In spite of limited appearances over the past 20 odd years, Eddie Brock has always been a valuable commodity in the Marvel comics universe. A symbol of carnage, death and mayhem, Brock and the alter-ego he’s had throughout most of his life-span in comics, Venom, are always among the most devious villains when websites get bored and makes up their lists.
That alone makes it an interesting concept that Marvel decided to give Brock another lifeline and create the “Anti-Venom†character. After nearly succumbing to cancer, Brock meets up with the new Venom, Mac Gargan, and ironically, ends up nearly destroying him and becoming something much more powerful. Venom, turned inside out, both literally and figuratively, Anti-Venom is a picture of purity, as he has the ability to cure anyone of their most dysfunctional of vices, including taking powers away from heroes and villains alike, in addition to his costume being an inversion of the old Venom digs. However, when these powers are in the possession of someone like Brock, a cold-blooded killer turned savior, the end result isn’t exactly as black and white as his costume indicates.
Originally introduced in Dan Slott’s “New Ways to Die,†the character gets the solo treatment in “The Amazing Spiderman Presents: Anti-Venom- New Ways to Live.†Featuring the first three issues of this run, this trade paperback is a great introduction to the character and a throwback to Brock that many comic fans have been waiting for.
Between Slott’s work in the first issue and Zeb Wells’ excellent follow-up in the next two issues, it’s obvious that Brock has some staying power. Certifiably insane and possessive, yet undoubtedly righteous, Anti-Venom is a character that many a writer can have fun with. However, Slott and Wells don’t just tinker here; they form a personality and attitude that is a microcosm of the traditional Marvel character- tremendously strong in ability, yet flawed in character, but simultaneously intertwine elements of modern-day life, making Brock and his alter-ego accessible, fun and addicting.
Add in excellent pencils by Chris Bachalo and Paulo Siqueira, who end up doing so much more than making Brock look like an inside out Venom and you have so much more than Marvel looking to cash in on a solid character. After a look at a few of the splash pages, you’ll be convinced that the entire art team involved with this series is a step above many other teams out there and that this series has a distinct look that is anything but cookie cutter. Bloody and gritty, yet naive and playful, the artistry alone is enough to hook you into the cure for comic book mediocrity that this series provides.
At first glance, it’s easy to label this series as a potential cash cow for old school comic fans looking to relive their teenage years. In spite of that, due to top-tier writing and superb visuals, Anti-Venom is a character worth following for a while.
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