venom 42 line art preview

Venom 42

Courtesy of CBR:

The final issue of VENOM comes out October 23rd.

TALK ABOUT: venom 41

Venom 41

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TALK ABOUT: superior carnage 3

Superior Carnage 3

What did you think?

venom 41 preview

Venom 41

VENOM 41 comes out on Wednesday, September 18th.

superior carnage 3 preview

Superior Carnage 3

SUPERIOR CARNAGE 3 comes out on Wednesday, September 18th.

thunderbolts 15 preview

Thunderbolts 15

THUNDERBOLTS 15 comes out on Wednesday, September 18th.

december previews

December 2013

SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #23

Dan Slott and Chris Gage (W)
Humberto Ramos (A/C)
Variant cover BY Skottie Young
DARKEST HOURS Part 2 of 4: “Complications”
• As Otto Octavius takes another big step in his life as Peter Parker... could a big part of Flash Thompson’s life be coming to a close? Will he be... VENOM NO MORE?!
• More with MJ! More with Carlie! More with the Green Goblin! And, after half a century, one of the most cringe-worthy moments in ALL of Spidey-history! You do NOT want to miss this one!

SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #24
Dan Slott and Chris Gage (W)
Humberto Ramos (A/C)
Variant cover BY Stefano Caselli
DARKEST HOURS Part 3 of 4: “Complications”
• The birth of a new Goblin! The return of Cardiac! MJ’s greatest fear!
• And the one question everyone will be asking: “Who is THE SUPERIOR VENOM?!”
• Good luck, Superior Spider-Man! You’re gonna need it!

THUNDERBOLTS ANNUAL #1
BEN ACKER & BEN BLACKER (W)
Matteo Lolli (A)
Cover by CARLO BARBERI
• The Thunderbolts’ new mission? KILL DOCTOR STRANGE.
• Of course, they’re gonna need a pretty special arsenal for that.
• “Thrilling Adventure Hour” creators Ben Acker & Ben Blacker take the Tbolts on a whirlwind tour of the Marvel Magicverse!

LONGSHOT SAVES THE MARVEL UNIVERSE #3 & 4 (of 4)
CHRISTOPHER HASTINGS (W)
• JACOPO CAMAGNI (A)
Cover by DAVID NAKAYAMA
• The worst threats that ever have/will face the Marvel Universe?
• The Hulkvengers? Kraven the Pheonix? WolfCap? Wolverine King of the Vampires? Cosmic Carnage?
• Sounds like a job for Longshot, right?

THUNDERBOLTS #19
CHARLES SOULE (W)
GABRIEL HERNANDEZ WALTA (A)
Cover by JULIAN TOTINO TEDESCO
• The Thunderbolts hit the road in the Punisher’s War Wagon! • A team that gets along this well will be a dream on a road trip, right?
• RIIIIIIIIGHT…

darkest hour with christos gage

Darkest Hour

Newsarama sat down with Darkest Hour co-writer Christos Gage to talk about the upcoming Spidey vs Venom arc:

Nrama: Spider-Man and Venom have crossed passed numerous times, but never as Spidey-Ock and Agent Venom, Flash Thompson. What kind of fireworks can readers expect? 

Gage: Big, gooey, symbiote-substance fireworks… by the brilliant art team of penciler Humberto Ramos, inker Victor Olazaba, and colorist by Edgar Delgado. So, scary and awesome and beautiful. This is my first time working with Humberto since our run on Avengers: The Initiative back during the “Dark Reign” era, and he’s only upped his game since then…he’s blowing me away with every page! Oh, and there’ll be a different kind of fireworks between Otto/Pete and Anna Maria Marconi…and our art team is excelling with those as well. 

Nrama: Flash has a long history with Spider-Man –he grew up idolizing the Peter Parker version, but that’s not the one he’s meeting with here. How are you tying the history – or non-history in terms of Doc Ock & Flash meetings – into this impeding face-off? 

Gage: It’s a big part of the story. When Otto removed all traces of Peter’s mind from his, he basically lost any chance to “read” any of Pete’s memories that he hadn’t already looked at. And he hadn’t had any reason to recall Pete’s friendship with Flash. So when Otto/Pete encounters him, he has no idea who Flash Thompson is…though it’s clear Flash knows him. Which means there’s a danger of his secret being exposed. And we know Otto will go to great lengths to protect his secret… 

Nrama: And you also have the added catalyst of the Venom symbiote being in on this, who isn’t on the best terms with Spider-Man – no matter who’s inside it. What’s the Venom symbiote thinking in all of this? 

Gage: That’s the wild card. It’s not a human being, it’s an alien, whose thought processes we can’t possibly understand. When Peter magically erased the memory of his secret identity from the minds of everyone in the world, did that include the symbiote? It has a new host…how does it feel about its old one? 

Nrama: Seeing Superior Spider-Man come up against the Venom symbiote, another creature who unsuccessfully tried to gain control of Peter’s body, is an interesting idea. What can you say about that? 

Gage: It brings up some interesting questions. Does the symbiote remember its former host? Does it remember that he’s Peter Parker…does a creature like this even grasp the concept of a “secret identity?” And whether it does or not, will it sense that there is something different – something off – about its former host now? How will it respond? That’s a huge part of the story.

Are you even more excited for this encounter now that it is only a couple months away?

fearless defenders 9

Fearless Defenders

9. Venom joins the Fearless Defenders' significant others for an intervention

venom sales

Venom Sales Data

Diamond Comics Distribution's comic book sales data.  Keep in mind that these numbers are only estimates, and they do not factor in sales from newsstands, book stores, or overseas markets.

Month	Comic	Rank	Est Sales	% Up/Down
Aug 2013	Venom 39	105	20,212	-0.56%
Jul 2013	Venom 38	125	20,325	-2.62%
Jul 2013	Venom 37	121	20,872	-1.97%
Jun 2013	Venom 36	104	21,291	-1.39%
May 2013	Venom 35	108	21,591	-2.39%
Apr 2013	Venom 34	94	22,119	-0.93%
Apr 2013	Venom 33	93	22,326	-0.84%
Mar 2013	Venom 32	100	22,521	-3.92%
Feb 2013	Venom 31	91	23,441	-4.51%
Jan 2013	Venom 30	83	24,548	-0.38%
Jan 2013	Venom 29	82	24,641	-3.64%
Dec 2012	Venom 28	85	25,572	-17.83%
Nov 2012	Venom 27 Venom 27.1	74 85	31,121 25,729	-1.85%
Oct 2012	Venom 26	80	31,708	+25.63%
Sept 2012	Venom 25	89	25,240	-16.08%
Sept 2012	Venom 24	76	30,078	+12.01%
Aug 2012	Venom 23	91	26,854	+0.45%
Aug 2012	Venom 22	93	26,734	+0.74%
July 2012	Venom 21	88	26,538	-1.51%
July 2012	Venom 20	87	26,945	-6.10%
June 2012	Venom 19	86	28,696	+1.37%
May 2012	Venom 18	92	28,307	-6.13%
May 2012	Venom 17	84	30,155	+6.03%
Apr 2012	Venom 16	77	28,440	-1.45%
Apr 2012	Venom 15	73	28,858	-0.25%
Mar 2012	Venom 14	69	28,929	-12.79%
Feb 2012	Venom 13 Venom 13.1 Venom 13.2 Venom 13.3 Venom 13.4	61 72 75 78 76	33,170 27,517 27,152 26,966 27,123	+15.45%
Jan 2012	Venom 12	66	28,732	+0.25%

war of heroes pt 2

Marvel: War of Heroes Part 2

After the Maximum Carnage Event, War of Heroes added these additional new symbiote cards:

[Symbiote Sire] Venom

[Symbiote Sire] Venom

Rarity Ultimate Rare
Power Requirement 33
Sale Price 244,950
Maximum Card Level 70
Maximum Mastery Level 45
Quote After ingesting a chemical given to him by Norman Osborn, Mac Gargan's Venom transforms into a more human appearance similar to the Black-Suited Spider-Man. Osborn introduces him as The Amazing Spider-Man, a member of the Dark Avengers, while unveiling the team.

[Symbiote Sire] Venom +

Rarity Legendary
Power Requirement 33
Sale Price 489,900
Maximum Card Level 80
Maximum Mastery Level 250
Quote After the siege of Asgard, Gargan and most of the Dark Avengers were taken into custody. While being held on the Raft, the Venom Symbiote was forcefully removed from him, ending his career as Venom.

[Thunderbolt] Agent Venom

[Thunderbolt] Agent Venom

Rarity Super Special Rare
Power Requirement 29
Sale Price 94,350
Maximum Card Level 60
Maximum Mastery Level 45
Quote Iraq War vet Flash Thompson is the newest Venom host, joining his old high school nemesis Peter Parker, Eddie Brock, Brock's wife Ann Weying, one-time Scorpion Mac Gargan and mobster Angelo Fortunato as those who have merged with the Venom symbiote.

[Thunderbolt] Agent Venom +

Rarity Ultimate
Rare Power Requirement 29
Sale Price 188,700
Maximum Card Level 70
Maximum Mastery Level 200
Quote Flash Thompson is brought in by the government as a special agent, wearing the Venom symbiote in service of his country. He has restrictions, however, and is only allowed to wear the suit for up to 48 hours, or he risks permanently bonding with the symbiote.

[Third Generation] Toxin

[Third Generation] Toxin

Rarity Super Special Rare
Power Requirement 29
Sale Price 94,350
Maximum Card Level 60
Maximum Mastery Level 40
Quote Offspring of the symbiote known as Carnage, Toxin was bonded to an ordinary human - NYPD officer Patrick Mulligan - because Carnage wanted to be able to kill it later. But it grew too powerful too fast, and has so far avoided death at the hands of both its "father" Carnage and "grandfather" Venom.

[Third Generation] Toxin +

Rarity Ultimate Rare
Power Requirement 29
Sale Price 188,700
Maximum Card Level 70
Maximum Mastery Level 200
Quote Toxin is one of the easier symbiotes for the human mind to work with. It rarely takes Mulligan's mind completely over, and even when it does, they have an agreement that it won't do anything especially horrible. But Toxin is as tough as a symbiote gets, with a blend of powers inherited from the previous two generations.

[Regeneration] Anti-Venom

[Regeneration] Anti-Venom

Rarity Special Rare
Power Requirement 23
Sale Price 33,450
Maximum Card Level 50
Maximum Mastery Level 35
Quote Anti-Venom was created when the healing energies of Martin Li a.k.a. Mr. Negative cause Eddie Brock's white-blood cells and traces of the Venom Symbiote still within his body to combine into a new suit composed of human/alien hybrid antibodies possessing powerful restorative abilities.

[Regeneration] Anti-Venom +

Rarity Super Special Rare
Power Requirement 23
Sale Price 66,900
Maximum Card Level 60
Maximum Mastery Level 175
Quote Anti-Venom is capable of rapidly healing from significant injuries, even recovering almost instantly after being shot in the head and suffering brain damage. Anti-Venom is also able to detect when others are ill and "cure" or "cleanse" them.

[Symbiote Insanity] Carnage

[Symbiote Insanity] Carnage

Rarity Special Rare
Power Requirement 22
Sale Price 33,300
Maximum Card Level 50
Maximum Mastery Level 35
Quote Carnage hates Venom almost as much as he hates Spider-Man. His numerous killing sprees and lunatic schemes always land him back in Ravencroft Asylum... but he always gets out again, sometimes assisted by his powers of camouflage.

[Symbiote Insanity] Carnage +

Rarity Super Special Rare
Power Requirement 22
Sale Price 66,600
Maximum Card Level 60
Maximum Mastery Level 175
Quote Like other symbiotes, Carnage is vulnerable to heat and sonic attacks. They weaken him quickly, and drive him to even more extreme madness.

[Maximum Carnage] Carnage

[Maximum Carnage] Carnage

Rarity Legendary
Power Requirement 38
Sale Price 485,700
Maximum Card Level 80
Maximum Mastery Level Unknown
Quote Imprisoned in Ryker's Island, seriel killer Cletus Kasady was cell mates with Eddie Brock, who had lost the alien symbiote that turned him into Venom. Brock's symbiote soon returned and bonded with him again, but left behind the symbiote's offspring which then entered Kasady's bloodstream and bonded with him, transforming him into Carnage.

[Maximum Carnage] Carnage +

Rarity Ultimate Legendary
Power Requirement 38
Sale Price 971,400
Maximum Card Level 90
Maximum Mastery Level 300
Quote The Carnage alien symbiote endows the host with enhanced physical strength greater than that of Spider-Man and Venom combined. The host is also granted the ability to shape-shift, to project a web-like substance from any part of his body (including the formation of weapons), and to plant thoughts into a persons head using a sybiote tendril.

*[Maximum Carnage] Carnage + is the first Ultimate Legendary card to be introduced into the game.  It is also the first one to change appearance when the phone is tilted.

Update: Part 3

no immediate plans for venom relaunch

Marvel Subscription Services

It looks like Marvel isn't planning on giving us another VENOM title any time soon; they are transferring all VENOM subscribers to THUNDERBOLTS.  From Marvel's Subscription Newsletter:

[Thanks to topfueluhl for the tip!]

cullen talk to cbr about venom's end

The End

CBR talked to Cullen Bunn about the conclusion of VENOM:

CBR News: Cullen, when did you find out you were going to have to bring Flash's solo adventures to an end? Were you able to wrap up most of the plot threads you wanted to bring resolution to? Or were there a few that you just didn't have the time and space to get to?    

Cullen Bunn: I think I got the call around the time the fourth issue of the "Toxin" arc was hitting the stands. So I was in the middle of writing the mini-arc in issues #31-#38. To some degree, it's tough for me to distinguish between the plots I had already set up and the stories I wanted to tell. I tend to plan for much longer arcs with plot points and clues that weave in and out of the story. That said, I was able to wrap up some of the threads that I had established, but there is still plenty of story left to be told. 

"Venom" may be ending, but it sounds like you're going out with a bang. The solicitations and our most recent discussion suggest that you packed your final story with emotional moments, supernatural horror, and big visceral action. In terms of scope and scale how does this final story compare to your previous ones? 

The final arc is definitely a rip-roaring action/horror adventure! We're going to see Lord Ogre's story come to an abrupt end -- thanks to Mania -- and we'll see Mania coming into her own. We'll see Flash and Andi's relationship evolve into something Flash would have never envisioned. And we'll revisit the "Devil's Mark" that Flash is branded with. That storyline will both resolve and continue in a new direction. There is so much packed into the last three issues. It's definitely going to move at a breakneck pace. Hellstrom, Lord Ogre, the D.O.A., Mephisto -- they all have a role to play. And in the middle of all this, Flash will finally have a conversation with the symbiote. 

Looking back at your run on a "Venom" as a whole is there anything you would have done differently? And what stories are you most proud of? 

Yeah, there are a number of things I would have done a little differently. For one, I would have tried to think in 12-issue arcs instead of the 30-something issues I outlined in the beginning. That outline was just too ambitious, I think, and it drives me nuts that I won't be able to introduce some of the story lines I had planned. I might have sprinkled in a few more street-level stories early on. Issues #27.1 and #36 are a couple of my favorites, and I think something like that might have helped readers transition from Rick's run to mine. Overall, though, I'm proud of the book as a whole. There are some stories I like better than others, obviously, like the two single issues I already mentioned. I was also really pleased with what Declan Shalvey and I did with the Toxin arc, and I was thrilled with the introduction of Mania. 

Flash is an interesting, complex and very human character. How did you feel about him when you began working on "Venom?" And how do you feel about him now that the book is almost over? Will you miss him? 

I'll definitely miss Flash. I wasn't sure how to feel about him when we started out. He was the bully I always hated when I was a kid. But his flaws make him so compelling as a hero. One reader wrote to me, saying that Flash Thompson was his Peter Parker, and I think that's a cool thought. I think we're leaving Flash in a very interesting place. There are definitely stories out there for him. 

"Venom" may be ending but you're still actively involved in the Marvel Universe with books like "Fearless Defenders." Is there a chance that we might see (assuming she survives the next few issues) Mania, or some of the plot threads you introduced in "Venom," over in "Fearless Defenders?" 

Don't think it hasn't crossed my mind that the Fearless Defenders need an arachnid-themed character on the team. And Mania would definitely bring something new to the group! 

Finally, looking back on your run as a whole, how does it feel to have been part of "Venom?" The series may be ending before you planned, but do you feel like it's had a good run? 

It's been a real honor. Following in Rick's footsteps, working with my editors Steve [Wacker] and Tom [Brennan] and Sana [Amanat] on the book, and collaborating with so many great artists -- the book has been a pleasure for me. I know a lot of people would say that a book like this wouldn't even last 12 issues, but I co-wrote or wrote something like 27 issues, not to mention Rick's run. That's pretty impressive, if you ask me, and I'm chalking it up as a win.

Would you like to see Mania turn up in Fearless Defenders?

venom in fearless defenders 9 preview

Fearless Defenders 9

Are you pumped for Venom's appearance in this title?  FD 9 comes out on Wednesday, September 11th.

cullen bunn talks about venom's finale

Series Finale Plans

VENOM writer, Cullen Bunn, talked with Newsarama about the final arc of the series (as well shared some preview art for issue 41):

Newsarama: Late last month we got the news that Venom was ending with October’s #42. Cullen, when did you find out and what are your thoughts on the conclusion?  

Cullen Bunn: I got the call that the book would be ending a few months ago. It was disappointing to me, because we were coming off the Toxin arc, which got a pretty strong fan reaction. And I had just started writing the first Mania issues of the book. I think the writing was on the wall for me, though. I don’t pay much attention to sales figures, but a lot of fans (or more specifically anti-fans) take great delight in e-mailing or tweeting or otherwise crowing about the numbers. But I was still hopeful. I still had a much, much longer story in mind. So it knocked me for a bit of a loop. These things happen, though, so I did my best to roll with it and wrap up a few loose ends. 

Nrama: Given the quick turnaround nature of comics, did you have a chance to work on these final issues to tweak them now that they’ll be the series finale- especially given the promise of a Mephisto appearance in the solicits? 

Bunn: I had a story in mind for issues 37 – 42. It was always intended to be Mania’s origin. I tweaked a few things to wrap a few (but not all) of the loose ends up with Venom #42. A few elements were rolled into this arc that weren’t originally intended, but for the most part it is pretty close to what I had originally intended. 

Nrama: Between you and Rick Remender, by the end of this you’ll have carved out a healthy two and a half year, 42 issue run of Flash Thompson as Venom. Although his series is ending, do you think Flash Thompson-as-Venom’s story continues? 

Bunn: I’m certain the story continues. I know a few of the things that are in the works for Flash, and it’s pretty crazy and exciting stuff! 

Nrama: Speaking of exciting stuff, this month’s Venom #40 is really showing off Flash’s student Andi in her new guise as Mania. For those who might be behind a couple issues, what can you tell us about her? 

Bunn: Well, Mania first appeared in Venom #38, so by now most readers know that she is Flash Thompson’s student and neighbor Andi. She gets caught in the middle of a fight between Flash and Jack O’Lantern. Flash tries to protecther during the fight and somehow… symbiofies… her. She suddenly finds herself saddled with a symbiote very much like Venom. The strange thing is, she seems to bond with it much more quickly than Flash ever bonded with Venom. The mystery, of course, will be how the Venom symbiote spawned Mania. We’ll be answering that question in the final arc… in Venom #42 specifically. 

Nrama: Each symbiote has shown its own unique powers – what can you tell us about Mania’s? 

Bunn: Mania is very similar to Venom… and there is a reason for that… but she will have some gifts that will be a little unexpected and confusing for everyone involved. These gifts will also make her the target of some very bad folks. 

Nrama: Part of me says that Flash isn’t the type for a sidekick, thinking about Mania – but in a way he’s always had one with the symbiote. How does Flash feel about having a partner? 

Bunn: At first, at least, he doesn’t see Mania as a partner. In fact, he directs a lot of energy toward separating her from the symbiote. But as they begin to work together, their relationship will change quite a bit. I think it will be an interesting progression from where Flash started. It’s also something I’m a little heartbroken that I won’t be able to explore further. But I think Venom #42 leaves Flash and Andi in a very interesting place. That issue is gonna be crazy and action-packed, but there is an undercurrent that makes the issue very personal to me. 

Nrama: In addition to showing Mania in full bloom, the most recent issue also brought Damion Hellstrom back into the picture – as well as D.O.A. What can you say about this? 

Bunn: Hellstrom is showing up again, but he’s still locked up. He’s not running with the D.O.A. right now. In fact, he’s probably pretty glad he’s behind bars once he figures out what the D.O.A. is up to. Hellstrom is an interesting conundrum. He “went bad” in Fear Itself: The Fearless, but he showed up in several other comics around the same time. And he was portrayed in vastly different ways in each book. I promised readers I’d make sense of that, so I’m doing so in the final arc. 

Nrama: After facing down some real monsters in previous issues, the solicits for Venom #41 promise not only a face-off with Lord Ogre but also Crossbones. What can readers expect? 

Bunn: A lot of blood. Mania and Venom versus Lord Ogre will not be pretty. Venom versus Crossbones will be even less pretty! 

Nrama: And as mentioned earlier, the series finale Venom #42 promises a rare appearance by Mephisto. Before I even get into the why and the hows, can you tell us about your impressions of Mephisto – especially given your other stories about demons in things like Sixth Gun? 

Bunn: In my favorite depictions of Marvel’s Mephisto, he’s the most charming of demons. He’s the guy who seems like he cares about your well-being… while he’s carving out a condo for your soul in Hell. He’s the grinning, friendly demon who can come across as your best friend... right up until the point when he rips your spine out. 

Nrama: Last question, Cullen… Enough beating around the bush – what does Mephisto want with Venom here? Last time he crossed one of Marvel’s spider-family heroes, things didn’t turn out so well. 

Bunn: Ah ha! What does Mephisto want with Venom? Well, we already know that the demon has marked Venom as one of the possible heirs for a throne in Hell. But in this case, the story isn’t going to be about what Mephisto wants from Venom as much as what Venom wants from Mephisto. But neither one of them is in the deal-making mood.