Curse of the Spawn, Book 1: Sacrifice of the Soul [Paperback]

Alan McElroy (Author)

Book Description

Series: Curse of the Spawn | Publication Date: October 1, 1999

In a futuristic world in the throes of apocalypse, a world without hope, the soulless Anti-Pope aligns with other minions of evil as they stand at the threshold of victory. The curse of the Spawn has touched another soul and a new soldier from Hell is chosen. Fueled by rage, ravaged by guilt, hate and merciless inner demons, Daniel Llanso stands alone against the dark and indomitable forces. As they wage a horrific battle in a dread-fueled world overrun by the Powers of Darkness, scores of scarred refugees search for fragments of faith and hope.Witness the horrors that Daniel Llanso`s death sets in motion for his survivors. Will the Spawn he was reborn to be succumb to his role as Hell`s general and rule accordingly? Or will he fight to undo his past for the future of his family in this perilous, apocalyptic world?

Product Details

• Paperback: 10 pages
• Publisher: Image Comics (October 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1582400962
• ISBN-13: 978-1582400969
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 6.6 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,055,908 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Depth is good, but it can be overdone, October 29, 2001

By 

Ron Tothleben ([e-mail]) (Tilburg, Netherlands, Europe) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Curse of the Spawn, Book 1: Sacrifice of the Soul (Paperback)

This collection is the first part (it collects #1-4) of a Spawn-series that takes place many years AFTER the events currently in the core-title. In here Hell DID already break loose on earth. It's done in a manner with a mood-setting that is as sick and hopeless as possible. A little bit in the style of Hellraiser, only now worldwide. No element of gore is left un-used.

About it: It's the future, 500 years after Hell took over on earth and set loose it's 1000-year war. Perspectives of those few humans still alive in this place are pretty sad. The only function they still seem to have is to be food for the creatures that now roam the world. Because a human body contains water and water is very rare in this day and age. The one who directed the fall of earth is now it's ruler, the 'anti-pope'. Two humans who ARE still alive are trying to make their way from hiding place to hiding place without getting destroyed by one of the many kinds of those who hunt them. Luckily a newborn Hellspawn comes to their aid. Only he's not fully aware of what he has become (or what he is now exactly) and what he can and can't do, yet.

The concept is good, only the execution is a little lacking. McElroy likes to describe pain and agony deeply but he tends to go a bit over the top at times. At first that's not really a problem, but when it keeps going on and on it eventually tires a reader down. Especially because there's very little dialogue because off it. The story suffers from it, it seems less important. The art is good, especially for those used to reading the core Spawn title. It will feel faniliair to them.
Though, if you're considering to get into this "Elseworlds Spawn" series I'd advise to get the second volume of the series ("Blood & Sutures").

5.0 out of 5 stars the best coomic book yet*, July 27, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Curse of the Spawn, Book 1: Sacrifice of the Soul (Paperback)

i love the preview that u gave my ofthe comic book curse of spawn:sacrifice of the soul,i love it. thanks, the best comic book yet*

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is the title, April 7, 2001

By 

Ryan Thompson "Knight" (NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Curse of the Spawn, Book 1: Sacrifice of the Soul (Paperback)

Great art, good story, great read. It's a stretch from the normal Spawn series taking place almost 500 years in the future. The new Spawn is Daniel, who awakes in a confusion of literal hell on earth. This is better than Spawn, who hides in a urban jungle, because this Hellspawn wanders a giant warzone of a planet.

Avoid naysayers, this is a good graphic novel. Are you really going to listen to the guy who says a comic is "too wordy" or that he has almost no depth perception so it takes a few minutes "to stare at the picture for a few minutes to figure out what the heck you're looking at". This guy could win the Special Olympics in a millisecond!

Read it, make your own decision.