Spawn #342 is published by Image Comics and written by Rory McConville. Artwork is by Carlo Barberi, colours by Jay David Ramos and letters by Tom Orzechowski. Main cover art (left) is by Viktor Bogdanovic.
Issue #342 is available 7th June 2023 either directly from Image Comics online or from your local comic book store, digital copies will be available to download from the usual content providers.
Synopsis
Spawn is forced into a battle with Greenworld’s champions, but luckily for him, he has an ace up his sleeve.
Review
In this issue the effects of the Dead Zones becoming open are beginning to show as the most evil beings imaginable take the battle between Heaven and Hell intensifies. Cogliostro or Sin as he now goes by sees an opportunity to make his move for his throne but Avaron has other plans and won’t let the throne be taken so easily.
Spawn thought that the Deadzones would be easy to control and limit who or even what can pass into this realm but once one opened and evil could make it’s move others began to make their move, but the problem doesn’t lay at Spawn’s feet it could well be the problem of one those that are close to him. As the battle between Heaven and Hell gets to breaking point how long will Sin wait to make his move? And when he does what will this mean for Spawn?
The story of Spawn is one that just keeps getting better with age and never feels like it’s going stale or being stretched out and that’s thanks to the mix of incredible writers that Image Comics have at their disposal. Rory McConville is definitely one of these talented writers as the writing he provides seems to invigorate the story and elevates it to epic levels, this particular book I had to read in one go the intensity of the story was so strong that the only thing that mattered at that time was finishing this book, as the pages went by you could feel your heart race as the story reached it’s peak, the end isn’t here just yet but the beginning of the end is here.
If you have a story of this level you need illustrations that will not only match but compliment the written words, this is what Carlo Barberi has managed to do as each panel gives you a feel of the battle giving you the raw emotion of each blow as they land. The artwork in Spawn titles are some of the best you will find the intensity of the story flows through with the artwork, the detail is that refined you can literally hear the bones breaking around you.
Verdict
5⭐ just doesn’t do this book justice, it deserves alot more than that the story and illustrations are the best around at the moment the battle between Heaven and Hell is about to explode and I can’t wait to witness the fall out. Image Comics are definitely producing some of the best work at the minute and I can’t wait to see what comes next for Spawn.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
