#i see right through you donny cates

[venomized]

they were deadass raising dylan together like a married couple are you kidding me. venom scolding eddie for working too hard??? pls

venom (2018) #200

[funkycave]

since tthe majority voted "yes", then-- meet the Chaos symbiote!

here will tell you about Chaos and its universe.

but before that, a small digression. :))

finally done with this.

added some more small references so that you can understand what my AU looks like, what’s going on there and who has what kind of relationship with whom. most of it will probably be about the Chaos symbiote. :))

if you are interested, then read on.

thank you very much, @kaijuparfait , for your support and for expressing your adoration for Chaos and this AU. <33

name: Chaos.

aliases: Chaos symbiote, Kay (for its parents and relatives. but more for its parents, since that’s what they affectionately call it).

parents: Eddie Brock and the Venom symbiote.

siblings: Sleeper, Carnage, Scream, Phage, Riot, Lasher, Agony.

marital status: single, no host.

gender: agender.

height: 2.55m (8'4, variable).

weight: variable.

eyes: white.

skin: black, dark orange, dark gray, midnight purple.

origin: symbiote (eighth offspring of the Venom symbiote).

living status: alive.

reality: earth-C05.

place of birth: New York City.

sharp teeth, there may be sharp spikes in case of danger, but usually they are soft. Chaos can be without a host, since it was born on Earth, when it grows up it can take any form without a host. bonded with a host it can also take on its any form and camouflage itself(as well as without a host).

the eighth offspring of the Venom symbiote. appeared some time after the Sleeper symbiote. Eddie and the Venom symbiote really missed Sleeper, so after thinking about it, they decided that they wanted the last offspring, so that it would stay with them and they would teach it correctly in order to be a good, kind, supportive and helpful symbiote.

lives with its parents, a very smart and hyperactive symbiote who wants to know everything, but is in no hurry to fly out of its parents’ nest, because it loves them very much, just as they love it. Eddie and the Venom symbiote teach the Chaos symbiote a lot and try to adapt it to life on Earth. Chaos is very attentive and when it becomes very active(hyperactive), it can destroy the house in search of something that it hid from its parents, to show later or just to fool around.

The Chaos symbiote loves to learn everything new, but at the same time it asks its parents, because their opinion is important to it and it wants to be good. is not currently looking for a host because it is too young. speaks like its parent, the Venom symbiote, but sometimes phrases or dialogues can flash, like its father, Eddie Brock. cannot read minds, but can communicate through them.

a little about Eddie.

after Sleeper left to explore the world on its own, Eddie became very attached to his Other. he values ​​their relationship and wants to be a good and irreplaceable host for his love.

they quarrel less, seek compromise and listen to each other. the Venom symbiote also does not want to replace Eddie with anyone else, so it marks him with the fact that they are married and always forms a wedding ring on Eddie's finger from itself.

they have true love, not like in Donny Cates, who i haven’t read, but like in Mike Costa. they live in love and harmony, although sometimes they may quarrel!

Eddie has long wavy hair, which the Venom symbiote simply adores and loves to stroke and play with. Eddie also has piercings on his ears, which you can see in the reference. and also he paints his nails in black, as a reminder of his love for the symbiote.

Eddie had a difficult childhood and has three scars on his right hand from a knife, which were not made by him himself, but by someone whose name cannot be spoken in their house.

as a result of Eddie and his Other being in complete symbiosis, Eddie began to develop sharp teeth, and when he is angry, his eyes can turn black and his nails become sharper.

phew, think that’s all and i didn’t write all this in vain! :))

if you have questions, you can ask them in the comments or in my ask box, will be happy to answer, maybe even with drawings, we’ll see! ;)))

that's all, thanks to everyone who read this nonsense to the end. wish you all a wonderful day/evening, take care of yourself!!! <333

[stxleslyds]

I know that you have said that you hate how Jason Todd is going through some kind of redemption arc / identity crisis in the comics.

Are there any redemption arcs that you have liked? What are the qualities of a good redemption arc?

(I haven't read TFZ #5 yet, this answer wasn't influenced by that issue, these are just general thoughts)

Yeah, I do hate it. I have accepted that the Jason Todd that once existed is gone completely but I still hate every *attempt* at a “redemption” arc that DC has tried. Even in Task Force Z, I can’t help but grit my teeth every time something sounds like a suggestion to Jason needing to “redeem” himself to Gotham or Batman or whoever. Even the “I am doing it for me” bullshit makes me want to scream a little bit.

I just hate the “redemption arc” concept as a whole but when it is used with characters that DON’T need it, I just go berserk.

Now, about your first question, “are there any redemption arcs that you have liked?”, well, I have liked two stories that are treated as redemptions but I just see as either story progressions or giving a character a story of their own.

These characters/stories would be Kevin Levin from Ben 10 (Alien Force/Ultimate Alien) and Eddie Brock from Marvel Comics (Venom by Donny Cates).

Kevin Levin was a “villain” in the classic Ben 10 cartoon, and I say it that way because he was literally 11 years old. Like, he did disturbing stuff but he was still a kid that we didn’t know much off and he ended up in a interdimensional prison, so… yeah. A bit harsh but okay, I guess.

Then when the show was given a “sequel” (of sorts) we find Kevin again doing some shady stuff like selling illegal weapons to some bad guys. This Kevin was now 16 years old and he just seemed to be minding his own business while surviving in Ben 10’s universe (which is quite complicated, like, it is quite fucked up).

Kevin joins the good guys when he is affected by a wrong deal, he tries to make it look like he is all bad and all that but the reality is that he has grown as a person. Aside from giving us some context about his upbringing and him falling in love with Gwen (part of the good guys), we are also given a Kevin that has just grown out of his childish vengeance and need for attention (in the wrong ways). He was just living his life and then an opportunity came that could make his life a little bit better or that could put him in a better light.

So, in a sense I get why it is treated as a redemption arc, he is given a troubled childhood, a problem with his powers that he cannot resolve due to his father (with the same powers) being dead, a love interest and a need to become a hero like his father used to be.

He is given all that, which sets him up for a “traditional” redemption arc, but with Kevin Levin things aren’t as they seem, they don’t go in a straight line.

Kevin is still himself. He falls in love and wants to better himself (or be the person that Gwen sees, which he already is) but he is still a survivor, he still plays dirty and he still has a troubled mind.

He just doesn’t act like everything is over and his life is better because the good guy’s way is great. He still sees some things the same way and some of his attitudes still reflect the person that he once was or that he became after being in prison.

And because of that I don’t call it a “redemption” arc, I call it “story progression”. Kevin grew as a man and through the circumstances he started developing his character, he wanted to “be better” in some situations that needed him to change his behaviour, but there were times where he stood by his mentality and proved that maybe he was right OR that he wasn’t exactly wrong.

Kevin Levin wasn’t given a sob story, he was given context and even with that he was still held accountable (and he did it himself), but his growth as a character led him to do the ultimate sacrifice to save the world even if it meant that he might lose himself while doing it.

He became a hero, yes. But he was still Kevin Levin first, and every move that he made in the right direction came with a price. His good intentions were always met with a horrifying consequence, and he took it (badly) but still made an effort.

He was a cool character but then he became interesting. His story progression didn’t make him “one more” it made him shine because he was still different.

So, I will die on the hill of “Kevin Levin didn’t have a redemption arc, he just became interesting”.

Then there is Eddie Brock’s case. Now, let me make it clear, when I say Eddie Brock, I don’t mean Venom, I mean Eddie, the human that is a host for the alien Venom.

Eddie has always been a character that didn’t catch my attention, Venom was cool and he had some interesting lore but when I picked up Venom by Donny Cates I didn’t expect to fall so badly for Eddie.

Cates gave Eddie Brock meaning (in my opinion), he made him interesting and layered. Eddie had some of his past retconned but it was written so brilliantly that it just made sense. Cates decided to separate Venom and Eddie and instead of focusing on Venom he focused on Eddie, and thanks to that he gave us one of the most moving and amazing comics in the last few years.

As I said, Eddie was given a backstory, and I would say that it isn’t really a sob story (although it did made me cry) but most importantly he was given a motivation, and not an internal one or something relating to his past, he was given a son.

He was given a purpose to make his life better in order to give a child a better life. He worked through his demons and his Venom related problems just to make sure that his son didn’t have to live like him or to be seen in a bad light just because he was Eddie’s son.

Just like with Kevin, I do see the “redemption” aspect of this story but at the same time I really don’t. It just seemed like a fresh start for him or just developing a character that had never been developed outside of his alien counterpart. This time his story related to his future and his son’s livelihood (yeah, there was the Knull stuff too, I know, but still). Eddie made an effort to help the world because his son lived in it.

It wasn’t because he used to be bad or because he owed Spiderman something, he was fighting (when shit hit the fan) so his son could live a happy and long life (it is comics so Dylan, his son, had some powers and stuff that made it difficult). That’s why I wouldn’t call this example a redemption story either even though many people see it as such.

So, those are the two examples of “redemption arcs” that I have liked but I don’t necessarily see them as such. Which leads me to the answer to your second question, “what are the qualities of a good redemption arc?”.

Well, my answer to that question would be that a good quality would be that there should be no redemption, there should only be good characterizations and/or character development. Characters don’t need to do a 180, and when we talk about redemptions it is always about that, about characters changing every aspect of who they are to fit some sort of team or idea or whatever.

That’s why I don’t like redemption arcs, it makes characters look and feel the same as everyone else, and Jason has been victim of it time and time again.

Now with Rosenberg I see it less than before but I can still see that narrative, and to be completely honest, it bothers me to no end.

Jason Todd doesn’t NEED to redeem himself to anyone, not even to himself! He made his own choices and he should own it because they were his choices and he had reasons. Having autonomy is cool DC! Characters having ideas and mentalities different to Batman’s is good and valuable.

Jason Todd as he is now doesn’t need to redeem himself to anyone about the events of Battle of the Cowl or Batman and Robin vol.1, those things aren’t even canon anymore, and if they are then let me remind everyone of how OOC those things were for him.

Jason’s actions in UtRH don’t need to be redeemed and I will fight anyone about it.

So, yeah, I went on a rant there at the end but I just had to. Maybe I will expand on it because I have many thoughts on this subject. You always have some amazing questions friend!

Oh! Also, I will end this post with this hot take.

Jason Todd/Red Hood can’t have a redemption arc because he was never a villain. No matter what people say, Red Hood was never a Batman villain, he was just someone that did things differently.

Red Hood only did villainous things when he was written wrongfully, otherwise, he was a great character (Winick) or a mediocre one (Lobdell).

Bye!

[the-symbiote-army]

If this covers your feed I'm sorry idk how to do cuts on a phone, but also its about Venom 2 so theres that.

Alright with the second Venom movie coming up, I wanted to mention what I very personally think would wreck this movie for me. And a few good things too.

Note: Hardly any of this will be as bad as I make it out to be. Army is very dramatic alright? Army is so dramatic that she once made this fan page at two am while crying because Donny hurt Red. I'm dramatic. 

1: Just be our frenemy.

Anyway first off this is bound to be a difficult movie to write because, well, fandoms aren't the easiest to please. But I do not want this movie to be in any way fanservice. There's this very delicate balance between fanservice and fanhatred. 

For example let's look at two writers we got in the Venom series. We got Mike Costa, and Donny Cates. To pick between them you're most likely going to pick Mike Costa. Because he does some great fanservice, but, is it not a bit slow? Or boring in some ways? If not that's fine too, but you might find it boring because things are a little too perfect. There's not enough going on that makes you feel a thrill. 

However, the other side of the coin, Donny Cates. Here we have too much going on. He's taken the perfect life of Mike Costas run, and screwed around with it too much. There's no real fan service, which drives us away. 

I think an example of balance would be The Hunger. You've got both that fanservice happening with twists and moments of panic. Will Eddie kill Venom?! You think it just for a moment, drawing you far enough away from the perfection. Then when he doesn't the relief is there. Because there was some actual worry. 

I want them to do this with the movie. I don't want it to be some perfect life between Eddie and the symbiote. That's just too boring and not their real character. They need their bumps and I hope the movie can add those without going too far and demolishing the dynamic or making the symbiote out as evil. Would I like a kiss? Yes. Would I like an argument between them? Also yes. 

2: The Carnage connection.

Don't mess up the Carnage bond, please. Now it shouldn't be hard to do this. Its been mentioned multiple times that the bond between Cletus Kasady and Red, is one stronger than that of Venoms. This is why you have Venom saying "We" while Carnage says "I", so if somehow they mess this up and show Cletus like Lee whose just using Red, I'm going to be very upset. I mean, they really shouldn't because follow me through the interwebs guys. Hang with me. 

You go on to Cletus Kasadys fandom wiki, you scroll down and, ah... There it is. The quote that tells you exactly how they are. So if they mess this up, then honestly I got no words.  

3: Shriek and Carnage

Please, please, pleeeease don't do this cliche

Shriek: *Gets hurt because she's in Carnages way*

Shriek: *Gasp* but I'm your lover!

Carnage: I was just using you! I don't actually care! Hahahaha!

Shriek: *Screams and attacks him*

I swear I'll heavy sigh. 

4: Carnage Design

please do not mess up his design. When you all think of Carnage, I 100% guarantee you do not think of a giant monster who has the buffest of muscles. No, you think of the small but fast and clever red and black symbiote. So help me God, if I click the trailer when it comes out and I see a giant muscle boi I am going to be angry.

A good statement from the Lethal Protector book, Carnage does not have muscles but he's got creativity. Meaning he does not need muscles we don't have to give him muscles. Just make the skinny one really creative with how we murders people.

Also, if I see, even for a second, a single swirl on this symbiotes head, I am going to be the new wrath of Knull and destroy someone's bloodline. We do not need 5,000 different designs from all the past comics in this one movie. I just want the classic Carnage and maybe, maybe, we can get another design like Carnage 2016 design or something like that.

5: Dan the destroyer of toxin masculinity man

please do not ruin Dan as a character I kind of love him, because the way he handles Eddie in the first movie, is just really what we need. I do not need the jealous man stereotype. I just need Dan to be a good man. I just need him to continue his journey of yeeting toxic masculinity.

And and if you delete another scene, of this man carrying a very dazed Eddie Brock out from a restaurant, I will cry.

6: Pronouns

all right this one is one that I kind of expect. So I'm not going to completely lose my mind, just a little bit lose my mind. If I go to that theatre and I'm having a great time through this whole movie, then Cletus kasady, calls Red "He" or "Him", I'm going to be really disappointed. And before someone yells at me it is definitely female pronouns for her. I do not have the time to go through every single comic, and grab all the different times he has said she, or her, or girl, or missus, but he hasn't done it so I don't want them to throw that away. 

Also fun note: my favourite comic is the Superior Carnage Annual, which is one of the times he uses female pronouns. but I also just love this comment because it is a good representation for them and it was a fun read.

Anyway honestly it wouldn't take too much research to know this, so I don't think they can really mess this one up that bad. Just a few reads in the comics where Cletus addresses Red, and you know she's got female pronouns. 

Also on to that nickname Red. I believe he only uses this once in the comics and we just as a fandom kind of stuck to it, but a proper call out to her actual name would be great. (I don't count calling Cletus Red)

7: Sleeper

I think the avocado child showing up would be a little too much. I know I know we all love Sleeper, but honestly I don't want him to show up just yet. This kind of goes back to the fanservice one but I feel like that would be too much right away. 

I'm definitely going to get yelled at for that note but I don't care.

But I will happily take a mention of him. for example if Red is in fact born from Venom like she should be. And Venom tells Eddie that he's going to spawn and Eddie responds with "What if this child looks like an avocado or something?" They win the whole movie. That's it the whole movie is done. That's all they need for this movie to be successful in my book.

Now let's give a really positive note, if at some point in this movie Cletus kasady picks up a baby and then throws that baby, this also means that it gets an instant win in my book. It's very easy all he has to do is throw a child. They can do this.

[ty-talks-comics]

Best of Marvel: Week of January 1st, 2019

Best of this Week: Thor #1 - Donny Cates, Nic Klein, Matt Wilson and Joe Sabino

What a Thunderous way to begin the New Year! What better way to celebrate than with a glorious new #1 for the new King of Asgard helmed by the ever amazing Donny Cates, Nic Klein and Matt Wilson with awesome letters by Joe Sabino! This book hit so many good notes and lets me breathe knowing that one of Marvel’s most storied characters is continuing to be in good hands, especially after such an epic run by the awesome Jason Aaron.

The book begins with an amazing splash page of Mjolnir flying through space and then crossing into each of the Ten Realms as someone narrates Thor’s rise as the new King. It’s a beautiful sequence that alludes to the millennia of war between the realms, culminating in Malekith’s Invasion of them all very recently. Klein and Wilson treat the reader to a variety of landscapes from the bright pinks of Alfheim to the cold blues of Jotunheim. The pair do an amazing job characterizing these locales through visuals alone.

Of course, the reasoning behind the monologue and the throw itself is a show of force. Under Odin, the Realms fought each other as they pleased. Asgard was left in ruins because the All-Father was too stubborn to try and rally his people during Malekith’s Invasions. Under Thor, that would not be the case. As Mjolnir cracks through each Realm, without any of them hearing his words, they know to listen and fear him because of his power. This epic opening climaxes with Mjolnir crashing through the head of some monster the Avengers were fighting before Thor calls it back with a smirk from Asgard.

It is at this point that we finally see Thor, months after the War of the Realms. He is gruff, his hair and beard have grown out again and we learn through Tony Stark sharpie-ing a message on Mjolnir that Thor has retired. Sif the All-Seeing reiterates this as she informs the reader that Thor’s smiting days are over and that he must go and be King. 

This is...saddening in all honesty. Thor has spent many a lifetime fighting, drinking and avoiding his destiny for so long. He has always wanted to be king, but even as he walks down the Rainbow Bridge back to New Asgard, he looks as if there’s nothing but melancholy about him. The way that Klein frames this panel makes it seem as if there’s a wide divide between Thor and Asgard. The Realm flourishes now that life has been brought to it under Yggdrasil, but Thor is bored.

As he takes a seat on his new throne, we’re shown just how different he is to Odin. Instead of a shimmering palace, Odin’s hall is made of wood and stone because of the World tree with a rune etched just above his seat: Thurisaz, a symbol of defense and destruction (as the book describes) and perfectly fitting of the warrior king. He ushers his court out of his presence and sighs as he prepares to speak to his people and Loki appears from the shadows.

The brothers relationship here is far more confrontational than I would have expected. Granted, I didn’t read the Loki mini-series, so I don’t know if the Trickster did something to draw his brother’s ire. Thor is very terse with the King of Jotunheim and even throws Mjolnir in slight fury after Loki notes that Thor had to grunt when he lifted the hammer, something he’s never done before and a black portent for Thor’s future. Loki didn’t come out with any of his normal witticisms which was unexpected, but Cates does hint that there a potentially big things in store for the brothers through some narration.

Thor had been meant to speak to his people following the restoration of Asgard, but just as he’s about to regale his people of the new era of peace, his nervous butterflies turn to abject horror as a one armed Galactus crashes into Asgard, right on top of the Asgardians. Nic Klein and Matt Wilson spare no expense in making this one of the most epic double page spreads imaginable.

Galactus face of pain and sends a shiver down the spine as one wonders what could possibly have sent him crashing in the way that he did. The debris, people and smoke fly around the edges of the pages as Galactus’ impact and the snow that follows him creates a sense of unease. Klein makes sure that the reader can feel the weight of the crash and Sabino accentuates it with his EXCELLENT “KRAKOOOMM” sound effect. Wilson excellently blends Galactus varying purple tones to the fire just behind his head to create a sense of extreme heat. Klein creates a grand sense of scale as Thor appears miniscule to both Galactus and the incoming threat.

Not knowing what the hell had just occurred, Thor leaps a Galactus with every intention of sending him to Hel herself until the Eater of Worlds pleads with him to stop, warning him of something called “The Great Black Winter.” Part of said Winter had followed Galactus and caused the skies of Asgard to be cursed with rain and The World Tree began to turn black and die. Thor then calls previous Heralds of Galactus to see what is going on. At the table sits Firelord, Cosmic Ghost Rider and others until the Silver Surfer arrives, still black and intangible (See Silver Surfer: Black).

Thor is angry and demands answers which the Surfer is able to provide. We learn that The Great Black Winter was the event that destroyed the Universe before the one we know today and that the Surfer had hidden away powerful planets for Galactus to consume precisely for this occasion. Cates has done an amazing job in building a new lore and power scale for the Silver Surfer in particular as normally he’d have no secrets from his master.

As Thor dons his vestments of war, he thinks back to Sif and Loki’s words of his bygone days as a warrior. It’s a powerful set of panels as Thor seemed ready to enjoy his days of peaceful boredom. He grunts like an older man only snapping his cape on, but that doesn’t stop his kingly heart as when he approaches Galactus, he commands the World Eater to kneel to him. As The Surfer fills Galactus in on his plan, Galactus tells all about what lies in the void of the Great Black Winter; The form of ones own true death. Galactus reveals that he had gazed into it twice. First he saw the void because he couldn’t father the future things that he would see and next… he saw Thor.

The revelation comes as a shock to everyone as Galactus then blasts Thor with an immense amount of energy. Kein and Wilson make sure to shower the pages with bright light, intense lines and posing until revealing Thor: Herald of Thunder, similar to the cover of the book with Thurisaz as the new symbol of his chest. 

Donny Cates has a particular style when he writes. He scripts grand moments interlaced with shorter ones that build character. It worked when we got into the psyche of the Silver Surfer as he explored the primordial state of being and Thanos as he watched a future where he had killed all of life. Cates has an affinity for the cosmic characters and it shows as he’s taken the reigns of Thor and reminds us of why he and his lore have been able to capture our imaginations for so long. 

Thor has the ability to transverse the Ten Realms, the entire universe if he wishes, but even he suffers the melancholy of duty and boredom. He is a warrior at heart and he needs a great battle to fight in or he loses a part of himself that kept him motivated. With that in mind, Cates is looking to take Thor on a grand adventure in the stars with a buffed powerset that hopefully will expand on his greater strength in the Old King Thor future.

Nic Klein and Matt Wilson make all of this possible however with their amazing art. Klein is easily able to get into the groove of drawing these vast environments, amazingly dynamic poses and heavily expressive faces. Wilson brings it all to life with beautiful and vibrant colors that make you feel as though you’re in there, interacting with the characters. Without them, this wouldn’t feel as epic as it does.

This was a very explosive issue and I’m absolutely excited for the future of this series as I have been with all of Cates’ other work up to this point. It’s definitely a high recommend from me for a promising story and absolutely fantastic art!

[weirdsciencecomics]

Writer: Donny Cates Artist: Juan Gedeon Colors: Jesus Aburtov Letterer: VC’s Clayton Cowles

Release date August 12 2020 Review by D. Brown (WolfCypher)

Warning: Some Spoilers Ahead

Venom, The Maker, Dylan, and Virus have all been sent through a large machine into foreign parallel universes. Eddie and Dylan find themselves together in what appears to be New York City, but vastly different. Virus, still seething with hatred towards Eddie, doesn’t give him or his son time to take in their situation, and their fighting continues.

Juan Gedeon returns to the book as the artist, having last visited this run back in Venom 16 (the last issue before Absolute Carnage kicked off). I was positive on his style with the one-and-done issue he pencilled, but fast-forward to our current twenty-seventh issue, and I can’t help but feel colder on his take here. He does a great job with the characters behind masks and helmets…hell, save for one big issue I have with his Venom, he draws a serviceable Venom…but a lot of his faces do not look good. There are instances with Eddie and Dyan where their facial features look bland, even when the characters look like they’re trying to convey emotion. Additionally, I felt the backgrounds left a lot to be desired. The world is presented to us on the first page as being an advanced, cyberpunk-ish setting, but to be honest I feel like the issue fails to really convey that past the first page. I do hope the rest of the story to come really showcases the changes to the setting better. I’d like to see more done with the visuals around the characters, besides neon colored skyscrapers. However, he knows how to draw fight sequences. Venom and Virus battle delivers a lot of weight and action, and that’s a big pro given how much their fighting carries most of the book. There’s so much going on during the conflict, where as Venom and Virus batter each other above the skylines of the city, Eddie and the symbiote are in constant chatter with each other.

The one big issue I mentioned earlier? Why is Venom so BLUE in this issue? This was a thing with the character during most of the 90s, and allegedly it had to do with shading and lighting. Venom is supposed to be black (black alien costume of Spider-Man…during his black costume days…) but blue highlighting was added to Venom’s black form for the purpose of shading. This isn’t that technique; we don’t have a black Venom with some blue touches, this is just a completely miscolored Venom. It became a even bigger point of contention with me when we get to a scene where our Venom is standing face-to-face with another Venom, one properly colored as they should be, both standing in a dark tunnel. I really don’t understand why when Juan gets to draw Venom in this run, the colorist goes for blue.

This issue debuts a power for our titular character. In retrospect, the opening page reads like its telling you we’re about to see a new feat Venom is now capable of doing. It reminds me of being a kid and playing “superheroes” with my neighbors’ kids; we’d each make up our own aliases and powers. You’d always had the one friend who would have the most powers, and half of them didn’t even make any sense thematically with their alias. “So, your name is Firebolt, and you have fire and electric powers…flight, superstrength…Flash’s speed? You can…your character can turn into animals? Teleportation now? AND psychic mind control powers?” Stop…just…stop. I don’t want to play anymore. It could be I’m such an old fuddy-duddy where back in my day, Venom was just bigger, more-badass Spider-Man, and seeing Venom firing mega lasers…we’ve kinda gotten away from the thread of Venom having spider-based powers, now haven’t we? It just…didn’t gel with me personally. And it opens up the thought of what powers doesn’t Venom have waiting to be revealed? Animal transformations? Teleportation? Psychic mind control? Its actually funny, rereading that 1st page of this book that lists a rundown of the symbiote can do…at no point are any of its spider-themed powers even mentioned.

You’d think up until this point of my review I’m pretty low on this book, but I came out pretty enthused.

I really liked the pacing in this issue. The issue is front loaded with a lot of action, but there is plenty of dialogue throughout the sequence. Given my critique of the art earlier in this review, I still must confess pages during this series of fighting is where Juan’s visuals shine the most. Its pretty cool how we know so little of Virus, and yet during his exchanges with Venom you really everything you need to take him as I’m sure he’s intended to be taken. He’s bitterly obsessed with killing Venom, and gives no regards with threatening his son. The anger Eddie shows every time Virus even brings up Dylan as a target nails really sells Eddie as the badass I want to follow.

We do get another issue where more new questions arise, and few answers are given, but it wasn’t a challenge to stay engaged in everything that was happening in this book. The mystery of Virus is still unresolved, as well as his motivations. We are in a world where it seems everyone either is a symbiote, or is bonded to one. Who is Codex? And how (if at all) does all of this fit into “the Knull agenda” this entire run has been dedicated towards?

And then there’s the issue of the Maker. Last issue, we saw him arriving in New York City of Earth 1610 (aka the Ultimate Universe). The Maker has returned to his native world, which is exactly what he’s been trying to achieve. Surely, his role in this run isn’t over, despite seemingly achieving what he wanted. There’s also the matter of 1610’s status. His native New York appeared to be in partial ruins. What happened before his return? There’s clearly more to play with, as far as the Maker’s side of the story goes, but the question becomes will we see it during this arc, or is this story going to come later?

Cates’ run has made it a tradition to end almost all of his issues with a big twist, and perhaps my favorite twist of the entire run so far comes at the end of this book. I want to remind you one last time that this has been a spoiler review, as I’m about to get into something that deserves to be experienced through reading the book, but if you’ve made it this far, well then…….

Venom 27 ends with Eddie and Dylan encountering several Agent Venoms in the sewers. Veteran Venom fans will be floored at the revelation of…awww, I can’t do it. Even in a spoiler review, I’m leaving this one out. If you haven’t picked up this book yet, you’ll find out soon enough, but I think this twist is too good to just come out and talk about here. I have a lot I want to discuss here, as its all exciting and has me anxious for what this might bring to or leave on the table, but…go read it for yourself. I’ll say this: we’ve yet to learn who Virus really is, and now that reveal will have its work cut out to compete with this issue’s last minute shocker.

Final Thoughts

Two issues in and I already feel like this has more than made up for the lackluster “Venom Island” arc preceding it. This book’s pros outweighed whatever personal cons I had with it, and even given those cons, they’re more pet peeves than out-right detriments (well, I do feel like the art wasn’t very polished, so I’ll argue that as a genuine criticism). Venom Beyond has me excited again for Cates’ Venom.

8/10

Venom #27 Review Writer: Donny Cates Artist: Juan Gedeon Colors: Jesus Aburtov Letterer: VC's Clayton Cowles Release date August 12 2020…

[hellyeahheroes]

Guys, I have bad news

@thefingerfuckingfemalefury @vo-kopen I’m sorry to inform that the Unstoppable Wasp has been cancelled. Again.

I’m not angry. Why would I be? Because they take and once again cancel one of the best books they currently have but at the same time have a room for the most shallow, trend-chasis, designed by a comitee, marketing consulted cynical cash-grabs that is Marvel Comics #1000? That they don’t have a room for a good book like this but somehow have for a worthless edgy crap like Savage Avengers, whose entire selling point if FUCKING CONAN THE BARBARIAN?! That they cannot afford to let this book continue but let Donny Cates pull out more and more horrible books about Venom and Carnage killing anything that doesn’t appeal to a blind sense of nostalgia for a bunch of 90′s fanboys? That they don’t have place for something actually good for a change but keep pumping out one horrible trash event comics after another?! That they keep cancelling good books like Unstoppable Wasp or West Coast Avengers but somehow have money to let Dennis Hopeless have a shot at career despite producing some of the worst trash in history of the medium?! Then you’re right, I am fucking mad. I’m sick of this, of seeing good books fall no matter how much support fans throw at them because this industry doesn’t give a fuck about the fans but cares only what a bunch of white guys in their 40s who own comics stores think will make THEM money! I’m mad at myself for not doing more to promote the book, especially since I was late with reviews on everything and with this book in particural I put on hold two issues dealing with Nadia’s bipolar disorder due to (thans to IRL-related stress) not feeling emotionally strong myself to see her go through that at the moment. I know how important this book is to many people and yet I feel like I could do more and I failed and at the same time I’m mad that every time things start to look good Marvel needs to remind everyone it is a soulness, cynical, corporate trash that would rather pour literat shit on the page if it could sell it through convoluded schemes than actually make good comics.

I’ll copy what Jeremy Whitley said fans can do if they want to help. If you care about this book, do it.

1) Buy the rest of these single issues. Show Marvel how invested you are. 2) Buy trade copies.  The first volume is now in a digest trade with 8 issues for $12. The first volume of the current series just came out in trade and can be bought at your local store now.  3) Review it. You don't know everybody out there, but when you review our books on Amazon, Goodreads, Barnes and Noble, etc then your recommendation can help other people find the book. We came back once based on trade sales, so keep reviewing! 4) Recommend it! Have a friend who likes comics? Tell them about it.  Get it for them! Know a young girl who's into science? Know somebody struggling with mental illness? Spread that hope and let people know about the stories you've been loving. 5) Ask your local libraries and bookstores to carry it.  I can't tell you how many people have found my books through libraries and gone on to become avid readers.  Probably a few of you reading this right now. Librarians have a lot to keep track of, let them know what you want! 6) Continue to support creators! Alanna edits tons of great books.  All the Wasp artists have great creator owned work. I personally have Princeless, Raven the Pirate Princess, and more coming out regularly and if you like Wasp, you'll probably dig them! 7) And I'm still working on this one myself, try to be a little more like Nadia. Let the people in your life know you're there for them. Help out when and where you can. There's been a lot to be afraid of recently - spreading hope is a radical cause. 8) Know that this isn't the end.  I am working on a new project for Marvel which will LITERALLY be announced tomorrow 5/14, so keep an eye out. It's not Nadia centered, but I think you guys will love it.

- Admin

[doctorofmagic]

I'm sure you have answered this before, but I'm just getting involved in the Doctor Strange comics. Where do you suggest I start?

Greetings! 

Oh, don’t worry, it’s always a pleasure and an honor to guide a new fan into this wonderful character! I have two lists, one for beginners who wish to start easily, and one quite complete with almost the entire chronology.

Since I don’t want to scare you with an endless list, let’s do the easy course. I suggest you start with Doctor Strange vol. 4 (2016). Stephen’s fans hold it very dearly. It includes a tiny flashback featuring prints of Strange Tales (Doc’s first appearance in Marvel) to help readers know the character a little more. The story is initially written by Jason Aaron, then Donny Cates takes over the last chapters. This is the cover for issue #1:

It may be a bit confusing to find all issues because Marvel decided to renumber v4 to v1 (comics, right?), so here’s a guide:

- Doctor Strange v4 #1-26- Doctor Strange v1 #381-390The story is the same, they just changed its numbers, it happens sometimes. Also, there are two big events happening during his journey: Secret Empire and Damnation. You don’t need to read Secret Empire, after all, it’s really bad and worthless. It was that time when we had to deal with Hydra Cap. All you need to know is that New York was sealed through a spell of darkness and Stephen tries to break it. Damnation, on the other hand, is very important. The event is called “Doctor Strange: Damnation” and has only 4 issues. You can read those in concomitance with v4 when the arc begins. Don’t worry, the covers let you know when the event begins. Here’s the cover for Damnation #1:

When you’re done with v4, I’ll recommend you some famous one-shots, such as:

- Doctor Strange & Doctor Doom: Triumph and Torment (a personal favorite of mine)- Into Shamballa- The Oath

After reading these, I guess you are finally ready to check the complete reading order list, in case you feel interested. Strange Tales is the most important run since it tells nearly everything you need to know about Stephen’s first years as a hero. The Defenders are not that great, but if you want to see Stephen acting as a leader and his relationship with Bruce/Hulk and Val, that’s the run.

As soon as a doubt appears, you can come to me and ask me literally anything anytime you want. I’ll be entirely honored to help you.

I hope my guide was not too messed-up! And lastly, the sun does not touch volume 5. Do not get close to it. It’s cursed.

Thank you so much for seeking my aid, it means a lot to me!

[smugbots-and-such]

Venom 11 is SO bad

Woof! Venom is going through a run that's a very certain type of Bad, the type that makes old true believers feel nostalgic. Ah yes, time for my fave to be done dirty. Oh, comics. Why are you this way?

Behold the pain of self-insert Eddie Brock! He writhes in a ball of super-cancer as he learns everything he knew is a lie!! A tragic cancer uncle is introduced just to be fake in a few pages! The Symbiote was inducing fake cancer all along!! Eddie's sister is fridged on a meta level! There's a secret son!! Like... Aight. For a guy that makes fun of teenagers on the internet, Donny "I loved writing nazi Cap" Cates sure writes like one that never grew up. Smug, dramatic monologues over-explaining everything abounds. THIS is the NEXT shocker! Wowzers!! What a gotcha!! No subtlety, no character development, just classic "constant plot twists is LIKE substance" Donny. This writing is so concerned with "THIS is Explicit Canon now!!" it's like listening to the most obnoxious superfan go on a rant about how Actually, In The Comics, Gritty Wins And Love Sucks.

Man, I miss likeable characters. Eddie as a simpering, helpless, clumsy, incompetent, inconsistent, ~TORMENTED~ woe-is-me lameo who is never actually bad (don't you see, he wanted to be punished! He's guiilllttyy!) is so tired and unappealing. What's incredible to me is the Symbiote has like, no active role in these books at all. The Symbiote. You know, the whole reason people read Venom. Instead, this book will NOT shut up about what a saaaad victim of a violent parasite Eddie Brock is. Do the editors really think this is what people want when they pick this title up? I guess they're just letting their buddy writer do whatever he wants, but yeesh. If I'm harsh, it's because I am really not a fan of writers disrespecting other writers like this.

I hope the next writer who gets the book retcons this guy as hard as he's retconning everything else. Treat others like you wanna be treated in the comics writing world, and turnabout is fair play, right? Someone slap this dumb ass nonsense with And It Was All A Dream, because this is SO boring to read. Stegman's art deserves a better script than this drivel. It is 100% a crutch, and all that's worth paying attention to.

[iamnmbr3]

I'm so pissed off with the way some of way favorite franchises are ending and/or concluding their major story arcs. First, the Magicians, then Avengers: Endgame and now Game of Thrones! WTF is going on!?

Dude same! It’s kind of surreal at this point. The only things keeping me sane right now are the amazing creators in fandom who provide incredible content that ignores the stupid decisions of the “official” canon and the HBO show Gentleman Jack which is perfect and amazing and has done nothing wrong ever. (Well, the first episode was just ok, as opposed to the others which are exponentially increasing levels of amazing, but that hardly even counts as a complaint). 

 But yeah. Literally everything else is such a mess. I haven’t see Magicians but I watched the fandom explode from afar, and just, *hugs*.

For me it started with Star Wars, and Rian Johnson “subverting” our expectation…seemingly by making the movie terrible instead of making it good. Then of course Donny Cates rolled right over the entire several decade history of the venom comics, ruined them, and then just kept going.

As for Endgame. Look, I never expected anything close to perfection, but I didn’t expect them to screw up this royally with EVERY. SINGLE. CHARACTER. I mean. You need to try to make a movie that is that ooc.

And THEN. To top it all off. There’s Game of Thrones. In my opinion, the writing has been kinda iffy and inconsistent for the last few years. But nothing could have prepared us for this final season. Unpopular opinion here: I’m all for dark!Dany…BUT not the way the show is handling it. I think the seeds are potentially being sown for it in the book. But even if she goes dark, she’ll be her own brand of dark, not an Aerys clone. AND it will be gradual. Just like we’ve seen Cersei gradually become harder and colder throughout the show. The show also cut out a lot of Dany’s more questionable actions in the book. So this abrupt turn is even more jarring than it would be in the book. If they wanted her to go dark they should have started gradually setting this up last season, or preferably many seasons ago. 

Every season we’d see how her good intentions paired with her rigidity and her life circumstances lead her a little deeper into questionable territory. By this season we could have her acting as an antagonist, but a nuanced and understandable one. Not this cartoonish “driven to mass genocide by bells” caricature. That’s just bad writing, and betrays the moral nuance that is the thematic heart of Game of Thrones.  

And Jaime. Oh. Poor Jaime. Let’s just assume that shot of him without the metal hand was hinting that the person we actually saw was his identical cousin Larry Lannister. Because that would literally make more sense than Jaime taking any of the actions he took last episode. 

So yeah. From now on I will engage with the MCU only through fandom. I’ll watch the last episode of GoT out of morbid fascination. Gentleman Jack airs on Monday so luckily I’ll have that to take the taste of GoT’s failure away afterwards. This next episode looks so good. And it’s so nice to have a show where I genuinely look forward to the content and don’t have to brace myself for disaster (and yet still somehow end up disappointed). 

[mushroomsandteeth]

A Writer Problem and why we Need to Stop Having Continuity

So earlier today I made a post where I suddenly came to the realization that Donny Cates is in utter need of some emotional therapy but instead is using his run on Venom to sort through his issues.

And I think this comes to an interesting problem that is also happened in Dan Slott's run on Spider-Man.

Marvel used to be a company that prided itself on having a very consistent continuity that editors checked and balanced but with the changing of the guard that practice has gone away. We now have writers that pretty much have free reign to do whatever they want with characters. And normally that would be all well and good but when I think you have a character that has been literally around for 30 plus years to 50 plus years you have to have a bit more respect with them and handling them. They aren't the original writers anymore they're just continuing what a different writer already started and there has to be a respect to that in both to the original Creator and to the audience.

It is my opinion that Marvel needs to stop using continuity if they're going to let their writers have free rein on their runs so that way it is easier for fans and writers to have creative freedom and expressing these characters. Whoever comes after Donny Cates is basically having a bastardized version of Venom. A lot of people have already talked about how whoever comes after either has to treat this all is just a dream or we'll have to spend a very large portion of their run managing what Cates has left behind.

If we have a more relaxed attitude towards continuity it'd be a lot easier to just pick up Venom where it left off and a lot of times when it comes to Venom that's how the writers treat it anyway. The 2003 run makes absolutely no sense in the way that Eddie and the Symbiote characters change. And even for Costa's run we had a very sudden whiplash in Eddie's attitude towards symbiotes.

This also would allow for new readers to jump into series more easily since each run would be its own separate continuity and they wouldn't have to look back on years of books to understand where the characters are coming from.

I think this would also have an interesting opportunity to have two runs of the same character going at the same time. For a while Spider-Man had about like 4 different books just using different adjectives for his name. I think a lot of people would like to see runs where different writers took different interpretations on characters instead of having to wait a few years for one writers run to end in order for a new one to start.

I think if we had a more relaxed run with continuity would be a lot easier for fans who are very upset with how Venom's being handled right now. Cates is pretty much use this run to destroy Eddie's character, the Symbiotes character, Carnage's character and to attack a large amount of women. This is very upsetting for people who've been fans of the character's growth for the almost the past 10 years and trending towards being a more positive character. I think it would just work for the best for everyone.

[eddycurrents]

For the week of 17 June 2019

Quick Bits:

A Walk Through Hell #11 gives us a bit more insight into Shaw’s childhood and further fallout from the investigation, even as things seem to get nastier in the hell they’ve found themselves in. The fields of bones from Goran Sudžuka and Ive Svorcina are horrifying.

| Published by AfterShock

Age of X-Man: NextGen #5 is a bit of a gut punch for a final issue in this series. Some great art by Lucas Werneck and Jason Keith, though.

| Published by Marvel

Aquaman #49 concludes the “Mother Shark” two-parter as Arthur gets answers on who he is and how he died. This is a huge one. Kelly Sue DeConnick, Viktor Bogdanovic, Jonathan Glapion, Daniel Henriques, Ryan Winn, Sunny Gho, and Clayton Cowles do an incredible job with this story. Beautiful and heartbreaking. 

| Published by DC Comics

Assassin Nation #4 has the remaining assassins possibly figure out the entire plan as they take down another crime boss in this penultimate issue. Kyle Starks, Erica Henderson, and Deron Bennett have been delivering a highly entertaining series here with great art and a wicked sense of humour. Every book needs a Fuck Tarkington.

| Published by Image / Skybound

Barbarella/Dejah Thoris #4 is the end to what has been a great mini from Leah Williams,  Germán García, Addison Duke, and Crank! Very interesting use of time travel for this story.

| Published by Dynamite

Batman #73 sees Tom King, Mikel Janín, Jordie Bellaire, and Clayton Cowles reveal as to just how demented Thomas Wayne is in part four of “The Fall and the Fallen”. His motivation is understandable, but this is insane.

| Published by DC Comics

Black Badge #11 reveals a lot of the remaining secrets that we’ve guessed about previously as to what exactly is going on with the entire Black Badge organization. Maybe. I’m still expecting more twists from Matt Kindt, Tyler Jenkins, Hilary Jenkins, and Jim Campbell when the series ends next issue.

| Published by BOOM! Studios

Captain America #11 sees Steve’s jailbreak from the Myrmidon in earnest, while Sharon and the Daughters of Liberty run the operation. Beautiful artwork from Adam Kubert and Matt Milla.

| Published by Marvel

Daredevil #7 reminds us that Matt Murdock carries more guilt than an entire Catholic archdiocese. There’s a very compelling depth and complexity that Chip Zdarsky is bringing to this story, moving us away from the typical superheroics.

| Published by Marvel

Elephantmen 2261: The Pentalion Job #2 enacts the heist of the pentalions in the second part of this story from Richard Starkings and Alex Medellin. Hip Flask raises some interesting questions as all of the Bond actors seem to meet their end.

| Published by Comicraft

Excellence #2 is another excellent issue. Brandon Thomas, Khary Randolph, Emilio Lopez, and Deron Bennett are developing Spencer and his history, his family, and relation with the hierarchy of the Aegis in a very compelling way.

| Published by Image / Skybound

Fairlady #3 is the first issue that doesn’t really end “clean”. It’s still a single issue story, but the mystery remains and isn’t tidied up by the end. It’s another murder mystery, with an adventurer impersonating a Conan analogue. Like the previous issues, this is a great story from Brian Schirmer, Claudia Balboni, Shari Chankhamma, and David Bowman.

| Published by Image

Faithless #3 continues to be very strange. Very, very strange. As Faith’s roommate is murdered by what seems like a wolf from her phone, her relationship with Poppy, and then she has sex with Poppy’s father. As I said, strange. I’m still not entirely sure what Brian Azzarello, Maria Llovet, and AndWorld Design are trying to do with this story.

| Published by BOOM! Studios

Gideon Falls #14 begins playing with time along with the alternate realities as Burke lands in a reality “closer to the centre” and is given a purpose to find “the five”. Jeff Lemire, Andrea Sorrentino, Dave Stewart, and Steve Wands are doing some amazing work here.

| Published by Image

Guardians of the Galaxy #6 concludes “The Final Gauntlet” from Donny Cates, Geoff Shaw, David Curiel, and Cory Petit as the Guardians, all of the Guardians, take on Hela and the Black Order to try to prevent the resurrection of Thanos. It’s suitably epic.

| Published by Marvel

Hit-Girl: Season 2 #5 kicks off the “Hong Kong” arc from Daniel Way, Goran Parlov, Giada Marchisio, and Clem Robins. It may well be the arc with the most narration so far, but it doesn’t detract from the usual over-the-top violence and action in the start of this story of Mindy trying to take down the Liu Triad, with rather humorous results, it rather enhances it with some nice introspection.

| Published by Image

Justice League #26 is part one of “Apex Predator” from James Tynion IV, Javier Fernandez, Hi-Fi, and Tom Napolitano. The Justice League are pitching to the stars in order to stem the tide of Perpetua’s plans and the impending Doom brought on by the “Year of the Villain”. But everyone’s wondering if it’s just shuffling deck chairs on the Titanic.

| Published by DC Comics

Last Stop on the Red Line #2 is still very strange. Paul Maybury, Sam Lotfi, John Rauch, and Adam Pruett are crafting an intriguing murder mystery here as Torres and her new partner continue to try to solve the crimes on the subways, but it’s told through a very fluid, stylized way where we’re not sure what’s real and what’s just a character’s perception. It’s a very neat way to tell a story.

| Published by Dark Horse

Little Bird #4 is maybe the most heartbreaking issue yet in this masterpiece from Darcy Van Poelgeest, Ian Bertram, Matt Hollingsworth, and Aditya Bidikar. There’s a lesson of survival, of children supplanting the parents, instilled here in the penultimate chapter as Little Bird and Gabriel have a bit of an understanding as siblings.

| Published by Image

Middlewest #8 attempts to pick up the pieces after Abel’s outburst and near destruction of the travelling circus. Also, more of the sheer monster that his father is. Gorgeous artwork from Jorge Corona and Jean-Francois Beaulieu.

| Published by Image

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #7 is a number of vignettes with Miles checking in with family and Bombshell before setting up the next arc. Wonderful use of guest artists with Ron Ackins & Dexter Vines, Alitha E. Martinez, and Vanesa Del Rey providing segments as well as regular artist Javier Garrón.

| Published by Marvel

Outpost Zero #10 explains all of the cats. It also gives a timeframe for the colony and a lot more questions as to why the old ship structure and tunnels were just completely abandoned by the colonists. Wonderful designs by Alexandre Tefenkgi.

| Published by Image / Skybound

Pearl #10 takes an interesting detour for a bit into “real life” as Pearl tries to hold down a “normal” job. Then we get back to the fallout of her chopping off Mr. Miike’s fingers. Absolutely stunning artwork from Michael Gaydos, with some very interesting layouts.

| Published by DC Comics / Jinxworld

Psi-Lords #1 is another great debut for Valiant. Fred Van Lente, Renato Guedes, and Dave Sharpe update one of the few Valiant properties that haven’t been brought back yet, with a bunch of seemingly newly activated psiots awakening in some kind of “Aztec sex dungeon”. The story keeps you off-balance from the beginning, adding a nice bit of mystery to what’s going on. And the artwork from Guedes is excellent.

| Published by Valiant

Rat Queens #16 begins the run by the new creative team of Ryan Ferrier, Priscilla Petraites, and Marco Lesko in earnest, following on the special. The Queens are essentially tearing themselves apart at this stage and nothing seems to be able to go right.

| Published by Image / Shadowline

Rumble #13 tackles the next Scourge Knight and Timah learns an interesting fact about the bundle of joy growing inside her. Great art as always from David Rubín and Dave Stewart.

| Published by Image

Savage Sword of Conan #6 is a single issue story from Meredith Finch, Luke Ross, Nolan Woodard, and Travis Lanham. It’s a captivating tale of revenge and Conan fighting through some insurmountable odds. Great art from Ross and Woodard.

| Published by Marvel

Usagi Yojimbo #1 begins a new era at IDW...in colour. Tom Luth joins Stan Sakai for the interiors in the first part of “Bunraku”. While it is a bit odd not to be black and white, this is still masterful storytelling, building on some traditional Japanese culture and providing an intriguing supernatural mystery. 

| Published by IDW

Warlord of Mars Attacks #1 begins another property crossover mini-series from Dynamite, this time mixing John Carter with the Mars Attacks aliens, from Jeff Parker, Dean Kotz, Omi Remalante, and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou. Nice bits of humour.

| Published by Dynamite

Wolverine: Infinity Watch #5 concludes this mini from Gerry Duggan, Andy MacDonald, Jordie Bellaire, and Cory Petit. It’s been a very entertaining follow-up to Infinity Wars, but it’s also served as a kind of weird clean-up to continuity that Marvel otherwise seems to have abandoned.

| Published by Marvel

Other Highlights: American Carnage #8, Age of X-Man: The Amazing Nightcrawler #1, Battlestar Galactica Classic #5, Captain Marvel #7, Clue: Candlestick #2, Curse Words #22, Deadpool #14, Doctor Who: The Thirteenth Doctor #9, Farmhand #9, Firefly #7, Go Go Power Rangers: Forever Rangers #1, Goddess Mode #6, Hellboy and the BPRD: The Beast of Vargu, Invisible Kingdom #4, James Bond 007 #8, Lab Raider #1, Livewire #7, Lucifer #9, Lumberjanes #63, Marvels Annotated #4, Mary Shelly: Monster Hunter #3, Monstress #23, Planet of the Nerds #3, Port of Earth #11, Red Sonja & Vampirella meet Betty & Veronica #2, Sabrina: The Teenage Witch #3, Shuri #9, Star Wars #67, Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #3, Star Wars: Tie Fighter #3, TMNT: Urban Legends #14, Teen Titans #31, Tony Stark: Iron Man #13, Trout: The Hollowest Knock #1, Uncanny X-Men #20, The Unstoppable Wasp #9, War of the Realms: Journey into Mystery #5, War of the Realms: Spider-Man & The League of the Realms #3, War of the Realms: War Scrolls #3, The Warning #8, X-Men: Grand Design - X-Tinction #2

Recommended Collections: Archie 1941, Dead Man Logan - Volume 1: Sins of the Father, High Heaven - Volume 1, Hillbilly - Volume 4: Red Eyed Witchery from Beyond, Giant Days - Volume 10, Hit-Girl - Volume 4, Low Road West, Lucifer - Volume 1: Infernal Comedy, Marvel Action: Spider-Man - Book 1, Prince of Cats, Rainbow Brite, Shadow Roads - Volume 1, Spookhouse - Volume 2, TMNT - Macroseries, Thor - Volume 2: Road to War of the Realms, Uncanny X-Men - Volume 1: Cyclops and Wolverine, Vampirella/Dejah Thoris, Winter Soldier: Second Chances, X-O Manowar - Volume 7: Hero

[doctorglasgowart]

SO, you want to fuck the alien slime monster? You want him to raw you with that big weird tongue of his? Well you can’t. But you can do the next best thing by reading some Venom comics! Venom has had a lot of titles over the years. Wikipedia actually has a pretty solid list of his solo series over HERE. But let me recommend just a few of them, just in case you want to follow the further adventures of everyone’s favorite lethal protector.

SPIDER-MAN: THE ALIEN COSTUME SAGA

Once upon a time, a bunch of Marvel heroes and villains were transported to a faraway alien planet to fight to the death and sell toys. During this time, Peter Parker got a brand-new costume, which would later turn out to be the alien symbiote VENOM! After all, Pete was the symbiote’s host before Eddie Brock. If you want to see Spider-Man become slowly unraveled and poisoned with strange alien rage, this is the place to start!

SPIDER-MAN: BIRTH OF VENOM by  David Michelinie and Todd McFarlane

This marks Venom as his own separate entity, now bonded with the psychotic Eddie Brock! Eddie’s got a score to settle with Peter Parker, one that he’s taking DEADLY serious! Penciled by the always-masterful Todd McFarlane, this is one stylish comic. Warning, the comics version of Eddie Brock is more or less nothing like the movie version. Still, this is a turning point in the character, where the symbiote becomes one of Spider-Man’s greatest foes!

VENOM: LETHAL PROTECTOR by David Michelinie and Tom DeFalco

After Venom harasses Pete for a while, the two agree to just stay out of each other’s faces. As such, Venom moves to San Francisco to become the LETHAL PROTECTOR! This is the pair’s first attempt at being an anti-hero, and it goes about as well as you’d expect. Now, Venom only eats the brains and organs of the wicked! This run is probably the closest you’ll get to the movie version of the pair. It shows its age a little, but it’s still a fun miniseries.

SPIDER-MAN: MAXIMUM CARNAGE by Tom DeFalco and J.M. DeMatteis

This book is incredibly dumb. A while ago, the Venom symbiote had a child, which was even more unstable than it was, called Carnage. That symbiote bonded to a man named Cletus Kassidy, who was even more unstable than Eddie Brock. The result is CARNAGE. In this book, Carnage builds his own Manson family stand-in and goes on an unstoppable rampage through new york city. It takes fourteen issues and an enormous cast of rotating characters to bring him down for good. The book is an enormous amount of fun, but please don’t be expecting high art here. If you want to see a giant uncontrolled brawl with a dozen or so superheroes, this is the book for you.

VENOM by Rick Remender and Tony Moore

This, in my opinion, is THE Venom run. The symbiote is taken from Eddie Brock, and given to Flash Thompson, Peter Parker’s friend and former bully. After losing his legs while deployed in Afghanistan, Flash is given the opportunity to walk again, by being bonded with the alien symbiote! He goes on covert missions for the US government as AGENT VENOM! However things go awry, when he begins to mentally depend on the alien more and more. Eventually he gets a sidekick of his own, and becomes the true hero he always wanted to be.

This is an incredibly good book, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. The run lasted almost 50 issues, and had two spinoff series, CARNAGE U.S.A., and MINIMUM CARNAGE, which are also both very good. If you want some good wholesome Venom material, this is the series for you.

VENOM by Donny Cates and Ryan Stegman

This is the most current Venom run, and it’s been fantastic so far. Forget everything you think you know about the symbiotes, because this series will blow the lid off of it! The artwork is absolutely gorgeous, and so far each issue has had me gripped in suspense at what new revelation will come next. If you want a solid ongoing to follow, please do yourself a favor and start picking up the newest Venom series right away!

People love Venom, and for good reason. He just looks so goddamn cool. He’s endured for years because he IS cool! He’s REALLY cool! And if you saw the movie and were left wanting for something more substantial, please pick up any one of the comics that I’ve recommended here today. You can find them at your local comic store, or at any book retailer. 

So let the symbiote’s tongue slither into one of your many orifices and pick up a VENOM comic today!

[threshprince]

Burning Bright

Word count:  2,165

Summary:  Karissa has a secret she's been keeping from Eddie and the Symbiote... and has now peaked the interested of the fearsome God of the Symbiotes: Knull has returned to this world to take it. Can she stop Knull from using her gift to destroy the universe?

Notes: A Self Indulgent Selfshipping Fanfic with Eddie and the Venom Symbiote!  I've wanted to write something involving Knull for quite a while and that time is now! I know some people dislike the run but I'm simply enthralled by it and love it. It's something I'm very much into and sometimes wish more people were so I wanted to pay homage to it in some kind of way! Thank you Donny Cates, Ryan Stegman and the rest of the team for the amazing (and heart-wrenching) story so far! All in all, enjoy~

Burning Bright is also on AO3

Chapter One: Tenebris

God Is Coming.

Those three simple words altered the course of the future once more.

A gasp escaped her bolting upwards from the mattress feeling the sweat roll off of her. Karissa grasped at the sheets trying to ground herself to the fact that it had been just a dream. Her muscles tensed and her knuckles white she gazed out into the night sky that only garnered a peek of the stars from the apartment window.

Her eyes wearily turned to the body next to her as her sudden movement didn't seem to wake him. Good thing, as he surely needed the rest. Though otherworldly ivory eyes gleamed in the light that did pour through the window at her.

They were safe. They both were.

It was just a dream.

The viscous being brought their thin head over to her making a bizarre questioning noise that was akin to a trill or a purr. Their mass began to slowly envelop her shaky form giving Karissa the comfort she needed in that time.

"I'm okay, dearest... I'm okay... just a nightmare." Karissa cradled the Symbiote against her bosom gently tracing their skin with her nails. Their eyes squinted in content as they noticed how worked up she had gotten. They could sense the tenseness within and coaxed her to lay back down with thin appendages.

Her head was still fogged with dread as if an ominous threat was looming over her head. Despite the Symbiote's light nuzzles bringing her back to reality she still felt herself tremble. She had never had that vivid of a dream in her life.

Especially with one that was supposed to be still imprisoned.

Swallowing thickly she allowed her muscles to calm even if they trembled and stared at Eddie as he slept soundly. She hoped that she wouldn't have to worry about them as much as she did. Considering the incident with a god Eddie had gradually been working on the mental strain that it caused him.

She allowed herself to settle and felt the drowsiness overtake her being as exhaustion set in.

-

A piercing roar jolted her from her hour long slumber as it cracked the sky. She awoke in panic hoping it was just her imagination frantically darting her eyes around the room. Shifting in her arms she felt the Symbiote shift their head upwards to her.

A look of dread painted her face realizing their once pure eyes were now a bloody crimson. Their voice distorted as if being commanded to say so.

"GOD IS COMING."

"No-!" Came the voice of Eddie from her side as he looked just as petrified. "No this can't be happening..."

Karissa watched warily as the Symbiote drifted towards the window to peer out muttering in their alien language. It was as if they were being drawn to it as she desperately held them back from it.

"Dear no!" Karissa cried out trying to get them to snap out of it.

"No dammit! Not again! He shouldn't be here!" Eddie bunched his fists up tightly trying to quell the rage and fear within him. Karissa sucked in a breath trying to calm the anxiety within her getting up to embrace him with the Symbiote between them both.

"You stay. We have to keep you safe at all costs, Karissa." Eddie murmured taking in the scent of her hair as if it were the last thing he would.

"I refuse! Last time you disappeared and almost were killed! I'm not going to lose you to him again!"

"We know you feel helpless... but we can't risk you getting hurt. You-"

A deafening screech came overhead as the apartment rumbled like an earthquake from the impact outside. Terrified screams filled the air as chaos seemed to ring through the streets. Clasping their ears from the roar she felt Eddie rip himself away from her in desperation.

"He's here! Stay inside, Karissa!" Eddie pleaded desperately in a hurry before the Symbiote reformed around him. Lunging through the window and letting the webbing that he had shot out to a surrounding building bringing him down to the source.

Everything was happening so fast as she wished she could heed his words. Her safety meant nothing if she didn't lend them some sort of help. Looking at her trembling hands she wondered if she finally had a chance to prove her worth and save them. The power she had within her all this time and had been practicing in secret. She could save them this time, she could with this power at her disposal.

Her legs carried her now to the door before swinging it open feeling another rumble shake the building. Karissa flinched and headed down the stairs as fast as her legs could take her. Tears welled up in her eyes trying to get herself down to the lobby as fast as she possibly could muster.

Out of breath she reached ground floor wearily leading herself outside as she was finally met with what was happening. The sight of her boyfriend being grounded as the Symbiote shielded his body. Knull looming above advancing him threateningly and against her better judgment she burst out into the street.

Feeling the heat within her palms and the warmth flood her core her eyes glowed white as she aimed her trembling hands towards the god.

"LEAVE THEM ALONE!"

A beam of light shot through her palms as it sped towards him but the trajectory had gone off course with how hard she had been shaking. Shooting past his shoulder and into the Grendel it screeched being hit. Knull faltered in pain with his approach as his chilling gaze rested upon her.

"Aren't you right on cue... you see, Eddie and I have been having a little chat all about you. I didn't expect you to come out of hiding however..." Knull sneered wickedly regaining his composure. "... How wonderful."

"K-Karissa!? What... how-? We told you to stay inside! You stay AWAY from her!" Eddie grit his teeth in fury getting back up to slash at him. The God simply caught his wrist effortlessly and threw him aside causing him to hit the brick of a surrounding building.

"How futile. It seems you won't learn to stay down, host. It's what you've been known for after all. I'll deal with you at a later date." Knull stated ominously before his gaze turned back to the shaken woman still standing her ground.

"Where were we before we were rudely interrupted? I suggest you listen well, My child... you too Eddie Brock."

His limb extended in a grotesque manner towards her rapidly as she panicked and shot another ray of light at him. His hand simply split in two avoiding the weaker attack as tendrils began wrapping themselves around her legs and arms faster than she could react.

"No! Let me go!" Karissa cried trying to struggle away before she was yanked forward into his embrace. Coils of himself keeping her trapped like a fly caught in a net as she trembled at his touch along her jawline.

"Yes, you are the one... such a powerful light emanating from you. I sensed you before on this earth when my presence was known here last. I had known you were close to my child. I saw you in the memories I had tried to burn... but it proved futile in the end." Knull preached on while she wavered in his grip. "This power was enough to wound me temporarily confirming my suspicions. This wretched light within you is a threat to my conquest... but, I have decided your powers could be of use to me as well. Your shine reaches far through the cosmos and pierces the void. You will be cleansed in my darkness personally as my weapon to further reclaim what is mine."

The Symbiote reformed around Eddie surging into a rage as they continued to listen on to this. It was as if Eddie's blood was boiling underneath the skin as Venom's form bulked up even further than it was before.

"YOU WILL DO NO SUCH THING TO HER!!!"

Blinded like a bull ready to charge his muscles tensed as if he was only one hairpin away from tearing into the god. Though he knew he would have to tear Karissa away from his clutches. He couldn't fail her. He wasn't going to lose someone he loved twice to the hands of this repulsive being.

Charging forth he tore through the street he slammed into Knull swiping at him furiously to release her. His form was punctured and torn through yet never seem to lose grip on her.

"Having fun? You know this won't work... I'm far away from you. We've been over this, My child."

"DON'T PATRONIZE US!" Venom roared as Knull's shape-shifting form continued to shift away and keeping Karissa out of the onslaught of blows.

"You know you cannot touch me yet you still try... pitiful. Stay down where you belong." Knull's hand swiftly clamped against his skull as an ancient power flooded their collected mind. The Symbiote screeched feeling the burn that Knull was once again trying to inflict upon them as Eddie felt it tear through his psyche.

"STOP IT!" Karissa desperately sobbed out trying to struggle in his grasp but still being immobilized by Knull's mass.

Once Eddie's other split from him Knull had let go as they collapsed to their hands and knees in agony. Knull simply turned his heel to the Grendel as it opened up to invite their deity within. A tight tug made him stop in his tracks as Venom's claw clenched against the threads of fabric. "Still you fight the inevitable? You won't prevail." The threads began to slip away from his grip thinning and sliding from the cracks. Venom's grip now empty as his head stung and was still foggy with lingering pain.

"VENOM!!" Karissa screamed his name as the dragon stitched itself up for voyage obscuring vision from them.

The God Dragon made a mighty raucous screech as it rattled even the Symbiote that was grounded from the sound as it splayed it's wings for flight. Venom couldn't just lay there and shot a thick strand of webbing against the skin of the Grendel.

Pushing off the ground and beginning the rapid ascent Venom was tugged along into the sky holding on for dear life. The heavy gusts of wind covered the scream that he let aloud from how quick they had shot up into the atmosphere. He had to grab onto the hide if he wanted to save her struggling to fight the turbulence. There was a brief instance of black that covered around the webbing as the milky pearlescent eyes widened in horror. Snipping the webbing free they were now in free fall as the Grendel sped towards the stars and beyond the clouds into the stratosphere.

"KARISSAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!" Venom howled in agony as he desperately reached for the sky.

Falling back to Earth the sheer panic of trying to slow themselves down as buildings began to start to get closer. Venom shot out webbing to catch his fall as it latched onto the side of a building nearest to him. It stopped him from falling but the force of the stop made him fly back and upwards and hit the stone leaving a sizable crack. Almost like a bungee Venom was flung up and down a few times before settling and dangling.

They stayed together like this defeated as a numbing feeling set inside of them. Venom failed yet another person that he promised to always protect and keep safe. After an hour of dangling they both had the strength to finally swing towards a building to sit on the ledge staring at the bright lights of the city below. The sirens of police and ambulances a few blocks away from what happened with The Grendel.

They both said nothing to each other sharing their grief as a unit. No words needed to be spoken as Venom's claws dug into the limestone. The sun began to peek from the horizon as the dawn of a new day greeted them but they only wished it hadn't come. She wasn't here to see it with them.

The Symbiote peeled back from Eddie's head as silent tears fell from his cheeks. His outfit morphed out into the guilt riddled face of his Other as they pressed their forehead against his. Eddie's trembling hands came up to cradle their face hearing them made a high pitched noise of distress. Their minds ached as one from the after effects of Knull's power tearing through their collective conscious. They both held each other closely glad to be whole but knew the last piece of the puzzle was lost to them. Eddie cracked open his steel blue eyes as they were weary with fatigue and despair but yet had a newfound fire lit with clouded vengeance.

"We'll get her back, Love. We will."

[cannibal-wings]

As per usual I have failed to stick to one question lmfao! In regards to the ask thing the numbers I have chosen are 1,3,5,6 and 19. Fandoms are Venom and Outlast.

Venom:1: What OTPs in your fandom(s) do you just not get?This one is hard right off the bat because I ship most everything in Venom RIP. I guess for movie verse Venom/Riot. I suppose it has the whole leader/subordinate thing going on, which could be appealing to some. And obviously there’s a power imbalance which some people like. I’d much prefer Drake/Riot. I guess in a similar vein, Eddie/Drake? Again, I can see the appeal but it’s not my appeal, at least not with these two.3.Have you ever unfollowed someone over a fandom opinion? Not for Venom, mostly because I only follow a handful of people and we all have similar tastes. HOWEVER I’ve def not followed someone because of posts I see in the tags. Usually people who bash Flash Thompson too much, or go on huge tangents about how Venom was “ruined” by being made an anti hero, or people who praise the current writer Donny Cates writing as amazing. I will also unfollow or refuse to follow anyone who gate keeps, especially in comics. 5.  Has fandom ever ruined a pairing for you? Not yet! Not Venom at least. Fandom has ruined ships for me in the past in other fandoms. But Venom seems to be mostly ship drama free. 6. Has fandom ever made you enjoy a pairing you previously hated?Because I came into Venom so late and speed read everything so quickly I never got a chance to formally create ships before joining a fandom. I suppose I was never huge on like Eddie/Peter or Venom/Peter until I joined a Venom server and people were talking about it. 19. What is the one thing you hate most about your fandom?I’d say Cates but he’s not in the fandom so he doesn’t count. I think with Venom the thing I hate the most is when people are unable to see the context of shipping Eddie/Venom through the years. When people label all of us “crazy shipping fangirls” (wow as a queer man that sure does feel great lmao) for speaking up for a ship that was canon and has had years and years queer coding and subtext. There is a small subset of people in the fandom, mostly on Twitter, who will disregard any opinion you have on the story if you ship Symbrock. As if a ship somehow makes it so you can’t formulate opinions or have reading comprehension. There are a few vocal people who claim that the shippers ruined Venom, ha, we’ve heard that before right? Or the people who claim we only ship it because of the movie. That it was somehow our fault retroactively that they made Eddie and Venom anti-heroes and that he was better off a one note character villain for Spider-Man to beat up. Outlast1: What OTPs in your fandom(s) do you just not get?I want to say Eddie/Way soooo bad but I get why people ship that. Silky variant ships always amused me. Usually it’s Silky/Pyro. Both of the characters have so little to go on that it’s hard to imagine any shipping that doesn’t involve 95% headcanon. WAIT NO I JUST CHANGED MY MIND. I saw Blaire/Lisa once and BOY I DO NOT GET THAT ONE. hahaha. 3.Have you ever unfollowed someone over a fandom opinion? Again, nope. Not really. I’ve avoided following people when I see their opinions in the tags. I’m very selective with who I follow to begin with. I will rarely follow multiple people in a fandom, and instead prefer to just tag dive and select content from there to like or reblog. 5.  Has fandom ever ruined a pairing for you? I used to be ok with Eddie/Waylon but after the fandom ran it into the ground for a few years as the only pair being written about I developed an aversion to it. It also doesn’t help that much of the fic and fanart were on the same themes, same plots, and most of those plots were things I just didn’t care for. 6. Has fandom ever made you enjoy a pairing you previously hated?Most of the ships I hate in Outlast I continue to hate and I’m not sure fandom will ever make me swing in the other direction for them. You’d have to have give me some damn good evidence or like, a really nice fic.19. What is the one thing you hate most about your fandom? The Outlast game series tackles a lot of tough topics. It touches on a lot of really terrible shit. And I think if I had to pick a thing I hate the most about the fandom, besides all the people who used to or still say “yaoi” all the time... I guess I’d say the amount of people who don’t treat the subject matter of the games and their fic with the kind of respect they deserve. I could elaborate more on this later if anyone wants, but I feel very strongly that when you write taboos in fiction you have to give them the respect that they deserve. When you write darkfic you have to really understand the underlying messages in what your fiction is saying. So much thought should be put into some of the issues this game has. And I think as a fandom it’s out duty to do better than Red Barrels did at conveying and depicting these attributes. This is one reason I really, really, REALLY, hated when the fandom JUMPED to assign Val as a transwomen, because I don’t think many of the people thought through what that implies. And whenever you try to start discussion on it, or at least when you did, the fandom is dead now so I’d be hard pressed to find anyone actually starting “discourse” anymore, but people would jump in with a bunch of opinions that didn’t really relate back to how that headcanon could be bad in today’s current society.

[ty-talks-comics]

Best of Marvel: Week of February 12th, 2020

Best of this Week: Thor #3 - Donny Cates, Nic Klein, Matt Wilson and Joe Sabino

Thor has lived for a millennium and has fought in thousands, if not millions, of battles... but the one he will remember most was against his brother in arms: Beta Ray Bill.

That’s the tale that Donny Cates is spinning as we see the fallout from the last issue of Thor as Beta Ray Bill comes to find his brother standing side by side with the Eater of Worlds, Galactus. Their stare down is intense and readers can feel the vortex of thoughts in both of their minds. Nic Klein and Matt Wilson frame their confrontation excellently with a pulled out shot, showing them both with Bill floating hesitantly and Thor standing still, unaffected by Bill’s appearance. In the background looms the World Eater with neon oranges coloring his body while all of them are in space.

Cates does an amazing job of portraying Bill as someone who cares for his people, specifically Thor, given Odin and the Thunder God gave him a home and people after Galactus destroyed his. He tells Thor that he will have his revenge against Galactus for corrupting his brother’s honor and attempts to strike the Thunder God. Unfortunately for him, with the Power Cosmic, Thor backhands Beta Ray Bill into the recently destroyed planet of Clypse.

It’s an excellent show of power as Thor barely moves an inch and as Bill crashes, Klein draws an excellent pair of panels showing Bill being flung into the ruins of the planet, with Wilson offering amazing and dynamic oranges for the subsequent explosion and an awesome DOOM lettering from Joe Sabino as Bill hits the surface. The next panel shows Bill trying to stand with his armor and helmet in absolute tatters. Thor then comes to him and says that in the past they were equals, but with the Power Cosmic and his new All-Father abilities, he is far beyond what he was.

This is absolutely true as well. In their first meeting in The Mighty Thor #337 (1983), Bill was able to overpower Thor and use Mjolnir as a weapon against the Thunder God, thinking he was a threat to Bill’s fellow Korbinites. Soon after, the pair became the greatest of allies, even brothers when Odin forged a new hammer for Beta Ray Bill called Stormbreaker and allowed him to fight through the cosmos as an Ally of Asgard. However, it has been quite a few years since then and Thor himself has gone above and beyond his capabilities from their first meeting.

In the almost forty years since that story, Thor has beaten the Mangog and Thanos back-to-back (Thor, 1998), knocked out the Phoenix Force (Avengers vs. X-Men, 2012), fought back against the forces of the Collecter for a straight two years in order to reach a hammer from another universe (The Unworthy Thor, 2016) and repelled an interdimensional invasion from Malekith the Accursed (War of the Realms, 2019). He is now the All-Father of Asgard as well and Bill has lagged behind.

Thor tries to calm his brother by using the Thunder to transform into his non-Power Cosmic form, showing Bill that he is completely in charge of his own decisions. Wilson does an awesome job of using blue to contrast the raging fires of Clypse and Thor looks absolutely heroic and badass in his new costume with his regular, non-glowing, hair. Galactus blasts at Thor, telling him that he is not above the Power Cosmic, but Thor overpowers him with Mjolnir alone as the scene is colored with intense white and purple hues.

Bill calls Thor a traitor for choosing to help Galactus and gives the Thunder God a nice whack across the face that BOOMs out in his anger. Beta Ray Bill is angry and where he might have been holding back before, he questions Thor’s integrity for siding with a monster like Galactus and the two have a savage fight against each other. It’s intense and paints their formerly friendly rivalry in a new and painful light as every strike is filled with venom, rage and anguish. Both men even have great points during the fight as they speak between punches and hammer swings.

Bill tells Thor that he is a king and he has an army at his very command. He could have sent forces to the edge of the universe and fought to his last to stop the Black Winter from taking another Universe. The most powerful line comes when Bill says, “You could have come to ME!” and this hits far harder than every thunderous blow the pair have made to each other. Thor did have options and he always has his brother as the two have fought side by side through worse.

Thor needed Bill’s help when Asgard was about to crash into the Earth during Secret Invasion (2008) and Bill even offered Thor Stormbreaker when the Thunderer found himself Unworthy. Bill has always been there when Thor has needed him, but this time Thor has chosen to go to the shadows rather seek help from his friends in the light.

Thor owns up to the fact that he has to become something almost evil because there’s a far larger picture that Bill isn’t seeing however. The Black Winter has destroyed Universes and it will destroy this one too unless Thor allows Galactus to consume the planets that he’s heralding him to. Thor understands the responsibilities he has as King of Asgard and he is completely right. Bill is an idealist in this situation, but realistically Galactus, having survived the previous Winter, is their last hope (at least until something better comes along later down the line).

After smacking each other around for several pages, Thor attempts to throw Mjolnir at Bill and the Korbinite catches it, trying to keep it away from Thor. The Thunder God attempts to call it back, threatening to take Bill’s arm if he keeps fighting against him, but Bill does not relent. Klein frames this as not just a struggle of power, but of honor. Thor initially stands firm, trying to reason with Beta Ray Bill, but Bill is steadfast and struggles against the weight of Thor’s power. We get a pulled in shot of Bill holding on through sheer will before he tells Thor that he truly is unworthy of Mjolnir.

Klein then gives us an amazing shot of Thor lowering his head, a moment of pained realization as Bill’s words strike him to the core as he’s unable to say a word against it. But it is for only a moment as Thor then calls Stormbreaker to his hand and we get an almost heartbreaking and powerful double page spread that is best read for yourself.

Overall, this was yet another phenomenal issue of Thor in what I believe is an absolutely worthy successor to Jason Aaron’s years long epic with only three issues released so far. Donny Cates understands the sheer power that these characters wield and scripts them to great effect. He also understands their personalities and strives to give us a badass story that leans on Marvel’s past while also creating a new history in the process. I honestly haven’t felt this energized about a Thor story since The Unworthy Thor almost four years ago and I feel the same gravitas from this story as I did from that one.

Nic Klein, Matt Wilson and Joe Sabino absolutely pull this issue together with their excellent pencils, colors and lettering respectively.  Klein has an excellent eye for scale and fight scenes in particular which gives this book a grander feel while also highlighting the brutality that Thr and Bill are capable of as warriors. Wilson accentuates Klein’s lines with stunning colors that pop off of the pages and create the intensity and heat from the raging fires and crackling lightning. Sabino places word balloons and sound effects to give the book a voice and sound for every hard hitting action or line of dialogue.

With all of them together, this book is the Perfect Storm of what a great Thor comic can be and the awesome potential of singular events taking place in one issue. So far, I’m absolutely enthralled with this book and the cliffhanger from this issue absolutely ensures that I’ll be back for more - High Recommend.

Also, support your boy on Patreon:

https://www.patreon.com/TyTalksComics