Spawn #175 - Image

Ok, so I was a little unfair with my review of the last issue of this book. But . . at the time . . it really did remind me of the Ghost Rider version of the same story. Well . . similar story. But, this issue helped to pull the whole thing together for me. Basically, last issue there were 2 people in town that were to be hanged. A white guy who was a killer, because someone in town had killed his family to get his land. He was supposed to have died with them, but he didn't. And he killed some men in the process. The other was a black man that was a deserter from the Army. Well when they're in the hangman's noose, Malebolgia comes and makes them the same offer. Well, the white guy takes it, and the black guy doesn't. The white man hangs, and the black man escapes the noose. It wasn't magical or anything. I just don't remember the circumstances in which he was spared. So anyways, the guy comes back as a cowboy, gun-slingin' Spawn. His goal is to take out the whole town. Which he does, but he spares the survivor at Malebolgia's request. After he's done with the town, he's on his way, and he sends the survivor down the river in his casket. In the coffin was a sheet of paper, a bill made out to the widow of the man for which it was intended. He takes the dead man's name, Henry Simmons, and heads off for his loves arms, Alma. It turns out this man was Al's grand, or great, grand-father. Now . . the story all makes sense to me. But last issue . . I just thought it was another wild-west version of a modern character. But I apologize because I didn't understand what the set-up was. Basically it was showing us that Al was doomed from before he was even born. Actually from before his father was born. That's pretty gloomy and dismal. Even for this book. But? I still liked it. And it just went to further show me how good of an author David Hine really is. I thought it ended up being a great book. And I really love that cover.