Venom #251: A New Mantle

Venom #251 still has that special touch as Al Ewing continues to mine gold from the outlandish status quo many fans initially rolled there eyes at. This month, Marvel has made the decision to drop the All-New adjective and return to legacy numbering after Venom’s recent milestone celebration, a familiar but still somewhat confusing sales tactic. Hopefully fans of this book don’t have too much trouble catching on, otherwise they’d be missing out on another solid new chapter.

The comic’s title isn’t the only change present, as series regular Carlos Gomez is not here to provide interiors. But Paco Medina can be trusted to carry the torch, matching Gomez’s style and lively character work well. And with Frank D’Armata keeping up his vibrant coloring, the transition between art styles is silky smooth. As lighthearted as Ewing keeps the tone of the issue, there is an underlying seriousness and emphasis on consequence.

The aftermath of the heroes’ big prison breakout has shaken the foundation of New York City, creating an era of renewed fear and paranoia around symbiotes and their hosts. Just as MJ and the symbiote were starting to get the hang of being Venom, they now find themselves masquerading as other heroes to avoid detection by their hunters. Rick Jones and his new companion Toxin have the same idea, executed to a not-as-successful degree. Sure enough, the disguises aren’t enough to keep S.C.A.R. off their tails, kicking Venom and MJ’s next saga into action.

Issue #251 is chock full of joyous character moments, from the throwback to Iron Man’s roller-skating vigilante days, to the reemergence of obscure villain Blue Streak, to the opportunity to see Mary Jane pursuing her career as an actress for the first time in forever. Not only does Venom continue to be the only Marvel book making use of Luke Cage’s position as mayor of New York City, but it uplifts the concept into a captivating political subplot. All the talk of New York elections, increased targeting of illegal aliens, and a mayor’s duty to serve the downtrodden make the comic more timely and relevant than ever, and its all interwoven so cleverly. MJ and Venom come to a similar realization by the issue’s end, understanding that image and standing behind symbols of hope are more important in this era, prompting them to take on the mantle of Spider-Man and win the trust NYC back.