The symbiote component of Venom is pregnant, and as with all expectant mothers, she can get a bit protective, who will she lash out against next? Is even Eddie safe anymore?
Title: Venom #165 (The Nativity pt. 2)
Writer: Mike Costa
Pencils: Mark Bagley
Inks: Scott Hanna
Colors: Dono Sanchez-Almara
Letters: VC’s Clayton Cowles
Publisher: Marvel Comics
What You Need to Know:
A pregnant Venom symbiote has been kidnapped by an anti symbiote task force prior to spawning, with shady intentions. The symbiote has been lashing out in strange ways, in moments of perceived danger, even Eddie can’t properly control it, severely hampering his attempts to improve public perception of his new, improved, heroic ways. He’s managed to score a couple converts and made a couple new enemies…
What You’ll Find Out:
We open on Venom, with a power dampening collar on, restrained in the back of an armored truck speeding through New York City, with his former task force teammate Claire Dixon, who died in his arms some time ago. Not that Eddie is talking to her, he is trying to figure out why his Other (the symbiote) lied to him. The Symbiote tells him that it was scared he wouldn’t be happy or might try and stop it, since basically all of their previous spawns have been evil. (looking at you, Carnage)
The symbiote warns Eddie, Clair is clearly trying to take the offspring and fuse it to someone, to make a symbiote of their own, suddenly a voice from the shadows stops him, Mac Gargan, The Scorpion! Gargan took over the Venom symbiote when Eddie got rid of it for a while and was far more violent and bloodthirsty. Gargan goes to knock him out when something slashes open the side of the truck! Spider-Woman has come to rescue her friend! (they made friends 2 issues ago, remember?)
Spider-Woman grabs the gurney Eddie is strapped to and throws it out the hole in the truck, Scorpion and Dixon move to stop her but suddenly the truck crashes due to the distracted driver. Venom and Spider-Woman escape in the confusion! Now Venom needs to track down the man who told the anti symbiote task force he’s expecting, this baby is coming!
Baby symbiote incoming (maybe!) pick up this issue for yourself to find out what happens!
What Just Happened?
This was an interesting send off to Mike Costa’s Venom run, as next month Donny Cates and Ryan Stegman’s Venom #1 hits stands, which is exciting. It is a shame that Mark Bagley will be off the book, as I was excited to see him on Venom again.
This was a really strange way to end a run, and would be unsurprised if this was ignored or retconned in the upcoming series, this issue didn’t contain the charm and fun of last issue’s Shocker fight, and as such I find it much less interesting, as the side stories have been more interesting than the actual plot last few issues. (I laughed my butt off when Venom fought the looter couple issues back)
Rating: 6/10
Final Thought:
Not unlike Batman 713 (last issue before the n52) there is virtually no reason to read or buy this issue until it’s shown in the new series whether the big changes it introduces are even going to carry over. This arc will either change a lot, or more likely be quickly forgotten by “5 reboots in 4 years” Marvel. I’m sure Cates will have a fantastic series, but I’m a bit annoyed at the same time.
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