The psychopathic Carnage is targeting anyone who has ever harbored the symbiote - and that means a lot of potential victims. Not only Venom and Spider-Man are in danger, but also Deadpool, Norman Osborn, the Avengers... and even those who are long dead. Carnage does all this to awaken the Symbiote God and unleash hell on Earth!
Symbiotes – catch them all
The third volume of the Venom series published as part of Marvel Fresh is no longer just a collection of separate stories of various heroes and announcements of the upcoming event, and finally a “main course”. Fans of comics from the 90s will be especially pleased, but younger ones will also find something for themselves here.
Okay, so where to start? Maybe from the beginning. Carnage is currently obsessed with killing and consuming every person who has ever bonded with the symbiote. By doing this, he hopes to reconnect with Knull – the God of the Symbiotes – and finally free him, bringing doom to our world… or salvation (at least according to Cletus). The targets include not only Eddie Brock and Peter Parker, but also other Marvel icons such as Captain America, Wolverine and Norman Osborn. This time, everyone has a reason to fear Carnage.
The opening pages provide a concise summary of the situation without forcing the reader to wade through an endless sea of exposition. Most of this information is conveyed in the form of a conversation between Eddie and his son Dylan. This allows for the information to be delivered in a clear way, but also highlights the personal issues Eddie faces as he fights for the one person he cares about.
More characters are added without rush. This is a huge advantage because we can better immerse ourselves in the story being told and at the same time we do not feel overwhelmed. Donny Cates, responsible for the script, focuses on the relationship between Spider-Man and Venom. The comic takes full advantage of their turbulent history, and Peter’s jokes relieve the tension and are a pleasant break from the nightmare that Brock has recently had to face. Speaking of nightmares, don’t let the presence of the friendly arachnid fool you, the third volume of Venom is dark and gloomy. Cletus Kasady has perhaps never looked more imposing or inhuman than when paired with Grendel. This horror-infused approach, like everything else, helps the next volume rise above the usual comic book formula.
But I couldn’t help but feel that in all this enormous conflict, the heart of the story was much more personal. Dylan Brock believes he is Eddie’s brother when he is actually his son. This thread has been present before, but now when Carnage finds out about it, it seems that it is no longer just a fight for the fate of the world, but for the meaning of parenthood and fatherhood. It may sound strange, but it feels like the most personal conflict Venom has ever been involved in.
As for Dylan, in the rest of the comic the plot focuses mainly on him, Normie (Peter’s godson) and the Creator, trying to fend off the attack of a group of symbiotes infected by Carnage. The focus on Dylan makes sense because he’s become a big part of Eddie’s life over the course of the series, and I hope that thread continues to be developed (especially after what’s happened).
Darkness, I see darkness
Even the best comic book scenario would be nothing without properly adapted graphics. The team of Ryan Stegman, JP Mayer and Frank Martin created the iconic and terrifying images in the third volume.
Stegman’s style is a happy medium between fast-paced, powerful superhero storytelling and dark, twisted, heavy metal-worthy visuals. Mayer played with the ink to add precision while emphasizing the darkness and shadows that permeate the story. This is especially visible in the sequence in which Spidey and Venom descend into the hellish depths of Ravencroft, the Institute for the Criminally Insane. Meanwhile, Martin’s amazing coloring style hits all the right points, giving this version of New York an otherworldly and weathered feel, which only adds to the tension as Knull’s favorite servant begins to make a way for his master.
Of course, you should also pay attention to people like Mark Bagley and John Dell, who are responsible for the great flashback drawings. The third volume also includes Iban Coello and Rain Beredo, who are good substitutes for the previously mentioned artists. Coello in particular does this slick symbiote art very well. The fragment taking place in Banner’s head also deserves special mention. In this case, Al Ewing is responsible for the script, whose slower pace gives greater depth to the events discussed. Filipe Andrade’s sketchy art and slender, almost elongated character designs add a touch of surrealism to this release. This artist can make any page dynamic, even if its execution is very subdued in terms of structure and panel arrangement. His art works perfectly with colorist Chris O’Halloran’s use of shadows. There is something disturbing about all this, which combines perfectly with the rest of the comic’s pages.
We are Venom!
The sense of desperation in this volume seems to be palpable, and what begins as a code hunt turns into a fight in which we truly begin to believe that the red symbiote will win. On the other hand, we look at the relationship between Eddie, Dylan and Peter, who realize that an alliance is the only chance for victory. Their banter is a kind of ray of light illuminating the terror that consumes New York. As for Dylan, I want to emphasize once again that he is one of the best elements of the entire comic and I hope we will see him again. Especially since his role becomes more important from volume to volume, and the boy’s connection with the new symbiote, Sleeper, is sweet to my heart.
As for the issue itself, I cannot help but mention that at the end of the comic we have “interviews” with characters from the time when they were Ravencroft’s patients, as well as an article by J. Jonah Jameson. And, of course, a whole collection of variant covers, so I think that people who like this type of additions will be satisfied.
The third volume of Venom is a crossover event that ticks many boxes. It taps into the nostalgia of the symbiote-filled ’90s Spider-Man comics while telling a clear, purposeful story about Spider-Man and Venom confronting a common enemy. It’s a relatively simple and quick story with stunningly good graphics. There are some truly impressive drawings here, with a great sense of style and a heavy emphasis on the deep, blood-red coloring of Carnage himself. There are also wonderfully realized symbiote-infected characters.
From the very beginning, the story presented is clear and memorable, with an immediate sense of the scale of the threat. Eddie and Dylan Brock’s perspective shows how terrified these two are of their new enemy. The threat posed by Knull and Carnage’s goal is explained quickly and enough for new readers to understand the gravity of the situation and not feel bored. The high pace is maintained practically throughout the entire volume, and each event and the appearance of subsequent characters seems significant.
