A Golden Age — There’s ‘No Home Here’ For Daniel Henriques And Jonathan Glapion

Earlier this year, comics impresario Todd McFarlane announced 10 new Spawn titles for 2024. One of them is No Home Here, about one of Spawn’s first victims, serial killer Billy Kinkaid. Daniel Henriques writes No Home Here, which is illustrated by Jonathan Glapion. Comicon caught up with the pair, who spoke about McFarlane’s influence on them as well as how two inkers ended up with this coveted gig.

Tom Smithyman: In No Home Here, you get to revisit a character from Spawn’s past. Had you already read about the serial killer Billy Kinkaid, or did you need a refresher after more than 30 years?

Daniel Henriques: Oh, I’m definitely familiar with Billy Kincaid. I know the entire Spawn series pretty well, but issue #5, where Billy makes his grisly debut, still ranks as one of my all-time favorites. His presence in the mythology of Spawn continues to resonate to this day, and I’ve been wondering about what happened to his final victim for a long time!

Jonathan Glapion: Daniel is more of the historian, but I do remember his brutality. Who could forget? I did, however, need to reference the look of the character.

Smithyman: What can you tell us about this series? How does it fit into the broader Spawn Universe – and what sets it apart from the others?

Henriques: It’s set in the Spawn Universe but stands on its own. We’re introducing a mix of new characters and some familiar faces, delving deeper into various aspects of the Spawn Universe. I can’t say too much without giving everything away, but we’ve already revealed that one of our main characters is little Sherlee Johnson, the last victim of the child killer Billy Kincaid in issue #5.

The story starts with her trapped in a never-ending nightmare, cursed to perpetually relive her gruesome last moments on Earth at Billy’s hands. All hope seems lost until the unexpected arrival of a mysterious stranger disrupts her cycle of torment.

We’ve already shown the artwork for Sherlee, where we can see her current look has drastically changed, we’re going to explore everything that led to this transformation, its consequences and repercussions, and the identity and motives of this enigmatic stranger. Is he a friend or foe, why has he appeared now, and what does that mean for the Spawn Universe.

Glapion: I’m mostly exited to expand the Spawn Universe and the opportunity to create new characters. There’s not much more I can say about the story than what Daniel has already said. As far as character design, I am looking forward to introducing some creepy and twisted characters that might not be what you’d typically expect within the Spawn Universe.Smithyman: You have both received a lot of encouragement and career counseling from Todd himself. How does he work to bring out the best from creators like the two of you?

Glapion: Todd has never told me what to do, he gives me insight and encouragement to learn and grow. I just try to pay attention to what he says. I’m grateful for the opportunities he has given me to push myself and create.

Henriques: The whole process of bringing No Home Here to life has been as smooth and motivating as can be, not only in our dealings with Todd but also with Thomas Healy, who we work with on a daily basis, and the entire team at Todd McFarlane Productions. Todd has been very hands-off, allowing us to freely explore and develop our story, and the feedback we’ve received has always been in the form of suggestions rather than impositions. The confidence and trust in what we’re creating is beyond rewarding.

Smithyman: Todd has announced 10 new series for 2024, including yours. Are you at all concerned that No Home Here could get lost in all the excitement?

Glapion: No, my focus is primarily on creating. If the fans are along for the ride, I’m thankful, but if it’s not their cup of tea, that’s okay, too. I’ll still keep creating.

Henriques: Personally, I’m not overly worried, mainly because the excitement I feel about everything coming from the Spawn Universe easily outweighs any insecurities I might have, and working with Jonathan, with each awesome new page he sends in, any fears I have just melt away. So, we’re focused on delivering our absolute best, and we’re hopeful that in the midst of all the amazing stuff coming from Todd McFarlane Productions in 2024, No Home Here will find its audience.

Also, as a longtime fan and reader of Spawn, I’ve always welcomed any new title or spin-off I could get my hands on, so the launch of these new titles feels like a golden age for any Spawn fan.Smithyman: I’d like to talk about your shared past as inkers for a minute. What perspective does being an inker give you when writing or penciling comics? Does your experience as inkers give the two of you something to bond over?

Glapion: I have been fortunate in my career to have been able to work with many great pencilers and artists. Working with Greg Capullo, in particular, has helped me to learn from what’s on the page. Penciling is a different animal, but the confidence I have in inking allows me to embellish my own work in a way I wouldn’t be able to if I didn’t have that skill set. Daniel and I both understand how inkers are treated in the industry, so we know how to be truly collaborative. We have been friends for years now, and basically talk every day.

Henriques: My friendship with Jonathan goes back over a decade, and it’s directly connected to inking. It was Jonathan who helped me break into the business and has been a huge influence in my career. We’ve been talking on the phone daily for years, so we know each other’s achievements and challenges in inking. I also know Jonathan has been expanding his skills into penciling and creating art beyond inking for quite some time. And I’ve always had a passion for writing and have been developing many stories and worlds over the years. So, teaming up for this new adventure just felt like the natural next step.

We’re working together on No Home Here in the most collaborative way imaginable, our past experiences as freelance inkers really informed our approach to this project, and we aimed to make it as cooperative as possible. And so far it’s going above and beyond everything I could have hoped for.

Smithyman: Working on a comic like this takes a lot of time, but what other projects are you working on?

Glapion: None right now, just covers. My focus is on No Home Here. We do have other stories to tell, hopefully you’ll be able to enjoy them one day

Henriques: Right now, I’m involved in two projects at TMP: I’m writing No Home Here and also inking another unannounced book that I can’t talk about just yet. Additionally, I’m working on the final issue of Ronin Book II, where I’m doing finishes and zip-a-tones over Frank Miller’s layouts.

Smithyman: You’ve both had the opportunity to ink some iconic artists. Let’s turn the tables around. What superstar artist would you like to ink your pencils?

Henriques: This might sound obvious, but for me, it’s an easy choice: Todd McFarlane or Jonathan Glapion. I’m hoping one day we can make this collaboration happen, maybe who knows on a No Home Here cover!

Glapion: It would be cool to see Greg Capullo ink mine, so he can fix all of my shortcomings. And, of course, Todd.

Smithyman: Those sound like some amazing combinations. Now go make them happen! And best of luck with No Home Here.