Why? Well it’s most likely because of Todd McFarlane.

The director has been campaigning for a reboot to the IMAGE comics flagship character for almost half a decade. He’s even taken the reigns as screenwriter to tell the story he wants to tell and no one else’s. Since then we’ve seen superhero movies evolve into an industry standard with billion dollar profits dictating pop-culture for the past fifteen years.

McFarlane’s pitch for an R rated Spawn movie at first sounded very niche and risky with majority of comic book films softening themselves for a PG rating to appeal to all audiences. However, with the monster successes of the first Deadpool movie and the billion dollar monster that was JOKER, the possibilities sure seemed like it was time for a more mature adaptation of SPAWN; or as Mr. McFarlane pitched it as a supernatural thriller/ horror film that was more creature feature than Hollywood spandex spectacle.

Sounds like it’s a no brainer, doesn’t it? Well there apparently is only one major obstacle standing in the way of Image fans and the movie theaters – that obstacle is Todd McFarlane himself.

See this project has been in limbo since 2018. Yes, since 2018 this film is not happening. There is no story and no funding for it. They even got Jamie Foxx and Jeremy Renner to sign on. But, with nothing happening and no money, they couldn’t even secure their star, Foxx, in the role due to scheduling. Renner might still be involved unless he’s still busy making pop songs. Yes, there is a script – a script by McFarlane. But, what resume does he have as a screenwriter?

Recently Mr. McFarlane was interviewed and he stated his only two demands for the film:

“I have very few demands for the movie. It has to be Rated R, there’s no debate around that. With the story I want to tell, my intent goes back to that SPAWN Cloud. I am less concerned about what happens in the movie as long as Spawn is “cool” and “badass”. The last demand is that I am the director. That’s it. Everything else is up for conversation”.

And there is your main problem. What has he directed before – “Nada, nothing.”

It’s one thing to write a script. It’s another thing to really push a passion project into reality. However, let’s face it; Hollywood is run by money and the acquisition of more money.

Todd McFarlane is hoping for funding for a film with no story because in his words, “he only cares if Spawn looks “cool” and “badass”. No story and he somehow got two Hollywood stars or not. He is somehow scouting for locations with no funding, no real cast, no real script and no direction. All of this since 2018 and the reason for this stagnation may be because; he is demanding to direct the film. He’s promising toys for no film. Of course, he’ll have toys – He owns the toy company.

It’s one thing to be passionate about your creation and to want your baby represented in another medium in the best way possible and according to your vision. But, shit – it might be best to just step aside and allow if not scout for the best talent possible to materialize your vision into reality. No studio is going to finance a multi-million dollar comic book movie that’s not trying to be a superhero film, with a main character that will barely be in the, visual effects, major stars and just give it to a first time director with no previous directing experience just because, he demands it so. It’s not going to happen and never will.

So I think it’s time to let go of any expectations for a SPAWN reboot. Maybe in thirty years Todd McFarlane will make a documentary about his pitch and fruitless journey to make his SPAWN film and our grandchildren will act like it could’ve been the greatest thing since Refrigeration; similar to how millennial hipsters are now acting like Jordorovsky’s DUNE would’ve change cinema history and been a SMASH CULT classic and not just another one of his late-night grindhouse artsy films.

The SPAWN film will never happen with McFarlane as director. He’s already considered starting a kickstarter campaign which is basically as desperate as you can get. Adios, expectations and the world will move on.

10. Fallen World (Valiant Comics)

It doesn’t take long into one’s journey through the criminally underappreciated Valiant universe to notice the parallels between Rai, the mainstay of Valiant’s future timeline, and Bloodshot, the popular character with an upcoming feature length-film. Fallen World could have been a simple conflict story between the two characters, but the way that it weaves in characters like the Geomancer and War Mother, and the delicate attention that writer Dan Abnett gives to the world of the story elevates it significantly.

9. Usagi Yojimbo (IDW Comics)

If you listen to the NewRetroWave comic book podcast, you know that the IDW relaunch of Stan Sakai’s longrunning series is a monthly favorite. It knows exactly what it wants to be and executes its stories well along those lines. It may not always have the loftiest ambitions in terms of art or storytelling, but at the end of the day being able to tell a compelling story with a compelling lead for over two decades is a greater ambition than most books and creators can hope for. The relaunch has been one of the most consistent and entertaining books of the year.

8. Sonata (Image Comics)

When I read Monstress for the first time I was overwhelmed by the world within its pages in a way that I hadn’t by other comics before. The first comic to captivate me with its world since has been Image Comics’ Sonata. While this comic could have sat comfortably on the creativity of its world and the strength in the art depicting that world, it ramped up significantly by making a level of intrigue between its characters that each issue has been hard to put down.

7. Ruby Falls (Dark Horse Comics)

Another title that shouldn’t be a surprise to NRW Comic Podcast listeners. Series writer Ann Nocenti shows her considerable skill at both characterization and strong thematic storytelling in equal measure with this mini-series. All of the characters in this story are memorable and likable, but Lana is one of the most relatable protagonists of 2019. She manages to have obvious and apparant flaws that the readers are usually able to find in some measure within themselves, and to see her attempt to solve the mystery of a decades-old murder in a town that seems stuck in the past makes for some great reading.

6. Blossoms 666 (Archie Comics)

If there was ever a time to strike while the iron is hot for Archie Comics, and for the Archie Horror imprint in particular, its 2019. With outstanding art and a killer story from Cullen Bunn, Blossoms 666 delivered up devilish fun in 2019 with its story of Jason and Cheryl (and even a mystery third Blossom heir) and their quests to become Riverdale’s own Anti-Christ. The Archie Horror imprint has some of the best comics of the past decade at their helm, and Blossoms 666 is right at home.

5. The Plot (Vault Comics)

Oh look, another book raved about on NRW’s Comic Book Podcast. (Please listen to it) The Plot managed to be not just the best book from a publisher who drastically has delivered quality titles for the past two years, but one of the five best books of the year. Its gothic sensibilities married to its 70;s horror aesthetic makes this easily the most atmospheric book of the year. It might be wrapping up it’s initial run now, but this is going to be the kind of trade paperback that people who don’t typically like comics are going to love.

4. Ascender (Image Comics)

The Jeff Lemire-written and Dustin Nguyen-drawn series Descender was consistently one of the best books on shelves during its 32 issue run starting in 2015. How could the team follow such a beloved, original, and stylish sci-fi series? By bringing several of the series’ beloved characters into an equally original and stylish sequel, but one which shifts genres toward fantasy. The results are compelling in a way that few books are, and the unique identity between the original and sequel manage to be significant while not feeling wholly disjointed.

3. Going to the Chapel (Action Lab Comics)

Another favorite here at NRW. As you could tell from our review of the debut issue, this comic started with a bang. If you listened to the recent NRW Comic Podcast interview with Going to the Chapel writer David Pepose, then you know that the series has maintained that level of energy and has spent four issues endearing readers to its robust cast of characters. Balancing something as intense as a hostage situation with jokes and levity is no easy task, but Pepose and the art team of artist Gavin Guidry and colorist Elizabeth Kramer deliver.

2. Excellence (Image Comics)

Has there ever been a book so perfectly titled? Writer Brandon Thomas and artist Khary Randolph deliver a world that is as fascinating as it is thematically rich. Main character Spencer Dale navigates a world where he experiences pressures from his society and his family, and his conflicts in this world get heightened with artist Khary Randolph’s incredibly fluid and stylish panels. Colorist Emilio Lopez rounds out the team and makes this book one of the most can’t-miss titles of 2019, and of all the titles on this list, this is the one that feels most likely to jump to other mediums.

1. House of X / Powers of X (Marvel Comics)

For a publisher that’s pretty egregious with their use of large-scale events, House of X and Powers of X is the first time in my life as a reader that a comic story has lived up to the name ‘event’. There really is no writer better suited to injecting the X line up with new energy and new ideas than Jonathan Hickman, and this two-as-one series showed exactly why. These books were electric with an energy rarely found, and following each book was the mountain of discourse from the rabid X-fan community who seemed to finally all agree that something huge was here for their favorite heroes. Whether Hickman’s relaunch lives up to this hype remains to be seen, but HoXPoX is some of the best that this medium can produce.

JE: The Weatherman has one of the best conceptual hooks I’ve read in years, that of a weatherman amnesiac on Mars being accused of wiping out the most of the population of Earth. Would you mind telling us how this comic came about?

JL: Where ideas come from is always a difficult question to answer. At least for me because there are so many pieces that pull from so many places. But years ago I was first starting to write and I was working on these kind of crime fiction short stories and I had this idea about a weatherman that was all smiles and finger guns on camera but then off camera was suffering in some way. I never really figured it out though and I put it down and went on about my life. I went on to become an editor in comics where I had to work on million projects at once–many with different tones and playing with different genre elements. So when it came time to go back to the writing desk my brain was just buzzing with ideas. I rediscovered this kernel of a weatherman character, started to build, and here we are. Soon this little crime fiction idea was this massive and totally wild science fiction epic where I get to play with genre fiction. And also work through some trauma in my past so there’s a very real emotional attachment to this story for me.

JE: Total Recall seems to be in the DNA of the series with both the terraformed Mars setting and the amnesiac protagonist. But where Verhoeven seemed concerned with a grimey and sleazy aesthetic, The Weatherman has a real depth to its characters and world that it’s easy to imagine it existing even when you finish an issue. Was there a conscious choice to incorporate inspiration from that film while also distancing the comic from it?

JL: No, not at all. WM is similar to Total Recall in that Mars is involved (though our version is completely different) and our protagonist has memory problems (though we’re going to a completely different place with it) but the similarities end there. WM is very much its own thing. Having said that there are definitely some influences from Verhoeven in terms of tone. Like him, we’re big fans of over-the-top violence and social satire.

JE: Nathan Fox’s artwork throughout the first six issues has been incredible. What has it been like to work with him on the series?

JL: It’s an absolute dream. For my money, Nathan’s one of the best artists of his generation. He’s a true genius not just with illustration but…storytelling, world building, character development, acting, big moments, small moments… There isn’t anything he can’t do and at the highest level. I really couldn’t ask for a better co-creator, artist collaborator, and friend. I’m the luckiest writer in comics as far as I’m concerned.

JE: As I mentioned earlier, your characterization and world building are some of the best aspects of The Weatherman. Did you come up with Nathan Bright first or the world he inhabits?

JL: The Nathan Bright character came first and then we built the world and characters around him.

JE: The soundtrack for The Weatherman is filled with heavy hitters from the synthwave scene each with stand out tracks. There isn’t much crossover between the worlds of music and comics, at least not in this capacity. How did that come about?

JL: Nathan Fox, Tom Muller (our brilliant designer), and I are all big fans of music in general and synthwave specifically. I often listen to it when I write. In fact much of WM Vol. 1 was written to music from the bands featured on our soundtrack. And bands like them. The pulp sci-fi and 80’s cinematic vibe puts me in my happy place…back in the R-rated, practical special effects days…and I’m able to focus better. There’s a lot of energy to it. I also like how synthwave sort embraces both the serious aspects of genre but the not-so-serious sides as well. It’s able to laugh at itself at times which is fun. We do the same thing with THE WEATHERMAN. There’s obviously some deadly serious moments in our book but it’s funny in spots as well.

As far as how our collaboration with synthwave bands came about…it all started with MAGIC SWORD. I knew just from being a fan that MS was into comics because they make their own based on the band’s music. (It’s fantastic by the way. Check it out on their website.) So on a whim I decided to reach out and see if they’d be up for collaborating. Fortunately they responded and I was able to get a foot in the door long enough to explain what we were doing and how the collaboration could work in a way that benefited everyone. Once they heard what we had planned and took a look at the book they were in. And we just went from there. MS helped us get in contact with the other bands and we worked it out. Now THE WEATHERMAN has an original synthwave soundtrack from some of the best to ever do it including MAGIC SWORD, MAKEUP & VANITY SET, POWER GLOVE, OGRE, BETAMAXX, LAZERHAWK, and LE MATOS. It’s amazing.

JE: Lazerhawk’s contribution to the soundtrack, “Sword of God”, has a real paranoid energy to it, which seems fitting considering it is named after the shadowy group that seem to be the series’ primary antagonists. Will the next volume of the comic explore the group more?

JL: I won’t get into when and where we’ll next see the Sword of God but I will say that they play a major role in the series. We’ll see them again for sure. And even when they aren’t on camera, they have a way of making their presence felt.

And yeah, Lazerhawk did a fantastic job with his track. Everyone did. And they’re all big fans of the book.

JE: Do you plan on releasing another soundtrack for the next volume of the comic?

JL: We’d love to. We had a blast doing it for Vol. 1. If any bands out there are interested hit us up at th****************@***il.com. I know some of the folks from Vol. 1 are up for returning as well.

JE: As far as coloring goes, Dave Stewart contributes a lot to the unique feel of the comic. The range of colors used seems very wide, and yet nothing seems haphazard or clashing. What has it been like working with him?

JL: Dave Stewart’s pretty much a legend at this point. Every artist in the industry wants to be colored by Dave because he’s just such a pro. And as you point out his palette choices are pitch perfect. He has a way of picking the exact right tones for any given scene so everything is balanced and beautiful to look at. One misstep and it could end up a complicated mess with elements being hard to parse out. But Dave is a master at his craft so that’s never an issue. So it’s been a dream to work with him as well.

Really though, it’s like that with the whole team. That’s what makes working on this book so special. I might go my whole life and never work with this many talented folks again. Vol. 2 colorist Moreno Dinisio, our letterer Steve Wands, designer Tom Muller, editors Josh Johns and Sebastian Girner, all of our cover artists…they’re all stone-cold elite ninja assassin comics badasses. You couldn’t create a better team in a lab. They’re the best in comics full stop. I feel the same way about our music collaborators.

JE: What are some of the movies, TV shows, or music that inspired you while creating this comic?

JL: So many influences. Too many to name them all for sure but Nathan Fox and I are huge fans of anime like Shinichirō Watanabe’s COWBOY BEBOP and SPACE DANDY and Takeshi Koike’s REDLINE.

I also love smart TV dramas like BETTER CALL SAUL, BREAKING BAD, and MADMEN. Those have less influence in terms of genre but the quality of writing in shows like that is inspiring.

Music-wise aside from synthwave I listen to a lot of metal and punk. Queen. Also hip-hop and post-rock. But that’s just in general.

JE: Are there any final thoughts you would like our readers to know?

JL: THE WEATHERMAN Vol. 1 collection is on sale now and we’re hard at work on THE WEATHERMAN Vol. 2 which is somehow even bigger and more insane than Vol. 1. That’s out this June but you can pre-order issue #1 at your local comic shop now. Pre-Orders help in a major way so if you’re interested in checking out the book let your local retailer know today. For the readers and retailers that have supported our book so far. THANK YOU.

Also check out our collaboration with the synthwave legends mentioned above on Soundcloud. And listen to the rest of their music! It’s amazing!

Finally you can follow our official account @WM_Comic on Twitter and Instagram for updates, killer art, and exclusive behind-the-scenes looks at THE WEATHERMAN.

See you in June!

You can follow Jody LeHeup on Twitter here and Nathan Fox on Twitter here.

You can follow Image Comics on Twitter here.

“Image Comics has published Deadly Class on a mostly monthly basis since the first issue was released on January 22, 2014.” – Wikipedia

Producing the series are the Russo brothers who many of you know are the directors of the massive MCU blockbuster Avengers: Infinity War. Deadly Class hopes to remain faithful to it’s source material while delivering on a very demented ‘Coming of Age’ tale. The series is set during the late 1980’s and stars Benedict Wong (Doctor Strange, Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams), Benjamin Wadsworth (Teen Wolf), Lana Condor (X-Men: Apocalypse, Alita: Battle Angel), Maria Gabriela de Faria (Yo Soy Franky, Sitiados), Luke Tennie (Shock and Awe), Liam James (The Way Way Back, The Killing) and Michel Duval (Señora Acero, Queen of the South).

No premiere date has been announced, but the series will debut in 2019.

Trailer Link: