SPAWN #356, by Image Comics on 9/4/24, tells you everything you need to know about Lyra, her place in the Heaven/Hell war, and her vendetta against Bludd.
Credits:
- Writer: Rory McConville
- Artist: Brett Booth, Adelso Corona
- Colorist: Robert Nugent
- Letterer: Tom Orzechowski
- Cover Artist: Mark Spears (cover A)
- Publisher: Image Comics
- Release Date: September 4, 2024
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover Price: $2.99
- Page Count: 22
- Format: Single Issue
Covers:
Analysis of SPAWN #356:
First Impressions:
Wow! At the risk of exaggerating, Spawn #356 is a darn-near perfect way to give readers a backstory on a new character. Writer Rory McConville gives Lyra’s history purpose, stakes, motivation, and direction served up in a pristine little package.
Plot Analysis:
When last we left our hero in Spawn #355, readers got a sizable backstory on Jim Downing’s involvement with Greenworld, plus the realization that nobody really knows what Nyx is up to on Hell’s Throne. Meanwhile, Spawn offered Lyra a chance to team up to take down Bludd, and the Fixer got new partners.
In Spawn #356, we get the lowdown skinny on Lyra’s history and why she’s after Bludd. The issue began 16 years ago when Lyra came home from school to find her father standing over a disemboweled corpse in their kitchen. The corpse looks human but isn’t human, and apparently, neither is Lyra or her father, Allain.
Rory McConville’s opening scene is far from unique or unusual, but the “my family isn’t who I was always told they are” motif works because it’s relatable. Everyone entertains the idea of having powerful secrets in their family because it’s cool. Don’t knock what works.
After a hard talk, Lyra learns her father is an angel, and her mother (when she was alive) was a demon. In classic Romeo & Juliet fashion, two enemies fall in love, and Lyra is the hybrid result. At first, Lyra doesn’t believe the story and runs away to the police, but she soon comes around when the police turn out to be demons in disguise, and her father comes to the rescue with angelic help.
Again, it’s a tired and true setup to have the teenager get saved by their parent when the otherworldly comes calling, but it’s tried and true because it works. Plus, Brett Booth’s angelic warrior art looks amazing.
Years later, Lyra has grown up and moved out while still maintaining contact with her father for safety. When the events of the Heaven/Hell War reach a climax, Lyra hopes everyone will have forgotten about her family and moved on. Unfortunately, the issue concludes with hope realized, a new threat emerging, and a revenge quest beginning.
Overall, Rory McConville’s super-solid origin story ticks all the right boxes in terms of structure, character development, motivation, and purpose to drive the series forward. Readers now know what Lyra is all about and have a reason to get behind her quest to get Bludd, which is exactly the point.
Artwork and Presentation:
Did we mention Brett Booth’s art looks amazing? We’ll repeat it for the folks sitting in the back. “BRETT BOOTH’S ART LOOKS AMAZING!” Booth captures that quintessential McFarlane/Spawn character style and gives you top-notch storytelling through the visuals to boot.
Art Samples:
The Bigger Picture:
Series Continuity:
To this point, Lyra’s presence has been a mystery, but this issue goes all the way toward dispelling the mystery and tying her present actions to the fallout of the Heaven/Hell war in Spawn #350. The fact that Lyra still has her powers could also represent an opportunity in whatever schemes Nyx is cooking up for the Earth.
SPAWN #356 is a pitch-perfect origin story for Lyra. Rory McConville delivers a familiar origin story structure, but there’s enough new material to make the story unique and engaging. Plus, Brett Booth’s art is spectacular.
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