Image Comics announced today that Uncanny X-Men writer Gail Simone will helm She-Spawn, a new five-issue miniseries set in the Spawn Universe, working with Blue Beetle and All-New Wolverine artist Ig Guara. The first issue will debut in May.
The series will follow Jessica Priest, a former soldier, assassin, superhero and mother, as she battles an angelic cult determined to sacrifice a child.
“It’s a thrill to be chosen specifically by one of the iconic founders of Image to create in his playground,” Simone said. “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.”
McFarlane said Simone had been on his radar for some time and that her enthusiasm for the character sealed the collaboration. “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,” he said.
Priest has been a central figure in The Scorched, the ongoing Spawn Universe team series approaching its 50th issue. While She-Spawn draws on her established history, the press release describes it as a self-contained story accessible to new readers.
“About She-Spawn herself, I love her,” Simone said. “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.”
Guara drew the cover fot the first issue, while Francesco Mattina and Brett Booth both drew variants:
Here’s a look inside:
The first issue arrives May 6.