I remember, he was going to be sent back to Hell upon depletion. However one of the writers introduced a female character (can't remember her name at the moment) who kind of temporarily stopped it, I think. Something to that effect. But Todd did say in an interview (after the settlement of the lawsuit with Neil Gaiman - I read this because I was researching Angela) he plans to have the current incarnation of Spawn be replaced by a different person eventually, which is why he let Alan Moore create a Medieval Spawn to show Al Simmons is not the first Spawn.

 

I haven't read the title in a very long time but I've heard the writing needs a lot of work. The history sounds very convoluted.

[AmazingSaul]

To keep it simple I rather have a Batman adventures 12 than a spawn 1. I actually own both but 1 obviously trumps in people's thoughts and minds, or else spawn would be an expensive book and it isn't... I know he WAS popular. But kings and queens get de-throned easily in the comic world. Most major collectors wouldn't buy a spawn 1 over a batman adventures 12. If there was a movie with Harley, it would probably even double the price it is now.

Yeah, because supply isn't half of the equation for value.

 

You are correct there are like a billion copies in existence for spawn 1. Harley is still more popular in fact even girls know who Harley Quinn is. Ask any random girl if they know Spawn? They don't know who he is... Spawn is followed by a specific older collector now days. It doesn't appeal to everyone.

 

I just asked my daughter and friends and they don't know Spawn, Harley Quinn, or Deadpool.

 

Just curious, how would any random girl know who any of these characters are? It's not like there is a ton of merchandise for any of them. And most people don't read comics. All the comic readers in the U.S. would make up the population of a small town.

 

Maybe it's just me... Or the area I live in. But when I went to SDCC girls knew and collected Harley Quinn stuff. The women in my family know Harley... They remember the Batman TV series. They do not remember or know Spawn. Spawn was not as big as some people believe him to be. He only appeals to a certain specific collector. Growing up I got the first 100 issues. I remember the first 15 were the most popular. But the kids in my school proffered X-men or Batman than Spawn. A lot had to do with religious values. Spawn does not appeal to conservative families. If my parents found out spawn was created by the devil they would be upset... He isn't spiderman or batman which appeals to everyone or a great majority. That's why spawn could never be like spiderman or batman. Sure there's loyal spawn followers but the story is mediocre at best and the art was good when McFarlane was there. I don't see it ever becoming more than what it was for that small period of time.