TRUE BELIEVERS: VENOM VS. SPIDER-MAN #1 (Marvel Comics, May 2018 cover date) David Michelinie, writer. Todd McFarlane, art. Rick Parker, letters. Bob Sharen, color. Reprints Amazing Spider-Man #300. $1.00. Rated T.
If you wanted to own AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #300, the first full Venom story from May 1988, you’d be spending as much as $375. That’s reason enough to snag a copy of the TRUE BELIEVERS: VENOM VS. SPIDER-MAN one-shot. It’s a great story, that every Spider-Man fan needs to read. But, unless you are a collector that needs the original, this is a great way to obtain a copy of the story for just one single dollar.
Writer David Michelinie was hitting his stride during his lengthy stint as Spider-Man scripter, and Venom remains one of his greatest creations. The origins date back to the very first SECRET WARS limited series, where Spider-Man obtains a new black costume of alien fabric during an interplanetary battle with The Beyonder. After returning to Earth, Peter Parker learns that his new costume is a living, thinking symbiotic being. With Reed Richard’s assistance, Spider-Man uses a sonic blaster to rid himself of the creature. The essence of the creature escapes, determined to seek revenge after finding a suitable new host. The perfect vessel becomes available in the form of journalist Eddie Brock. Brock achieved short-lived fame as the newspaper reporter who wrote the confession of a serial killer, only to be disgraced and unemployed after Spider-Man apprehended the real killer and exposed Brock’s suspect as a phony. The story of how Brock/Venom almost destroyed Parker/Spider-Man is one of the all-time best Spider-Man stories. Now everybody can read it.
This issue also features some of the best work artist Todd McFarlane did for Marvel, before he broke away to found Image Comics and really showcase his illustration style with SPAWN. You can see the beginnings of that visual creativity here, and also detect some of the other artists that helped influence McFarlane. There’s a lot here that reminds me of the style of John Byrne.
Marvel has recently released a few more TRUE BELIEVER bargain issues reprinting classic Venom stories, including the first appearance of Carnage (even nastier than Venom). In the coming months (April and beyond) we can look forward to new Venom stories in VENOMIZED, a five-issue weekly series; a trade paperback edition of 2017’s VENOMVERSE and EDGE OF VENOMVERSE epics; a 1,000-page VENOM omnibus; plus re-issues of former trade paperbacks featuring Venom, including SPIDER-MAN BIRTH OF VENOM and five others. Two first-time trade paperback collections of Venom will be released in August and September. Don’t forget the new VENOM #1 coming in May.
It’s the 30th anniversary of the character, and Marvel has no intention of letting us forget that. More than I really need. It seems Venom is the new Deadpool. Also, don’t forget the movie currently in post-production.
BC RATING SYSTEM
STORY: A classic. Great to get reacquainted with it. 3 POINTS.
ART: McFarlane art. Bonus. 2.5 POINTS
COVER: Reproduces the image from the original issue. Would have been better to draw it again, and feature Venom as well as Spider-Man. 1 POINT.
READ AGAIN? I just did. You will too. It still holds up. 1 POINT.
RECOMMEND? Absolutely. You would not be remiss to recommend this issue to curious new-comers. 1 POINT.
TOTAL RATING: 8.5 POINTS. Well above average. Don’t miss it.
No comments:
Post a Comment