Venom #8: Mind If I Drive?

After the explosive first arc in writer Donny Cates acclaimed Venom series, we find Eddie Brock locked in a room with the Maker, otherwise known as evil Reed Richards. While their discussion essentially took up most of the last issue, their back-and-forth doesn’t last long in Venom #8!

After an emotional last few words for Flash Thompson by Eddie, we learn that the Maker has discovered a codex or imprint left on symbiote hosts. To say this is opens up incredible opportunities for the story going forward is an understatement. While it doesn’t take long for Eddie and Venom to set things straight with the Maker, the real surprise happens when Agent Venom makes an appearance. Eddie fuses with the codex on Flash’s DNA which allows Agent Venom to manifest on Eddie and help them escape. Their fight out of the facility is bloody and violent, but more importantly, it delves into the implications of this fusion with a symbiote codex.

This is a lot of development for both the current story and the lore behind symbiotes, but this is also really just the type of narrative elements writer Donny Cates brings. Where most series could fall into a typical filler issue around this time, this creative team proves with each new issue that the story is only getting bigger. Like the Maker said before, Eddie’s “days of hiding from the light are over”.

The artistic direction in Venom #8 is particularly impressive during their escape sequence, with both Eddie Brock’s Venom and Flash Thomson’s Agent Venom stealing the spotlight. While these last two issues have been more dialogue heavy due to the story, the visuals have still managed to remain engaging, thanks in part to excellent lettering from Clayton Cowles. Overall, the issue is a a great combination of spectacular artwork and expansive storytelling.

The issue ends with a great twist revealing the body of Cletus Kasaday, the previous host of Carnage. After this issue’s revelation surrounding the symbiote codex, it will definitely be interesting to find out how all of the different information stored in the codex’s will begin to manifest. Until then, we are left only with Eddie’s own internal questioning following his chaotic past few weeks.