REVIEW: venom 31 - 35

It seemed as though the epic clash between Agent Venom and 'Broxin' was teased about forever!  Now that it has come and gone, what were the overall thoughts on Toxic?

The Story: Flash starts his new life in Philadelphia when Eddie Brock (with the Toxin symbiote) tracks him down.

The Good: Eddie Brock - Before he was Toxin, or Anti-Venom, or even a Lethal Protector, Eddie Brock was a man obsessed with destroying Spider-Man.  I got the same vibe from this Eddie Brock that I did in his first appearances in "The Amazing Spider-Man."  He knows Agent Venom's secret identity (like he knew Spidey's) and uses it to his advantage.  He uses the symbite more as a tool than as a friend.  All I can say is that Cullen Bunn nailed Brock's persona in this arc.  I hope he has him return soon!  The Art - I don't think it is any secret that I am a huge fan of Declan Shavely's art.  He said way back in our interview that he was going for an "old-school Venom with a nuttier-looking symbiote."  Well he certainly delivered   Toxin's redesign was a great compromise of the 'spaghetti monster' look from the 'Savage Six' and a more down to earth classic Venom look.  I also loved how Flash's 'Venoming-out' changed depending on the situation.  He had a more intimidating look when scaring off the mugger in issue 31, but was full of rage and anger when helping Toxin fight off The Slayers in issue 25.  Declan's art will be greatly missed.

The Bad: Symbiote Slayers - They appeared, the multiplied, and they were defeated.  I wanted more.    Who were the mystery shadow men that infected the first Slayer?  Where did the slayer technology come from?  Why were they after symbiotes?  While it was hinted that we will see a Slayer again in the future, I wish that we were given more information on where they came from and why they were here.

The Overall: 5 outta 5.  This arc is what I have been waiting for!  Cullen Bunn delivers on his promise that he will make Brock fans happy by the time this arc rolls out.  This is the jumping on arc that I recommend to people who want to start reading VENOM.  My only hope is that Brock continues to be a presence in this series and Venom continues these street level adventures.

REVIEW: venom war

The new Ultimate Venom's reign of terror ended a couple weeks ago, but I am just now getting a moment to collect my thoughts on his debut in Venom Wars.  Was he a better Venom than the original? Here are my thoughts.

The Story: After killing Betty Brandt, Venom arrives in front of Miles' door looking for Spider-Man.

The Good: The Look - I like the look artist Sara Pinchelli gave to the retooled Venom.  For some reason the monstrous design works in the Ultimate Universe for me.  The Fights - Venom vs Spidey in the streets and then again in the hospital rank up there as some of the best symbiote fight scenes in recent memory.  I especially appreciated the call back as Miles tries to remember how Peter originally handled Venom.

The Bad: Venom - Lets start with the host - who is he?  This arc was the first Miles Spidey story I read; Conrad Marcus means nothing to me.  At least with the original Venom, they developed the story of Eddie Brock Jr. within the Venom arc so you knew a little bit about the host as well as the suit.  Speaking of the suit, how about bridging the gap between when we last saw the suit (and Eddie) to this new Venom's sudden appearance. 

The Overall: 2.5 outta 5.  I am a fan of Ultimate Venom (more so his first appearance than his latter ones), but I just didn't get excited enough for this Venom 2.0.  Sure this was a HUGE arc as far as story development for Spider-Man, but as a Venom fan I want more story for the villain.  I guess my biggest complaint is that I don't like how Bendis writes symbiotes.  Hopefully he will change my mind when (if) Miles battles a new Carnage down the road.

REVIEW: ultimate spider-man season 1

When I was informed earlier today that Carnage would be making his debut next week on Ultimate Spider-Man, I realized that I never actually watched an episode.  So I decided to sit down and watch the four Venom-centric episodes of season one. 

The Story: Episode 4: Venom - Doc Ock uses Spidey's DNA to create the Venom symbiote.  Spidey fights it as it jumps from host to host.  Episdoe 8: Back in Black - Harry Osborn bonds with the symbiote and becomes the new Black Suit Spider-Man.  Episode 11: Venomous - Venom attacks Spider-Man and his friends.  Episode 26: Rise of the Goblin - Venom joins the Green Goblin and attacks Spider-Man

The Good: Animation - The fight scenes were simply amazing for a kids animated show.  The flowing of the symbiote as it attacks was spot on.  I thoroughly enjoyed the action in episode 11 when it was Venom versus Spidey and his friends.  Black Suit Spidey - It was an interesting take on the Black Suit Spider-Man.  Having Spider-Man actually fight this evil incarnation of himself was a pleasant surprise.

The Bad: Symbiote Origin - I am not taking about Venom's origin (I actually didn't mind Harry and the symbiote bonding to create Venom), I'm talking about Doc Ock creating the symbiote from a strand of Spider-Man's blood.  I understand that they only have 22 minutes to do an origin story, I would of just preferred this origin to mimic the Ultimate comics more.  Brock - Zero mention of Eddie Brock was the biggest disappointment for me.  Like I said, I didn't mind Harry becoming Venom; it is a different universe and I enjoy changing the story up a bit.  However, Eddie Brock is synonymous with Venom's origin.  To not have him in the story at all is a disgrace.

The Overall: 3.5 outta 5.  After reading all of the hatred towards this cartoon, I might lose some credibility with that score, but I actually enjoyed these episodes.  I grew up with the 1994 Spider-Man the Animated Series and nothing will ever top that in my book.  Sure this is obviously a kids show (it reminds you of that every 2 minutes), but when it is free to show some action I was glued to the TV.  I look forward to more symbiote craziness in season two.

REVIEW: thunderbolts 1-6

With the start of Marvel NOW!, The Thunderbolts relaunched with a new group consisting of Agent Venom.  Was this a step up from his time as an Avenger or is his membership on this team  unnecessary?  Unfortunately, I think it is the latter.

The Story: General Ross recruits Agent Venom, The Punisher, Deadpool, and Electra to join the Thunderbolts.  Their first mission is in Kata Jaya.

The Good: The Colors - I am a fan of the Red/Black Venom color scheme.  They feel like an actual team by wearing the same 'uniform.'  The colors also make the covers stand out.

The Bad: Agent Venom - My biggest fear going into the series was the depiction of Venom; he does not feel or act like the same character.  From the first time we meet him in issue #1, he is mowing down soldiers.  This is not the Venom I have seen in his ongoing series.  This is not the Venom I prefer.  The Story - After six issues, I still don't care about this mission or these characters.  The Art - Like many others have already pointed out, everyone looks the same.

The Overall: 0 outta 5.  Disappointing.  I really don't like to review an arc just to bash it, but as a Venom fan I really did not enjoy this story.  I wanted to give Daniel Way another chance after his 2003 Venom run, but I just can't get excited for this title.  Like his Venom, the pace is slow, the story is lackluster, and he doesn't do Venom justice.  I would be curious to hear what fans of the other characters thought of their portrayal on this team.  My hope is that the roster gets reshuffled and Venom is back to being under one writer.

REVIEW: venom 28 - 30

Who else is happily astonished that Venom has made it to issue 30!?  He may have evolved from his secret agent days to this latest arc where he is possessed by a demon and investigating a conspiracy theory.  How does this story rank among his other adventures?  Lets take a look at Venom vs The U-Foes.

The Story: The U-Foes have stolen a device that can make objects and people vanish.  Venom hunts down the U-Foes in Philadelphia and fights them.

The Good: Flash/Demon/Symbiote - I gotta say, I wasn't super excited about Flash sharing his body with a demon.  However, this story made me nod my head and say 'okay, this could work.'  I loved the fact that we don't know who takes charge when Flash blacks out.  Has the demon learned how to utilize the symbiote?  Is the symbiote no longer neutralized?  Are they working together?  And the upcoming 'talk' Flash wants to have with them made me realize Bunn has a plan.
Philadelphia - Big surprise, right?  From the covers, to the mythology of Project Rainbow, to the locations, to the references and jokes, I loved it all.  I think it was a great move on Marvel's part to remove Venom from NYC (and an even better move to place him in Philly).  He can't get away from facing Spidey every other day and take some pride in being the sole protector of a city.

The Bad: Poor Editing - I am no editor (hell, I'm not even a great writer).  I'm sure you could go through this site and find 1000s of mistakes.  However, it isn't costing you $3 (an issue) to read TVS.  I shouldn't be confused while reading this story because of mistakes that should of been caught before going to print.  Issue #28, how about a little note explaining when/where Flash previously met the U-Foes.  Issue #29, Katy's blank speech bubble.  Do I have a misprint or was it suppose to be blank?  If she really isn't saying anything, why have it at all?  Issue #30, the caption has Brooklyn but the police badge says Philadelphia.  Where is Toxin actually located?  Bunn did clarify this on Twitter (its Brooklyn), but is social media really how we should be getting clarification?
The U-Foes - They aren't bad, they are just boring.  It isn't fair, but I will compare Bunn's villains to Remender's villains throughout his run.  We never really got to meet the U-Foes; they were never really a threat.  It was obvious they were going to lose.  Unlike Remender's D-list bad guys (Jack and Fly), who we learned about and even though they weren't going to physically beat Venom. they affected Flash mentally.  I hope the next Venom opponent isn't part of a team.

The Overall: 3.5 outta 5 Aside from the drastic change of art, issue #30 was definitely the strongest of the three.  I do hope Valk and Katy stay in Flash's life, but not to save the day and be the damsel in  distress (respectively) every issue.  This arc left me with some very high hopes for the next chapter - "I've got some personal business to attend..." - Eddie Brock (who these days prefers to be called TOXIN!)

REVIEW: venom 23-25

Cullen Bunn's first Venom arc, Monsters of Evil, concluded a little over a week ago and the event of the fall, Minimum Carnage, begins in little under a week.  So I figured it was a good time to squeeze in a quick review of Monsters of Evil.


The Story: Venom is on a recon mission for the Secret Avengers.  While investigating The Department of Occult Armaments, he crosses paths with Damian Hellstrom.

The Good: Art - Thony Silas has some fantastic visuals in all three issues.  From the look of Agent Venom, to the demon possessed Venom, to the Monsters of Evil themselves.  I really enjoyed the different style he used when Flash was reminiscing about his high school days or when Hellstrom explains 'the decent' to Venom.  Katy Kiernan - I think she be a much better asset to Venom's stories than Betty Brandt was.

The Bad: The Monsters of Evil - They seemed a bit cheesy.  I found the idea intriguing (huge demonic beasts terrorizing Venom), I just don't think they were executed properly.  It was also a missed opportunity to have Venom rage and really go up against these baddies.  Hellstrom - I'm just not a fan.  It is also disappointing that he will be around for quite some time mentoring Venom.

The Overall: 3 outta 5.  I did like this arc, I just didn't love it.  It was a great follow-up to Circle of Four, but I feel like it was just here to bridge the gap between Remender's departure and Minimum Carnage.  It probably wouldn't of felt so rushed if Bunn had more issues to work with.

CLASSIC REVIEW: carnage unleashed

Since I have to wait a little over a month for Minimum Carnage to start, I figured I would get my Carnage fix by reviewing Carnage Unleashed.

The Story: There is a new computer game called Carnage Unleashed that allows players to reenact the events of Maximum Carnage online.  Cletus Kasady is in prison where he is allowed to play the game under supervision of his therapist.  When he eventually hacks the game and escapes, Venom goes to stop him.  Along the way Eddie befriends a 'musician' named Kristin.

The Good: Carnage - Once again, escapes and starts killing just to bring a little chaos to the world.  I liked how by kidnapping his therapist (who I wish he would of killed by the end) he could recall details from his past throughout the entire story so we can see how messed up he really is.  Eddie Brock AKA 'Freddy Block' - Going back to these 'classic' stories gives me a greater appreciation for Brock.  He really is what makes Venom.  He does what he thinks is right - murdering thugs, letting Clive fall, following Kristen - regardless if it is what other 'heroes' would do.  He constantly has to struggle with the fact that everyone else sees him as a villain.  So while he is trying to stop Carnage, we have a swat team shooting at him.  The only moment when (I felt) he was out of character was when he saved Kasady from dying.

The Bad: Technology - I found it absurd that a symbiote can find you simply by touching an "RGB screen" and then proceed to travel "through the processor and the modem, down the phone line, past the switching stations, up your trunk line, into your modem and processor and right out through your RGB screen."  Furthermore, two symbiotes fighting in cyber space sounds like a cool idea but the execution was a let down for me.  Kristen - She was an unneeded side story that took away pages that could of been spent on more symbiote vs symbiote action!  I did enjoy Eddie letting her believe his name was 'Freddy Block' (although the writer/editor missed the one time she does refer to him as Eddie).  I would of found her side story more interesting if something came out of it - she appears in a future story, her boyfriend seeks revenge, her mother does go after Venom (maybe one of these things did occur, but I missed it...).

The Overall: 4 outta 5.  In what kind of messed up universe would you make a video game (about killing) from actual events....
You missing Brock as Venom?  You wanna get pumped for Minimum Carange?  You like reminiscing about what technology was like 20 years ago?  If you answered yes to any of those questions, you should go back and relive Carnage Unleashed!

REVIEW: venom 15 - 22

Along with the conclusion of the Savage Six story line comes the end of Rick Remender's run as author of Venom.  With the huge build up, was this arc worth all of the hype?
Even though not officially part of The Savage Six, I am including issues 15 & 16 in my review since they heavily impact the arc.

The Story: Crime Master forms a team of rouge villains to help him take down Venom.  Once The Savage Six (Crime Master, Jack O'Lantern, The Human Fly, Death Adder, Megatak, and Toxin) attacks Flash's loved ones, he vows to take them down.

The Good: The Savage Six - While I appreciate Remender bringing back these D-List villains to create a Venom rouge gallery, I especially fell in love with The Human Fly and Jack O'Lantern.  I think Human Fly stole the show whenever he was featured - whether it was on the train tricking Venom with a fake letter, terrorizing Flash's mother, or being brutally beat by Venom.  Likewise, Jack's constant screwing with Flash's head and threatening everyone close to him made for stakes feel real.  Toxin - I know I might get slack on this one, but I actually liked Toxin and Eddie Brock.  We get the return the Toxin symbiote, who's main target is Venom - he actually kills Megatak to get to him.  By the end, we realize that Brock is never in control and that the look and the speech is that of a young adolescent symbiote.  Meanwhile, Brock is forced to bond with the symbiote against his will (like when he became Venom) and can now use the symbiote to seek revenge on the one who ruined him, Flash (similar to his revenge fueled hate for Spider-Man way back when).  I think this series created a great new reboot for both Toxin and Brock.

The Bad: Crime Master Identity - Was anyone really stunned by this revelation?  Why did Crime Master have an issue with Flash in the first place?  Because he was with his sister?  Not knowing anything about Flash or Betty before this series started, I didn't really care about these characters and their past.  I would of preferred Remender to of actually created a character to put behind the mask.  Issue 22 - Now this issue isn't exactly bad, it just isn't as good as the others.  The style (with the constant flash backs) and the art (completely different style than the previous issues) just didn't sit well with me.

The Overall - 4 outta 5.  There were definitely individual books that I would have given a 5 to as soon as I finished reading them; however as a complete series there are some faults.  While I enjoyed Remender's run, I think I am ready for something new.  If I have to trade Flash's tragic past during Remender's writing for the supernatural elements hinted by the next writer Cullen Bunn, well then I welcome it!

REVIEW: venom 13-14

It is hard to believe that it has been a year since Flash acquired the Venom symbiote and the first issue Venom was released.  Yet here we are- a year later and the first Venom event has concluded, but was Circle of Four the blockbuster event it was built up to be?

The Story: Blackheart has opened a portal to Hell and it is up to The Circle of Four - Venom, Red Hulk, Ghost Rider, and X-23 to prevent it from spreading.

The Good: The Art - I was a little skeptical when I first heard that each issue would be handled by a different artist/writer team.  While I didn't care for all of the writing, the art was amazing in each book.  I was already familiar with Medina and Moore's art, so I was glad to see them finish off the arc in 13.4 and 14 respectively. Venom & Red Hulk - While I don't like Venom on a team, I sort of enjoyed his teamwork and interactions with Red Hulk.  I don't know if it is because they are both army dudes or if Flash is better at 'playing nicely' with others than Eddie was, but I would like to see another Venom/Red Hulk team-up in the future.

The Bad: A Venom Event - This was not my favorite arc.  I think a main reason is because it was told in between the covers of Venom and not Ghost Rider.  I know very little about Ghost Rider, but Blackheart, Mephisto, Hell on Earth, and all of the issues Alejandra was having in this event seemed to be more related to the Ghost Rider's history more than Venom's.  I was in unfamiliar territory all throughout this arc and I didn't like it!  Antithesis - Let's be honest, they were all cheesy - a cheerleader, a brain-man, a preacher, and a four-eyed angel.  I don't think the concept was bad, just the presentation.  I would of preferred to let Moore create some bad ass demons that had the same powers or some sort of inverse creations that kept the same basic look as our heroes.

The Overall: 3 outta 5.  I love the issues that Remender wrote, but the others seemed to drag and definitely brought my option of the entire arc down.  While I never favor Venom in a team, this one was small enough that he didn't become a background character.  So while this story was not my cup of tea, I do like the idea of Mephisto bringing them back to try it again (hopefully in a different way) in another story.  (Fingers crossed that The Venom-Hulk-Rider returns as well!)

REVIEW: venom 10 - 12

Between the events of Spider-Island and the upcoming Circle of Four event, we find our favorite symbiote taking a road trip with the arch nemesis he met in issue #1, Jack O'Lantern.  So how did Road Trip stack up to the previous issues of Venom?

The Story: Crime Master blackmails Flash and sends him to Las Vegas to get him the Toxin symbiote.  So Venom goes AWOL and sets off with Jack O'Lantern on a road trip.

The Good:  The Fights - Venom has two epic battles in this arc, the first against Captain America in issue #10.  The second fight comes in issue #12 when we see Flash Venom-Out and go crazy all over Jack.  Flash - His world is in complete shambles after this arc.  He buries his dad, goes AWOL, loses Betty, starts drinking again; the symbiote is the only good thing in his life now.  Who else got chills when asked if he has had hard times, Flash responds "We're getting used to it."

The Bad:  Brock and Toxin - It's not the fact that they were in the arc, but at how little they were used.  Brock gets a couple panels and Toxin is only shown as a pile of goo.  While it might be setting the stage for things to come, I would of liked a full blown issue featuring 'Symbiote Hunter Brock' and Toxin with an actual host.  Speaking of Toxin, we also deserve an explanation down the road of what happened to Pat and how Toxin got to Las Vegas in the first place.  Jack O'Lantern - I'm just sick of this guy.  Issue #11 (the Jack centered issue) was by far my least favorite of the series.  I know each hero needs a worthy advisory  but Jack is more of a sick psychopath than a worthy opponent.  My only hope is that Remender takes the next couple months (or even year) from including Jack in this series.

The Overall: 4 outta 5.  This series has been building since the very first issue.  Flash finally not only wants the symbiote, but now he needs it.  It is all he has left and doing anything to keep it will make for some great stories this year!

REVIEW: venom 6 - 9

With Spider-Island over and Venom heading in a 'new direction,' I thought it would be a good time to review the amazing second arc of Venom.

The Story: NYC has been infected with a virus that turns the citizens into spiders.  The Spider-Island event takes place in multiple issues of many Marvel comics and eventually changes the lives for both Venom (Flash) and Eddie Brock.

The Good: While I enjoyed this entire arc, two issues really stood out to me - #7 and #9.  Issue #7 - We not only get to see the much anticipated battle between Anti-Venom and Venom, but we also get a fight between Eddie and Flash as to what the symbiote really is.  What drove this issue was the development of both Eddie and Flash.  Brock is finally able to use a symbiote's powers for only good and when he 'loses' the battle against Venom, the reader can almost feel his pain as the symbiote bonds with him.  Oh and lets not forget about Moore's amazing cover!  Issue #9 - This just might be my favorite Venom issue ever.  Kick ass cover, check!  Fantastic art, check!  While every panel in the previous issues was full of detail (sometimes too much), these panels all looked clean and crisp.  I also loved the style of both Agent Venom and Teeth-Out-Long-Tongue Killer Venom.  Great writing, CHECK!  I cannot give Rick Remender enough praise.  Ever issue flows smoothly and the fact that he doesn't bog down each page with a ton of dialogue makes it easy to follow keeps it from getting boring.

The Bad: Crossovers - If you don't read the Amazing Spider-Man issues that are apart of this event, you really miss out and are left confused.  Granted there are recaps at the beginning of each chapter, but for the full story you are forced to purchase other (non-Venom) books.  Spider-Queen - I just didn't like her as a villain and I don't buy the fact that she is able to beat Venom and Captain A at the end of issue #8.

The Overall: 4.5 outta 5.  Aside from the fact that this story isn't contained only in the pages of Venom and some of the art in books 6-7 can get a little muddled, this is an excellent series and I can't recommend it enough!

CLASSIC REVIEW: venom the hunger

The Story: In The Hunger, the symbiote (or Other as it is referred to here) has a need for brains and abandons Brock when he will not support this addiction.

The Good: Symbiote - It seems like lately every time the symbiote leaves its host, it wants to or ends up bonding with someone/something else.  There were a lot of opportunities for this to happen throughout the story, but the writer took the high road and let the symbiote think for itself.  Kudos to you Len Kaminski!  Brock - Eddie really is a good guy.  This is probably where a lot of people lost intrest in Venom because of the whole 'eating brains' idea, but from the start Brock is against it and eventually finds a 'cure' for the symbiote's problem.  However thanks to Mac, we eventually end back up with a symbiote monster that rips arms off and eats brains.

The Bad: Issue 3's Ending - I thought it was completely cheese to have the symbiote fall in Brock's arms and then cuddle with him like a puppy (see above image).  Panel Layouts - Some of it may of been intentional to show how scattered Eddie/Symbiote's minds were while apart; some of it is probably the style of comics in the 90's, but I found many pages hard to follow.

The Overall: 3 outta 5.  A solid relationship story between the symbiote and Eddie.  Like I said, the idea of eating brains was probably a turning point for most reader at the time.  However, rereading it gave me much more of an appreciation of how making the symbiote such a brain-eating-monster (btw he only liked 'bad guys' brains) and Brock's outrage at it really helped define the Venom relationship.

CLASSIC REVIEW: ssm the hunger

As Spider-Island continues and Anti-Venom's (and Eddie Brock's) fate remains to be unseen, I thought I would go back and reread the last time Eddie Brock 'died' in The Spectacular Spider-Man: The Hunger.

The Story: Spider-Man is investigating a series of attacks which leave the victims drained of their adrenaline.  He soon discovers the symbiote is responsible and is planning on leaving Eddie Brock to combined with a new host.

The Good: The Symbiote - This is the first time I can remember the symbiote being treated as an actual character, with feelings and a motive.  It had minor dialog in the past, but never communicated like this.  It is also the first time that I felt the symbiote was really the one in control; seeing it like this made me actually want a story where it takes command and jumps from host to host to terrorize Spidey.  Eddie - If you don't feel for Eddie after this story, you'll never feel for any character.  His struggle with wanting the symbiote to want him and wishing it would of never found him in the first place really sets the tone for his Anti-Venom days.

The Bad: Pretty much everything in Issue 5 - Spider-Man.  Instead of taking a dying man to the hospital to get help, is the best solution to slap him on his back and force him to bond with an alien?  The Symbiote's Child.  What ever became of that?  The Permanent Bond.  Since they symbiote bonded with Eddie on that fateful night, how did it bond with Mac or Eddie?  Does the symbiote have any control over who it combines with or would it of bonded with anything that got slung into its general vicinity?
Granted these are complaints I have with the knowledge of whats to come, but still with throwing things like this into the plot you would hope the writer had plans (maybe he never got the chance) to execute in future stories.

The Overall: 3.75 outta 5.  It really isn't a bad story, I just wish they would of took the groundwork they laid and expanded upon it.   I would of loved if they 'killed off' Eddie by just making him a shell that the symbiote uses to keep its shape and create a whole persona for the symbiote before bringing Eddie back (no one stays dead forever).  However, it is a pivotal story by setting the stage for Eddie to sell the symbiote, get cured of his cancer, become AV, and Flash ultimately securing the title of Venom.
 
Also if you enjoy Humberto Ramos' ASM Spider-Island art, he also does the pencils for this story.

REVIEW: venom 1 - 4

It only seems like yesterday that Marvel announced the Venom ongoing series and now here we are at the conclusion of the first arc of the series.


The Story: Flash is on a mission to stop a shipment of Vibranium from falling into the wrong hands.  The mission takes him from Europe, to The Savage Lands, and concludes in New York.  Along the way he battles Jack O'Lantern, Kraven the Hunter, and Spider-Man.

The Good: Venom - I'll admit that I was a little weary when I learned that Venom was going to have yet another host.  However, I think Flash is perfect for the role.  Under Remender's pen, he has a lot of the great characteristics I loved about Eddie Brock's Venom (wanting to be a hero, constantly reasoning with the symbiote) and none of the ridiculous Mac Gargan ones (eating people's limbs off, growing 20x original size).  On the other side of the relationship, the symbiote is proving to be a main character in this series and not just a 'super power.'   The Writing - Rick Remender is doing a great job of not telling the whole story right from the beginning.  Other reviews have said that the pace is too slow and there are too many unanswered questions; I disagree.  The reader gets a firm understanding of the mission (or backdrop of the arc), the fact that the symbiote wants/needs Flash and that Flash will do anything to keep the symbiote, and Venom gets an arch nemesis (other than Spidey) all in the first four issues.  And of course there are going to be questions unanswered in the first arc, why else would there be a need to continue the series?

The Bad: Fowler's Art - Issue 3's Venom in particular.  It's not that I hate his art, it's just not Tony Moore's.  Spider-Man - I really hope he doesn't play a role in this series after Spider-Island because I can't stand that guy!  He comes out of nowhere and starts fighting Venom (assuming he is responsible for Betty's disappearance and without evening questioning who is in control of the symbiote now).

The Overall: 4 outta 5.  This series has met and exceeded all of my expectations for a Venom ongoing series!

CLASSIC REVIEW: first kill

With all of the discussion about whether or not Flash will permanently bond with the symbiote, I figured I would go back and review the first time Eddie Brock and the symbiote bonded.  Since I did, I also thought I would give a quick review of "First Kill".

The Story: Moments after the symbiote left Spidey and found Eddie in the church, Eddie's friend Ernesto is murdered in is apartment.  With his new 'friend', Eddie goes after the killers.

The Good: Eddie Brock - Eddie jumps into action when he hears that his friend may be in danger; he doesn't realize how the symbiote can help him yet.  Even from this first adventure, Venom is all about helping the innocent.  The Symbiote - Although we only get a glimpse of what the symbiote is feeling (though Eddie's thoughts with it), it is clear that it only wants to help its hosts.  I don't think its relationship with Eddie will ever be topped.

The Bad: Length - I thought this was a great story, but I really wish it would of received its own book instead of a chapter in Spider-Man annuals.

The Overall: 4 outta 5.  It is  a great, classic short Venom story; defiantly worth a reread.
Eddie and the symbiote both agree to permanently bond, so I'm not sure what changed that Flash only has 48 hours before the symbiote forces the bond....

REVIEW: asm 654 & 654.1

The Story: The U.S. Government has chosen Corporal Flash Thompson to serve the military as the next Venom.  After two days of training, he is sent on his first mission.

The Good: Flash - I'll admit that I was skeptical when I first heard Flash was going to be the host, but after reading these first two stories I've grown to like him.  He reminds me a lot of Eddie Brock (wanting to do good with the symbiote, occasionally losing control) with a mix of Peter Parker (cracking jokes, keeping his 'day job' a secret).  'Venom-Out' - After the brief origin story in ASM 654 and making it half way through ASM 654.1 without seeing the Venom I've come to know and love (teeth, tongue, rage) I was scared that this character would never be the same.  So I was more than excited when the symbiote took control and Flash was allowed to 'Venom-Out' (not my favorite expression).

The Bad: The Symbiote - Not really the symbiote itself, but how the writers are handling it.  I did enjoy them using the camouflage feature (an underrated 'talent' the symbiote has) once again, but since when does Venom use webbing?  Spidey beat Venom the first time around because he had used all of his 'webbing' (symbiote) to tie Spidey to the bell and was now weak.  It also seems as though the symbiote no longer has a choice of who it bonds to.  When did it have a chance to accept Flash as a suitable host?  It left Fortunato high and dry because he was not worthy.  Although Flash does have chemicals to help him control the alien, I would think it would get really tired of the 'sonic purge' after every mission.  Pacing - There wasn't much of an origin story.  Unlike the Brock and Gargan Venom's, Flash was Venom after the first two pages of issue 654. He was trained and ready for deployment after five pages.  Then he burned through 2 of his 20 mission limit in 654.1.  I just thought that all of this seemed rushed.  Granted we now have the perfect setup for the ongoing series, but if he is going to have one to two missions an issue we are going to have a new host every year - I'm not cool with that.

The Overall: 3.5 Outta 5.  I am glad that they finally got the symbiote off of Gargan, but I'm still not completely sold on this Black Ops Venom.  I think it could work, if they didn't have so many rules - 20 mission limit, no losing control, no bonding.  I think these two stories did exactly what they were suppose to do; introduce us to Flash as Venom and lay the ground work for the upcoming series.  What are your thoughts after reading these issues?  Are you more or less excited for the ongoing series to start next month?

REVIEW: what if venom possessed deadpool?

The Story: Deadpool bonds with the Venom symbiote and his 'adventures' as VenomPool in the 80's, 90's, and 2000's.

The Good: Looking for work - I struggled to find anything I actually like about this series.  However, in chapter two VenomPool is looking for work right before he rids himself of the symbiote.  I found that (as well as the newspaper headline: 'Secret Wars XI kills seven!  Changes two costumes' on the next page) humorous.  Other than that, the attempt at humor is just not funny.

The Bad: All four books - Maybe its because I don't follow Deadpool and therefore I don't understand his humor; maybe Marvel rushed this story to try and make a couple extra bucks off Venom fans that wouldn't normally purchase the What If's (how else do you explain misspelling 'possessed' in chapter three); or maybe this was just a lame attempt to merge Deadpool and Venom.  Whatever the case, I hated these books!

The Overall: 0 outta 5.  I cannot recommend these comics to anyone.  If you must read this, wait for the collection in February and save yourself $9.  With two very popular characters, I expected a lot more out of this.  However, what really upset me is that the writer of this garbage is the same writer for the new ongoing Venom series.  To be fair, this is the only Remender comic I've read and from what I heard he is very good.

Any Deadpool fans out there that like this book?  I would love to hear your reactions.

CLASSIC REVIEW: ultimate spider-man 33 - 38

After seeing Spidey's Ultimate Universe costume was going to be the black suit in the Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions video game trailer, I got the urge to reread and review the Ultimate Venom origin story.

The Story: Over two years after the start of the Ultimate Spider-Man title, we finally get introduced to Ultimate Venom. In this universe, Peter Parker is in high school, Eddie Brock is an old time friend attending college, and their fathers worked together on a cure for cancer they called 'the suit.'

The Good: Ultimate Venom Creation - Each book in this story serves a purpose. There is no filler; not once does the story drag; it is simply good story telling. We get Peter and Eddie's past, Spider-Man wearing the suit, Eddie taking the suit, and a final battle without any speed bumps along the way. Dare I say that I prefer this origin to the original... The Art - Take a second to admire the cover of issues #33 and #35. Wow. Although they are kind of misleading (Venom never has the spider symbol on his chest and the above picture is a better representation of what he actually looks like) these covers are among my favorites. I also really enjoyed the art inside each book. The artist really knows how to convey emotions through his art. I'm also a fan of the 'digital' look of the books.

The Bad: Needs More Venom - Although he appears on all but one cover, the reader doesn't get to witness him in the story until the last chapter. I would of liked one more chapter with Eddie still trying to control the suit before he escapes (I do not care for the ending Venom received). The Second Suit - I'm not sure why this bugs me so much, but it does. After wearing the suit as Spider-Man, Peter destroys it. The suit that Eddie uses is a second specimen. I would of liked it if the suit remembered everything about Spider-Man (like the original symbiote) and would mimic his web-slinging and acrobatic abilities. Its a small detail, but having Eddie wear a suit that was never attached to Spider-Man seems wrong to me.

The Overall - 4.5 outta 5. I forgot how much I actually enjoyed this story. I highly recommend busting out your copies and checking it out again. Its an easy read and a great story. Now hopefully we get to see an update of Ultimate Venom in the current Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man series, sooner rather than later!

REVIEW: siege spider-man

The Story: Venom has been impersonating Spider-Man for over a year now and Spidey has finally had enough. During a battle in Asgard, Spider-Man meets up with the 'Dark Spider-Man.'

There are some spoilers in the following review. Do not read if you haven't read Siege: Spider-Man 1. You've been warned.

The Good: The Action - The non-stop action. Right from page one, Venom is terrorizing Asgard and it only takes Spider-Man until page three to throw the first punch. The Symbiote - I never realized it until this comic, but the Symbiote has been calling all the shots for quite some time now. It is the one eating the Asgardians, it is the one that ditches Mac and bonds with Ms. Marvel and it is the one that forces her to stay with it. Apparently, it only needs a host to keep its form.

The Bad: The Hype - Marvel promoted this comic with the promise there would be a brand new Venom. Well, there was...for six of the 22 pages. I don't think I'm the only one when I say I'm ready for a new Venom host. Although I didn't get my hopes up for this book to introduce one, I thought maybe they would leave us with a cliff hanger that suggested a new Venom was in the works. How does Ms. Marvel's energy not hurt the Symbiote? Unnecessary - I hate 'event' comics. They are printed to only make a couple bucks. Seriously, this whole 'Siege event' is about the Dark Avengers. Why is the Dark Avengers ending and a Siege limited series along with multiple one-shots being made to finish the story? What did this comic accomplish? It didn't move the story along (except now Spidey knows Ms. Marvel likes him) and Venom wasn't captured (so he is free to continue killing).

The Overall: 3 outta 5. I'm being generous because with as little action as Venom is getting recently, I will take any Venom centered book I can get! I am ready for Mac to lose the Symbiote and after reading this, I wouldn't mind if a super villain (one with actual powers) would become the new Venom. I think it would be cool to see what the Symbiote could do with additional powers. Hasn't The Amazing Spider-Man line introduced a couple new villains recently? Why not create a new host for the Symbiote and revamp Venom?

CLASSIC REVIEW: venom #1 - 5 (shiver)

With Venom not really playing a role in the Marvel Universe as of late, I figured it was time to step back in time and review some older Venom issues.

The Story: Finally! Venom gets his own ongoing series! With no back story, the reader is thrown into the Arctic where people are mysteriously dying. We follow the events as a lone survivor, Pat Robinson, encounters them.

The Good: The story telling - I admit, the first time I read these books years ago, I hated them! I remember thinking they were way too slow paced. However, now I can appreciate it a little more. The story telling is more like a horror movie script. It does take time to develop the suspense. Issue 1's cover - Although completely misleading (Venom doesn't even appear in the book), this is one of my all time favorite comic book covers.

The Bad: The feel - They just don't feel like the Venom comics I am use to. Our 'Lethal Protector' does not go around killing and since there isn't a constant host, can we even call this creature Venom? Knowing how (horribly) the series ends, I have all of these answers, but I would of still liked a Venom-style series if you are slapping his name on the covers. The art - I don't care for it. The cartoony, sketches take away from the mystery the story is trying to get the reader to buy into.

The Overall: 1.5 outta 5. That may be a little bias on my part, because I really hate the rest of the series. After the end of the Venom limited series run, I waited so long for an ongoing series and this is what I get...disappointment.