KING IN BLACK #4: With Death, There is Rebirth

“Death means nothing, there’s no end, I will be reborn”

As the fruition of Donny Cates’ Venom come closer to completion we continued to ascend deeper into  Cates’ mind as he does his best puppeteer impersonation with not only Eddie Brock but the Marvel Universe and with every issue. This issue, though, he scares us a little bit more. The past 3 issues of King in Black have been nothing short of phenomenal and have shown you can turn Marvel upside down and it not only good but makes sense as the story unfolds.

The battle rages on Knull’s plan draws ever closer to the end. However, our heroes have one more play in their repertoire that they are banking on working, and if it doesn’t, well, we’re all screwed. Ever since his first appearance way back in Venom #9, Dylan Brock has been the center of conversations across the 616 as to his true ability and who he is to become. We’ve gotten some hints here and there, but we still don’t know what his end game is. Sure, he’s Codex in another universe but what about this one? Well, if you’ve been paying attention over that the last couple of years since Cates have been at the helm there has always been a suspicion that Eddie’s time with his “other” may be coming to an end. Am I saying that Dylan will become Venom? Now I don’t want to give away the end, but it could definitely have big ramifications going forward.

One of the great things about this issue is that there is a transfer of heart and soul from the creative team to the characters. Seeing Jean Grey leading the calculated assault on Knull comes through with the same fierce dynamicity that this creative team lays down panel after panel. An event this big needs a team that is all in for the end goal, whatever that goal may be. Every issue is in sync as I’ve ever seen. The writing, art, lettering, layout are top-notch through and through, and as I’ve said in my other reviews of King in Black this is the best event Marvel has had in a long time. It’s like a black mamba: sitting back, still, calculating its next attack, waiting for the right time to strike and when it does, you know it. The sheer force of this series and this issue alone is filled with enough Venom to reshape Marvel’s future and I believe that’s what we are seeing.

The end of issue #4 will leave a lot to be seen and will keep the buzz going long after issue #5, the real question is the permanence of Eddie’s new role. The great thing about comics is there is always a reset button buried in the panels somewhere just as there is a chance that the reset button is broken, and the future is what it is. What does the future hold for Eddie, Dylan, and the rest of the Marvel superheroes? Perhaps the bigger question is whether Eddie or Dylan is in the future.