Reunited, and it feels sooooo good. I’m sure you’ve heard that song before, as well as our two main stars of this series saying it many, many times over their various reconnections. And once again, after a few more years apart, they’re back together: Eddie Brock and the Symbiote are Venom once more! But as much as this series – and Eddie himself – are so fond of telling the audience that things will be different this time, does Venom #1 actually give us anything to that effect?
The latest volume feels very much like a back-to-basics approach to Venom, who’s already been through a lot of turmoil with new hosts and cosmological shenanigans in recent years. As a jumping-on point, this is a great place to start, especially if you consider the reliable creative team behind it. But there’s definitely a feeling of been-there-done-that in this debut issue that’s hard to full shake off in this debut issue. How we move beyond that remains to be seen as the series progresses.
It’s Like Riding a Bike
Issue #1 starts with Eddie and the symbiote reuniting as Venom following the events of Queen in Black. It’s a brand new day for them as they get ready to face what New York City has to offer head-on, even if there’s some apprehension between the two partners about their latest reunion. And they’re not the only ones who are on edge: every hero from Spider-Man to Mayor Luke Cage is on guard over where Venom will fall, even as Eddie seems determined to stay a hero this time around. But he’s not the only one who’ll need convincing.
After apprehending Hazmat running amok in the city and cracking a joke or two along the way (as well as showcasing some new powers he’s picked up from his kids), Venom wants to convince Mayor Luke Cage that he’s trying to do better – as aggressively as possible. And that he wants to stake his claim to Alphabet City as his personal stomping ground, no matter how much the heroes of New York doubt him. On the bright side, at least Eddie and the symbiote have someone else in their corner. Namely a certain former Black Widow, Yelena Belova.
Where Do We Go From Here?
Charles Soule has already done a fairly admirable job developing Eddie Brock as a character constantly at odds with redemption and relapse. This style of writing in particular showed merit in the surprisingly great Eddie Brock: Carnage series and the more recent Queen in Black – Venom: Unchained tie-in. With that being said, I do think that while this series has potential for Soule to take things in an exciting and even unexpected new direction, the first issue definitely plays it very safe and familiar for my full liking.
To be clear, I understand that this issue and series as a whole is meant to be a starting point for new readers to the character. And it does work well in that respect to quickly bring people up to speed. However, there’s a bit too much “basic” involved in the plotting here. Venom is once again back to his very standard anti-heroics, grappling once more with being seen as a monster while trying to deal violent justice, and of course, Eddie and the symbiote being somewhat at tense odds with each other. There’s also a lot more joking and angst that’s reminiscent of the previous run, and more so of the SONY movies for my taste. And yes, while I acknowledge that Venom does work great as a goofy character sometimes, some of the humor and flow falls once again into patterns of things that we’ve already seen oversaturated with the character for so many years already. I’m also a little bummed that this seems to have (initially anyway) come at the cost of Eddie’s development as a more mature father figure, with Dylan’s absence being heavily felt here as well. I feel like that could’ve been a more serious direction to take the character instead, personally speaking.
Let’s talk about Eddie and Venom themselves now. Charles Soule takes what’s already been a major sticking point in their relationship and sets it up from a somewhat new perspective. For once, it’s the symbiote that’s unsure about where it stands in their relationship, with Eddie trying his level best to convince them that this time they’re not going to be boxed in by others’ perceptions of them. It’s a good throughline for sure, with Eddie comparing this “boxing” to being put in a coffin, which I think is a powerful metaphor for how things stand currently. Additionally, Venom's willingness to branch out with new powers he’s picked up from his son Sleeper – namely synthesizing chemicals – is a good way to push this narrative. Venom may be someone the Avengers think they know, but they’re also trying to be something more than what they were. No more King in Blacks. No more space. No more cosmic shenanigans. It’s a bold statement to make, and we’ll see how long Eddie can adhere to the promise. But I do genuinely like the tension Eddie and the symbiote share in this first issue, and how they’re willing to stand their ground firmly enough without resorting to violence when questioned by other heroes.
A few other things to close my thoughts on the writing for this issue. I’m intrigued by the countdown going on in this issue. We start at “100 days” on the first page of the issue, which then ticks down to 99 by the end. What this means or what we’re heading towards is a mystery, but it’s definitely something to keep an eye out for. Then of course, I got a little chuckle seeing Hazmat get manhandled – an obscure villain from an even more obscure video game (Marvel: Rise of the Imperfects to be precise) that serves as a neat little punching bag and plot mover. I’m curious to see what other villains Soule and crew will pull out for future shenanigans. And finally, there’s the elephant in the room: Yelena Belova as a romantic interest. Now, of course, it’s interesting to note the dynamics in play here. While Yelena has traditionally been portrayed as Aromantic and Asexual, and Eddie/Venom themselves haven’t had any real romance of any kind since his wife, Ann Weying, back in the late 80s, there are certainly mixed feelings on this pairing. On the one hand, I can understand other fans/readers being upset about this from an erasure perspective of three characters that have not really needed a traditional relationship for their stories. On the other hand, I am genuinely curious to see how this three-way dynamic now works and how Soule will take it forward.
The Action is Worth It
Tomasso Bianchi and Yen Nitro join Soule on this new journey, bringing their linework and colors, respectively to stellar effect. It’s fast-paced, energetic, and gooey enough as a Venom comic should be. And it also does a good job with the character’s iconic design as well.
Now, to get this out of the way first and foremost. Bianchi’s Venom design for this series definitely feels very Marvel Rivals-inspired: from the head shape to the toes on the feet, while still retaining that iconic silhouette and under-the-arms spider emblem (thank god for that). It’s a mean and lethal design, which modernizes some bits while keeping the things that work well, and that’s always great. Bianchi also draws Venom in motion and action really well, with some stunning action sequences and more intimidating moments of stoicism as well. I found the fact that when Eddie talks to heroes, he only partially shows his face now, as opposed to almost fully retracting the Venom head like before. It’s a small visual change (potentially inspired by the movies) that also seems to indicate just how much Eddie is trying to be in sync with the symbiote in their current dynamic. The one other thing I’m not really on board with, however, is just how young Eddie is drawn in this book, which once again harkens back to just how much they’re trying to take the character back rather than let him mature naturally.
Nitro makes sure every action sequence is wildly colorful as well. Of course, there’s a lot of blacks and whites at play – this is a Venom book after all – but there’s a good deal of fleshy and gooey pinks as well. Tongues, tentacles, and adhesive run amok in their respective vibrant shades, and Hazmat, the villain of the week, also stands out with his greens really cutting through the colors. There’s a bit of a hazy effect to the color, almost fuzzy in some parts, which can be a bit distracting sometimes.
We Are…
Venom #1 certainly has potential, and fans will definitely rejoice at the return of the dynamic duo as the Lethal Protector we all know and love. The action is fast and fun, the humor is classic without being obnoxious for the most part, and there are generally enough small little hooks to keep this otherwise very introductory outing engaging.
My main concern is that maybe this first issue plays it a little too safe for my liking. That we’ve kind of gone back on all the development Eddie’s had over the last decade, and all the maturity he went through, and pushed it aside a bit too much in favor of making things accessible. However, I trust in Soule to write something interesting, as he’s always exceeded my expectations every time I’ve seen him presented with a seemingly bland idea that he somehow manages to turn into something worthwhile. This series, I’m hoping, will be no different.
Final Verdict: Venom #1 is a fresh start for Eddie and Venom that treads a little too close to familiar ground, yet still manages to stay engaging enough with a fresh new writing and art team’s reliable direction