GUNSLINGER SPAWN #35, by Image Comics on 9/4/24, commences Javi’s fight with a rogue angel in the past to show readers how cool he can be.
Credits:
- Writer: Todd McFarlane
- Artist: Carlo Barberi
- Colorist: Ivan Nunes
- Letterer: Tom Orzechowski
- Cover Artist: Von Randal (cover A)
- Publisher: Image Comics
- Release Date: September 4, 2024
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover Price: $2.99
- Page Count: 28
- Format: Single Issue
Covers:
Analysis of GUNSLINGER SPAWN #35:
First Impressions:
Yep. The description above says it all. There’s no reason for this issue to exist other than to show GunSlinger Spawn and a nameless, rogue angel in a fight. If you only buy Spawnverse comics for the cool art, this one’s for you.
Plot Analysis:
When last we left Javi in GunSlinger Spawn #34, the police and medical personnel got a good look at Javi while he remained unconscious after the motel shootout. While he sleeps, we get a brief view of an interesting meeting in Javi’s past. Meanwhile, Linda finds refuge with Waya, which might lead to Linda learning the truth about Javi.
In GunSlinger Spawn #35, Javi continues his coma-induced flashback to a point 150 years in the past when Cogliostro sent a rogue angel to kill him. The opponents recognize that neither has the weapons to kill each other, so they drop their guns and charge.
The angel gets the drop on Javi by unleashing waves of debilitating sonic attacks. Stunned, the angel seizes Javi and begins to cut his throat. Javi responds by gouging out the angel’s eye with daggers Javi had concealed in his coat.
The combatants briefly pause to draw on their supernatural powers. Javi calls on the beasts of land and air who thrive in the night to suture his throat and provide cover. The angel calls forth winged demons to join the fight.
The issue ends with black ravens tipping the scales and a man in the present who recognizes Javi’s face from news reports.
Normally, these reviews would critique the pluses and minuses of each scene, but as with the previous issue, there’s not much here other than an excuse for GunSlinger to fight an angel. That said, the fight is well done, and the last-page twist is a surprise.
Artwork and Presentation:
Since this issue is all action, Carlo Barberi carries the burden of making this issue worth the cover price. Whether you, my fine reader, feel it’s worth it is up to you, but Barberi flexes hard by giving readers imaginative fight choreography, cool elements you won’t see anywhere else, and plenty of pop. If you’re okay with a meaningless fight that goes nowhere but looks fantastic, you’re in for a treat.
Art Samples:
The Bigger Picture:
Series Continuity:
Since GunSlinger Spawn is taking a multi-issue breather, this is a good time to inform readers that this series is least affected by the fallout from the Heaven/Hell War. Javi may be mortal, but mortality isn’t deterring him in the least from resuming his mission to take revenge on the men who killed his sister.
Final Thoughts:
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GUNSLINGER SPAWN #35 delivers an action-heavy issue that recalls a fight Javi had with a rogue angel in the past. The fight is brought to life by fantastic art from Carlo Barberi, but it ends in a draw, has no relevance to the current arc, and doesn’t communicate anything we didn’t already know. This issue is a breather in every sense, so get it for the art, but skip it for the story.
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