Venom War #5: Stay Golden

The Venom War comes to a close with issue #5 as writer Al Ewing and artist Iban Coello begin laying the groundwork for the lethal protector’s future. And before they can build anew, they must first tear down what is.

Suffice to say, Eddie Brock unlocked a myriad of god-like and often plot-convenient powers throughout his multiversal odyssey, exercising just about every privilege that came with his position as the King in Black. Having been corrupted by the influence of Carnage last issue, his son Dylan has no choice but to strip Eddie of his connection to the symbiote hivemind, returning him to a vulnerable and almost-entirely human state. Thus ends the elder Brock’s reign, leaving Dylan as the sole thing standing between Meridius and global domination.

Thankfully, in the culmination of his 5-issue arc from the main Venom title, old man Dylan swoops in to deliver the ultimate weapon, using a fusion of magic and science to transform his younger self into a purified golden symbiote. He makes quick work of Meridius, to an almost anticlimactic degree given how long the villain’s presence has haunted the series. But this seemingly easy victory has an immense price to pay, as the Venom symbiote is left fatally wounded and must abandon his hosts for their own safety. With it gone and Eddie missing in action, the Brock family is left more shattered than ever.

While not the explosive finale that this lengthy saga may have warranted, Venom War #5 wears its heart on its sleeve. Ewing cements the Venom symbiote as far more than a parasite, making it a second father to young Dylan. Iban Coello makes its hero moment so earnest, conveying surprisingly nuanced emotions through its blank eyes and long sharp teeth. Equally as impressive is the comic’s commitment to keeping an event with large-scale stakes grounded in a single setting. No matter how much the action escalated, the main battle never once left the confines of the wrestling ring, giving readers a chance to become familiar and comfortable with the environment.