THE SCORCHED #37 – Review

THE SCORCHED #37, by Image Comics on 1/15/25, puts the entire team at Death’s door when they’re ambushed by the Black Brotherhood and Viscerator, thanks to Jason Wynn.

Credits:

• Writer: John Layman, Todd McFarlane
• Artist: Stephen Segovia
• Colorist: Dinei Ribeiro
• Letterer: AndWorld Design
• Cover Artist: Bjorn Barends (cover A)
• Publisher: Image Comics
• Release Date: January 15, 2025
• Comic Rating: Teen
• Cover Price: $2.99
• Page Count: 28
• Format: Single Issue

Covers:

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Analysis of THE SCORCHED #37:

Plot:

The Scorched #37 begins with Jessica Priest down for the count and missing an arm as Daniel Kilgore performs her last rites. We learn through a flashback that just as Daniel and Haunt found their way to the Medieval armor at the end of The Scorched #36, the team is suddenly transported away and thoroughly trounced by the Black Brotherhood. However, the fight is far from over. When Daniel delivers the prayers of her last rites, a magical glow envelopes the entire team, restoring their bodies and their powers, thanks to the final moments of Spawn #360.

Artwork and Presentation:

Stephen Segovia, once again, presents a Spawn Universe comic that has a higher-than-expected amount of gore. Spawn is no stranger to violence, but this issue has torn limbs and broken bodies everywhere, which is a positive as it suits the dire tone of the story and is tastefully presented.

Art Samples:

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Character Work:

Despite the larger cast of characters, The Scorched #37 is a Daniel Kilgore-centric issue as he grapples with the burden of seeing his teammates destroyed in horrific ways. John Layman plays up Daniel’s hopelessness with great effect to give his final act as much weight as possible.

Structure:

John Layman’s story structure works once you get past the first few pages to figure out what’s happening. The Scorched #37 starts off with a team in a very different state from the end of the previous issue, so you’re easily thrown into thinking you missed a page or a tie-in somewhere. Layman chose to start at the end and work backward to create a shock, but some readers may be confused.

Strongest Point(s):

The highlight of this issue is the ending, which further confirms that Spawn-related characters get their powers back. Technically, the “how” hasn’t been addressed because the connection between the referenced issue (Spawn #360) and this issue isn’t obvious, but it’s a cool development.

Weakest Point(s):

As suggested above, the jarring start is the weak point. Technically, there’s no narrative reason to start the way this issue does, relying on flashbacks to fill in the massive gap. If Layman had started the issue in chronological order, the story would still be the same, and it wouldn’t be nearly as jarring.

Final Thoughts:

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THE SCORCHED #37 starts on a jarring note, works its way forward and ends on a high note. John Layman and Todd McFarlane continue connecting the threads to confirm the dry spell of powerless Spawns is nearly over, but the road to get there is less than smooth.

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