At long last, a mystery solved. There is a new host for one of Marvel’s most polarizing characters. Dylan Brock has made it a mission to find out who. Suspects have ranged from Luke Cage to Madame Masque. Masque has drawn out the Lethal Protector. M.O.D.O.K. is on the scene as well. With innocents in the crossfire, will this be a short career for the all new VENOM?
ALL NEW VENOM #5 by Al Ewing, Carlos Gómez, Frank D'Armata, and Clayton Cowles exposes the identity of its’ latest host.
Let’s not delay any longer and find out who it is.
ALL NEW VENOM #5 by Al Ewing, Carlos Gómez, Frank D'Armata, and Clayton Cowles (Marvel Comics)
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
Ewing draws out the reveal through Robbie Robertson. He is investigating Dylan Brock’s search. It brings him to the doorstep of Paul Rabin and Mary Jane Watson. The conversation is frank as Robbie has pieced together the identity. Paul plays shocked in response to questions. The writing alludes to his blindness of truth. As his probing becomes harder, Paul slips further into a panic denial. All the while, Venom has its hands full.
The majority of the chapter hones in on Venom and Sleeper versus M.O.D.O.K. There is plenty of action to go around. Venom itself carries a new energy to it during the melee. Readers can instantly sense there’s a heroic vibe to the symbiote. The conflict concludes on a very unorthodox move. It proves challenging as far as heroics go. There’s little time to process as Venom retreats to a familiar spot. Once here, all points circle back to a common ground. The last page says it all with many more thoughts behind it. Readers will have to let this era of Venom play out before judgement is made.
Gómez and D'Armata bring the action with this chapter. They open the fight with a near full page shot of M.O.D.O.K. unloading on Sleeper. It’s a great example of how powerful the villain is. Venom’s response is almost comical in presentation. Granted, its’ fighting a monster head but the move is a but too “Looney Tunes”. It causes a drastic response via near full page image.
The art team spotlights the symbiote pairing saving others. It creates a thrilling feel as the fight heads to its’ end. Once here, the attack goes BIG to stop the villain once and for all. The fallout eases fans back into a normal state. This catches up with Robbie’s questioning and Paul’s frantic reactions. This all builds towards the revealing final page. The full page image leaves no doubts on who the host is. Where we go from here is anyone’s guess.
OVERALL GRADE: 8
Venom’s new host is introduced behind an action packed chapter. Ewing sets events in motion with solid writing. Gómez and D'Armata give fans an energetic brawl before dropping the big news. A new era of the Lethal Protector definitely begins now.
Let me know in the comments below your thoughts on All New Venom #5. Thanks for reading!