Symbiote Spider-Man 2099 #1: Symbiote Saga

This explosive first issue is action-packed with stunning art and an exciting return of the symbiotes in 2099. Symbiote Spider-Man 2099 #1 (written by Peter David with art by Rogê Antônio and colors by Sebastian Cheng) picks up right after the events of Spider-Man #43 and opens with Venom 2099 running from intergalactic police and being stopped by Spider-Man 2099. These opening panels are gorgeous with great splash pages that reveal Venom and Spider-Man 2099. This is the first look at Spider-Man 2099’s costume in this mini-series and the design is fantastic. The spikes on the costume give Miguel a sharper look than the class Peter Parker Spider-Man and his short web cape feels like something from a couture runway. This first Venom look is a little questionable, with the villain looking more like the Green Goblin than Venom. Nonetheless, the art throughout this issue is absolutely stunning. Rogê Antônio does a fantastic job at making this universe feel lived in and making the characters expressive.

With Venom sent back to Atlantis, Miguel returns to Alechemax to find out his paternal half-brother, Kron Stone, has escaped prison. To make matters worse, his scientist, Doctor Hibby, is experimenting with the Venom symbiote. In these panels, we see Miguel start to act out of character, raising his voice and hitting things. It’s an interesting foreshadowing of his coming symbiote takeover. Peter David proves why he is a comic legend as he writes a Miguel that is dynamic. With just a couple of panels, David is able to highlight the struggle Miguel is facing running a company and fighting crime and how this will parallel a symbiote’s takeover. I’m excited to see how the character develops in this mini-series.

The moment everyone has been waiting for comes quickly as we get to see Kron Stone return to the mantle of Venom 2099. The design of Venom 2099 is astonishing, and it feels very distinct from the 616 Venom. The character is close to a horror character, but his comedic quips make the character feel like the Venom we know.  Antônio and David come together to create an amazing design and well-written character. The return of Venom 2099 and the ending reveal of Spider-Man 2099’s symbiote come at a perfect time and David manages to pace this first issue well. This issue is an exciting start and promises that this mini-series will be fun, violent, and futuristic.