GUNSLINGER SPAWN #25, from Image Comics on 10/25/23, gets Javi back on the hunting trail of everyone responsible for his sister’s murder, starting with an unscrupulous poison broker.
The Details
- Written by: Todd Mc Farlane
- Art by: Dexter Soy, Adelso Corona
- Colors by: Ivan Nunes
- Letters by: Tom Orzechowski
- Cover art by: Dan Panosian (cover A)
- Comic Rating: Mature
- Cover price: $2.99
- Release date: October 25, 2023
Is GUNSLINGER SPAWN #25 Good?
Well, the timing might be off, but GUNSLINGER SPAWN #25 is the type of Spawn-related comic that makes you appreciate Javi as an ultimate badass. Filled with jaw-dropping art, courtesy of Dexter Soy, and a simple but compelling revenge quest from Todd McFarlane, this issue is as quintessential as it gets.
When last we left Javi, aka GunSlinger Spawn, he professed his desire to let the world’s troubles, including the blossoming war between Heaven and Hell, take care of itself so he could fulfill his purpose – avenging his sister’s murder. Now, Javi tracks down a despicable broker who deals in chemical weapons because that broker, Wilbur, runs the gang hired to capture Javi’s sister, Amy. The night doesn’t end well for Wilbur.
If you’re wondering about the off timing, that’s a reference to the currently-raging Heaven/Hell war. In the Spawn and King Spawn titles, GunSlinger Spawn is simultaneously in Hell with the Spawn gang in a race to beat Sinn to the Throne of Hell. It’s unclear why the timelines are out of whack with each other when they’re billed as happening at the same time, so GUNSLINGER SPAWN #2 works best if you picture it happening in an alternate timeline.
What’s great about GUNSLINGER SPAWN #25? Javi’s raw, dominating presence as he mows down the chemical poison ring is the stuff of badass legendry. Every move Javi makes in every panel looks cool and dramatic. The story is simple, but it hits the point home with a hammer blow.
What’s not so great about GUNSLINGER SPAWN #25? Setting aside the timeline disconnect, this issue is part of a larger revenge quest that lacks clarity about its direction. Javi knows where he’s headed and who he has to kill next, but McFarlane isn’t letting the readers in on the plan or setting up a big bad (Casey Winston?) to get in Javi’s way. This issue is fine in isolation, but within the context of a larger journey, it feels disconnected.
How’s the art? Miraculous. We haven’t seen Dexter Soy’s name pop up on our radar for quite a while, so this issue was an unexpected treat. Every panel is slick, cool, and dramatic. You get more than one splash page to pop your eyeballs, and the net effect is a comic good enough to turn every page into a poster.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.
What’s GUNSLINGER SPAWN #25 About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Check out our GUNSLINGER SPAWN #24 review to find out what motivated Javi to get back on track.
We begin with a trucking warehouse operating at odd hours in the middle of the night. A trucker departs with unlabeled barrels headed for his delivery. As the truck cruises down a lonely highway, the driver stops suddenly when a mystical horse steps in front of the truck’s path. GunSlinger Spawn grabs the driver and forces him to confess his part in the trafficking of chemical weapons.
Later, the truck returns to the warehouse with the dead driver at the wheel. Javi, aka GunSlinger Spawn, quickly dispatches the workers, some of whom are demons, and the security guard. Wilbur, the boss, bawls out one of his underlings on the phone when the lights click off. When the lights come back on, Wilbur sees his wife’s wedding band lying on the desk in front of him.
We conclude the issue with confessions, ultimatums, and bad choices.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.
Final Thoughts
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GUNSLINGER SPAWN #25 is a revenge tale wherein Javi starts killing his way through everyone who had a hand in his sister’s death. McFarlane’s simple plot is surprisingly effective, and Dexter Soy’s art is jaw-dropping.
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