Todd McFarlane Selling Off Pieces of Image Comics’s SDCC Booth via Whatnot

Comic book legend Todd McFarlane is teaming with online auction site Whatnot to host a first-of-its-kind livestream shopping event, where actual pieces of Todd McFarlane’s San Diego Comic-Con booth will be offered for auction. The event was announced at Comic Con International in San Diego today, where McFarlane debuted his Whatnot channel live, giving away signed items to fans during an interview about his career, which was all set up for the big “Buy the Booth” auction announcement. Next month, fans can tune in to McFarlane’s channel on Whatnot where pieces of the Image Comics booth will be auctioned off, giving viewers the opportunity to own a piece of collectible history. 

Designed to be dismantled into ownable pieces, the booth features visuals of different versions of Spawn,  including Gunslinger Spawn, Medieval Spawn, and Angel Spawn – each one personally signed by McFarlane. 

“As a creator who likes to try new things and experiment from time to time, teaming up with the Whatnot crew to help us interact and auction a few items at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con seemed like a perfect time to have some potential fun,” said Todd McFarlane, President and CEO of Image Comics. “Aside from selling pieces of the artwork, with my signature included, from our actual booth set-up at SDCC, I will also get a chance to talk to and listen to a new group of fans. I’m looking forward to seeing how all of this turns out and possibly doing some even cooler stuff moving forward with Whatnot.” 

Famous for his contributions to Marvel’s Spider-Man comics (including serving as teh co-creator of Venom) and as a co-founder of Image Comics, McFarlane’s crowning achievement is the creation of Spawn, one of the best-selling and longest-running independent comic series of all time. The character of Spawn has transcended the page to become an award-winning animated series on HBO and a successful live-action film. Notably, it holds the Guinness world record for the “longest-running creator-owned superhero comic book series.” 

Throughout his impressive 30-year career, McFarlane has broken numerous industry records, with recent achievements including the launch of acclaimed titles like Scorched, King Spawn, Gunslinger Spawn, and Spawn’s Universe. In addition to his contributions at Image Comics, McFarlane also leads McFarlane Toys, a renowned toy manufacturer in the United States. His influence extends to Todd McFarlane Productions and McFarlane Films, demonstrating his prowess across multiple creative avenues.

“The Spawn universe is one of the most expansive and admired pieces of entertainment so we’re proud to bring this unique opportunity to the Whatnot community during one of the biggest events of the year,” said Chansler Poole, Head of Collectibles and Comics at Whatnot. “This booth auction is what collectible culture is all about – owning a piece of a treasured, one-of-a-kind creation – and we can’t wait to see people from different corners of the world come together to experience this.” 

Whatnot has a growing comic book and collectible community on the platform. Notable creators such as Deadpool creator and Image Comics co-founder Rob Liefeld; DC President Jim Lee; Image co-founder Marc Silvestri; Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles co-creator Kevin Eastman; and Skottie Young livestream on the platform to auction off select work from their portfolios and engage with fans.