Spawn has been the lord of Hell, an angel, a demigod, a literal god, and, yes… one of People Magazine's “Sexiest Men of the Year.” Believe it or not, this turn of events is canon within the Spawn Universe, as none other than Lt. Col. Al Simmons made the list in 1985.
Spawn is, of course, the brainchild of superstar writer/artist Todd McFarlane, created in 1992 when he and a cadre of other artists left Marvel to found Image Comics. The story of Spawn sees top secret government assassin Al Simmons betrayed and murdered by his superiors. After his soul is sent to Hell, Simmons cuts a deal with the demon lord Malebolgia, promising to devote himself to Hell’s service if he can only see his wife Wanda one last time. Simmons returns to Earth years later to find his wife remarried and the world having moved on beyond him. He is also given a costume and the powers of a Hellspawn, which he uses against the forces of Hell that come calling for his soul.
Spawn: One of People Magazine’s “Sexiest Men of the Year”
How exactly does a top-secret government operative become notable enough to the ranks of A-list celebrities, actors and athletes? That’s a good question for Todd McFarlane, although one issue of the long-running series may help to shed a little more light on Al Simmons’ celebrity status. One recurring motif throughout Spawn is the use of “talking head” newscasters, usually dropped in the middle of a story to provide some background and exposition when needed. The newscaster segment in Spawn #13 is actually a flashback to 1987, where each talking head reports the news that Al Simmons has recently been killed in action. One newscaster in particular highlights Simmons’ notoriety at the time, stating: “Though this charismatic gentleman fought for our safety every day, it was his bravery during the Hinckley incident that marked him in our memories.”
The “Hinckley incident” the newscaster is referring to is the 1981 assassination attempt on then-President Ronald Reagan by John Hinckley, Jr. Before he was recruited into top-secret levels above even the CIA, Simmons was an agent with the United States Secret Service, the personal guard assigned to protect high-level politicians and visiting dignitaries. In the Spawn Universe, Simmons apparently was crucial in preventing Hinckley from carrying out his assassination attempt, saving the life of the president and gaining national media attention in the process - including the editors of People Magazine, apparently. It also caught the attention of Jason Wynn, a high-level government spook who recruited the future Spawn to be one of his top assassins. Wynn was also the man responsible for betraying Simmons, leading to his destruction while on mission, which of course resulted in him going to Hell and literally selling his soul to the Devil. There are no hints that the editors of People Magazine were in any way involved, but anything is possible in the Spawn Universe.
Spawn’s Past Life As Shady Government Assassin Al Simmons
Spawn may have gone through vast changes over the course of 300 issues and 30 years of continuous publication, but his most impressive feat just may be getting voted one of People Magazine’s “Sexiest Men of the Year.”
