|
BabaLament Posts: 11
11/22/2017
|
Hello all!
I'm a huge Venom fan. So the recent Symbiote stories have been something of a roller coaster. Spoilers abound, so if you're not done reading Carnage USA, the Flash/Venom series, Venom: Space Knight, the Carnage series, Deadpool Vs. Carnage, or the current Venom arc...might want to stop now.
Toxin: The Flash/Venom arc where Eddie Brock shoots Scott Washington/Hybrid, but fails to finish off the symbiote(s) was Eddie at his most zealous nuts. Going from that to being forcibly bonded w/ Toxin was awesome. I wasn't much a fan of the original Toxin design, but the buffed-out Eddie version worked for me. Pity we didn't see how Eddie/Toxin went from Symbiote hunter to government agent (replacing Flash on the payroll). Also, the art direction in the Carnage series...really? Eddie/Toxin art design was a poor imitation of Agent Venom in that entire series, while Carnage was given a whole new monster-look. In the end, Toxin was sacrificed in fittingly heroic fashion, but that has problems of its own too that I'll cover later.
Scorn: We haven't seen Scorn since Carnage USA. Last we saw she was on the government payroll, sort of as a trainee, in the same program as Agent Venom and the split-apart Hybrid symbiotes that were formed up into Mercury Team. However, during the Carnage series Scorn is nowhere to be found, even though Eddie/Toxin is sent in as a special weapon. Additionally, during the Lee Price Venom run, the government symbiote squad commander says they have Eddie Brock, but no symbiotes, to respond to Lee Price's public meltdown. So what happened to Scorn?
Hybrid: Eddie Brock killed Scott Washington/Hybrid during the Flash/Venom series. Having their host(s) killed (again!) by Eddie Brock, the symbiotes were "broken" (as described by Scorn in Carnage USA). The Hybrid symbiotes were picked up by the government & used as Mercury Team, giving the soldiers enhanced abilities, but not bonding to their hosts in the traditional way. Mercury Team was then wiped out by Carnage during Deadpool Vs. Carnage, and the symbiotes collectively bonded to Deadpool (which we know from the Deadpool's Secret Secret Wars & Back in Black arc's to be...not necessarily a good thing for the symbiotes mental health). After delivering a world-class beating to Carnage, Deadpool released the symbiotes., who haven't been seen since. Now, I'm hoping we get to see Hybrid again soon, and that he/she is completely badass/nuts. These symbiotes (Phage, Riot, Lasher, Agony) and their hosts have been "killed" by Eddie Brock (twice!) (Separation Anxiety & Flash/Venom arc), Scream, and Carnage. They've been bonded to Deadpool, which was likely further non-conductive to good mental health. These symbiotes have been traumatized time and time again; thus making them the perfect choice to re-merge and become a serious villain/challenge to the newly reformed Eddie/Venom.
Mania: I'm slightly irritated here. I though the Venom clone angle was dumb during the 2003/4 Venom run, where his "tongue" was separated and went nuts all on its own. However, the bond between Flash/Venom & Andi/Mania was pretty cool, and it was actually nice to see Flash take on a mentorship role. Now they've gone and screwed everything up by taking a perfectly good character in Mania, and giving us an idiotic villain in Maniac. Crappy trade if you ask me. I hope Andi gets back into a symbiote (Hybrid?) and lays an epic beating down on Maniac so we can be rid of Lee Price for good. It would also be neat to see Flash/Anti-Venom try and reconcile his new role w/ his previous relationship to Andi. Could be neat seeing how being anti-Venom affects their mentorship.
Carnage: Cletus got his li' red butt kicked at the end of the recent Carnage run. However, his final disposition was never explained. Is his symbiote still magically enhanced, or is he back to being the normal Carnage? Also, his recent spawn (Raze) was destroyed, so if the Symbiote spawn counter is truly six (Venom's six spawn: Carnage, Scream, Agony, Lasher, Phage, Riot, as described during Separation Anxiety, he's got no spawn remaining), then Carnage has three down (Toxin, Scorn, Raze) and three to go.
Anti-Venom: As though Flash wasn't obnoxious before! Still, it's probably a better fit for his character, and it brings back the Agent Venom look. I would like to see how his relationship to Mania plays out, as well as how he gets along with Venom and/or Hybrid should Marvel ever get around to re-using him.
Venom: Eddie Brock...you are so screwed. Apparently the Venom symbiote is sick, as well as far more advanced than it was years ago. Its now an active, sentient participant in the pairing. That might not be such a good thing, as its access to Eddie's thoughts means it can review his recent past. His time as Anti-Venom, trying to kill Venom while bonded to Mac Garagan (which apparently the Symbiote is quite willing to forgive, as it hated Mac...or says it did...) followed by his self-sacrifice during Spider-Island, his time as an anti-Symbiote vigilante where he assassinated Scott Washington/Hybrid, and his time as Toxin where he sacrificed himself to prevent Carnage's master plan. As much as Venom wants to be a hero, Eddie's penchant for sacrificing his symbiotes has got to make Venom slightly nervous ("Know about Toxin Eddie." That was a great oh-crap moment for Eddie Brock!). Gotta wonder if Venom is willing to make the same call, and sacrifice Eddie Brock for the "greater good" should the opportunity arise. I'd also like to see Eddie/Venom interact with Mania, Flash/Anti-Venom, even Scorn; just to see where the opinions range across the remaining symbiotes; even Carnage, it would be interesting to see how Eddie/Venom measures up against Eddie/Toxin when in conflict with Carnage.
Let me know what you think guys!
|
