Review - Ultimate Spider-Man Volume 6: Venom

Upon finding a box of his parents’ belongings in his basement, Peter Parker reconnects with his childhood friend Eddie Brock. Eddie, now in college, reveals that their fathers were working on a secret project that was meant to cure cancer. When Peter investigates the product of their experiments, he ends up bonded to a symbiotic suit that makes him more powerful than ever. This time around, however, he may learn that with greater power come deadlier consequences.

Ultimate Spider-Man Volume 6: Venom collects Ultimate Spider-Man #33-39, written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Mark Bagley.

Venom serves as the re-imagining of the “Alien Costume Saga” and introduction of the villainous Venom into the Ultimate universe. Where the original saga centered on an extraterrestrial symbiote that bonded itself to Spider-Man, this arc is more grounded and presents the iconic black suit as a scientific experiment gone awry. By linking its origins to Peter Parker and Eddie Brock’s fathers, it narrows the scope of the story and makes it an intimate character study. We learn that their fathers were initially scientific altruists search for a cure to cancer, but their experiments were subsequently co-opted by big corporations and their intentions were poisoned by greed. With this in the background, we see Peter struggling with the moral dilemmas his father had to face while also subsequently dealing with his own. Though he’s acquired a new suit that’s enhanced his powers, it’s also made him unpredictable and seems to be affecting his sanity.

Bendis maintains a focus on Peter and Eddie almost exclusively from start to finish. Without the distractions of subplots, this really helps to encourage character development and makes their eventual conflict (because of course Eddie becomes Venom) that much more impactful. With that said, I still find myself gravitating most towards scenes that involve Gwen Stacy. She continues to be a dynamic character that defies convention. There’s a particularly memorable scene where Eddie attempts to get Gwen to hook-up with him, but she rejects him. His previously sunny demeanour sours and this is where we see his true colours show. He berates her and states that her previous actions are proof that she wants him. Beyond what this does to show readers that Eddie is a jerk, it also shows us Gwen understands the predatory nature that men have.

With this arc, Bagley is tasked with being darker and more sinister than before. With the symbiote, we see him indulge in a creepier aesthetic of inky goo, long tongues, and sharp teeth. There’s a Lovecraftian vibe to it, which is really neat. With that said, I did have issues with his portrayal of Eddie Brock. Eddie is a college student, but you really wouldn’t know that from Bagley’s work here. Eddie is given a receding hairline and wrinkles that make him look twice as old as he’s intended to be. It’s incredibly distracting and takes me out of the narrative.

Ultimate Spider-Man Volume 6: Venom does a great job of bringing the “Alien Costume Saga” into the more grounded world of the Ultimate universe. Bendis and Bagley smartly concentrate on giving readers a story that means something. Venom never wanders too far into the theatrics typical of the superhero genre as it’s character-driven and connects the central conflict to the past of those involved. Still, there are issues with pacing due to lengthy exposition and an epilogue that is entirely devoid of action. I like the concept overall, but the issues with execution hindered the arc from reaching its full potential.

RATING: B