Spawn vs. Batman
McFarlane Toys and DC Comics cross paths
By Tina Benitez -- Playthings, 4/1/2006
Batman was always the coolest character to me,” says Todd McFarlane, CEO McFarlane Toys, Tempe, Ariz. “Superman is too much of a boy scout. Spider-Man is young and quirky, but a guy that waits, sits in his chair until dark to get people…”
Todd McFarlane has drawn the Caped Crusader in the past, and now he will write the Spawn/Batman crossover story as well as design a commemorative statue of both characters. DC Comics is teaming up with McFarlane Toys and Image Comics to produce a 48-page comic featuring Batman and Spawn. In addition to the title, DC Direct, DC's toy division, and McFarlane Toys will create a deluxe, two-figure statue, designed by Todd McFarlane, sculpted by McFarlane Toys and distributed by DC Direct. Both will hit stores in December.
A meeting of heroesThe new series is a second meeting between Spawn and Batman, but will be more serious, according to McFarlane, from the first, written by Frank Miller (Sin City, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns) and inked by McFarlane in 1994.
“The first time with Frank Miller, was just a goof around,” says McFarlane. “We're going to take this one more seriously and push it further where everyone [Spawn, Batman] questions what they do, justify why they do things, whether it is right or wrong. We want to ask those questions. To me, it's not all about fighting the bad guys.”
The only product currently in the works from the series, the two-figure statue is McFarlane's take on Spawn-Batman. “The statue is going to be high-end, something you can put in your living room,” he says. “It's not going to be much different from other McFarlane toys, but it'll be the first McFarlanized Batman.”
Georg Brewer, vice president design and retail product development for DC Direct, tells Playthings there's always opportunity for additional statues and product to come out of the crossover if demand is there or the right ideas come along.
As for McFarlane's take on Batman, Brewer says it may add a new spin to the character. “The McFarlane sculptural style has a unique sensibility all its own,” he says. “Given DC Direct's diverse line, representing a variety of art and sculptural styles, we are excited to have this interpretation of these two classic characters added in.”
