No reboot, just evolution: Matthew Rosenberg on Spawn and 'If Destruction Be Our Lot'

On this week’s AIPT Comics Podcast, we’re joined by Matthew Rosenberg to talk about one of the most ambitious creator-owned books on the horizon: If Destruction Be Our Lot.

For a story about the end of humanity, this one is surprisingly full of life. We dig into how the series came together, from its strange and instantly compelling premise of a robotic Abraham Lincoln wandering a post-human world, to the deeper themes driving it. Rosenberg opens up about how the book grew out of his own creative evolution, how it responds to the current moment for artists, and why this isn’t a bleak dystopia so much as a story about connection, purpose, and trying to find meaning when the system no longer makes sense.

We also get into the craft behind it all, including the long development process, the collaboration with his brother Mark Elijah Rosenberg, and why artist Andy Macdonald might be doing some of the most exciting work in comics right now.

Of course, we also talk Spawn and what it means to step into that world, but the heart of this conversation is If Destruction Be Our Lot and why it might be Rosenberg’s most personal and layered work yet.

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NEWS

1. Sam Keith passed away
2. Claremont returns to tell Gambit's origin in 'Gambit: Wanted' #1
3. Marvel sheds light on 'Queen in Black' #1 blind bags covers and shares interior pages
4. Marvel Stormbreakers ‘What If…?’ variant covers celebrate 50 years of alternate marvel stories

Our Top Books of the Week:

Dave:

1. Sai: Dimensional Rivals #3 (Momoko, Mundo, Casagrande, Bengal)
2. Iron Man #3 (Joshua Williamson, Carmen Carnero)

Alex:​​

1. Is Ted Ok? #2 (Dave Chisholm)
2. Absolute Wonder Woman #18 (Kelly Thompson, Hayden Sherman) 
3. Sai: Dimensional Rivals #3 (Mike del Mundo story)

Standout KAPOW moment of the week:

Alex: Punisher #2 (José Luis Soares Pinto)

Dave: Knull #3 (Al Ewing, Tom Waltz, Juanan Ramírez)

TOP BOOKS FOR NEXT WEEK

• Alex: Daredevil #1 (Stephanie Phillips, Lee Garbett)
• Dave: Uri Tupka and the Gods: Another Story from Lands Unknown (info)

JUDGING BY THE COVER JR.

• Dave: Bizarro: Year None #1 (Nick Pitarra Cover)
• Alex: Batman / Superman: World's Finest #50 Cover F Rahzzah Variant

Interview: Matthew Rosenberg - Out May 6, FOC Apr 13th

1. If Destruction Be Our Lot imagines a world where humanity is gone and robots are left behind. What drew you to telling a story from that perspective rather than focusing on the fall itself?
2. Can you talk a little about your collaboration with Mark Elijah Rosenberg?
3. Andy Macdonald’s art brings a lot of personality to these robots. How closely did you collaborate to shape the look and feel of this world?
4. Abe, a robotic Abraham Lincoln, is such a strange and compelling lead. What made him the right lens for exploring meaning, purpose, and identity in this world?
5. There’s a strong theme of searching for connection, even in a world without humans. What does “friendship” look like in a story populated entirely by machines?
6. You’ve tackled everything from crime to dark comedy. Where does this series sit creatively for you, and does it feel like a departure or a natural evolution?

On Spawn

1. You’re stepping into Spawn with a major time jump and a new status quo. What excited you most about taking on such an iconic title at this moment?
2. Favorite Spawn character?
3. Where are you at with In Good Hands With Bad Company?
   1. We're Taking Everyone Down With Us
4. Would you call A Rook Spy Thriller a label under your brand?

Fun / Silly Question

1. If Abe could befriend any object or appliance in this world, what would be his ultimate ride-or-die companion and why?