MEDIEVAL SPAWN #1 – Review

MEDIEVAL SPAWN #1, by Image Comics on 4/23/25, returns to 1443 England to learn about the tragic first meeting between Sir John and a young boy with news of a demon-infested village.

Credits:

• Writer: Rory McConville
• Artist: Marco Itri
• Colorist: Ulises Arreola
• Letterer: AndWorld Design
• Cover Artist: Francesco Mattina
• Publisher: Image Comics
• Release Date: April 23, 2025
• Comic Rating: Teen
• Cover Price: $3.99
• Page Count: 28
• Format: Single Issue

Covers:

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Analysis of MEDIEVAL SPAWN #1:

Plot Analysis:

Medieval Spawn #1 begins, unsurprisingly, in Medieval times. Sir John, aka Medieval Spawn, and his allies trek through the snowy woods of England in 1443. They hunt for a man named Fitzroy, who stole a dangerous amulet from Fortress, but his motives are unknown. When Sir John and his crew find a half-frozen, starving boy in the woods, they rescue him and learn what brought him to this lowly place.

The boy, Richard, returned to his village after wandering the fields to find missing sheep, only to find the village was overrun with a demonic plague. Sir John questions the boy and deduces Fitzroy is responsible. When they return to the village, all residents have been transformed into ravenous zombies beyond all healing. Sir John and his allies cut their way through the zombies, driving toward the heart of the village. There, they find Fitzroy opening a portal to another dimension.

Sir John confronts Fitzroy and learns the latter stole the amulet when a being called Abraxis promised to still the voices of guilt and death in Fitzroy’s mind if he set the being free using the amulet at a magical nexus point located in the heart of the village. The plan worked, but Fitzroy refused to believe he was duped and abandoned when Abraxis escaped into our world.

The issue ends with Medieval Spawn silencing the voices in Fitzroy’s head and Richard swearing an oath of service that Medieval would regret.

First Impressions:

On the whole, Medieval Spawn #1 is just okay. Rory McConville’s tale of woe doesn’t give you an expanded version of Sir John’s origin. Instead, readers get a lost tale or secret mission of one of the more popular Spawn derivatives. Medieval Spawn fans will like where this issue is headed, but new readers may have trouble jumping in.

Artwork and Presentation:

Marco Itri’s artwork is detailed, meaty, and well done for a Gothically-inspired Spawn story. Itri’s work looks and moves like a more modern, small-press comic, as you might expect from Dynamite or Zenescope. The typical McFarlane style isn’t present, but Itri does a perfectly fine job. Plus, Arreola’s colors are excellent.

Art Samples:

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Story Positives & Negatives:

The Positives:

Rory McConville’s basic story concept gives readers a solid setup for Medieval’s adventure. You get a PoV with motivation, a quest, and a goal. Plus, McConville injects a ton of foreshadowing about Richard that lets the reader know Medieval’s troubles are just beginning.

The Negatives:

McConville gives readers almost all the basics, but the fuel that should make the story go is missing – the stakes. The first issue doesn’t tell you anything about Abraxis, what it wants, or the consequences for Earth now that it escaped its prison dimension. Sure, you could generally conclude Abraxis is bad, but without a clear sense of why, the hook falls flat.

Also, the issue assumes you know who Sire John is, how he became Medieval Spawn, and the circumstances of his travels. If you’re a new reader, Medieval Spawn #1 will be a tough jumping-on point because nothing about the character is prefaced.

Big Picture:

Historical Context:

If you’re a comic reader who also happens to be a collector, Medieval Spawn first made an appearance all the way back in Spawn #9, which is one of the few issues written by now-infamous writer Neil Gaiman. As we understand it, Gaiman created Medieval, and that creation led to more than one creator dispute with Image for years.

Final Thoughts:

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MEDIEVAL SPAWN #1 returns to Medieval England to follow Sir John during one of his early adventures. Rory McConville’s script sets up a perfectly satisfactory tale about fighting demons, and Marco Itri’s art is solid. That said, McConville’s script lacks a strong hook, and Itri’s art, while good, doesn’t have that distinctive Spawn flare.

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