Spawn Timeline

[Ashler]

Here's the problem I ran into with the timeline:
I've read a vasty majority of the Spawn universe by this point. There can't be years long time jumps at random points like I originally thought.

I suspected the exact same thing about the time jumps. There are a few, but they are narrative-driven and involve smaller gaps of time (like Terry's hospitalization, etc.). Either way, you have way more background knowledge on Spawn than I do; I haven't read as many issues of the regular series as you have.

Time and history shifts after Spawn recreates the universe in #163. Or you can chalk it up to a Revision of the wider "Image Universe" if you want (see Supreme: Supreme Sacrifice #1). Which came first, Earth in Savage Dragon getting destroyed or the Earth in Spawn - in the context of the greater Image Universe it's Spawn's Earth dying then a few years later in Savage Dragon the Earth is eaten by Universo (logistically meaning Spawn restored the Earth for nothing) - but in the context of the Spawn comics *alone* Spawn recreating the universe IS the time shifting point.

I think Supreme Sacrifice should be considered an exclusive revision of the Extreme Universe, which is later inherited in Erik Larsen's Supreme by incorporating elements of the Awesome Universe into the Image Universe.

For Spawn's timeline, it doesn't matter too much whether the reconstruction of the Spawn Universe or the destruction of the Dragonverse (which I suspect is the post-Shattered Image Universe) came first. In any case, if we assume the recreation of the Spawnverse happens first, it simply synchronizes with the Savage World in a second iteration of the Image Universe.

I wouldn't worry too much about that in the Image timeline. It happened to Dr. Strange in Marvel at least twice, and the recreations remained part of Earth-616 (see Marvel Premiere #12-14 and Dr. Strange Vol. 2 #10-13).

Regardless of any hypothetical attempts to insert time jumps, by #169 (the issue where Spawn meets Nyx) it becomes undeniable we're closer to the Obama election/re-election. The events happen too close together, but also the prior events in Spawn's history has slid closer to this point, as more recent in the timeline than previously.

The evidence:
1. Cyan is 17 by Spawn #289, which her 4 issue "Misery" mini-series is set after. Canonically, she was born a year prior to the events of Spawn #1.
2. Also by #289, we are inescapable set in 2017 (late-Fall specifically due to what's said in #284) due to the Trump presidency already being in effect. Meaning, the Obama election issue in #226 is set in 2012, NOT 2008. Five years pass since.
3. Onscreen dates in Misery don't add up nor matter (Cyan's original 1991 birth year is blurry on a sheet of paper she's looking at one point + the missing child poster has years that can't be the current year) - but for 99% of the time, Todd MacFarlane abandons using onscreen dates in favor of "-- Years Ago" mentions.

In order to create a Spawn timeline, you need to take into account a "Year One, Year Two, Year Three, etc." method.
Year One originally was 1992. That's now 2001, post-Revision of the Earth.

I think you're right. Plus, as I mentioned, you have way more background knowledge on Spawn than yours truly.

(Ironically, Savage Dragon's timeline stands firm with no changes, regardless of Spawn's sliding timescale; but keep in mind that outside of Spawn's titles or recent crossovers these old crossovers like Altered Image don't matter to the greater narrative of Spawn.)

You are spot on regarding the passage of time in Savage Dragon. It progresses month-to-month with each issue, adjusting accordingly if a two-part adventure takes place on the exact same day. Savage Dragon #100 is a prime example of how this works, as it gives us a Savage World timeline that makes direct references to events from the original timeline.

1st iteration : ends with Shattered Image

I think there is absolutely no doubt here. Furthermore, I would add that the universe we see at the end of the event is likely the Dragonverse for Savage Dragon from issue #37 all the way to #103. This would explain why ordinary people rationalize the disappearance of the Extreme Universe as Youngblood's casualties. It could also explain why, after the jump to the Savage World (an alternate timeline of the Dragonverse events), WildStorm characters do not exist and completely disappear from the Image Universe.

2nd iteration - includes Spawn's Earth dying then his recreation of Earth dying in Savage Dragon #102-103; SD hops over to Savage World where a Supreme variant supposedly is. Then the traumatic events of Supreme: Supreme Sacrifice #1 lead to a Revision that presumably merges the destroyed Image Universe (via SD #103) and Savage World timelines together.

I would make a distinction here: there is a period of time where the Image Universe does not exist. Each reality presented to us in Shattered Image functions individually; they haven't synchronized again yet. It is from Savage Dragon # 107 onwards that the 'worlds' start doing so again, and Image United is the culmination of this for the second iteration.

Spawn should be independent of the Image Universe from issues #51 to #163, even though it deals with the aftermath of Shattered Image regarding Chapel/Priest. Let me know if you think I'm right, and if there are any mentions of other Image characters in the Spawn series during this period.

For Extreme, things get a bit more complicated. It is assumed that Extreme reintegrates into the Image Universe with Youngblood (2008) and its revision of Volume 1 in Youngblood Deluxe, or in Youngblood (2012) and/or Larsen's Supreme. There are many inconsistencies that I need to look into more deeply. As I mentioned above, I think Supreme Sacrifice is an exclusive revision of the Extreme Universe that leads into its Arcade era: a multiverse in itself, since Imperial, Bloodsport, and Sacrifice do not show us the same reality/timeline.

3rd iteration - the "overlap" era that I'm still looking into. Most of the Extreme Universe comics like Angelyne published by Arcade Comics (aka Avatar Press) are canon at this point...but they're terrible and hard to find. Those aren't canon after the Revision in Supreme #63.

BLUE ROSE iteration - according to tidbits I read from Rob Liefeld and Erik Larson, the Blue Rose: Supreme 7-issue run is an adjacent timeline created by the aftermath of Supreme's citadel falling in #63. Supposedly this is what causes the Extreme Universe comics as they are now to remain split off from Image's main continuity entirely, but AT THE SAME TIME:

This is where it gets tricky for Extreme. The wiki assumes that the Modern Extreme stems directly from Blue Rose (the revisions shown in that story are independent revisions of the Image Universe, functioning only as revisions of the Extreme Universe), but I think they are an even more modern and current version. Also, I still have no idea how to treat the iterations of the characters shown in Glory (2012) and Prophet (2012), since they should chronological be prior to that.

4th / CURRENT iteration - true "Image Universe" canon by this point. Includes Spawn #169-onwards, Invincible, anything Invincible has interacted with, etc.

Top Cow stuff like Witchblade, The Darkness, Cyberforce and all that fun stuff I'll be looking into next to see there's any overlap or "stopping/restarting" points.

I can state with ALMOST complete certainty that the Top Cow Universe has been entirely independent of the Image Universe ever since Shattered Image. Any appearance of a Top Cow character in another title outside their own studio is some kind of remnant/variant that was somehow established in the post-Shattered Image line (For me, it's the Dragonverse I mentioned a few paragraphs back.).

On the other hand, the Top Cow Universe shares a timeline with at least two iterations of the Dynamiteverse, via crossovers; although Top Cow does not depend on Dynamite's timeline, the latter certainly depends on Top Cow's. You could argue that remnants of Top Cow characters exist within the Dynamite Universe just like in the Image Universe, but I get the feeling that their relationship is much tighter.

It is worth adding that the Top Cow Universe also has several iterations of its own:

1. Pre-Shattered
2. Post-Shattered Top Cow / Independent Top Cow (also known as the Artifactiverse)
3. Top Cow Rebirth (or Post-Artifacts, which is a soft-reboot of the previous era and is still considered part of the Artifactiverse)
4. The 2017 reboot
5. The current 2024 reboot

EDIT: We should take into account whether Invincible splits from the Image Universe at any point during any of its time jumps. Issue #126 and the finale definitely come to mind.

 

[Ashler]

Local Man #13 (2024) shows events of Shattered Image from Extreme Universe perspective.

Spoiler

In She-Spawn #2...

Spoiler

The original Image iteration has its own comics; furthermore, it seems Jessica has gone a kind of time-travel.

 

[selfishmisery]

I can state with ALMOST complete certainty that the Top Cow Universe has been entirely independent of the Image Universe ever since Shattered Image. Any appearance of a Top Cow character in another title outside their own studio is some kind of remnant/variant that was somehow established in the post-Shattered Image line (For me, it's the Dragonverse I mentioned a few paragraphs back.).

On the other hand, the Top Cow Universe shares a timeline with at least two iterations of the Dynamiteverse, via crossovers; although Top Cow does not depend on Dynamite's timeline, the latter certainly depends on Top Cow's. You could argue that remnants of Top Cow characters exist within the Dynamite Universe just like in the Image Universe, but I get the feeling that their relationship is much tighter.

It is worth adding that the Top Cow Universe also has several iterations of its own:

1. Pre-Shattered
2. Post-Shattered Top Cow / Independent Top Cow (also known as the Artifactiverse)
3. Top Cow Rebirth (or Post-Artifacts, which is a soft-reboot of the previous era and is still considered part of the Artifactiverse)
4. The 2017 reboot
5. The current 2024 reboot

EDIT: We should take into account whether Invincible splits from the Image Universe at any point during any of its time jumps. Issue #126 and the finale definitely come to mind.

One of the later Spawn issues I read recognized Witchblade events.

 

[Ashler]

One of the later Spawn issues I read recognized Witchblade events.

Which issue are you referring to? I'm interested, I can know which Witchblade events are referenced.

For example, Sara Pezzini appears in Savage Dragon #140, but the past events acknowledged there are Altered Image and Mars Attacks Image.

 

[selfishmisery]

Which issue are you referring to? I'm interested, I can know which Witchblade events are referenced.

For example, Sara Pezzini appears in Savage Dragon #140, but the past events acknowledged there are Altered Image and Mars Attacks Image.

I'll have to find it later but they bring up Medieval Spawn / Witchblade as canon as well some connection to modern/pre-reboot Witchblade.

I believe it's an issue with Medieval Spawn (modern day) and cultists ragging about Witchblade and what was going on with that storyline.