Spawn on AS: Could it Work?

[Carlos]

With new episodes of Spawn being worked on, do you think it could work on Adult Swim? I know Todd McFarland said that he wanted to see if HBO would take it first, but if they declined, he would try other cable networks. If that failed, then the episodes would go straight to DVD. Personally, I think it could work. Put on Saturdays at 11:30 or 12:00, and I think it would bring in the 18-34 audience.

[Mugen]

I would love if Spawn came to AS, but the problem is Spawn is really TV-MA material. Even though AS is technically it's own network, I don't think the BS&P will allow TV-MA stuff. Also, it depends where the new episodes start at. Does it continue where the old show left off, or does it start off with a clean slate? I would like HBO to pick it up so there will be adult action animation on television again.

[Wanted]

I think it picks up where it left off.

But, as for airing on Adult Swim, Spawn is even darker than many, if not all of the anime shows on the block... and I think that's saying something.

[Zyzzybalubah]

That would be awesome if AS did that. The first american action series to air on Adult Swim! I've been kind of interested in them doing something like that (and/or making their own original.) Not sure though. Like mentioned, will it be TV MA? Will it cost a lot? Could it be a success on Saturday (we all know that's the only place it can premiere.)? I'd definitely watch it and I think it has potential, but we'll have to see what happens IF HBO turns them down (I can't see why they would, but you never know.)

[Beat]

Watching some of the Spawn DVD's, I've noticed a sort of evolution of maturity. The first season (and some of the second) went for maturity through content (aka "We're saying the f-word and showing boobies in a cartoon not from Japan! Oh Noes!") The second half seem to try and get it through context. Granted, the world of Spawn is not a light one, but I don't want a toon that needlessly uses cursing like a child that had just discovered the novelty of it. Spawn was at its best when it told a mature story, and didn't try to shock the viewer.

My point? A TV-14 Spawn might be possible if they went for context shock instead of content shock. Then again, McFarlane might deem explitivies and excessive gore necessary, at which point it wouldn't air on Cartoon Network.

[William C. Maune]

How bad is the TV-MA content? While I'm guessing it might not work in this case due to what has been described already, some of the stuff that runs as TV-14 on Adult Swim would probably be TV-MA on other networks.

[livingfruitvirus]

I'll save my rants about how I think Spawn is the most overrated comic on the market and how the animated series was hardly interesting at all, and try to see this from a business standpoint. I'm not sure Spawn has enough active fans to create a successful cartoon show. I hardly hear any buzz about it nowadays. If the new series has violence and swearing, whoopie, but.......ah forget it. This is wasted typing.

[joshualane]

How bad is the TV-MA content?
...graphic violence (ie, lots of blood and horrific deaths), language, nudity.

[DarT]

Me being a big spawn fan, would love to see it on Adult Swim. It's also perfect for Adult Swim.

[Mynd Hed]

How bad is the TV-MA content? While I'm guessing it might not work in this case due to what has been described already, some of the stuff that runs as TV-14 on Adult Swim would probably be TV-MA on other networks.

Lots of profanity, more blood and gore than I've seen on AS as of yet, and at least one sex scene that is as graphic as some soft-core pornos I've seen. Did I say I've seen? I meant as graphic as I understand some soft-core pornos can get, from the vague third-person accounts I've heard. Heh heh. (-:

I'd put Spawn in the same category as Berserk or Hellsing; not entirely out of the realm of possibility, but it would be a bigger stretch in terms of content than anything else I've seen on AS so far.

Oh, and for the record, Todd McFarlane has been making those promises of new Spawn episodes since literally the day the third season ended. I'll believe it when I see it.

[Mugen]

Lots of profanity, more blood and gore than I've seen on AS as of yet, and at least one sex scene that is as graphic as some soft-core pornos I've seen. Did I say I've seen? I meant as graphic as I understand some soft-core pornos can get, from the vague third-person accounts I've heard. Heh heh. (-:


So, it's worse than some of the stuff in Wolf's Rain, and GITS: SAC? What are some scenes that are violent?

[Wanted]

The one where Spawn strangles someone with his chain link.

And, the funny one (eh, it's April Fools', so I'll type like a fool) where spawn hijacks a carand rns over the guy over and over and over. The guys like 'Oh (crush) plez no!'

[Mynd Hed]

So, it's worse than some of the stuff in Wolf's Rain, and GITS: SAC?

Well, I only saw about three episodes of GitS, so I don't know about that, but it tended to generally be on a par with what I've seen of Wolf's Rain, and occasionally bloodier-- especially in the first season.

[Wanted]

GITS: SAC is like Barney compared to Spawn.

[Artimus Gigan]

GITS: SAC is like Barney compared to Spawn.But Spawn has the writing intelligence of Barney...

The plots arn't even all that great, they're just flashing how extreme they can be in terms of violence....and really the Spawn Designs now all look like hunks of meat on toothpicks and marred togther by gauze tape and then dumped in a bucket of black paint...

[Wanted]

Wouldn't Barney be better in the case of writing?

[LordByronius]

Oh, and for the record, Todd McFarlane has been making those promises of new Spawn episodes since literally the day the third season ended. I'll believe it when I see it.
Ditto'd.

He's also making asinine promises about a movie sequel. "Guys! Guys! It'll be PG-13, and atmospheric scary, like The Grudge of the Ring or whatever!!!"

B-word please.

[Daikaio12]

....and really the Spawn Designs now all look like hunks of meat on toothpicks and marred togther by gauze tape and then dumped in a bucket of black paint... LOL...well the Spawn toys seem to compete for "most meaty."

Leave it to McFarlane toys to make American McGee look tame. Just compare their two OZ lines.

[Artimus Gigan]

LOL...well the Spawn toys seem to compete for "most meaty."

Leave it to McFarlane toys to make American McGee look tame. Just compare their two OZ lines.The Spawn OZ line looks like crap, really the whole bondage Dorothy thing is just plain stupid...

[Wanted]

Ditto'd.

He's also making asinine promises about a movie sequel. "Guys! Guys! It'll be PG-13, and atmospheric scary, like The Grudge of the Ring or whatever!!!"

B-word please.He'd need an R for a movie, like that.

But, check out Animation Insider's IDT Upfront article. Spawn's out of the bag.

[Daikaio12]

The Spawn OZ line looks like crap, really the whole bondage Dorothy thing is just plain stupid... It's a good thing he never did an Alice in Wonderland line then.

[Crimefighter]

Well just HOW adult do they want Adult Swim? Haven't seen it but they could probably edit the thing down where it could run as a TV-14 show.