ANIME NEWS

REVIEW: Marvel’s Venom #8

Things are heating up in Marvel's latest Venom series, as Dylan Brock meets the murderous King in Black, Bedlam, in the midst of a raging gang war. Dylan can sense a darkness within him, and so can Venom. But something tells Dylan that if he ever gives in to it, he will have to carry the guilt for the rest of his life. With the Life Foundation and its goons closing in on the symbiotes, the book shifts focus to the cosmic side of the tale. Written by Al Ewing with artwork from Bryan Hitch, Andrew Currie, Andy Owens, Alex Sinclair, and Pete Pantazis and lettering by VC's Clayton Cowles, Venom #8 takes Eddie Brock on a perilous journey through the timestream.

Venom #8 opens with Eddie Brock alone with his thoughts in Meridius' Garden of Time. It does not take him long to realize that the whole place is a prison, and the other Kings in Black are inmates just like him, barring the high and mighty Meridius, who comes and goes as he pleases. Eddie can sense that his son is in mortal danger and pushes his mind to focus on returning to the past. His plan works, but not perfectly. Eddie finds himself in the body of a Klyntar named Warstar aboard a 602nd Century warship, led by none other than the villainous Kang the Conqueror.

Ram V passes the baton onto fellow writer Al Ewing for this new issue. Ewing takes the new King in Black on a bumpy ride through the space-time continuum. Having spent a significant portion of his mortal life incarcerated, Eddie knows what a cage looks like. Even when he does break free, he finds himself stuck working to serve another. So, what does a King do to earn his freedom? He fights like a ravenous beast. Venom #8 gives Eddie an advanced new symbiotic body to pilot and offers readers a peek into the sci-fi direction of the narrative. The introduction of Kang is the turning point of the story. The story he tells Eddie adds several layers to the series' central mystery.

The issue starts with artist Bryan Hitch bringing life to the alien biology of the flora-infested Garden while inkers Andrew Currie and Andy Owens work on bringing out the personality of the viscous Klyntar goo. As the story heats up, Hitch's artwork takes a complete turn, giving Eddie a new body that comes with its own perks. The inking helps to bring out the definition in the muscle making the new host look like a berserker amongst puny guards. Colorist Alex Sinclair, aided by Pete Pantazis, uses a diverse range of colors to provide different tones for the characters and the backgrounds to help them burst with energy in every scene.

Venom #8 is a gripping tale that sends the series down an intriguing path. Gone are the days when Venom was a raging maniac held together by the morality of Eddie Brock. Now he has a new partner who talks in a robotic voice while adhering to protocols. This new dynamic is a fun contrast to Eddie's carefree, casual vocabulary. Trapped in a far-flung future, Eddie seems to be handling himself quite well, even with the odds stacked against him. For every step that the King in Black takes, Meridius is always two steps ahead of him, creating an enthralling read from the first page to the last.

About The Author

Pia Miller