Henry Thomas Simmons (Character)

Publisher: Image Comics

Created by: David Hine, Bing Cansino and Geirrod Van Dyke

1st appearance: Spawn #174,

Nationality: American

Legal Status: Unknown

Height: 5’9″     Weight: 150 lbs 

Eyes: Brown      Hair: Black

Relatives: Morana (Descendant), Al Simmons (Descendant), Alma Simmons (Wife), Richard Simmons, Marc Simmons

Skills and Abilities: Skilled gun fighter

Biography

In the late part of the 1800’s Charles Parker the son of cotton slaves enlisted in the 10th cavalry. He conducted himself well against the Indians of Kansas and Colorado, was mentioned in letters four times and rose to the rank of sergeant. It was unbelievable that his humble beginnings lead him to become an officer of the United States Cavalry and the equal of any man. All that changed when he and his men were posted to ‘Fort Concho’ near the town of ‘San Angelo’ in Texas. Despite tensions with the townspeople they managed to get along for months. That is until one of his men was killed in cold blood things changed. When his men heard about the murder and that the culprit was free and boasting he couldn’t stop them. They rode into town demanding justice. When they were met with resistance he was the first to open fire defending his friend [Spawn #174].

When he left the town he considered himself a fugitive but had to go back to make his way t Alma, his love. On his way he saw the “man in white”. Realizing the man without a coat in the winter he assumed that a town was nearby so he followed the man to a cabin where he lost track of him [Spawn #174]. In the cabin he found a family massacred. The townspeople soon descended on him and took him to prison, in the town of ‘Bane’ with a population of 259. Once in prison he met ‘Job’ the man who’s family had been slain and he had been framed. The ‘man in white’ reappeared and offered both men the chance to be free in exchange for their souls. Charles declined the other man accepted. By declining the offer extended him he intrigued the ‘man in white’ as he had never been refused before [Spawn #174].

The next day both men were hanged. the ‘man in white’ saved his life but his friend had not been so lucky. That night his friend was reborn as a ‘Hellspawn’ [Spawn #174].

He would go on to massacre the whole town in retribution for them killing his family or doing nothing about it [Spawn #175]. Charles was spared at the deliberate request of the ‘man in white’ despite fighting against this Hellspawn. The man in white told Charles that their would be a Hellspawn greater than all others who would make the world burn the way this one had done to the town of Bane. He was told to go to Alma and have children by the man in white. Upon leaving he found a piece of paper , a bill with the name Henry Thomas Simmons. He took the dead man’s name and married Alma as Henry Simmons [Spawn #175].

Years later when Alma was pregnant Simmons would remember the worlds of the man in white and write down the entire ordeal in a journal which would be passed down to the men in his bloodline warning them:

‘Know that one day he will return to make the offer I refused.

This is my warning you must turn your back on him.

To accept is worse than death

The promise he makes you may taste sweet on your tongue……..

but the bitter after taste will last for eternity 

From: The Journal of Henry Simmons [Spawn #175]