Todd McFarlane's Spawn line of comics is expanding again, with the announcement of two new miniseries that will hit the stands this spring, further exploring the already sprawling world connected to McFarlane's flagship character. Both Black Ritual: The Book of NYX and Medieval Spawn will dig deeper into classic characters, who get to step out from behind Al Simmons's flowing cape and into the limelight.

As first revealed by AIPT, fans can expect both Medieval Spawn – written by Rory McConville, with art by Marco Itri – and Black Ritual: The Book of NYX – written by Thomas Healy, with art by Nat Jones – later this year.

NYX continues the story of its eponymous hero, while Medieval Spawn will focus on the origin of another fan-favorite franchise character, Sir Jon of York. Both series will deepen the mythology of the Spawn saga, which already stands as one of the most fleshed out ongoing comic book continuities in the history of the medium.

The Spawn Franchises Continues To Produce Bold, Innovative Stories With Its Two Miniseries

Black Ritual: The Book Of NYX #1 (Of 7), Available April 2, 2025 From Image Comics; Medieval Spawn #1 (Of 4), Available April 23, 2025

Black Ritual: The Book of NYX was apparently a title suggested by returning Spawn artist Nat Jones; author Thomas Healy, NYX's author, also serves as the Editor-in-Chief of the Spawn line, so he knows the character, and the mythology, as well as anybody besides creator Todd McFarlane himself. The character of Nyx, also known as Carrie Williams, first appeared in Spawn #122. She returned again about five years later and has since been a recurring star in the title, mostly as an ally to Spawn but sometimes serving as an antagonist, too.

Most recently, she earned the title "Queen of Hell." Her backstory, though, has remained largely mysterious until now. As Thomas Healy put it:

Nyx, to me, has always been a character with more story to tell. She has mostly been a side character, even now, reigning as the Queen of Hell. So, when Nat approached us about doing a new book focused on her, I knew I wanted to be involved. The reader will see how her story continued after Spawn #184. Where she went, what she did, and how those ‘lost years’ have helped shape the current Spawn Universe.

Similarly, Medieval Spawn will dig into its central character's backstory, in a way that Spawn fans have clamored for since the character's introduction. As the author of that series, Rory McConville, put it:

“Medieval Spawn occupies a legendary place in the Spawn Universe, so it’s been a real thrill to delve into his life before coming to the present day. I can’t wait for readers to see Marco’s stunning art, as we explore one of Sir Jon’s greatest battles—and unearth his darkest secret.”

In both cases, the excitement surrounding these books largely stems from the impactful additions to Spawn lore that are expected to come out of them.

"Book Of NYX" & "Medieval Spawn" Are Just The Latest Installments Of A Massive Spawn Revival At Image Comics

These Origin Stories Are The Short-Term Future Of The Franchise

Last year, McFarlane launched a Violator series, revealing the origins of Spawn's most notorious villain. That feels like the obvious precursors to these stories, but even before Violator, the world of Spawn had exploded. For years, Spawn has been one of Image's best-selling titles, but usually only ed one ongoing title at a time, and the occasional miniseries or spinoff. Not long after Spawn #300 came out in late 2019, McFarlane launched a number of spinoff titles including Gunslinger Spawn, The Scorched, and more, with Spawn consistently remaining among Image's biggest books.

The expansion continued throughout 2024; McFarlane launched multiple ongoing and limited series set in the Spawn Universe in 2024, and announced more this year. Some of the most popular titles no variant with more history than Medieval Spawn. The character, originally introduced in the 1990s, has had spinoff stories, toys, and more attention directed his way over the decades. Nyx's story will fill in some gaps, giving fans a sense of where she was during her time missing from the books, while Sir Jon's story will delve into his earliest days in Spawn lore.

Black Ritual: The Book of NYX #1 will be available April 2, 2025 from Image Comics; Medieval Spawn #1 will be available April 23, 2025 from Image.

Source: AIPT