By Title: Spawn #277
Publisher: Image Comics
Writers: Darragh Savage
Artists: Jason Shawn Alexander
Story Rating: 6
Art Rating: 5
Color Rating: 4
Overall Rating: 5
Al Simmons, the Hell Spawn takes on the underground syndicate of demons in Tokyo. Image Comics delivers a dark essence as the inner weavings of evil come forth. Shizumu, a man of death and mystery, takes control of the organization in the wake of Spawn.
Darragh Savage continues to dive deeper into the criminal organization as it was revealed both demons and angels are working together. The organization operates with kidnapping and synthetic drugs with hidden capabilities. Spawn tracks down more leads to find the source of evil within the city. Cyan is still being haunted by strange images of the dead. The visions grow stronger as the spirits come closer with each passing day.
Jason Shawn Alexander creates the world of Spawn through intense shading and dark colors. The panels are so driven with shadow that everything in the frame blends in with everything else. The dark shading becomes unappealing over the course of the comic book. Colors within the comic are the majority pale but some are bright sparingly. Strong depictions of red and yellow adhere to the surroundings as Spawn leaps through the city.
The stylized art steps into weird shapes of exaggerated realism. The characters’ faces sport real proportions and qualities. Spawn presents a towering presence as he rips the flesh of the lower level criminals leaving behind trails of blood. His cape twists and turns resembling something alive as he takes action against those who threaten the innocent.
In the end of the comic Spawn encounters Shizumu and succumbs to the demon’s wicked power. The demon has the power to hypnotize anyone or anything. How can Spawn ever defeat someone who has total control of his mind? What do the dark ghosts want with Cyan’s life? Find out in further installments as Al Simmons takes on the head of evil in the land of the rising sun.
