McFarlane expanding Spawn’s Universe once again, this time the “The New U”

Bulked up considerably with the Spawn’s Universe initiative, McFarlane and Image are bumping things out again, with The New U.

Sam & Twitch, together again

It wasn’t all that long ago, that fans of Spawn started getting a heavy dose of new characters and tales. Called “Spawn’s Universe”, this push from creator Todd McFarlane and Image Comics dropped new allies and enemies on the scene for supernatural superhero Spawn, along with plenty of new books.

Now fans are getting even more, in the form of The New U, which will be arriving after Spawn #350. That landmark issue will “lead to a massive shift in the power dynamics within the universe”, with a trio of new comic series’ based both in Spawn’s present and his future.

The fresh roster begins on March 27th, with two fan favorites in the crime drama that will be Sam & Twitch: Case Files. From there, April 10th will bring the futuristic Rat City #1, followed by the cosmic Monolith #1 on May 15th. All of the above will be priced in at $3.99 or $2.99 according to Image, as Todd McFarlane continues to keep pricing on his books below the industry standards.

Sam & Twitch: Case Files

First up, Sam & Twitch: Case Files will drop readers into the gritty world of crime-solving with everyone’s fan-favorite Spawn Universe detectives in their own, brand-new series, Sam and Twitch: Case Files. Episodic tales of murder, intrigue, and deception abound in this noir crime drama masterfully created by McFarlane, and co-plotted by Jon Goff. It boasts art by Szymon Kudrański (Something Epic), whose ultra-realistic visuals and cinematic style jump from the page and make it feel more like a movie than a comic. 

Readers will join Sam and Twitch as they navigate the treacherous streets of New York City, gumshoeing and confronting the darkness lurking around every corner. For readers in search of a comic outside the traditional superhero action found in the other popular Spawn Universe tales, these Case Files will be true-crime style murder mystery cases, showcase film noir aesthetics, and unfold like an R-rated Drama. The Sam and Twitch characters were created in 1992 by McFarlane and appeared in the chart-topping, history-making launch of Spawn #1. They have been a staple in the Spawn Universe ever since.

Image Comics press release

Rat City

Next, Rat City #1 will launch in April with an extra-length debut and feature the talents of Erica Schultz (The Deadliest Bouquet, Moon Knight: Black, White, and Blood) and Zé Carlos (Captain America, Strange Academy: Moon Knight). Readers will be immersed in the fantastical, sci-fi story of Peter Cairn, an ex-soldier, an amputee, and a Hellspawn in a post-war future. But Peter isn’t dead like Al. Peter got his Spawn powers from the nanites in his prosthetic legs—nanites that were affected when Al Simmons initiated his necroplasmic detonation in the present. Al had no clue that the effects would ripple across—not just space—and but time as well.

Image Comics press release

Monolith

/Then, May will bring forth Monolith #1 by Sean Lewis (Bear Pirate Viking Queen) and Valerio Giangiordano (Two Moons) will explore the origin of the hulking Hellspawn. What connection does he have to one of the most savage of his kind, Omega Spawn? Readers will follow his journey from the cosmic depths of deep-spawn to his first encounter with Al Simmons in this three-part miniseries.

Image Comics press release