EXO-SKELETON SPAWN
"The original had a black body (normal costume) with black/grey exoskeleton. The repaints had a white costume and white/light grey bones. Some of the FIRST paint series shipped with brown/tan bones instead of black/grey. Also, while approximately 50% of the black/grey exoskeletons shipped with the half-mask, the remainders hipped with an equal number of FULL masks or No masks. Likewise, the repaint shipped equally with full masks and no masks. Exclusive version include the green and red version released through Target, late Fall 1996".
There you go, the article above is an excerpt from 'End Cap' January 1997 of Spawn #57. Since Spawn #57 is published in January 1997, you would think they have a very clear view of something that happened only in 1996, right? Well, I wrote to the official McFarlane site and got a response that:
firstly, the original is brown/tan exoskeleton as shown in the website and secondly, the green and red version is FIRST released in January 1996 and not late Fall 1996. The late Fall 1996 is through Target but earlier release was enacted for selected stores to test a change of name of the toy company.
And to make it more confusing, there are circulation that the grey/black exoskeleton is that of a Japanese exclusive released in April 1996 although I think that can be debunked as a myth.
Until the confusion is sorted out, this would be my guide:
January 1996 Retail Exclusive: Exo-Skeleton Spawn
A Retail Exclusive green skeleton version with red mask was released in January 1996. Unlike the other ES Spawn, this version aka 'Christmas Spawn' is rather plastiky and cheap to the feel, not that many collectors open their purchase anyway!
There are reported variants of green half-masked and green unmasked (from the collection of 'bonedust').
January 1996 Series 4 Original: Exo-Skeleton Spawn
January 1996 Series 4 Variant: Exo-Skeleton Spawn
ES Spawn makes its debut in January 1996 under Series 4 with two original versions of the same figure: a historical first. The ES Spawns are draped in external skeletons that completely covered up the figure. Not surprisingly, it aroused the suspicions of collectors and they turn out to be figures with a closet full of skeletons (pun intended). What are hidden under those carapace-like structures are but a duplicate of Spawn 2. It should make for a pretty disappointing collection but ironically, the ES Spawns are one of our favourites because where there are similarities, there are also variations and those variants are distinctive and not merely a matter of packaging errors.
In keeping to the tradition of presenting it in its 'mask' order, the full-masked version is presented first and the half-masked version is next.
Unintentional variants include a brown unmasked (from collection of 'bonedust') and also figures with painted and unpainted hand colours (from collection of 'blackaris').
"Spawn disguises himself in this exo-skeleton armour as a means to breach the territory of Violators and other creatures of the darklands. By camouflaging his appearance, Spawn can attack his enemies offguard while at the same time using parts of his costume as weapons of defense." (information contained on back of card on box)
What is hidden inside the carapace-like structure is actually a duplicate of Spawn II (figure in middle is Spawn 2 original version and that of the right is Spawn 2 repaint version).
Besides the brown skeletons of ES Spawn, there appeared two figures with grey skeletons.
There is also a grey unmasked figure (from collection of 'bonedust')
Creating another record of sort is the Series 4 Repaint which registered three versions of ES Spawns and without a half-masked in their midst.
Variants include 3 speckled white bones figures (from collection of 'bonedust').
May 1996 Series 4 Repaint Red Mask Version
The white skeleton red mask version
Although the repaint's red mask is similar to that in colour with the January 1996 Retail Exclusive, their finishing is quite different, the latter is definitely glossier.
May 1996 Series 4 Repaint White Mask Version
The white skeleton with white mask version.
May 1996 Series 4 Repaint Unmasked Version
The white skeleton unmasked version.
The skeletons have now appeared in four different colours - brown, grey, white and green.
ES Spawn makes its debut in January 1996 under Series 4 with two original versions of the same figure: a historical first. The ES Spawns are draped in external skeletons that completely covered up the figure. Not surprisingly, it aroused the suspicions of collectors and they turn out to be figures with a closet full of skeletons (pun intended). What are hidden under those carapace-like structures are but a duplicate of Spawn 2. It should make for a pretty disappointing collection but ironically, the ES Spawns are one of our favourites because where there are similarities, there are also variations and those variants are distinctive and not merely a matter of packaging errors.
In keeping to the tradition of presenting it in its 'mask' order, the full-masked version is presented first and the half-masked version is next.
Unintentional variants include a brown unmasked (from collection of 'bonedust') and also figures with painted and unpainted hand colours (from collection of 'blackaris').
"Spawn disguises himself in this exo-skeleton armour as a means to breach the territory of Violators and other creatures of the darklands. By camouflaging his appearance, Spawn can attack his enemies offguard while at the same time using parts of his costume as weapons of defense." (information contained on back of card on box)
What is hidden inside the carapace-like structure is actually a duplicate of Spawn II (figure in middle is Spawn 2 original version and that of the right is Spawn 2 repaint version).
Besides the brown skeletons of ES Spawn, there appeared two figures with grey skeletons.
There is also a grey unmasked figure (from collection of 'bonedust')
Creating another record of sort is the Series 4 Repaint which registered three versions of ES Spawns and without a half-masked in their midst.
Variants include 3 speckled white bones figures (from collection of 'bonedust').
May 1996 Series 4 Repaint Red Mask Version
The white skeleton red mask version
Although the repaint's red mask is similar to that in colour with the January 1996 Retail Exclusive, their finishing is quite different, the latter is definitely glossier.
May 1996 Series 4 Repaint White Mask Version
The white skeleton with white mask version.
May 1996 Series 4 Repaint Unmasked Version
The white skeleton unmasked version.
The skeletons have now appeared in four different colours - brown, grey, white and green.
