Oliver Davis reviews Spawn #238..."Jim's struggle to control his new life is put into perspective as Cogliostro reveals the secrets of the Dead Zone. From the temptations of Eden to the wars of today, the whole of human history has been tainted with conflict. While Cogliostro's motives may not be clear, his first lesson for Jim just may change his life...and alter the course of Heaven and Hell's eternal war...FOREVER!!!"
So...what is the Dead Zone? That's the question Todd McFarlane left us with at the end of last month's issue. According to Cogliostro (and most of #238 is according to Cogliostro), the Dead Zone is from where sin first leaked into our world; greed, pride, wrath, etc. Those deadly seven are a hot topic in comic books right now. Just a few months prior, most of the DC Universe were warring over their containment in Trinity War.
This is only the first page of explanation. The entire issue is devoted to explaining the Dead Zone's back story, with the front cover's rather bold claim: THE ORIGIN OF MAN REVEALED! One of the revelations is that humanity is the product of both God and Satan, giving reason to man's capability for both Good and Evil. Two fathers? How very modern of them.
The issue follows this thesis throughout human history, retconning important dates into its 'Religious War' theory. It's all a bit obvious, like the twist of a student film being that she was in Purgatory all along. It isn't that new, ain't much cleverer.
The reasoning becomes increasingly awkward the closer the story gets to the present day. Adolf Hitler and Franklin Roosevelt are reductively framed as Good and Evil; Kennedy's assassination is because he didn't cooperate (when, in reality, we all know it's because Woody Harrelson's dad killed him); and Obama's head is placed alongside Regan's in the background. It all feels cheap and not that well thought-out. Lines like, WARS AREN'T BEING FOUGHT FOR THE REASONS REPORTED IN THE NEWS. THEY'RE BEING FOUGHT BECAUSE HEAVEN AND HELL WANT THEM TO BE are tinged with immaturity.
#238 is an unfortunately weak issue of Spawn, breaking a considerable run of quality. The semi-photo realistic artwork remains impressive, however. You know you're becoming a fan of an artist's work when you recognise their style immediately in another comic - in this case, Szymon Kudranski recently drawing an issue of James Tynion IV's Talon.
Overall, a book bogged down with frustrating exposition for an even more frustrating plot point.
Oliver Davis is one of Flickering Myth's co-editors. You can follow him on Twitter @OliDavis.