I feel like I’m out of the loop… when did Flash Thompson and Peter Parker become BFF’s? To be honest I’m not sure I’m ready  to live in a world where Peter and Flash are anything other than bully and bullied. All that aside, I loved ‘The Amazing Spider-Man #654.1, love it.

Flash Thompson is the new Venom, but not the Eddie Brock killer/cannibal/all around thorn in Spidey’s side, he and the United States Army are using the Symbiote for good. Flash, who lost both legs below the knees while in the Army, has become one percent bonded to the Venom symbiote, which grows a pair of legs for him while he’s in the suit. He will star as a hero working for the military in his own ongoing series starting with Venom #1 and will encounter many heroes and villains of the Marvel Universe.

Amazing 654.1 focuses on Flash and his first couple of missions as “Agent Venom”, first a covert mission to put a tracking device on a suspected terrorist and then following that same tracker to rescue a rich Middle-Eastern oil tycoon from the same terrorists. Flash’s Venom is completely different from the Eddie Brock Venom, rather than a roided up black version of Spider-man, he has adopted a more paramilitary look complete with firearms and other badassary.

While Flash is chock full of power and legs when bonded with Venom, it’s not all roses and puppy dog tails, he has a 48 hour time limit to be bonded with the Symbiote. At the 48 hour mark Flash is required to un-bond  with Venom, via a “sonic purge” and 100% of the symbiote is placed into a containment unit to stay safely hidden away until the next mission.

In this issue we get to tag along with Flash on his first solo mission, and while he saves the day and completes the mission it’s not with out complications. When his “Venom Legs” get temporarily blown off he has a brief episode and “Venoms” out, turning into the monster we all know and love. He even bites the hand off one of the attacking terrorist, but in a moment of comedy lets everyone know he’s not a cannibal because he didn’t swallow.

I really can’t wait to see what happens with this story, I love the new take on Venom as a Real American Hero. Don’t forget to look for Venom #1 hitting shelves in March 2011.

Rating 8/10 (I can’t wait to see what happens with this new take on Venom)

As a special treat here is a look at the new Venom: