After his run-in with the Human Fly in ‘Venom’ #16, Flash decides that the only way that he and his friends will ever be free of Crime-Master’s threat will be if the Crime-Master is no more. To that end, Flash takes the Venom symbiote and heads to Vegas for one final hit.
In Vegas, the Crime-Master is inviting Human Fly to join a new group of hoods, including Jack O’Lantern, Megatak, and Death Adder. As the negotiations continue, Venom appears in the rafters above the villainous gathering and prepares his sniper rifle to take out Crime-Master.
But before Venom can summon the willpower to pull the trigger… oh… here’s where the SPOILERS come in…
Anyway, just before Venom can pull the trigger ex-Venom (and ex-Anti-Venom) Eddie Brock arrives on the scene and attacks, alerting the criminals to Venom’s assassination attempt. When Venom is attacked by all six villains at once, he realizes quickly that he is outmatched. When Crime-Master begins threatening Flash’s friends and family again, Venom decides that the only way to protect them is to cut his losses for now. He flees to recoup his senses and live to fight another day.
As the issue closes, Crime-Master has captured Eddie Brock and we learn the purpose of his having Venom steal the Toxin symbiote a few issues back. Now Venom has his own version of Spidey’s Sinister Six and next issue, we get the proper introduction to “The Savage Six”.
[Okay… the spoilers are over. Read on.]
Rick Remender’s ethically torn and tortured Venom continues to be one of the most interesting takes on the Venom character that’s come along since Eddie Brock first bonded with the symbiote 24 years ago. Remender manages to introduce new elements like the Crime-Master, the Secret Avengers, and Flash’s military background while keeping some of the Venom backstory to fuel the fire. It makes for something fresh and exciting that hasn’t been done with the character before. So, if you’ve not given this version of Venom a chance, I suggest picking up a copy. You won’t regret it.
Verdict: Buy
VENOM #17
Written by RICK REMENDER and CULLEN BUNN
Art by KEV WALKER and TERRY PALLOT
Cover by MIKE DEL MUNDO
