Jun 19, 2012

cullen bunn talks about writing venom

Bunn talks about "The Monsters of Evil"

Marvel sat down with writer Cullen Bunn and talked about his many projects including his role on Venom.  If you want to read the entire article you can visit Marvel.com, below are the excerpts about Venom (along with some preview art):
Marvel.com: Segueing over to VENOM, what plans do you have going forward on the title?  
Cullen Bunn: With VENOM, this is my first shot at a long run on a Marvel book, and I've been having a ball planning it. I'm looking at a mix of new directions and continued plot lines from Rick's run. I'm introducing a new supporting cast and a change of scenery for Flash. My first story, “The Monsters of Evil,” is as crazy as it sounds, and it picks up on a few leftover details from both the Circle of Four story and FEAR ITSELF: THE FEARLESS. Flash Thompson finds himself on a recon-only mission, Code: Uatu, but he can't seem to keep himself out of trouble when he sees what Daimon Hellstrom is up to. The following story has a definite science fiction bend to it, and while I'm not allowed to say much about it, it may involve an encounter with another spider-themed super hero—and another symbiote. The Savage Six story hasn't finished yet, but there will be a few elements of that arc that Flash will have to deal with. In particular, there will be an encounter with Venom's previous host that might very well shake the pillars of Heaven. Beyond that, I do have a bigger storyline in mind. Like what Rick did, I'd like to build toward a big payoff over the course of several issues. Flash will be going to some very dark places, dealing with some unusual threats, and learning more about the symbiote, the supernatural, and being a super hero than he ever imagined. This'll be a fun book. 
Marvel.com: How would you quantify Flash's story arc to this point? And what do you want to say about his relationship with the symbiote moving forward?  
Cullen Bunn: Flash has gone from a hero-worshipping bully to a soldier to a secret agent. He's hit more than his fair share of speed bumps along the way. He's dropped the ball and screwed up and just scraped by time and again. Now, he has to learn how to be a super hero. But it won't be easy. Deep down, Flash is still the bully he's always been. He has a lot of anger inside. He knows it, and he knows he can't control it sometimes. At the same time, he wears the Venom symbiote. Right now, it's under control, but Flash also knows it's only a matter of time before it cuts loose again, and that terrifies him. A terrified bully can be dangerous, to himself and to those around him. To make matters worse, something happens to Flash in the first arc that makes his fear of losing control even more intense. In the second arc, he gets a glimpse of just how dangerous the symbiotes can be. Over the course of the series, I'll be upping the danger levels for Flash, building the tension between him and the Venom symbiote. Soon, that tension is gonna reach a boiling point. Of course, that'll happen at the worst possible moment for Flash.

Venom 19 Preview

Venom 20 Preview

Venom 23 Sketch
Venom 23 Sketch 



















Any guesses on who the "spider-themed super hero—and another symbiote" will be during Bunn's first arc?  What kind of encounter with Brock will Flash have that will "shake the pillars of Heaven?"  What will happen that will show Flash "just how dangerous the symbiotes can be?"  The more I hear Bunn talk about his taken over Venom, the more excited I get!