1997 Todd McFarlane's SPAWN the Animated Series

Todd McFarlane's Spawn (also known as Spawn: The Animated Series) is an American adult animated superhero television series that aired on HBO from 1997 through 1999. The show is based on the popular Spawn character from Image Comics and is noted for its dark, gritty, and mature storytelling, which contrasted sharply with standard Saturday morning cartoons remise: The series follows the story of Al Simmons, a highly skilled government assassin who is betrayed and murdered by his superior, Jason Wynn. After dying, his soul goes to Hell, where he makes a deal with the demon Malebolgia to return to Earth to see his wife, Wanda Blake, one last time. He is resurrected as a "Hellspawn"—a a disfigured, superpowered zombie—five years later, only to find Wanda has moved on and married his best friend, Terry Fitzgerald. Tormented by his new existence and loss, Spawn becomes a reluctant anti-hero, battling the forces of both Heaven and Hell while trying to protect the innocent in a dark New York subsection called "Rat City". Mature Themes: The show was a pioneer in adult animation, featuring graphic violence, profanity, nudity, and complex adult themes, including child murder and religious imagery. Creator Todd McFarlane often provided intros before each episode, emphasizing the mature nature of the content. Animation Style: The series featured a grim and atmospheric animation style, reminiscent of Batman: The Animated Series (with some of the same crew members involved), but with a darker, film noir tone. Animation quality improved in later episodes with the involvement of Madhouse Studios. Voice Cast: The series is highly praised for its voice acting, especially Keith David's definitive portrayal of Al Simmons/Spawn. Other notable voice actors included Richard Dysart as Cogliostro, Michael McShane as Twitch Williams, and Michael Nicolosi as the Clown/Violator. Reception and Legacy: Todd McFarlane's Spawn ran for three seasons and a total of 18 episodes, earning a Primetime Emmy Award in 1999 for "Outstanding Animation Program (longer than one hour)". It has achieved a cult classic status and is considered one of the greatest comic book cartoons of all time by publications like IGN. The series has been released on DVD as a "film series" and can be streamed on services like Max.