Jessica Priest Explained

Character Name:	Jessica Priest
Publisher:	Image Comics
First Series:	Spawn (1997 film)'
First Comic:	Spawn #61 (May 1997)
Creators:	Todd McFarlane Greg Capullo
Alter Ego:	She-Spawn
Species:	Human/Hellspawn
Alliances:	The Scorched
Partners:	Jason Wynn, Spawn
Aliases:	She-Spawn
Powers:	Expert assassin

Jessica Priest is a character from the Spawn universe. Specifically, Priest serves as a substitute in the Spawn film for Chapel, Al Simmons's killer in the comic book. Priest was played by Melinda Clarke in the film.^[1] She would later become the second She-Spawn (after Nyx) and leader of the team called Scorched.

Publication history

The character of Chapel (originally from the comic book series Youngblood) could not be used in the Spawn movie because the rights to the character were owned by Rob Liefeld.^[2] McFarlane created Priest as a replacement for Chapel in the film and later had Priest retconned to be Spawn's killer in the comic as well.^{[3] [4]} Some of her background is revealed in Curse of the Spawn #12–14.^[5]

She would make her return in Spawn #300 where she becomes She-Spawn and becomes one of the main characters of The Scorched.

Fictional history

Jessica Priest works as an assassin for Spawn's nemesis Jason Wynn. Prior to shooting Simmons, she searches South America for a biogenetic weapon for her boss.She later appears in the Curse of Spawn series where she is revealed to have a husband and two stepchildren. She later returns in #298 where she is seen talking to Nyx about Al Simmons and the forces of Hell trying to hunt down. Later on she would become a hellspawn herself.

In other media

• Priest was portrayed by Melinda Clarke in the 1997 film adaptation Spawn. She was intended to return as another Spawn in a sequel; but the film had neither the time nor the budget so it was canceled, with this storyline being incorporated into the character's adaptation to comic books.
• In the HBO animated series Todd McFarlane's Spawn (1997–1999), Chapel (voiced by Ruben Santiago-Hudson) is given the full name "Jess Chapel" in reference to Priest, serving as a composite character of the two characters, in Priest having been created to replace Chapel in-film.
• Priest appears in the 1999 video game Spawn, voiced by Diana Salles.
• Priest appears in the video game ,^[6] voiced by Erin McMurphy.^[7]
• McFarlane Toys has made several action figures of Priest.^[8]

Notes and References

1. News: August 1, 1997. Ebert. Roger. Roger Ebert. Serious art Stunning visuals born in 'Spawn'. Chicago Sun-Times .
2. Web site: February 18, 2018 . Scott Manning . Spawn's Whitewashed Cast in the Black Panther Age . https://web.archive.org/web/20180219090347/https://scottmanning.com/content/spawns-whitewashed-cast-in-the-black-panther-age/ . 2018-02-19 . live . ScottManning.com .
3. Web site: 2013-02-03 . Brian Cronin . The Abandoned An' Forsaked - So Who Killed Spawn? . Comic Book Resources . https://web.archive.org/web/20170117184619/https://www.cbr.com/the-abandoned-an-forsaked-so-who-killed-spawn/ . 2017-01-17 . live . 2018-12-10 .
4. 1997 . Spawn . 61 . Todd McFarlane . Todd McFarlane . Greg Capullo . Image .
5. Alan McElroy. Dwayne Turner . Danny Miki . Todd McFarlane . Curse of the Spawn. 1 . 12 . 1998. Image .
6. News: Spawn Fights to Regain His Humanity after Death. November 18, 2000 . Szadkowski. Joseph. The Washington Times.
7. Web site: Jessica Priest Voices (Spawn) - Behind The Voice Actors. behindthevoiceactors.com. April 4, 2020. . Check marks indicates role has been confirmed using screenshots of closing credits and other reliable sources..
8. Book: Moen, Justin. Toys & Prices 2011. 3 September 2010. Krause Publications. Iola, Wisconsin. 978-1-4402-1653-4. 106–107.