Now if I can get a Nancy comic signed by the real Sluggo Smith, that’d be something.
So I picked these up recently, not so much for the monetary value (as they’re in pretty crummy condition) but for the curiosity value…and of course for posting on here.
These are two Spawn comics, signed by the “real” Spawn, Al Simmons:
In case it’s hard to read, the inscriptions on both read “Al Simmons AKA Spawn ’97.”
Now, the seller told me he had attempted to sell them elsewhere and when he said “these were signed by Al Simmons,” he got a negative reaction. Like, the proposed buyer thought he was pulling something, or that he was maybe out of his mind faking signatures or whatever.
You see, Al Simmons is the secret identity of the character Spawn. Al Simmons was also a real-world employee and/or friend of Todd McFarlane, from whom McFarlane borrowed the name with permission to use for Spawn’s alter ego.
For quite a while, the real Al Simmons would make appearances at stores and conventions (in costume, sometimes) to sign comics. Like the ones above, which were signed at a sore up in Santa Barbara. You can see a very short clip of Simmons talking about Todd and the costume in this Xwitter post.
Eventually, Simmons wrote a book, The Art of Being Spawn, to which Todd took objection, particularly the bits where Simmons claimed to the inspiration for the character. Todd filed a lawsuit in 2012, which was eventually settled, and that pretty much put an end to signatures from the real Al Simmons on your Spawn comics.
So it’s been about a decade, apparently long enough for folks to forget that The Real Al Simmons signing Spawn comics was once a thing, like that attempted sale I described a few paragraphs back. I’ve even found a handful of threads like this one on those message boards more concerned with sealing comics away than actually reading them, wondering just who this “Al Simmons” guy is who scribbled on their valuable collectible. (Also, there’s a lot of discussion about whether the signature can be “verified” or “certified,” due to, I guess, that rash of counterfeit Al Simmons signatures plaguing our hobby.)
Anyway, given the condition of these particular copies I have on hand, I may be looking at about two or three bucks tops, and they’re only that much because of the novelty value of the signature. An odd souvenir of a peculiar time in comics.
Just to warn you guys, due to some early medical appointments running through next Wednesday, I may not have very long or in-depth posts for the next couple of entries. In fact, Monday’s post may just be a plug for a project I worked on a couple of weeks ago and should be released over the weekend…watch my social media for that announcement if you can’t wait ’til then.
I’ll be back up and running at full speed hopefully by next Friday. Thanks for reading, pals, and I’ll see you next week.
What a weird and litigious little corner of the world comics inhabit.
Good luck with your medical appointments next week!
I saw that sales chart Image released and I am surprised Spawn (and a Spawn spin-off) are Top Ten comics for them.
But what does #6 on Image’s chart mean in the wider world of comics? Does anyone even know anymore?
@Daniel Nope. The one negative of the end of the Diamond monopoly is that we have no real sales charts any more.
Good luck, Mike!
“NOW IF I CAN GET A NANCY COMIC SIGNED BY THE REAL SLUGGO SMITH, THAT’D BE SOMETHING.”
How about signed by the little pile of rocks?
“Al Simmons”
Even with the Mcfarlane connection, it’s still a random guy with what I’d guess is a fairly common name. Minor novelty value, I suppose.
Is there anyone Mcfarlane WON’T sue?
Making Spawn 1) an African-American, then 2) so hideously burnt that none of his actual skin remains was always such a cheap and cynical move, even by McFarlane’s standards.
Good luck with everything, Mike. All the best.
” Todd filed a lawsuit in 2012″
Of course he did. Really, Simmons ought to have known better.