Sam And Twitch - What We Know So Far

If you're outside of the comic book scene, it's an easy mistake to chalk the entire industry up to the rivalry between Marvel and DC (along with those peculiar Japanese comics that read right to left). However, there's actually quite a few comic book publications that have seen success over the years. One such company is Image Comics, who occupy the #3 spot in terms of American comic publication. They, like Marvel and DC, have their own cast of characters that share a universe. However, few (if any) of Image's properties are as popular or influential as "Spawn."

Created by Image co-founder Todd McFarlane, "Spawn" is an international phenomenon capable of going toe-to-toe with many of Marvel's and DC's own titans. McFarlane originally gained his reputation working for Marvel, where he created Spider-Man's arch-rival, Venom. Upon leaving Marvel's ranks, however, that talent would not go to waste. Spawn as a character had his own movie (along with another on the way), several video game guest appearances, and is now branching out into the world of TV.

Hopefully coming soon, supporting "Spawn" characters Sam and Twitch are officially receiving their own spin-off series. The detective duo have been a staple of the Spawn-verse since its earliest days in the 1990s and are favorites among the series' fanbase. However, the news regarding "Sam and Twitch" is sparse, and very little has been confirmed about the show's release date, cast, and plot. Even so, here is what we know so far.

If you have any idea when "Sam and Twitch" is bound for its debut, then you are either a talented guesser, a successful fortune teller, or (more likely than not) misinformed. "Sam and Twitch" is so early into its production cycle that its creators haven't even determined what service the show will release on. According to Collider, McFarlane has teamed up with animation studio Wiip to create the series. However, the two parties have yet to announce anything other than the show's existence.

What this boils down to is that it may be a long time before "Sam and Twitch" sees the light of day. People have only known about the show for a few short weeks, meaning that Wiip likely has a long way to go before they finish production on the show. Even then, they need to secure some sort of distribution deal. We hate to get your hopes up, only to bring them crashing down, but you probably shouldn't hold your breath when it comes to an imminent release for "Sam and Twitch."

Given that production for "Sam and Twitch" seems to be in its earliest stages, neither McFarlane nor Wiip have announced any official cast members for the show. To add to the disappointment, it'll likely be a long time coming before said announcements are made. Keep in mind that this is just one of several "Spawn" projects currently in the works. According to The Hollywood Reporter, McFarlane (who serves as the show's executive producer) is juggling multiple balls trying to get a third multimedia titan off the ground.

"Could there be a third or fourth big shared universe? Possibly. But is it going to happen fast with one or two individuals? No," McFarlane told The Hollywood Reporter. 

Still, McFarlane and Wiip are (hopefully) working hard to get "Sam and Twitch" out the door. Even with McFarlane dividing his attention between multiple projects, he is co-producing the show with Wiip's Paul Lee and Mark Roybal (who both worked on HBO's "Mare of Easttown"), along with Sean Canino. Meanwhile, writers Jason Smilovic and Todd Katzberg ("Conder") are busy grinding out the show's script.

Speaking of the script, the story of "Sam and Twitch" is yet another mystery to add to the pile. With darn-near 30 years of Spawn-related comics to draw on, there's almost no end to what these two could encounter of the course of their own series. That being said, the basics will likely stay the same.

Sam Burke and Maximilion Steven Percival "Twitch" Williams III are two hard-boiled detectives working for the NYPD (via Spawn Wiki). A pair of oddballs, the two are different from average New York cops in that they share a strict passion for justice and turn their nose at the dirty-dealings that many other cops embrace. With Sam acting as the brawn and Twitch supplying the brains, both have proven themselves invaluable assets in the fight against crime. At some point, they cross paths with Al Simmons, the resurrected CIA assassin known as Spawn. From then on, they find themselves frequently dealing in the mystic and magical.