Along with an inexplicably large collection of Venom figures, I also have a curiously large pile of Venom comics. (Somewhere.) But like a lot of villains (and heroes, for that matter) he moves forward for several years, then gets put right back on square one, more or less. Or does he? From 2017, Venom #150, "Heart of Darkness" Written by Mike Costa, art by Tradd Moore, color art by Felipe Sobreiro; "Dependence Day" Written by Robbie Thompson, art by Gerardo Sandoval, color art by Dono Sanchez-Almara; and "Malled!" Written by David Michelinie (Venom's co-creator!) pencils by Ron Lim, inks by John Livesay.
Eddie Brock and the Venom symbiote are together again: they're happy about it, but very obviously co-dependent as hell. Out for an evening swing, they stop some armored goons breaking into a biotech firm to steal a proprietary tomato, with what Eddie has to admit is excessive force. Unsure in himself and his "reunion," Eddie returns to the church where he first met the symbiote. He tells the priest there he no longer believes in God, but after discussing his "relationship" in broad strokes, the priest recognizes an unhealthy obsession. The symbiote doesn't care to hear that, and tells Eddie he wants to hurt anyone who comes between them. Like maybe Scorpion, who attacks wanting revenge on "that nightmare inside of you," that he used to wear!
The Scorpion has some add-ons to his usual look, courtesy of his employer Alchemax. Despite knowing the symbiote's sonic weakness, he gets outmaneuvered by it getting inside his own suit, and punched out by Eddie. Eddie passes out, with the symbiote assuring him it will take care of him...which it does, taking him back to the church, and attacking the priest!
The next story takes place sometime earlier, when Flash Thompson still had the suit: back in NYC, Agent Venom is attacked by an armored foe that separates them with a sonic weapon. Flash is then unable to calm the symbiote down, and it takes off. Flash stops the armored guy, but leaves him to go after the symbiote...and doesn't find him. Consumed by anger again, the symbiote seems to fall back into old habits, and takes over a bum in the sewers, presumably on his way to Eddie.
The next story is even further back, a flashback to Venom's early days hunting Spider-Man. Staking out a mall, they figure Spidey might show up to stop a gang; then ends up stopping them...themselves. Still, when a security guard freaks out and tries to give up an innocent to protect himself from Venom, they kill him, and muse about how betrayal is good, since it gives them a target.
Like Silver Surfer #200, this issue has the cover gallery of Venom's 150 issues; largely the string of miniseries he had in the 90's. And if you look for this in trade, the next issue has the great title, The Land Before Crime, featuring Venom vs. Stegron the Dinosaur Man!
Thoughts on Marvel rolling back Venom to Eddie again? I thought the stuff with Flash was pretty good all things considered, even though he was an odd choice to be Venom, but it worked for the time it was allowed.
ReplyDeleteI guess it was bound to happen, plus never underestimate 90's nostalgia (or any nostalgia for that matter)
Oh Scorpion, look at you now. Basically nothing more than another boring over-designed mecha suit. Damn man.
Ahh Ron Lim. He's a classic taste that never goes out fo style for me....well, maybe he did in the late 90's early 2000's. Still, gotta' love that classic, clean style of his.