There are stories that are so good that when a followup or sequel is announced you have to dig deep to find how they will top the original tale, I Saw Spawn: A Twisted Christmas Tale happens to be that type of story. I Saw Santa from 2025 was such a great Christmas horror story and I didn’t know how Chris Killian & Andrew Sanders would be able to top it, but by golly they did.
The North Pole is shaken by a gruesome massacre that bears the signature of serial killer, Charlie Kohl. As Santa Claus investigates, dark forces begin to corrupt Santa’s workshop from within, and it’s clear Spawn is the only one who might be able to put a stop to this terribly twisted Christmas.
One of my favorite stories of the past few years is Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees and when Patrick Horvath released a sequel, I didn’t really know how to feel about as the original was so damn good. However, after diving into it, I was kicking myself for even letting a sense of doubt creep into my mind. Guess what? I have a similar feeling now after reading I Saw Spawn. Maybe I should start having more faith in talent creators and special stories.
How will I Saw Spawn even come close to last year’s I Saw Santa, well… bring the story from the city to the North Pole where Santa is getting ready for Christmas while still tormented from the horrible events that took place with Charlie Kohl. Not surprisingly, those traumatic events still haunt Claus as he prepares for another trip around the world. They were terrifying, bloody, and changed him. But the show must go on, that is until things get bloody on Santa’s lawn. Not only do Killian and Sanders taking this story a bit further north, but they also bring in more Christmas lore and horror to darken the story even further.
I Saw Santa was set in the greater Spawn Universe when it dropped in 2025 and those who understand knew this with our friends Sam & Twitch investigating, but only saw a glimpse of the title character as almost a reminder that we are present in that world. Killian and Sanders bring it even closer to the universe by having this tale feature a bit more of Spawn as Santa is dealing with some serious shit at the North Pole and only can think of one person to help.
Having Spawn be more present in this sequel story puts us more squarely in the Spawn Universe, but it’s also the artwork by Todor Hristov that makes us feel right at home. Each Spawn comic has this vibe and artistic style that was set by creator Todd McFarlane many years ago and has carried us throughout. Hristov uses this aesthetic while also putting his own flair on things to make it his own.
Not familiar with Spawn and the great universe? Not to worry, the way Killian, Sanders, and Hristov have crafted these stories is in a way that allows Spawn fans to get more of the universe, but also only skims the surface for those new to the characters as well as the long history of the comics. These are Santa horror stories that feature some beloved characters from the Spawn world.
I Saw Spawn is a brutal and horrific holiday tale where Santa is at his whits end, enlisting the Hellspawn’s help. Writers Chris Killian and Andrew Sanders expand their twisted holiday world without losing what made the original special, while Todor Hristov’s artwork makes Spawn feel perfectly at home. I Saw Spawn: A Twisted Christmas Tale is a terrifying Christmas tale where delivering presents to the boys and girls of the world is the least of Santa’s worries.
I Saw Spawn: A Twisted Christmas Tale #1 hit local comic shops on November 11, 2026 from Image Comics.
I Saw Spawn: A Twisted Christmas Tale #1 Preview
