Writer: Al Ewing
Artist: Bryan Hitch
Inker: Andrew Currie
Color Artist: Alex Sinclair
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Reviewer: StoryBabbler
Venom is under assault by a mysterious new threat called “the Absent Throne” spearheaded by a new villain calling himself Meridius. However, Eddie Brock is unaware of his machinations or even his true goal but has used his advice to travel forward through time and has found himself face-to-face with Kang the Conqueror. In Venom #9, Eddie finds himself receiving aid from Kang of all people.
Review:
The issue picks up with Eddie Brock basically getting schooled on time travel by Kang the Conqueror. Eddie even receives some training to get used to his powers and state of being as he learns to control and manipulate his new symbiote form like never before. However, there are some hiccups along the way as he gets the cliff notes version of time travel from Kang.
This issue is primarily a fill in the blanks issue, where the beginning of the comic is fun enough as Kang teaches Eddie the basics of time travel and intervening in time without totally destroying the timeline. The comic instantly provides good character interaction as you see the contrast of personalities between Eddie Brock and Kang, with Eddie being very informal and crass while Kang is formal and dignified. From there the comic mainly shows how Eddie ties into everything from the previous issues.
The comic doesn’t provide all the answers readers want, certainly not about the bigger things like Meridius, the Life Foundation, the other Kings in Black, the Garden, etc. Al Ewing is focusing mainly on showing how Eddie fits into everything, specifically, “how” he does. It’s not the most exciting issue, and not much really happens until the very end when the comic lines things up. Bryan Hitch does a good job with visual contrast as Kang’s body posture carries a sense of dignity and authority even in his close-ups, while Eddie in his new symbiote form just looks pumped and ready for action.
However, Bryan Hitch’s art does take a few weird steps back in the moments when Eddie Brock is traveling through time. Like in previous issues with both Eddie and Meridius, the comic uses a yellow background of images to show Eddies’ time-traveling via symbiotes. The problem is the backgrounds are a little fuzzy, which is a problem when Eddie narrates here and there about the various images he sees in the timestream that readers are supposed to see too.
SPOILERS:
Now, let’s talk about the ending. We do see things finally align with the events of Venom #7 when Bedlam attacks Dylan and the Venom symbiote. Al Ewing certainly leaves things on a note of tension as we see things pick up where they left off with Dylan being stabbed by Bedlam. However, the real big “reveal” there is a little confusing and will definitely require explanation. Thankfully, it seems that the next issue will provide those answers and hopefully more.
Final Thoughts:
Venom #9 is the next chapter in this new saga for Venom. This issue is more of a fill in the blanks kind of story, showing how Eddie Brock figures into everything we’ve seen since the first or second issue, kind of like issue #5 with Meridius. There’s not much action or big reveals until the end, but Bryan Hitch continues to bring his best with the art in this issue.