The Superstar Artist Who Lost Everything (Todd McFarlane)
Todd McFarlane had it all. Ten years later he was bankrupt. What really happened?
The World vs. Todd McFarlane by Daniel Best: amzn.to/3RmYJUN
Todd McFarlane Reading Guide
Hulk Vol 1: amzn.to/3R3kdof
Hulk Vol 2: amzn.to/3T2MTAu
Out-of-Print Hulk Omnibus: amzn.to/3sXpYvK
Amazing Spider-Man Vol 1: amzn.to/3RjFhbf
Amazing Spider-Man Vol 2: amzn.to/3sRoSBF
Out-of-print Amazing Spider-Man Omnibus: amzn.to/3QYOMvk
Solo Spider-Man: amzn.to/3N0WOTd
Spawn Reading Guide
If you want the full Spawn history, the compendiums below are your best bet:
Spawn Compendium 1: amzn.to/46v8vbC
Spawn Compendium 2: amzn.to/3sTPHFa
Spawn Compendium 3: amzn.to/3N5IQ2a
Spawn Compendium 4: amzn.to/47W2p5o
Spawn Compendium 5: amzn.to/3N6mgqe
Spawn Compendium 6: amzn.to/3uzfeUB
If you want to start reading modern Spawn, start here:
Spawn: Vengeance (contains a 2 issue recap of the whole series): amzn.to/3SYtQXX
Spawn: The Record-Breaker (includes issue 300): amzn.to/49Z4pvu
Spawn: Aftermath: amzn.to/3QWnl5j
Spawn: Omega: amzn.to/3SYtVLf
The trades are pretty far behind the current reading order, so from there I’d recommend single issues using this guide:
comicbookreadingorders.com/ot...
The Spawn Figure on my Shelf: amzn.to/3T2MvBH
With custom cape: amzn.to/3GlhZeV
Todd McFarlane Art Books
Spider-Man Artist’s Edition (Oversized scans of the original art): amzn.to/3T1TdrS
The Art of Todd McFarlane: amzn.to/49RaV7v
The best way to read Infinity Inc is on the DC Unlimited App: www.dcuniverseinfinite.com/
The best way to read Coyote is to buy these copies from me.
(As an Amazon Affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases)
Notes
McFarlane’s business was a web of intertwined corporations that even he at times seemed to have trouble keeping track of. The one that went bankrupt was the entity that oversaw Spawn, and that was likely walled off from his personal finances and that of his toy business. So it is possible that McFarlane retained a good bit of personal wealth while his business went bankrupt. But he obviously isn’t very upfront about his own finances, he did claim to have spent most of his money buying baseballs, but again, this is not something I was able to verify beyond using McFarlane as the source.
Sources
The World vs. Todd McFarlane by Daniel Best
The Art of Todd McFarlane
ohdannyboy.blogspot.com/searc...
www.nfb.ca/film/devil_you_kno...
• The Comic Book Greats ...
• Comic Book Greats - To...
• Todd McFarlane Creates...
• Todd McFarlane's Facts...
• The Comic Book Show - ...
• TODD McFARLANE DEBATES...
www.tcj.com/tcj-issue/the-com...
• Video
• CNN Impact - Todd McFa...
• Spider-Man to Spawn, H...
• Stan Lee in Conversati...
• Diary of a Struggling ...
• Todd McFarlane inspira...
• Taking Responsibility ...
• Todd McFarlane: Like H...
• Todd McFarlane Holds C...
• DC Multiverse Todd McF...
/ @dailyspawnarchive
www.cbr.com/comic-legends-the...
comicbookinvest.com/2019/11/2...
comichron.com/blog/2010/07/13...
archive.org/details/wizardmag...
/ 769852979725453
podcast.robliefeldcreations.c...
podcast.robliefeldcreations.c...
podcast.robliefeldcreations.c...
podcast.robliefeldcreations.c...
podcast.robliefeldcreations.c...
podcast.robliefeldcreations.c...
Asset Credits:
Sotheby’s Photo Credit Ajay Suresh
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• George Pérez 1993 - Fu... - Interview with George Perez
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The fact that a man can keep his high school sweetheart by his side through all of the ups and downs says everything about his character.
He’s still an arrogant egomaniac who screwed people over.
An actual alpha.
An actual partner. 6:11 married his best fan.
It also says a lot about his partner too.
@@jaimetheone9150more of a sigma
I'll never forget being a 14-year-old wannabe comic book artist in 1988 and writing to Todd, who actually took the time to write back an encouraging reply letter. I still have it. I see now from his early struggles that he must have known how much that sort of support matters.
having someone who believes in you will always help your dreams become a reality!
@@Gadget-Walkmenso where's the guys comic books then?
@@sirmustardofhousemayonnais9907 Not everyone wants to end up doing comic book for life, sometimes things happen and you have other goals and ambitions you want to purpose. That should be obvious, what’s with this “sO whErE tHiS gUyS cOmIC bOoK tHeN” lol are you for real? Not every’s goal when their 14 is going to be the same throughout their life, that should be obvious. Stop with the snark, seriously.
@@Gadget-Walkmen why so triggered little guy?
@@sirmustardofhousemayonnais9907 The only “lItTle gUy” here is you and you alone based on how terrible your childish comments are and I’m not “sO tRiGgeRed” AT ALL as I’m just BAFFLED from the nonsensical garbage you’re saying as you’re trying to talk down to someone as you are. That simple!
Was completely obsessed with McFarlane in 1997. Met him at a demo in Calgary when I was around 8-10y/o and got a super quick gestural drawing of Spawn in either '97-99, thanked him and asked if he has any advice for me to me to become an artist... He said "DRAW DRAW DRAW, never stop, never give up and you will be great. Just keep drawing." That really stuck with me and is the reason I pursued the arts.
How's that working out for you? I'm currently writing a Superhero Comic, looking for an artist & inker.
@@RealGateGuardian No way! Can I know the synopsis?
@@_CharlieH damn, if only you'd responded a little quicker
@@diddlypoop4722 what do you mean?
@@_CharlieH cause i dont think he'll respond since it's been so long
met Todd at comic con here in NY and I got my sketch book signed, I didn't need to pay money or anything like other celebrities . I can confirm that he treats his fans well and he is very down to earth.
I never understoo paying to get a autograph. And 1990-1997 i was always getting NFL & NHL autographs for my friends father & myself(rarely myself) Paying to enter the event is one thing.. I remember Drew Bledsoe in 1993 or the year or 2 afte rhis rookie year he got mad that he wasn't paid enough to sign autographs & he up & left(49ers/Chargers SuperBowl in Miami aka the very 1st NFL Experience super bow week of festivities.. My friends dad was a vendor for his memberobilia and i was running all ove rthe place... Man, Bledsoe was hated by EVERYONE that day... Marshal Faulk(rookie) was offended & stayed late to sign for the butthurt fans... I still have the personalized autograph from Marshal...
Facts
@@CT-nb5lm at conventions you usually have to pay for autographs and pay even more for pictures.
I knew an aspiring artist who talked to McFarlane back in the day and said McFarlane was full of himself and told him he would only be good if he drew like McFarlane.
@@neobaldurevermore3757 hmm must have been really back in the day like the 90's or early 2000s? when I saw TODD it was 2015 so he was already 52, and I was 30. so he was already pretty mature and kind . I didn't meet TODD when he was in his 20's or 30 or 40's etc if he was a different person than I wouldn't know because I didnt meet young Todd
What kind of person pushes through 700 consecutive rejections? The drive this man possesses is insane! He's truly a role model for commitment and perseverance.
LOL I probably would have given up after the first 5 or 10 rejection letters but hearing that massively motivates to just keep on improving my artwork to get the job!
He's probably got Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.
I think have a person in your life being there for you and encourage you like Todd's McFarlane wife (Wanda) helps a lot
700 consecutive rejections when you're looking for a job? Oof, but good to see you're still trying. 700 consecutive rejections when asking people out: STAHP
@@Kurotaisa so true
I met Todd and his father at a con. He signed autographs for free and talked with each fan for as long as they wanted to talk to him. He stayed hours after the con had ended that day while his father talked with people in the lineup and played harmonica. It was a great experience, and I got my Spider-Man #1 signed!
When I was a kid, this guy was the #1 comic artist on the planet. I didn't even know he had so much bad luck.
That’s a timeless experience!
I've never forgiven HBO for canceling Spawn
Todd McFarlane was a phenomenon in the early 90s. He didn't just change comics, I'd say he changed animation, and even art in general.
As a fan of the medium for almost 40 years, I can still remember when Todd did the titular Spiderman issues with the Lizard and Wendigo. The art blew my mind!
he might might of been one of the 1st in the States but Japan was already doing his style of adult theme anime and arts.
People can say whatever. He changed the way comics were drawn. Probably the most influential artist since the King. He created the modern age spiderman. Gave me so much joy and inspiration as a young artist.
I watched the HBO show and had to skip all the parts where he appears with cringy dialogue to introduce each episode, it was too painful
Spiderman Venom Spawn
@LuisSierra42 like I said you can say whatever. You probably shit your pants once.
When I was a kid, I didn't appreciate Todd's art at first. It wasn't what I was accustomed to. I remember vividly when I began to appreciate it, Spider-Man issue thirteen. I don't know what made me change my mind. It just suddenly clicked. I was a little boy, probably eight or nine years old. I used to call him Todd "Mc Fire Lane."
@nickangelo116 Fineline lol. Thats apt. Was it the way he drew the webs? For me, it was the way he drew the webs. And the ninja style poses. I was reading Amazing when he took over so that was 1st I saw of him and just loved it straight away. Romitas Style was so iconic also so I guess it must have been a bit off putting for some fans. Such a dramatic change in style. But his Batman stuff. He did stuff with the Cape and posing him to make him look more Bat like. Sheer genius. I would get any comic with a cover by Bisley, Zeck, Mignola or Macfarlane. I got a few valuable numbers baby.
I swear this channel popped outta nowhere and started making the most high quality comic book videos ever
Agree 100 percent!
bro read my mind
Fr And It Was made in this year too 😭
Most Accurate statement ever!
Industry baby and we for it 🗣️
Todd's quick drawing tutorials on youtube are a joy. Dude seems like he just wants to leave the world with something positive. He wants to help people create. It's also cool to see his process and how fast he gets stuff done, very impressive. I don't even draw and I'm still watching his stuff.
As a writer and artist, Todd McFarlane is a huge inspiration on me. The art flow of each pages, just makes your eyes go big in amaze.
It was Todd Mcfarlane who gave Spider-Man the boost he needed back in the day. His illustrations and artwork blew away anything going on in comics than at the time. His Venom symbiote and Mary Jane layouts were the reason I couldn't wait to get my hands on another issue. Thank you for the memories Todd. Spidey was never the same without you!
Yeah, I still have my few iconic albums of Spiderman from Todd, wouldn't let them go 😎
I find it really sweet that he named his OG character's family after his own family. So every time Spawn said "I love you, Wanda" in the comics... he was saying it too, to his wife. What a power move
And what was Spawns name? Hahahaha Todd's a cuck.
I remember John Leguizamo as the clown in the Spawn film, exploding into the sky saying, "See you at Wanda's", now you're telling me that's Todd's wife's name. Gasp!
God I love that story. This one really hits me as an aspiring writer as well as a Todd fan. I'm just so glad they keep things going as a family and caring more about quality than selling out. Huge respect for this guy and his wife for being true creators and a true love story that most can only envy. Wish you all the best, McFarlianes! His version of Spider-Man and Hobgoblin are what inspired me to become an artist in the first place.
I saw the title of this video and got curious....I googled Todd MacFarlane net worth. Surprisingly rich for a guy that "lost it all"...says 300 million. (I am just now starting video, so maybe it will be talked about...I just thought, "holy shit he's broke" when I saw title...so if nothing else the title was good enough to get me to click.
f̷̩̜͚̤͇͔̿̋̓̐͜͝͝e̷̞͍̲̜̔̃́͝e̷̠̭͎̽̂̾̕d̷̛͈͓͉̮̦͔̼͈̳͔͙͊͌̌̊̔̏̊͂̔̚̚t̸̢̛̤̰̯͕͊̀̈́̈͛́̈̒̓͝͝h̴͖̠̱̝̣̼̩͕̥̭̜͊̍͗̋͛̾͋̌̍̒̓̍͝ę̴̛̯̮̰͖̝͎̼͎͙̼̻̻̺̈́͒̈́͐͂̔͒͘͠â̵̬̰͍̾̉ĺ̸̞͌̐͐̉̑̐̓͒̎̊̈͘͝g̸̛̩̥͌͋̌̊̑̌̈̓͝õ̴̡̯̥͔͓̙̪͓̫͓̞̞̣̜͓̅̀̑̉̒̋̇̄̐̋͝r̸̨̤̤̔̆̍͌̾̈́͆́̚͜į̶̨͓̗͚͚̳͉͕͚̝̪̳͍̲͌̈̊͗͛̎͌̌͒̏̒͋͘͝t̶̨̘͕̂̽̀̉͐̈́̎͌̌̿́̆̿h̴̡̥̺̤̳̘̳̜͈̝̤̱̾̐̽m̷͉͊̾̊̽̅́͋͋̍̂̋́̚̕͘
Todd’s wife is amazing, Her unyielding support for his aspirations is beyond tremendous..
I want to scream this from the top of a mountain. This woman deserves a statue where offerings are placed and wishes are granted.
women ☕️
@@jaefrmbk2k ??? ☢️
She is truly a rare one. Most of us could only dream of finding a woman of her resolve and loyalty.
Luckiest man on earth...
Having interacted with Todd at several Cons over 20+ years, the fan service thing is absolutely true. Doesn't matter if you're a first time fan or not. Todd is always so gracious and kind, just like John Romita Jr.
I LOVED JRJ's take on The Punisher (War Zone)....made him a real scary, dark Italian mobster that would make Tony Soprano quiver.....I wished he'd done that book forever.
Honestly, Todd is one of my favorite people. His story is of passion, ambition, greed, and love. He will always be one of my favorites and to this day, has the only comic book character I care about. My kids are young... I cannot wait to introduce them to Spawn/Al/Wanda/Todd... Nice video. Knew pretty much all of this stuff, but it was great to hear it all again wrapped up like a gift. Thanks!
Todd is a legend here in Spokane. My childhood wouldn’t be the same without his work and he is directly responsible for me moving into a full time art career. I never made it into comics(as originally intended), but my love of comic art and drawing was “spawned”😊 by endless hours of copying his work and drooling over his illustrations.
As an outsider to the comic book scene, these video essays are a window into a world i know nothing about. The fact that you can keep an outsider such as me engaged for 39 minutes is a rare quality. Well done.
I appreciate you touching on some of the importance Mcfarlane has regarding action figures. He changed action figures forever; the way they're sculpted, painted, articulated, and the audience they're aimed towards. One of the best things he ever did was hire the Four Horsemen to sculpt his Spawn figures and give them artistic license to go crazy. Once McFarlane Toys began to stop producing figures, the Four Horsemen went on to continue changing Action Figures forever and are currently making some of the greatest figures of all-time.
"the audience they're aimed towards" == manbabies
Mcfarlane toys still makes amazing figures though
yeah mcfarlane still make figures man, they got the license to make dc comics-based figures years ago which is huuuuuuge
The Four Horsemen are toy production heroes! Been in love with their work since the mid 2000s when I learned about them on a indie/vinyl toy forum. They are a huge inspiration
I've always loved Spawn - I never realized how committed Todd was to his art and his family until watching this! Great make and thanks for sharing :D
Had the movie on vhs and watched it repeatedly next to the fifth element. Watched and read some more since and have only a positive impression. Wondering if I should binge the comic? Finnished watching the video now. Yes will binge the comic and Neil gaimans doesn't make the nicest impression even if a patient one. I don't mind, did not like his work much yet. Except the sandman life action/tv show.
I met the Toddfather when he had just started his own Spider-man title (before he had started Spawn and Image Comics)! I saw him again in 1993 at that Philly ComiCon. I was a huge fan of his then and I'm a huge fan of his now. He revolutionized the comic book industry as well as the toy industry! God Bless you Mr. McFarlane!!
I had a comic book store from April 1992-May 1993. I'm almost 60 now and that was the best year of my life. I even met Lee, McFarlane, and Liefeld at a signing hosted by the largest comic store in my area at that time. I still have several hundred boxes of books from my old store and I know it is full of the Image line of comics from that year. Sadly, many of the just didn't sell back then because it took so long for subsequent issues to come out and I lost a lot of $$ waiting. However, I'm so happy I found this channel. I look forward to watching more of the stories...thanks Matttt for the nostalgic look back..
send me the TMNT xD
OP goes on to say: "so anyway, I sold that letter and used the proceeds to become a Disney executive. "
I remember going to comic book stores in the late 90s when I was a kid. I still have the first 10 issues of spawn that I collected for no reason, I was too young to understand what happened in them lol, I just liked McFarlane's art so much. It was a real bummer seeing all those comic book stores and arcades dry up in the 00s, lot of nostalgia there. I think the last one I went to was in 2009 or so when I was in college, and it closed that year.
I loved this, but I also can’t believe how you just completely glossed over McFarlane toys overtaking the DC Comics license from Mattel in 2020. That was a HUGE turning point recently and went hand-in-hand with the Spawn kickstarter!
He also forgot to mention mcfarlane toys was sold out to a canadian company, and all the new jersey guys were given a raw deal about closing up shop. 70% of this video wasn't about the downfall, but climbing the ladder.
@@GaryTabarJrmafex still better mcfarlane toys peaked in the 90s and had way better qc
@@nfa_copium2479 mafex is also about 3x time the cost.
you're comparing a company that makes $100 import figures to a company that makes $20 budget figures. apples and oranges, dude 😅@@nfa_copium2479
@nfa_copium2479 Of course, Mafex is better! Their figures are 3 to 5 times more expensive than a McFig! McFigs are the best bang for your buck!
The story of his family driving his motivation and being all he worked for is one of the most based influential stories I’ve ever heard Great work
welp, I never tought I would cry over a documentary (?) for some comic artist that randomly showed up in my recommended but here I am, great job buddy, your videos are amazing
I love Todd's '80s run of the Earth Two hero group Infinity Inc. McFarlane's art literally made you feel that said universe was completely different from that of Superman, Batman and the other main heroes.His career shouldn't have went downhill AT ALL
😊😊😊😊
His career didn't go down hill, he stopped drawing comics cause he didn't wanna spend 80 hours a week drawing anymore, what kind of life is that?
@@kevns689 an artist life? I mean, not to say it can't be exhausting or anything but drawing a bunch is kind of the whole thing in an artistic career.
Fun fact: Todd McFarlane regularly produced album covers for Flordia metal band Iced Earth in the 90s and early 00s. The band released an album in 1996 called "the Dark Saga", which was a concept album based on Spawn.
Love Iced Earth
Great fucking album, it's a shame Matthew Barlow left the band and Jon Schaffer became such a humongous idiot
Me too. And Jon Schaeffer did nothing wrong.
Richard Christy on the Howard Stern show used to drum for Iced Earth. Richard seems like he would be a big Todd McFarlane fan, but I never heard this connection. I think Iced Earth has had a few drummers though.
@@TylerInTraining what's this a reference to?
Thank you so much for making this episode. It popped up in my stream and I never heard of you before but the episode was awesome. I never knew what happened to Todd McFarlane. This episode of left a warm feeling in my heart. I had met him at his McFarland Toy both. He told me about how his company created the Twisted Storybook figures. He was quite nice.
So the title is actually incorrect as he never did lose everything. Regardless of all the success they didn't let it go to their head, salute to both of them!
What I took away is that even if he did lose "everything," as long as he still has his family he would never lose anything of value.
Tell that to Neil Gaiman.
What I like about this story is that at the end of it all, Todd got what he truly wanted. A Family. A wife that loves and supports him through thick and thin. That kept him going. He won it all and lost it. And now getting it all back again. Yet through it all. he has Wanda. He has his family. He HAS LOVE. Truly an inspirational story. 🙂
He might have done Injustice towards his fellow writers but I deeply appreciate the dedication he fosters towards his family and towards innovation. Both of which have enabled him to come so far from the kid who wanted to be a Baseball player.
The whole Neil gaiman thing was more just legal nonsense that Neil found out he could take advantage of, but of course people love him a incredible amount so no matter the outcome Todd reputation would be hurt.
Oh please these modern writers are destroying every industry now, marvel has both them and trash artists now
@@VuotoPneumaNN and to add to that gaiman gave him YEARS to come to an agreement, and eventually he was done
@@ddl3718 Yes, exactly.
@@VuotoPneumaNN What I don't understand is why wasn't this Gaiman's fault? McFarlane paid him to do work for him and he took the check did he not? If Gaiman wanted his work protected why didn't he get a contract signed before he did the work? I'm sure I must be missing something but in every other field of work if I do something for a company then the company owns it unless I get the company to sign a contract giving me the rights.
This is one of the BEST told & edited biography videos I've ever watched! Thank you, Matttt, for really getting in there with the facts and storyline. Well done!!!
This is a masterclass of a documentary. The amount of respect and detail you put into this is only rivaled by Tom’s early ambition.
Though the "lost everything" is clickbait. Only one company of his went bankrupt and the rest are fine.
I'm going to assume that you are referring to MySpace Tom.
Bring us spawn the most awesome badass anti-hero hero villain of all time
@@jaustill237Tom!
Speaking of Infinity Inc, it's really sad that they fell into oblivion after the 1985 Crisis. It's really fascinating to see the descendants of Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and the other heroes of the Golden Age taking the role of their parents in a long-lasting series starring them. Something like this would only be seen again in Batman Beyond
There was some else world stories that were somewhat similar to it.
I remember watching the animated series on HBO as a teen and remember thinking, "I have never seen a more violent cartoon before in my life and it was drawn so realistically". It was great! Spawn had become my favorite comic book character after that. He really was a mesh of everything that made other characters awesome and the toys were always the most detailed toys. I had a huge collection of them and the comic books until my first divorce when I lost all of them.
Your wife wanted your comic books??? That’s messed up.
The bad ending :(
IF A 300 MILLION DOLLAR NET WORTH IS LOSING EVERYTHING...SIGN ME UP!!!
Todd Mcfarlane was the first comic artist that made me look up the name of the artist as a kid, and wanting to buy comics based on the look. It was mindblowing at the time for me.
Same here bro!! He made me pay attention to artists after ASM #298 & SM #1
I like Todd alot but for me it was Mike Grell. I was blown away by his art when I that first Warlord special.
I used to buy comics before Spawn appeared but when i first saw and read the 1st Spawn issue my mind just.......pff i fell in love! Still love Spawn!!!
Yup! Once I saw/read the Torment, nothing was ever the same for me
For me it was Art Adams, but Todd made me a Hulk fan when I had never bought a Hulk comic.
What a story. "Todd McFarlane" is one of those names that you grow up hearing, or become somehow exposed to, and you kind of just accept the ubiquitous-ness nature of it. Hearing the backstory of this artist is fascinating and this was an excellent and well-structured video on the subject. Well done. ♥
I initially believed he was working on Family Guy. 😅 Read the first dozen Spawn as a kid but unfortunately comics were a luxury. Mortal Kombat paid homage!
Yeah, the name is everywhere, so you just assumed that the streets were paved in gold for him since the jump. I had no idea that he got started in art later than most artists and experienced so much rejection early. I like him more now.
I completely agree I grew up knowing the name but now knowing his story makes him a legend
-Come over and see ‘working for Johnny Depp’
@@AnnusMirabilus Always appreciated how DL Bill Watterson conducted himself. 🐅
I lovehow you genuinely sound interested and invested in the topic. Great video!
Excellent video. Well narrated and edited with enough detail to inform and the pacing moves the story forward nicely.
Dude, your bibliography and reading order sections in the description are second to none. Thank you for the high level of info you’ve been providing beneath every video.
Todd McFarland's brother in law used to have a comic book shop in my hometown called the Spider's Webb. Todd would visit the Spider's Webb every once in a while. Every time that I ran into Todd he was a really nice to me. Very easy to talk to. I had a conversation with Todd and his brother in law after the Spawn movie failed in theaters. Todd was proud of the movie and was disappointed that they wouldn't be able to make a sequel. From what I remember Todd really liked the star, Michael Jai White's performance.
The movie wasn't that bad, but the digital effects and some of the editing really let it down. Leguizamo as the violator was great too.
I watched spawn three times in theatre as kid then started reading the comics ^__^ I also collected some spawn pogs
I remember Spider’s Webb. Downtown P right. I believe it’s a Sushi place now. Used to go there all the time when I was a kid, then go play some arcade games at Vans arcade next door.
I thought the movie was great! I never understood why it wasn't a bigger success. But what do I know, I'm just a McFarlane devotee from his beginning.
@@TheGAMEGENIE101 100% correct. It was in the same strip mall as Van's. Van's was a great arcade.
BRO! Your writing,editing, and delivery is amazing. I'm not even a comic person and your videos get me locked in. Nice work!
"Todd McFarlane" is one of those names you always hear being thrown around if you're anywhere into comics, but I never knew about his story or the details if his career. I don't look a lot at authors, editors and directors, it's something I have been trying to pay more attention to. But damn, the man revolutionized every industry he worked on, despite all the negatives and criticism. And he gave the iconic looks that I love so much in Spider-Man, my number one super hero. We should all aspire to be a little like him, not only on the drive to always get better at what we do, but also giving your all for your family. This is the time for independent artists and creators to stand up and show everyone what they're capable of. The public loves passion, and they can tell what has it
I remember when all these comics hit the scene in my teenage years. Todd, in my opinion, is one of those people who changes the world. Shaking things up and seeing what lands. No fear. He was, and still is, one of my hero’s.
heroes
Heerows*
definitely the freshest art of the nineties and a huge influence on the business
I always admired McFarlane for his amazing style, an astonishing pioneer. But the way you told his story made the man even more inspiring. He's a legend.
John Romita Sr. version of Spider-Man and the stories he made with Stan will always be my Spider-Man but I grew to love and accept the version Todd made in the years after John left. Todd was the perfect artist to take over during those years and perfect for drawing Peter Parker's adult life after completion of high school and college. He drew the black suit, Venom and the darker more adult stories for the character that made sense at that stage of Spider-Man's run and existence - I bought the Todd McFarlane Omnibus and it's worth every penny. Love his unique version where he makes him even more like a spider with poses, the big eyes, the neat intertwined and the more spider like webbing and webs. Love it! Spidey was needing a fresh new take and stories and Todd came in and gave him that along with a huge boost in sales, new fans, and even more popularity.
This has been really fascinating to learn about! I've always had a weird dislike for the guy which I know was unearned, yet has sat with me from a young age. I think I'm finally able to deconstruct it with the help of this video and appreciate Todd/Spawn and all that I never realized he contributed to the stuff I enjoy. I was born in '90, to a comics-fan dad who had grown up with cheesy Silver-Age / Adam West stuff and was thrilled to watch stuff like Tim Burton's Batman when it arrived. By the time I was 3, Batman: The Animated Series stuff was all the rage and he encouraged me to enjoy it. I loved the Happy Meal toys, the birthday party merch, the box full of action figures, all of that. It was the perfect blend of "dark" and "fun" for a young kid and his dad to enjoy. Bringing this back around to McFarlane, I have a vivid memory of my dad taking me to a comics store, where I saw a big display of Spawn comics and cardboard cutouts, boldly advertised as being drawn by some guy named Todd McFarlane, and thinking it was, like, some super-scary version of Batman. My dad had already shown me the old 70's Batman stuff that was super-NOT-dark, then here I was thinking Batman as I knew it was perfect as it is, and now (in my young mind) along comes this gross Todd jerk who is going way _too_ dark now and _ruining Batman forever!!_ 😲The horror! I learned later that that wasn't Batman, but a different character, but the damage was done. I sort of subconsciously blamed Todd McFarlane for everything dark and ugly and gross I would ever see in comics, even bleeding over into video games ("why did they have to let this hack create a whole character for Soul Calibur 2??" etc.). To me he represented that sort of "teenage older brother weird stuff" that as a kid you didn't understand or like and you hated being told you'd enjoy someday. And I never really unpacked that. So here's to Todd McFarlane! I'll go load up Soul Calibur 2 in your honor, and actually _play_ as Necrid this time instead of just using him as my go-to practice mode punching bag.
I had a very similar experience with Todd/Spawn. I was introduced to him through my dad who is also a comic lover. He brought the vhs home from the rental store one night but didn’t watch it in front of me. Me being a 7 year old seeing what looked like a weird Power Rangers cover, asked my dad what movie it was, he ended up telling me the story. I never saw the movie or the comic before then. The themes of the story itself confirmed suspicions I had about life but didn’t realize I would face so soon. As a 7 year old I wasn’t ready to ponder the ambiguity of existence. I didn’t understand how a hero could go to hell. It made me believe I was going to hell. After that Spawn became my only phobia in life, till I was 21. I used to curse Todd Mcfarlane for existing, and literally prayed he would die so no more Spawn media would come out. It’s weird because after I faced my phobia of Spawn, I realized I identify with him more than any other super hero. Todd Mcfarlane became my favorite comic book creator, and now I’m an independent creator who also combines vibrant with dark
Wanda is proof of what a good woman having your back can do for a man, giving him the strength and willpower to keep fighting.
I almost broke down crying on when he spoke of her support through his 15 years of struggle. That's fucking love right there. That man loves his wife and realizes he would not make it without her.
It's sad that the bar for females is set so low that all they have to do is not abandon you, and some people will give them credit for a man's success. Sad and disgusting.
I certainly agree
@@Arshay i cried. that was real love right there
Why she liked that skinny wimp is beyond me.
When I heard he got 700 rejection letters... I immediately cried. I was so impressed. That's tenacity on a godly level... and I'm genuinely inspired by him.
OMG who are you so wise in the ways of comics. The channel is less than a year but the quality of content is mindblowing. Not only it is informative, it is narrated well and it is very pleasant to listen. I am subbed and I am watching everything.
Truly an awesome documentary. Appreciate the insane amount of research, interviews and love in making this video. Thank you very much.
Gaiman getting Marvel to fund his lawsuit and then selling them the winnings to get back at someone who threatened to "bury" him is a true sigma move.
Can’t lie it definitely is, but Todd is still amazing as well.
selling Angela to Marvel was the cherry on top
@@gentlemandank9827Not exactly.Since Neil Gaiman sold Angela to Marvel.She hasn't made an appearance after that the lawsuit was over.
@@marktheshark7588 Shes actually Thor's sister and recently appeared in Donny Cates Thor run
Neil Gaiman, such a Sigma… Ex-Scientologist who moved to Scotland, abandoning his family, in the pandemic and was too dumb to cover his tracks. Who’s so spiteful over the one mediocre character that he gave to Spawn and now put it in the hands of the dying Marvel/Disney, who is currently being sued for fraud… and did absolutely nothing with that character… Who probably still is a Scientologist and just hides it because he’s so humiliated by it… That sigma Neil Gaiman? He is a complete waste and, as for his contributions to comics, his pretentious garbage is boring and he’s a complete hack. His woke nonsense gets sold to Amazon like every other hack… We can sit and discuss the details all we want, but it comes down to one very important distinction. Something embedded in fact. It doesn’t matter what you say or what you draw from, too much has happened that we know it’s absolutely true. Neil Gaiman is a whore. Todd McFarlane will never sell out. Never. I’m not even sure what Neil Gaiman has done that is iconic. He’s created things, sure. Of course he has, but nothing that is so iconic people will remember it forever. He’ll be lost…
Man, what one the best thing in Facebook a few years ago was to watch Todd make his sketches on a digital pad whilst making funny blast noises and explaining his process. Really satisfying!
Like fart noises? 💨
I wasn't searching for this video but I'm glad it showed up in my feed! I've always been a huge fan of Todd McFarlane's work. Excellent video!!!
I had a brief moment in the mid 90s as a middle schooler where I adored comics, but I lived so rurally and had limited funds so I couldn't keep up with everything happening with the X-Men or spider man or any of them. This channel is awakening some nostalgia I'd almost entirely forgotten about. I love it! Thank you for these incredibly informative videos, I really appreciate all your effort. Subscribed!!
I still have a lot of Todd's comics and to this day he is the best artist I've seen. His spiderman drawings are fantastic. Spawn is just sick!
I was around McFarlane time on Spider-Man and later Image and for as much as I hated him for leaving Marvel with all the best artists of the time I have always admired his determination in following his vision. It wasn't a clear path, few are, and the Gaiman lawsuit will forever remain the biggest stain on it but he still kept going headstrong his way regardless. One thing I particularly appreciated of his books is the importance of the legacy which he mentions in several interviews: Spawn has never rebooted e-numbered like Marvel and DC foolishly keep doing on their titles.
Great video. Better than many network "documentaries" - thanks for making it.
Amazing documentary 👏👏👏 I’ve never been a serious Spawn collector but I did collect comics for about a 2 year period during high school. I bought a couple of issues of Spawn, and what sucked me in was the incredible artwork/covers. I also enjoyed the movie, although watching it recently, the CGI looks dated and the script/acting was lacking. The other thing I loved about Todd was the quality of his toys. I bought several spawns, not because I collected the comic(I didn’t) but just because of how cool they looked. I put them on my bookshelf as displays. I did buy most of the Conan figures too. You have to admire the guts on this guy.
Its good to see SPAWN still rocking in 202X's & Todd doing good for himself. 1 of my all time favorite Comic Artist, his work is just straight up LEGENDARY.
This has to be one of the best videos I’ve watched. Great pacing, wonderful storytelling, and the score is great as well. Very well done, and inspiring. Also, Todd McFarlane is an absolute legend. I met him a couple of times at conventions and he’s a very nice dude. Great to see a video of this quality dedicated to TM’s life and journey. Nicely done sir!
Couldn’t agree more! This video was so incredibly helpful to me, as a comic artist working on my own comic book!
Good work mate! I usually have an attention span of 3 minutes when it comes to documentaries but this is just so good I was able to watch the whole thing.
Still to this day, one of the greatest comic book artist to ever live. This isn't even open to discussion.
What do you mean "still to this day?" It's been his day since the 90s
Interesting opinion. Here is another: like the Beatles (who are "ok") it is expected that you like Todd and buy into the hype. Todd is the kings clothing of comic art.
@@boyeatsworld-vr9ciFlashy and flamboyant? Assumed "kings clothing" was a discount clothing store, but all I got when I searched it were pics of Henry the VIII gnawimg on a turkey leg in fancy, puffy clothes, so I assume we're talking about that hound dog guy..
@YerBrwnDogAteMyRabit yeeesh! Not sure how to respond if that's what you got from a fairly basic comment and the associated reference.
This is the best episode you ever made Matt. Wholly crap Todd's story is downright incredible. He really is the living embodiment of that stan Lee quote " if you have an idea that you genuinely think is good, Don't let some idiot talk you out of it" Seriously though I need to give a shout out to his wife Wanda she stood by him through thick and thin and you can tell she's where Todd gets his strength to succeed. What a story.
that quote reminds me of how stan downright trashed & mocked him and lefield at a workshop.
She didn't do anything.
@@VirideSoryuLangleyclearly she offered moral support and if you watched the video Wanda was the editor of Spawn she clearly contributed something.
@@rogueguardian Men never get credit for "morally supporting" their girlfriends or wives, so why should she?
McFarlane is the Metallica of the comic realm. He might have been difficult to work with by some other artists, but he also not only paved the way for other artists, but gave so many new artists the opportunity to launch their careers. He revolutionized so many stylizations and brought what I can only describe as METAL to the comic world.
Actually, Metallica is an unusual example of a rock band that has always been financially generous to all current and former members, and also has a track record of covering lesser known bands to make sure they get paid for their works. They've also performed these covers live with some of the original artists, which also shows their respect for them.
I agree with this comment, him and Frank Miller, Dave McKean, Grant Morrison, Alan Moore
Awesome video, as always! Thank you for making those! I learn so much about the comics I grew up with!
wow! that was an incredible journey you took us on. As I was born in 1983, this story means so much to me. Thank you so much for this production, my friend!!
Geez, Mattt! I know every detail of this story like the back of my hand, yet your story telling, your pacing, your interconnectedness made this totally fresh and new! Just another brilliant video. Keep doing what you are doing and I wish you great success - if you happen to be going to San Diego Comic Con this summer, I would love to shake your hand!
Hi carbon scoring
Its funny to me how todds dialogue and writing can be so heavily criticized(rightly so), but the way he tells a story is actually gold when he speaks. The bit about the toy buyers is a great example, its more or less word for word the way todd tells it and its just good story telling. Honestly the old school artists and writers come across as utter snobs. He could have been a great all round story teller had he just had some guidance at an earlier stage rather than being attacked by older people.
His writing and dialogue was VERY well done and very well told FOR Spawn and he shouldn't have been "heavily criticized" AT ALL for any of it for Spawn, which for the most part nobody really did. For his past work, yeah maybe but NOT for his Spawn issues run as he wrote out Spawn pretty well to be a great and compelling story and it even improved ALOT for the animated series adaption of the comic!
Those guys were the guys who were the “old-timers” who had been in the business for decades. They fell victim to the syndrome of “they’re older and know better.” As a guy who is older now, there’s always that danger. But for that Boomer generation (the TRUE Boomers) and those that were still of the generation before that (I think it’s officially the “Greatest Generation,” those that fought in and helped win WWII.) who weren’t going to let any “young punks” tell them what might work. I respect John Romita for who he was and his accomplishments, but whiting out and redrawing other guys’ work because it didn’t look like his? That’s douchebaggery! Joe Kubert had a drawing school. I think he got a little flack for churning out “clones.” Learning how to draw from some of the greats is not a bad thing, but developing one’s own style SHOULD be encouraged, with the teacher being an “inspiration.”
I love this channel and how well this video was made, I would love a 6 hour full spawn recap/dissect of the series and I feel like of all people you would be able to deliver it extremely well
I just want to say this video was just brilliant storytelling with all the feels. Well done, my dude!
As of 2024, he has a net worth of 300 million. He has not lost everything. One of his companies went bankrupt, but he's doing just fine. I can assure you.
I just needed to pop in and say what a remarkable video this is. I was a teenage comic nerd when all this was happening and watching it unfold in real time, Pre-Internet. This vid has lots of new and interesting information and is presented in a riveting manner: visuals, music, story telling/pace are all absolutely top-tier. Kudos Matt! This is how it should be done. Not unlike Todd McFarlane in a way...
McFarlane's net worth... 300 million.
lol Looks like he sold ALOT of toys!
That's a hundred baseballs!
Thank you so much for this, Matttt! I am a 43 years old man who is obsessed with Spawn, although I was introduced to the world of comics very late in life, after my 35th birthday. So to hear the history of how the magic happened is amazing.. thanks a lot for this video!!
This was amazing. Like somebody popped into my head, read my tastes, and produced a documentary especially for me! Keep doing what you are doing, it's sooooo good!
So many aspects of this video instantly brought me back to my youth. It's not just the nostalgia that got to me, it's your concise presentation and humanizing of Todd that won me over. Thank you.
This channel just appeared, I'm all for it. The content being created on this channel is honestly mind blowing! I absolutely love this type of stuff as a comic book fan and an illustrator/graphic designer. Its always engaging, always inspiring and the stories told always gets me in the mood to create. Seeing the stories unfold help put into perspective if you are truly passionate about something, pursue it despite all the trials, its worth it. Amazing work Matttt cant wait to see more content like this.
The older generations had Stan Lee. The newer generations had/have Todd McFarlane. And that's the truth. He changed everything about modern comics and the interest he generated in younger people is second to none.
Such a great job on this. Thanks you for all of the work it must have taken to put this together.
As someone with a personality that can at times be... too much for some people, Todd tearing up while he's talking about his amazement that his wife still puts up with him made me cry too. I totally understand that feeling. I've never been super into comics but these videos make me think I should really start reading more of them!
That’s true love… ride or die
Unlike most people who are as driven as he is, he at least seems to be self aware of his personality traits. Most people who share his off putting personality traits are unable to accept criticism or the fact that they are flawed.
@@dcaseng I think if Todd didn't simply leave Gaiman in the dust then things wouldn't have been so bad and they would've made an awesome duo... I follow Todd on Instagram and see his reels and posts sometimes, it seems like he has learned from the many mistakes his younger self made... He's far from completely bankrupt though but he seems more humble now
Just knowing that Todd is still together with his wife since their teenage years warms my cold, dead heart and gives me hope that perhaps one day, this monster may too find love. Perhaps.
That’s such a rarity in these times.
Wow what a story. And incredibly well made. Great job and thank you for your work!
Great channel, glad i found it today. Lookin forward to going through your videos. Very well done!
I grew up on comic book characters in other media, but (mostly due to the price) I never got much into comic books themselves. Your videos are super interesting and easy for me to follow while having borderline zero context of all those releases.
I've only read a handful of comics in my life, but your humanistic, thoughtful, sleekly presented and visually striking biographies are just so fascinating. Thanks for introducing me to all these amazing artists and writers!
Man... I did not expect that ending. Hit me directly in the feels. I had always enjoyed Spawn comics and content, but Todd McFarlane was just the name behind the scenes. Watching this was eye opening and seeing his dedication to his family and his wife brings hope and warmth to my cold dead heart. Thank you for making this well thought out, well produced, and heart felt memoir of the journey of an imperfect man who never gave up on his dream. I'M NOT CRYING! YOU'RE CRYING!!!
Man, I've known Spawn since I was a kid, mostly due to the toys, but this is the first time I hear Todd's story. Respect, man, never backing down so he can provide for his beloved family doing what he loves.
I love how all these videos not only informative but also very inspiring. Every video about those artists make me wanna pick up pencil and start working on my art again after i feel like giving up.
I've gotta say you are really great at storytelling. This video is so engaging to watch and it doesn't need to rely on ADHD editing to make that happen. Great job! Really underrated channel.
I've gotta say you are doing great things here. Insightful. Respectful. Concise. Thoughtful. Underrated comment. Nice work!
Yeah, man. I haven't bought a comic book in 25 years, and I've never thought I'd watch a 40 minute video on Todd McFarlane. But this was great.
Right? It’s honestly one of the best channels on KZhead!
When you say "Great job" you should fully understand the job done in order to know it was done great. when somebody gives you info that is false, you don't normally compliment them for it. most people understand this and thats probably why this is a "Really underrated channel".
Your videos are so interesting and well told. I love your style. Keep it up. I have seen 4 of your videos today. Subscribed
I just discovered this channel and I'm blown away! I'm not into comics at all, but history will grab me with the right presenter. You're definitely that! Thanks for showcasing a whole new art and history world
I wish I'd found this channel ten years from now, when I could binge a hundred episodes. The care and effort that goes into these videos is second to none; obviously, with that kind of hard work, it's going to take a while to put stuff out. I'm not even a fan of any of the people who've been a focus of the episodes, but this creator makes their stories so interesting to me. Love it.
Fantastic. The editing, story, research, all of it is amazing. You've come out of left field and become the bar by which I judge every other comic book channel...hell, the bar by which I judge comic critiques in general. As a lifelong fan of the medium, thank you for doing what you do.
Amazing video! As a teenager, I was a hardcore comic book collector when Image was the new big thing. Nice to see some of the story. Awesome editing.
I 100% agree on Todd McFarlane's capes. I absolutely love when he draws Spawn with a huge cape like 3 times his size (and the collar looks pretty cool too). When you showed that page of Batman, my mouth was open. So cool. Another great video! I've been watching all of your stuff