At first glance, these revelations might seem like a bit too much. Part of Venom's endearing charm has been how incongruously street level he is as the "Lethal Protector," whether he's bound to a gruff, everyman like Eddie Brock or kicking along with a soldier like Flash Thompson. Even when things start getting majorly off the rails, Venom stories typically rebound right back to scaring thugs in alleyways and antagonizing bad guys and good guys alike. Now, with these new ideas in play, it seems like those days are numbered.
But perhaps more importantly, this new knowledge has sparked a fundamental shift in Eddie and Venom's relationship. Eddie isn't sure if he actually knows what Venom is capable of anymore, and has started to actually fear him -- something that hasn't really been an issue since Venom's major solo popularity boom shortly after his introduction. But while that is a major setback in terms of Eddie and Venom buddy cop teamwork, it's also made room for some genuinely fascinating looks into exactly who and what Eddie and Venom are on their own rather than as a unit.The way the story weaves in Eddie and Venom's long-established, codependent relationship and allows Eddie to learn Venom's secrets in real time with the readers provides a shockingly resonant emotional throughline. Eddie may just be the guy suddenly thrust into the middle of a galactic conflict, who's forced to question the direction of his own life and everything he thinks he knows about his past -- but he's still a guy who genuinely loves and cares for his… uh, parasitic alien life partner, sure. It's not a conventional vehicle for an introspective, almost romantic story arc by any means, but when has anyone ever gone to a Venom book looking for convention in the first place?
There is something charming about this new flavor and new dynamic. It probably wouldn't have worked, had it been anything less bombastically mythology, but the quintessential flair of Cosmic Marvel actually manages to maintain the level of vintage wackiness that makes Venom who and what he is -- after all, there's nothing more steeped in extreme ‘80s and ‘90s vibes than Marvel's Asgardians. Venom, Thor, and the Celestials are all characters that would be right at home airbrushed on the side of a van, which makes them a set of great tastes that go great together.
These pivots may be surprising -- and they're certainly a major change in the course of the narratives on both Eddie and Venom's side of the coin -- but they work surprisingly well. If anything, Venom's current trajectory proves its possible to add depth and flavor to an intentionally ridiculous past without losing the magic or the fun that drew people in in the first place. If there's one character in Marvel's toy box where this particular brand of weirdness might actually have a worthwhile payoff in the long term, it would be Venom.
Want more on Venom? Check out everything we want to see in the movie sequel by watching the video below. Meg Downey is a freelance entertainment journalist who specializes in cape and cowl comics, superhero movies, and fan culture. You can find her on Twitter @RustyPolished where she's probably having a meltdown about something embarrassing.