There are two editions of this figure - the first was released under Series 21 and the second as part of Series 34. The Pirate Spawn of Series 21 was also miniaturised under Trading Series 2.
For collectors:
- Series 21 Original
- Series 21 Variant
- Trading Series 2 Original
- Trading Series 2 Exclusive
- Series 34 Original
PIRATE SPAWN 1
The first edition of Pirate Spawn appeared in February 2002 as one of the all-Spawn lineup of Series 21: Alternate Realities.
For the card collectors, Pirate Spawn 1 came in two official versions but display collectors have to decide if they need both.
Incidentally, this is the only Spawn in Spawndom that has only one eye, green of course and the ugly mug looks like it comes straight from the bodyworld exhibition. But that face is superbly sculpted (all images of the 2-up are from sculptorscorner).
There is an inadequate piece of maroon fabric that barely provides sufficient coverage for this fellow but look at the detail of that tiny cloth, awesome.
The sculpting of Pirate Spawn.
...with a mace added.
A 3D rendition created by Tim Forbrook. My smallish images does not do his beautiful modelling justice, do check out his works at forbrook.com.
Also check out the forum in spawn.com, he goes under JXL78.
THE INSPIRATION FOR THIS FIGURE
Adapted from a Pirate named Cut Throat: Captain of the Damned. Cut Throat appeared in an Angela one-shot issue in June 1995. This ultra slim 16-page issue Angela: Ocean of Evil, Vessel of the Doomed written by Beau Smith is a promo copy distributed as a retailer special - for every 25 issues of Spawn #9 that a retailer ordered; they received a copy of this issue.
The Pirate Spawn is illustrated by Brad Gorby and inked by Mark Pennington. Unlike the collectible figure, this Pirate Spawn has an eye-patch with a Spawn logo and he donned the 'M' uniform.
Yap, that is Popeye on board the vessel of the damned!
Hunter R did a fantastic custom of this figure. Do check out the thread in Spawn Message Board. Or you can also check out a list of his work in progress in his photobucket page.
February 2002 Series 21 Original: Pirate Spawn
February 2002 Series 21 Variant: Pirate Spawn
Image of card courtesy of spawn.com
HOW DOES ONE TELL THE TWO PIRATES APART?
Let's first consider their similarities...they are exactly alike! If you are a display collector, you might want to reconsider this particular fellow. Both carried a gun powder horn, a barrel to stand on and a mace which I initially thought is either a stinkpot or a grenado.
And the differences? You need to equip them with accessories to tell them apart. v1 (on left of pic) is holding a pistol or to be more exact, a flintlock pistol. v2 on the other hand carries a rifle that is described as a blunderbuss. Personally I thought musketoon is a more accurate description as it is a short barrel musket favoured by seafarers.
The other difference is also weapon related. v1 (on the left of pic) is equipped with a cutlass that has a longer blade as compared to v2 whose weapon is shorter and stouter. In addition, v2 got a got a sheath to keep his cutlass.
PIRATE SPAWN: AN EXTREME VERSION OF A PIRATE
Our Pirate Spawn is quite an extreme version of the caricature of a Pirate. He lost not only an eye but a hand and a leg! And he replaced them with an eye patch, a hand-hook (that is interchangeable with the mace) and a peg-leg.
Research has revealed that there are no pirates in history that were known to wear either a hook or a wooden peg-leg, much less one with both disabilities. Well, there are famous exceptions but they are fictional: Captain Hook with well, a hook and he is created by J.M.Barrie in Peter Pan. There is also Captain Ahab in Herman Melville's Moby Dick who incidentally has a peg leg that is not made of wood but of ivory 'donated' by a whale. Then there is Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island which features the one-legged Long John Silver but he peferred to rely on a crutch instead of a peg leg.
THE STORY OF HOW PIRATE SPAWN GOT A PEG-LEG, A HOOK-HAND AND AN EYE PATCH
A seaman meets Pirate Spawn in a bar, and talk turns to their adventures on the sea. The seaman notes that Pirate Spawn has a peg leg, a hook, and an eye patch. The seaman asks, "So, how did you end up with the peg leg?"
Pirate Spawn replies, "We were in a storm at sea, and I was swept overboard into a school of sharks. Just as my men were pulling me out, a shark bit my leg off." "Wow!" said the seaman. "What about your hook"?
"Well," replied Pirate Spawn, "we were boarding an enemy ship and were battling the other sailors with swords. One of the enemy cut my hand off."
"Incredible!" remarked the seaman. "How did you get the eye-patch"?
"A seagull shit in my eye," replied Pirate Spawn.
"You lost your eye to a seagull dropping?" the sailor asked incredulously.
"Well," said Pirate Spawn, "it was my first day with the hook."
PIRATE SPAWN GOES MINIATURE
In October 2007, Pirate Spawn joined the rank of the miniatures. There are two figures released under Trading Series 2.
October 2007 Trading Series 2 Original
That of the scaled-down regular-size figure into 3" and...
October 2007 Trading Series 2 Exclusive
the 'pewterisation' of the exclusive figure. Pewter-finished figure is always my favourite, now if only the regular-sized Pirate Spawn gets an exclusive to complement his miniature cousin.
PIRATE SPAWN 2
A re-make of Pirate Spawn was introduced in June 2008 under Series 34. Definitely inspired by the movie 'Pirates of the Carribean'. For more of images above, see Ryan's photos in collider.
June 2008 Series 34 Original: Pirate Spawn 2
