Spawn has a new Christmas story on it's way called I Saw Santa, which will tell a disturbing a gruesome tale perfect for the holiday season, with plenty of Spawn charm. The story follows a serial killer who, when they were a child, got coal from Santa—a turning point that would eventualy turn the kid into a murderer looking to torment Jolly Ol' Saint Nick for the rest of his life.
I Saw Santa will be two over-sized issues, telling a contained Christmas story in the Spawn universe, that will release on November 26, 2025. The book is written by Chris Killian and Andrew Sanders, and drawn by artist Thomas Nachlik.
At New York Comic Con (NYCC) 2025, The Direct's Russ Milheim sat down with writer Chris Killian, who many might know from his work over at ComicBook.com, to discuss his first ever comic and how it might entice people who aren't already Spawn fans.
This is a great entry point into the Spawn universe," Killian noted, while adding that "it's very much a love letter to Spawn fans" for those that are aware of the universe. However, I Saw Santa "Is its own isolated story." and "there is a beginning and a middle and an end."
To make it all the more interesting, Killian confirmed that "It's the first appearance of Santa Claus" in the Spawn Universe, and the first this world will get to explore the North Pole lore.
I Saw Santa Will Introduce the North Pole to the Spawn Universe
"'I Saw Santa' Will Technically Be the First Appearance of Santa Claus In the Spawn Universe."
- The Direct: "You're writing a new Spawn comic. Tell us about it."
Chris Killian: It's called, 'I Saw Santa.' It's in the Spawn universe. And the elevator pitch is that it's about a serial killer who blames Santa Claus for his tragic childhood, so now he leaves a murdered family every Christmas Eve for Santa to find.
- The Direct: This is like, legit Santa?
Killian: The real deal Santa Claus. So my brother and I co-wrote it. His name is Andrew Sanders, and we very much wanted a classic Coca Cola, Norman Rockwell style Santa like we were very adamant, this is not like a 'Violent Night' situation where this is like a Santa who can kick ass. This is a Santa who could not be just more, just aghast at violence. So he really is quite traumatized by by the situations we're putting him in.
- The Direct: "Was any of that North Pole stuff established at all in the Spawn universe?"
Killian: No, it's like fair game. This is all brand new. This is something that was very exciting about coming onto the book was like, sort of realizing that the North Pole and Christmas traditions and all of these things really had not been established in spawn in a way that I would have expected them to have been like they like, you go back to 'Spawn' #39 which is like a little Christmas special that they did, like back in 1995 and and it's just basically, the story is a little boy is expecting to see Santa Claus, and Spawn shows up and he's fighting some villains and stuff, and the boy thinks that he's seen Santa, and it's not really, it's Spawn and so that's really it.
That's the only like, you know, Todd's had a couple of toy lines that have been nods to you. Know, he's had a Santa spawn figure, and he had a little twisted Christmas line in, like the 2007, that sort of like, maybe hinted a little bit of it. But as far as in the actual comics, like Santa Claus has never really appeared. And so this 'I Saw Santa' will technically be the first appearance of Santa Claus in the Spawn universe.
How 'I Saw Santa' Is the Perfect Starting Point for New Spawn Fans
"This Is a Great Entry Point Into the Spawn Universe."
- The Direct: "For all those that don't know Spawn, and are unfamiliar, what is something you can say that will get them interested to want to check this comic out?"
Chris Killian: I definitely think that this is a great entry point into the Spawn universe, because Spawn is not necessarily a part of the overall story. But what I will say is that it's very much a love letter to Spawn fans in the sense that it's in that world. There's a lot of easter eggs. There's a lot of like things that Spawn fans will pick up on. You know, the book starts with Sam and Twitch, who were two really well known detectives in the Spawn universe.
But I don't think that it's like, it's not this sort of book that's [it's] imperative, where you're coming into an issue 350 you know, you haven't read 350 issues of something. It is its own isolated story. It's two double size issues. Each issue is 48 pages, and there is a beginning and a middle and an end. And, you know, this is one whole story.
- The Direct: "Now, flipping that question on its head, why should die-hard Spawn fans be excited?"
Killian: Literally, it's the first appearance of Santa Claus. So get those keys. But I would say, I do think there are some, you know, without going into too many spoilers, I do think that there are some appearances from certain characters that I think Spawn fans will really, really like. But again, I don't think that you have to be a Spawn fan to enjoy the story.
