Venom War
| Venom War | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| Format | Limited series |
| Publication date | August 2024 |
| No. of issues | 5 |
| Main character(s) | Eddie Brock Dylan Brock Black Widow Agent Anti-Venom Carnage Spider-Man |
| Creative team | |
| Written by | Al Ewing |
| Penciller(s) | Iban Coello |
"Venom War" is a 2024 American comic book crossover event written by Al Ewing with art by Iban Coello and published by Marvel Comics. The event follows Eddie Brock and his son Dylan who, after seeing glimpses of each other's potential future, engage in a war to determine who will be the one true Venom.
Black Widow: Venomous #1 and Venom War: Spider-Man #1 was dedicated to Ray Chan. Venom Vol. 5 #36, Venom War: Carnage #1, and Venom War: Venomous #1 were dedicated to Don Perlin.
Publication history
[edit]Marvel released teaser art by Philip Tan showing Eddie Brock and Dylan Brock leading their symbiote armies in battle, with Agent Anti-Venom, Tyro, Wilde, Bedlam, and Meridius on Eddie's side and Black Widow, Sleeper, Red Goblin, and Flexo on Dylan's side.[1]
Venom War was announced as a five-issue limited series written by Al Ewing which would tie into various tie-in issues and spinoff limited series debuting in August 2024. It is described as the fateful confrontation between father and son after going on separate journeys and realizing that only one of them can be Venom.[2][3]
Plot
[edit]Lead-up
[edit]During the "Blood Hunt" storyline, the Venom Symbiote works with the zombified Lee Price and the Mania Symbiote to defeat the Captive. Afterwards, Meridius appears and Price abandons Venom to merge with him. Before leaving, Meridius tells Venom that Eddie Brock is returning and that "Then the war can begin".[4]
Prelude
[edit]Dylan tells of how he went to a place beyond death and encountered a being who introduced itself as the Eventuality and spoke in his father's voice, telling him that he could ask it five questions. When he asked it if the Venom symbiote reunited with Eddie, it showed him a vision of him as Venom defeating an opponent and stating "We are Venom". When he asked how to stop him, the Eventuality stated that he would know when he was older and he saw a vision of himself when he was older, telling Dylan that he would get through this.[5]
Eddie Brock has become unstuck in time, along with Bedlam, Meridius, Tyro, and Wilde. Meridius tries to kill Eddie, but Tyro transports the former to prehistoric times, where he bonds with a Tyrannosaurus. While Eddie states that they will find Meridius again, Tyro tells him that he may find them first. Knowing that if Dylan keeps Venom, Earth will become Venom in the future that Meridius was trying to create, Eddie nominates himself to help set him straight since he is the only one with a body. Back in the present, Venom reveals that Lee Price has been revived as a Zombiote and arrives at Peter Parker's apartment. After Dylan has a nightmare about Doctor Doom, he is visited by his future self, who he initially believes to be Eddie.[6]
After shooting Carnage with a sonic laser, Flash Thompson confronts Liz Allan, who has become Misery. She tells him that she will explain the Misery symbiote to him later, as they must flee before the police arrive. The next day, Flash attends a support group and receives a call from someone who invites him out for a drink as Carnage reunites with the clone of Cletus Kasady. At a pub, Flash meets with Liz, who tells him about Misery and why she was at the building where he fought Carnage, which has recreated itself over time. At Investar, Carnage massacres its employees and, two weeks later, attacks a crowd at Ashford Park as soldiers attempt to kill him. Carnage abducts a soldier and learns that the weapon was made by Alchemax.[7]
Meanwhile, Black Widow and the Widow Symbiote infiltrate an Alchemax facility and steal a Symbiote-killing serum.[8]
Main plot
[edit]At Grand Garden Arena, wrestler Symbiote Smith issues a challenge to the Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation, with Crusher Hogan and Doc Sawbones serving as commentators. However, the match is disrupted when Eddie arrives and battles Smith. Eddie declares that the ring is now under the control of the Kings in Black, and that he will only relinquish control if they give him Dylan and Venom.
Meanwhile, Dylan tries to connect with Venom while telling his future counterpart about his contact with the Eventuality. After his future counterpart fades away, Toxin approaches Dylan and tells him of the events at Grand Garden Arena. At Alchemax, Liz holds an emergency meeting regarding Eddie and learns of Chemical K-43, which is toxic to Symbiotes. Meanwhile, Peter talks to Venom, who explains that Eddie and Dylan are better off without him. Outside Grand Garden Arena, Eddie battles Paladin and her crew before confronting Spider-Man and Venom.[9]
Subplots
[edit]Venom
[edit]Dylan Brock's future self is attacked by mechanical Symbiotes before being saved by Normie Osborn, Liz Allan, and Spider-Boy and transported to the present. He meets with his younger self and explains his mission to change the future before sedating Molten Man, who has escaped prison.[10]
Venom War: Spider-Man
[edit]Spider-Man bonds with Venom before being attacked by Hobgoblin, who he works with Jackpot to stop. Meanwhile, Meridius releases Arachnoite, a legendary Symbiote who possesses a lethal touch and is even feared by Knull. Venom insists that he and Spider-Man must fully work together to fight it.[11]
Venom War: Carnage
[edit]Carnage is experimenting on humans in an abandoned subway system when a fire attack disrupts him. He subsequently possesses Alchemax employees Sally Christiansen and Finn in an attempt to learn about Alchemax and its K-Project.[12]
Venom War: Venomous
[edit]Black Widow and the Widow Symbiote (now named the Silver Symbiote) attend an auction in disguise to obtain K42T, a Symbiote-killing serum. At Alchemax, Flash Thompson as Agent Anti-Venom works with her to battle and free Symbiote-possessed workers.[13]
Issues involved
[edit]Prelude series
[edit]| Title | Issues | Writer | Artist | Colorist | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Comic Book Day 2024: Ultimate Universe/Spider-Man | 1 | Al Ewing | Iban Colleo | Frank D'Armata | May 4, 2024 |
| Venom (vol. 5) | 35 | CAFU | July 3, 2024 | ||
| Carnage (vol. 4) | 8 | Torunn Grønbekk | Pere Pérez | Erick Arciniega | June 5, 2024 |
| Black Widow: Venomous | 1 | Erica Schultz | Luciano Vecchio | TBA | July 31, 2024 |
Main series
[edit]| Title | Issues | Writer | Artist | Colorist | Debut date | Conclusion date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venom War | 1–5 | Al Ewing | Iban Coello | TBA | August 7, 2024 | TBA |
Tie-in issues
[edit]Limited series
[edit]| Title | Issues | Writer(s) | Artist(s) | Colorist | Debut date | Conclusion date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venom War: Spider-Man | 1–4 | Collin Kelly & Jackson Lanzing | Greg Land | TBA | August 14, 2024 | TBA |
| Venom War: Venomous | 1–3 | Erica Schultz | Luciano Vecchio | August 21, 2024 | ||
| Venom War: Carnage | Torunn Grønbekk | Pere Pérez | August 21, 2024 | |||
| Venom War: Zombiotes | Cavan Scott | Juan José Ryp | August 28, 2024 | |||
| Venom War: Wolverine | Tim Seeley & Tony Fleecs | Kev Walker | September 11, 2024 | |||
| Venom War: Deadpool | Cullen Bunn | Rob di Salvo | September 18, 2024 | |||
| Venom War: Lethal Protectors | Sabir Pirzada | Luca Maresca | September 18, 2024 | |||
| Venom War: Fantastic Four | Adam Warren | Joey Vasquez | October 9, 2024 |
One-shots
[edit]| Title | Writer | Artist | Colorist | Debut date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venom War: Daredevil | Chris Condon | Lan Medina | TBA | September 25, 2024 |
| Venom War: It's Jeff | Kelly Thompson | Gurihiru | November 20, 2024 |
Series tie-in
[edit]| Title | Issues | Writer(s) | Artist(s) | Colorist | Debut date | Conclusion date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venom | 36– | Torunn Grønbekk | CAFU | TBA | August 14, 2024 | TBA |
Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Eddie vs. Dylan". February 23, 2024.
- ^ "'Venom War' Launches a Symbiote Showdown to Be the Last Venom Standing". www.marvel.com. Retrieved 2024-05-20.
- ^ "Spider-Man, Black Widow, & More Choose Sides as 'Venom War' Explodes Across the Marvel Universe". www.marvel.com. Retrieved 2024-05-21.
- ^ Venom Vol. 5 #34. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Free Comic Book Day 2024: Ultimate Universe/Spider-Man #1. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Venom Vol. 5 #35. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Carnage Vol. 4 #8. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Black Widow: Venomous #1. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Venom War #1. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Venom Vol. 5 #36. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Venom War: Spider-Man #1. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Venom War: Carnage #1. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Venom War: Venomous #1. Marvel Comics.