Summary
- Cyan Fitzgerald, a long-time Spawn character first introduced way backin 1992, will finally have her own story in the four-issue miniseries Misery, from Image Comics.
- Misery will explore Cyan's supernatural powers at their on-set, providing a unique take on a "coming of age" story, as she also struggles with grief over losing her mother.
- Todd McFarlane's latest miniseries promises a dark, haunting story that ties deeply to Spawn's history while also looking towards the future of the franchise.
The the long-running series, back in 1992. Cyan Fitzgerald was introduced as a child at the start of Spawn's run, and has grown up as a ing character in creator Todd McFarlane's world of horrors. Now, she gets to be the lead in her own story.
According to the official announcement from Image Comics, writer Todd McFarlane and artist Szymon Kudrański are set to chronicle the next stage in Cyan's life, as it becomes her turn to grapple with her recently developed supernatural powers.
At the same time, Cyan will be dealing with grief over the loss of her mother. These motivations for the plot of the book will converge in a unique coming-of-age story, one which will also bring Spawn's characteristic "dark element of horror."
Cyan Fitzgerald was introduced in 1992's Spawn #3 – written and illustrated by Todd McFarlane. She is the stepdaughter of Al Simmons, aka Spawn.
Spawn's New Ruler of Hell Is One of the Franchise's Biggest Status Quo Changes Ever
In Spawn #350, history is made as for the first time Hell gets a new and unexpected ruler after the throne sat empty for more than 20 years.
Misery Protagonist Cyan Fitzgerald Has Come Of Age Alongside Spawn
The Image announcement continues to explain that Cyan's power "unleashes the darkest memories and emotions of the person she touches, leaving Cyan to bear the weight of their suffering as her own."
The initial synopsis for Misery from Image Comics promises a story that is deeply tied to the history of the long-running Spawn series, while also taking a novel step toward its future. This seems to be the goal of Todd McFarlane and Spawn's other creators; another spin-off includes Rat City, which will take readers one hundred years into the future and introduce a new, cyberpunk version of the hellspawn. Here is how Image described the start of McFarlane's latest miniseries:
In Misery #1, Cyan is now a 17-year-old trying to forge a life of her own after the tragic loss of her mother, Wanda, whose character was the inspiration for Spawn's existence in the first place. Now, as Cyan grapples with her grief and seeks to find her purpose, she discovers hidden powers emerging in her. A newfound gift — and curse — for ‘healing’ will force her to distance herself from those she loves most at a time when she needs their .
With the main Spawn title having just released its milestone issue #350, Misery is further proof that Todd McFarlane's story is only growing more expansive.
The Image announcement continues to explain that Cyan's power "unleashes the darkest memories and emotions of the person she touches, leaving Cyan to bear the weight of their suffering as her own," as a trade offer for healing them. This premise – not unlike the predicament faced by the X-Men character Rogue – will offer exciting opportunities for Cyan to deal with her emotional pain, as well as that of others. Of course, considering this is a Spawn title, her journey will also be dark, and full of terrors.
Cyan Has Come A Long Way Only To Find Herself In "Misery"
Though not aging quite in real time, Cyan Fitzgerald has gone from a toddler, to a teenager verging on adulthood since the start of the Spawn...Centering her as the protagonist is the perfect next evolution for the character.
As Todd McFarlane himself explained about the genesis of Misery:
“Having two daughters myself, I watch them both grow older, see them flourish and struggle, as they become young women...To also try and imagine that they’ve lost their biggest er, their mom — it would have been so very impactful on their lives. This was the inspiration for the idea of this book; What if, at the most crucial time in a young person’s life, instead of embracing all that life has to offer, they instead had to shield themselves from society. What would that do to their maturing personalities? That’s what this book will explore while also bringing in a dark element of horror that will haunt the Cyan character.”
With this story, McFarlane not only opens up new possibilities for the growing Spawn universe, but it also pays-off decades worth of character evolution. Though not aging quite in real time, Cyan Fitzgerald has gone from a toddler, to a teenager verging on adulthood since the start of the series. While she has been the focus of previous stories, truly centering her as the protagonist is the perfect next evolution for the character.
As exciting as the news about Misery is, what is even more compelling to Spawn readers is the wide-open possibility of what could come after, and what Cyan Fitzgerald's role in the franchise could become moving forward. With Spawn #350 serving as the latest major turning point for the series, and the introduction of Misery, and Rat City, with more spin-offs to come, a new era is dawning for Todd McFarlane's legendary creation, and Spawn is continuing to evolve past its original concept.
Source: Image Comics
