Spawn Comic Writer Reveals His New Christmas Story Will Feature the First Appearance of Santa Claus

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A new Spawn holiday story, titled I Saw Santa, is coming soon. It’s a dark and gritty tale, full of Spawn’s signature style, that focuses on a serial killer with a chilling backstory. As a child, this killer received coal from Santa, an event that set them on a path to become a murderer obsessed with tormenting Santa Claus.

A special Christmas story set in the Spawn universe, titled I Saw Santa, is coming out on November 26, 2025. It will be released as two extra-large issues and is created by writer Chris Killian, co-writer Andrew Sanders, and artist Thomas Nachlik.

At New York Comic Con 2025, Russ Milheim from TopMob interviewed writer Chris Killian, known for his work at ComicBook.com, about Killian’s debut comic book and how it aims to appeal to readers even if they aren’t familiar with the Spawn universe.

Killian described this as a fantastic way to get into the world of Spawn, calling it a tribute to existing fans. However, he also emphasized that I Saw Santa functions as a complete, self-contained story with a clear beginning, middle, and end.

Killian also added an exciting detail: this issue marks the very first appearance of Santa Claus within the Spawn Universe, and it’s the first time readers will get a glimpse into the history and mythology of the North Pole in this world.

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.”

  • TopMob: “You’re writing a new Spawn comic. Tell us about it.” 

Chris Killian is working on a story called ‘I Saw Santa,’ set in the world of Spawn. The basic idea is a serial killer who believes Santa Claus ruined his childhood, so he commits murders on Christmas Eve, leaving the bodies for Santa to discover.

  • TopMob: This is like, legit Santa?

Killian explains that he and his brother, Andrew Sanders, co-wrote the story and specifically wanted a Santa Claus who embodies the traditional, heartwarming image – think classic Coca-Cola ads or Norman Rockwell paintings. They intentionally avoided the recent trend of action-hero Santas, like the one in ‘Violent Night’. Instead, their Santa is deeply disturbed by any form of violence and is genuinely traumatized by the events he experiences in the story.

  • TopMob: “Was any of that North Pole stuff established at all in the Spawn universe?”

It’s a fresh start, really. One of the things that drew me to this project was realizing how little established lore there was around the North Pole, Christmas, and related traditions. If you look back at ‘Spawn’ #39, a Christmas special from 1995, there’s a story about a boy expecting Santa, but Spawn appears instead and battles villains. The boy mistakes Spawn for Santa, and that’s essentially the whole story.

Todd McFarlane has created a few toys that referenced my work, like a Santa’s son figure and a small ‘Twisted Christmas’ line around 2007, which subtly alluded to it. However, Santa Claus has never actually shown up in the Spawn comic books themselves. So, this ‘I Saw Santa’ story will officially mark the first time Santa Claus appears 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.”

  • TopMob: “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 believes this is an excellent way to get into the world of Spawn, especially since the story isn’t directly connected to the main Spawn narrative. However, it’s designed as a tribute to longtime fans, filled with references and details they’ll appreciate. The story begins with Sam and Twitch, two popular detectives from the Spawn comics.

This isn’t a story you need a lot of background knowledge to enjoy. You don’t need to have read hundreds of previous issues to understand it. It’s a complete, self-contained story told across two extra-long issues. Each issue is 48 pages long, and the whole story has a clear beginning, middle, and end.

  • TopMob: “Now, flipping that question on its head, why should die-hard Spawn fans be excited?”

This issue marks the very first appearance of Santa Claus, so be sure to grab a copy! And while I don’t want to give away too much, I think fans of Spawn will be particularly excited to see some familiar faces. However, you definitely don’t need to be a Spawn reader to enjoy the story.

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2025-10-28 04:36