Spawn Universe Expands With She-Spawn Miniseries From Gail Simone

The Spawn Universe is about to get a very real kick in the front of the pants for 2026. For all the talk about the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the ongoing news surrounding James Gunn and his DC Universe, there's always been the greatness of Al Simmons lurking in the shadows, Todd McFarlane's creation having, for lack of a better way to put it, spawned a feverish and well-deserved following.

It was roughly two years ago when Todd McFarlane Productions made the announcement that acclaimed creator Gail Simone (Batgirl, Wonder Woman, DC's Birds of Prey, Deadpool, The Simpsons, etc.) would lend her talent to writing a brand-new She-Spawn series, and the time has come for its unveiling. McFarlane and Simone, with Ig Guara providing art, will arrive in May 2026, and with no shortage of excitement and demand.

Simone opened up, via Comics Beat, about what it means to have gotten the green light from Todd McFarlane to expand the universe of Spawn, and in such a way as to introduce a femme fatale version of the beloved hellspawn to the world.

“It’s a thrill to be chosen specifically by one of the iconic founders of Image to create in his playground. Apparently, he’d read a DC book I’d done and was impressed by the dialogue, which was incredibly gratifying. The next thing I know, I was having hour-long conversations with Todd McFarlane – not just about She-Spawn, but about his passion for storytelling and character. Each one felt like a masterclass. He asked a lot about my process, with genuine and heartfelt curiosity, and it was one of the nicest and most collaborative introductions I’ve ever had with a publisher."

Simone continued her praise of Todd McFarlane Productions and the support she's received in bring She-Spawn to fruition: "I’m proud to get to write part of the Spawn Universe, and grateful to Todd and his team for making this connection happen. I also want to give credit to Erica Schultz, writer of the Incredible Rat City Spawn series for helping me pave the path for She-Spawn."

She-Spawn Looks Nothing Short of Mind-Blowing

But what of She-Spawn the character? Simone made sure to give a deeper insight in to what's to come and why it needs to be placed atop everyone's pull list this coming Spring, as if the cover art and panels above aren't enough to get the pre-orders flowing.

“About She-Spawn herself, I love her. I see her as one of the few supernatural badasses who drives a pick-up truck and has a family cabin in the woods." Simone said. "She goes up against a religious sect to save a child, making her a bad person fighting for something good, with stakes she couldn’t possibly imagine. Ig Guara did meticulous, gorgeous work, with typically beautiful classic image coloring by Robert Nugent. It just looks stunning. It’s a story with no-seat belt and the engines on high––violent, a little kind, a little mean, about an exploration of the country and a character’s soul.”

Spawn Is Returning to Center Stage, Malebolgia

It feels as if the tide is turning back toward the appreciation of Spawn, as 2026 gets underway, and for a variety of reasons.

Jamie Foxx, the Oscar-winning Renaissance man has reportedly completed a script that would bring Al Simmons back to the big screen in the first live-action film since the character was portrayed by Michael Jai White nearly 30 years ago, and HBO's animated version from yesteryear — having set the standard for what R-rated storytelling and visuals should look like in a dark animated series — is, to this day, viewed as one of, if not the best comic book adaptation of all-time (can confirm this is a righteous take).

That means this is the perfect time for McFarlane to let Simone cook with She-Spawn, and so he has, and unapologetically so.

“Look, at times, the goal of publishing comic books that fans want to read can be quite simple. Choose a character the readers want to see more of, tell a story that is engaging, price the book fairly and hire smart, creative people. That’s what I think we’ve done here," McFarlane said of She-Spawn. "Writer Gail Simone has been on my (and thousands of other folks') radar for quite some time. I’ve admired her taking many different heroes and characters into worlds that feel like I’ve met that personality before. So, to now have the chance to get her to bring that talent to the Spawn Universe was an opportunity I wasn’t going to pass up.

It's impossible to not feel McFarlane's excitement: "Her enthusiasm for her story of the Jessica Priest character along with her advocating for the artistic skills of the wonderful Ig Guara made this a creative team I am anxiously awaiting to see myself as a comic book fan. I hope the fans will give this book a look, as I promise they won’t be disappointed.”

As everyone heads to local comic book shops in May, looking for something worthy of adding to their collection, look no further than Simone's She-Spawn for Todd McFarlane, a series that might turn out to be the best of the year.