Writer: Ram V and Al Ewing
Art: Bryan Hitch, Alex Sinclair, Andrew Currie, and VC’s Clayton Cowles
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Price:$5.99
Release Date: November 10th, 2021
Previously during the events surrounding the KING IN BLACK, Eddie discovered that he had a son named Dylan which was kept as a secret. Yet after reconnecting, Dylan and Eddie have managed to bond by battling aliens, murderers, and even a would-be cosmic symbiote god! However, after the KING IN BLACK event came to a close, readers found Dylan has the new VENOM host and Eddie traversing the galaxy through some type of mental cosmic connection with every symbiote in existence as the new KING IN BLACK. However, where does this leave Dylan and Eddie moving forward? Let’s dive into VENOM #1 by Ram V, Al Ewing, and Bryan Hitch to see what’s next as this new series begins to unravel.
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THE DISPATCH
Ram V and Al Ewing crack open the possibilities with VENOM #1. Sure, Donny Cates took little old Eddie Brock and put him on par with some heavy hitters in the Marvel Universe. Still, Ram V and Al Ewing wildly open the scope of what VENOM can do, where this series could be going, and who’s at the center of what’s to come. Ultimately, we begin this new series with Eddie trying to juggle being a Dad, a god, and his new abilities all at the same time. Alas, he’s failing miserably on almost all accounts.
Yet, even though Eddie is basically the new KING IN BLACK, he’s still conveying this rundown, down and out, mentality that’s appeared to cause a rift in his relationship with his son and almost anyone around him. My point: Ram V and Al Ewing have kept Eddie the same as he’s always been… just with immense power. Fans, VENOM #1 is real and it’s raw. Yet, even with this tenacious grit, these aspects of the issue were extremely welcoming as I read it which showed the creative understanding of how any and every average joe would have to struggle with these new abilities. Plus, Eddie is still… Eddie! Even through all of this, we still see the same character under the surface.
Moreover, the spectrum of this canvas has become almost vast from where VENOM once was. Heck, it’s practically cosmic in nature with limitless possibilities that include an enormous power set for the main character. Yet, the biggest factor of this issue that I truly wasn’t looking forward to was one of the biggest bright spots in the narrative. Dylan Brock as VENOM just didn’t excite me one bit. However, in such a short time, he seems more mature, more broken, and even more rebellious than one would have anticipated from Donny Cates’ portrayal of the character.
Dare I say Dylan Brock was an extremely compelling character which truthfully was a far cry from the character I remember throughout the last VENOM run. A kid sure… but a hard-nosed, scrappy, teenager going through some incredibly tough $&@$. A child who’s been through things that would make any normal kid go insane. Yet, here he is. And fans, you can feel this emotion through each and every page he’s in.
ART
Bryan Hitch is perfect for this series. Yet, who would be surprised? He’s always thrived with the muscular, superhero meets real life, cinematic-like style with an outstanding eye and awareness for detail. Furthermore, Hitch continues his wide-screen action sequences that truly layer in the multiple factors throughout the issue that submerge the reader deep into each page. Nevertheless, Hitch’s artistic companions lend a hand by providing crisp, polished colors that jump off the page.
Moreover, it’s Alex Sinclair’s subtle eye change in color that hints at bad things ready to happen in Eddie’s future, not to mention the stunning inks by Andrew Currie that add tremendous depth and character to the issue. People, this comic largely takes place in space yet not one symbiote gets lost in the vast emptiness of that very space. That says a lot!
FINAL THOUGHTS
VENOM has gone intergalactic with so many ridiculous possibilities that your head could spin. From instantaneous mind teleportation across the universe to controlling hundreds if not thousands of symbiotes at once, VENOM has certainly come a long way from his LETHAL PROTECTOR days. Yet, Ram V and Al Ewing still make the comic feel down to earth, gritty, and somehow grounded for a cosmic traversing, god-like hero of the symbiotes. Cates certainly navigated and expanded Eddie and the VENOM symbiote in a brand new direction with endless possibilities waiting on the horizon. However, it looks like it’s going to be Ram V and Al Ewing who truly evolve the dynamic of the symbiotes and begin an incredibly special journey with a father and son that appears to be steeped in time-traversing adventures that we may never forget. Now is the time to hop on board VENOM! Pick this issue up, let me know what you think, and God Bless!