Venom (comic book)


Venom is the title of several American comic book series published by Marvel Comics focusing on the various heroic and villainous incarnations of the character Venom, which have usually consisted of a human host and amorphous alien being called a symbiote. The first incarnation of the character was the one created by the third and current human host to the symbiote, Eddie Brock, and—since 2011—its fifth host, Flash Thompson. Beginning with Venom: Lethal Protector, eighteen limited series following Brock's adventures were published monthly between February 1993 and January 1998. A monthly Venom series began publication in 2003, following a new character, Patricia Robertson, and a clone of the original symbiote. The series concluded in 2004 after 18 issues. In 2011 another monthly series, following the adventures of Flash Thompson, was launched. The series resumed with vol. 3, vol. 4, and vol. 5 from 2016 to present.

Publication history

The first run of Venom titles consisted of eighteen limited series published consecutively, cover dated from February 1993 to January 1998. This limited-series run consisted of 60 issues altogether, effectively acting as an ongoing monthly series whose issue numbering reset with each story arc. The first limited series, Venom: Lethal Protector, was written by Venom co-creator David Michelinie and began the character's transition from unambiguous villain to anti-hero; the story also introduced the symbiote offspring, who would recur in Marvel comics until the 2011 Carnage, U.S.A. limited series. Subsequent limited series included 1994's Venom: Separation Anxiety, which continued the story of Venom's offspring and spawned the 1995 "Planet of the Symbiotes" cross-series story arc; 1996's Venom: Along Came a Spider, which introduced symbiote anti-hero Hybrid; and 1997's Venom: On Trial, which saw Eddie Brock tried for his crimes as Venom. Also published during this time was the prequel one-shot comic Venom: Seed of Darkness #-1, following a pre-Venom Eddie Brock. Larry Hama wrote the most individual series with eight in total, including the 1997 final instalment Venom: The Finale which saw the symbiote apparently killed. According to editor Tom Brevoort, the series was cancelled because "The return on the book had declined to the point where any immediate financial reward was overshadowed by discomfort with the character starring in his own title."
A new ongoing Venom series began in June 2003, written by Daniel Way. This series followed a new character, Patricia Robertson, and a clone of the Venom symbiote. Eighteen issues were produced by Way through November 2004, comprising the story arcs "Shiver", "Run", "Patterns", and "Twist".
In 2011, an ongoing Venom series began under writer Rick Remender with Spider-Man supporting character Flash Thompson in a leading role. The character regained the use of his legs while using the symbiote following their loss during his service in the Iraq War. The first issue introduced new versions of the villains Crime Master and Jack O'Lantern, who became recurring antagonists for Thompson. Issue #18 featured the return of Brock, who killed Hybrid and Scream in his crusade against the symbiotes and eventually bonded to the Toxin symbiote. The series was born after Thompson was first unveiled as the new Venom by writer Dan Slott in The Amazing Spider-Man #654. Remender was unsure how to develop the Thompson narrative until he realized that he was a tragic hero: a violent man, haunted by a drinking problem and physical abuse suffered at the hands of his father.
Slott suggested that the new Crime Master's secret identity would be Bennett Brant, the thought-dead brother of Thompson's then-girlfriend Betty. Remender and his co-writer Cullen Bunn developed the new character, with Bunn developing the idea of multiple Crime Masters existing throughout history. Thompson found an arch-rival in the new Jack O'Lantern, developed by Remender and artist Tony Moore. Remender decided that making him a parallel of Thompson would create a stronger nemesis; therefore, Jack was also given a traumatic childhood in which he was exploited by Crime Master. Venom #13 saw the first mini-event of the series: a crossover with the Red Hulk, X-23 and the new Ghost Rider. The event was initially conceived as a reunion of New Fantastic Four members Hulk, Wolverine, Ghost Rider and Spider-Man as part of a Venom-''Wolverine crossover. As the idea developed with writer Jason Aaron, it was decided to incorporate those characters' legacy characters into the Red Hulk, X-23, the new female Ghost Rider and Thompson's Venom. Following the event, Thompson joined another Remender-written book.
Remender stopped writing Venom in August 2012 to work on Captain America and the launch of Uncanny Avengers. He was replaced by Cullen Bunn, who had periodically worked as co-writer during Remender's term. The Venom character remained a member of the Secret Avengers, a series still written by Remender. In September 2012, Bunn said that Thompson would be moved from New York to Philadelphia from Venom #28. This relocation would allow the introduction of a new love interest, the superhero Valkyrie. Editor Tom Brennan explained, "His superhero career almost cost him everything...this is a good man with a troubled past who needed a fresh start...to take his next steps in becoming the hero he was born to be." Marvel editor Stephen Wacker said the location change reflected Marvel's desire to expand the Marvel universe beyond New York City. Bunn's run introduced the new character Mania, one of Thompson's students who is empowered by part of the Venom symbiote. In August 2013, Marvel announced that Venom would end with issue #42 in October 2013. Bunn was informed of the decision while writing Venom #31-#38, which he stated gave him time to bring some plot threads to a conclusion, but having originally outlined thirty issues worth of stories, there would be some ideas left to be told.
As part of the All-New, All-Different Marvel line-wide relaunch, a new ongoing title Venom: Space Knight was launched with writer Robbie Thompson and artist Ariel Olivetti. The series ran for 13 issues, cover-dated January 2016 to December 2016.
Venom: Space Knight was immediately followed by a new ongoing Venom series written by Mike Costa, starring new Venom host Lee Price. After six issues, the series was re-numbered to #150 and Eddie Brock was brought back as Venom's host. During Costa's run on the ongoing Venom title, two Venom-centric comic events were published, both centred around five-issue weekly series written by Cullen Bunn: Venomverse and Venomized. Costa's run ended with issue #165, after which he wrote the five-issue limited series Venom: First Host.
As part of the Fresh Start line-wide relaunch, a new volume of Venom was launched written by Donny Cates. Event miniseries during this time included Absolute Carnage in 2019 and King in Black in 2020–21, both also by Cates. This volume concluded in 2021 with the end of Cates's run.
The fifth and current ongoing volume of Venom'' is written by Al Ewing, Ram V, and Torunn Grønbekk with art by Bryan Hitch, CAFU, Rogê Antônio, Ramón Bachs, Ken Lashley, Sergio Fernandez Dávila, Julius Ohta, and Rafael T. Pimentel. The first issue, cover-dated January 2022, went on sale November 10th 2021. It stars Dylan Brock, son of Eddie Brock, as Venom's latest host while Eddie Brock establishes himself as the new King in Black following Knull's death.

Limited series (1993–1998)

''Venom: Lethal Protector'' (1993)

The initial six-part series was published between February and July 1993. The story follows former reporter Eddie Brock, and as Venom in Amazing Spider-Man #299 )
as a villain and enemy of the superhero Spider-Man. In his appearances in The Amazing Spider-Man, Brock blames Spider-Man for ending his career by debunking one of his stories. He bonds with the Venom symbiote, a sentient alien that had previously bonded with Spider-Man. Together, Brock and the symbiote become Venom. In The Amazing Spider-Man #375, Brock makes peace with Spider-Man after he saves Brock's wife from death. Brock then moves back to his home city of San Francisco for a fresh start, starting the events of Venom: Lethal Protector.
Venom: Lethal Protector initiated the character's transition from unambiguous villain to anti-hero, and introduced several new characters.
According to North American comic distributor Diamond Comic Distributors and former distributor Capital City Distribution, Venom: Lethal Protector #1 was the bestselling issue of December 1992 and DCD's overall third-bestselling issue of DCD's bestselling 300 titles of 1992. On DCD's 1993 list, subsequent issues gradually dropped in sales: Venom: Lethal Protector #2, #3, #4, #5 and #6.

''Venom: Deathtrap: The Vault'' (1993)

This one-shot issue was published in March 1993. The story was originally published in graphic-novel form in 1991 as Avengers-Deathtrap: The Vault, but was later reprinted under the Venom label. As a result, the fictional events precede those of Venom: Lethal Protector and are referenced in that series. The issue follows a supervillain prison outbreak at The Vault, led by Brock, that allows the inmates to overrun the prison and take its staff hostage. The Avengers and Freedom Force attempt to defeat the villains in a race against time because the prison's final fail-safe, a powerful explosive device, has been activated by Vault warden Truman Marsh. DCD estimated that the comic was their 13th-bestselling trade paperback of 1993.