MARCO SPEAKS SPIDEY: Death of the Venomverse (2023) #1 REVIEW

Every now and then, the perfect comic book comes along, where you just know from the very beginning that you won’t have to use up too much brainpower to enjoy the title. It also helps when the cover itself explains the whole story in three simple words. Kill. All. Venoms. Simplicity, in this case, is a very good thing. You know what to expect right from the start, and you are confident that you can just sit back, relax, and enjoy beautiful carnage, unleashed by, well… Carnage. While admittedly, the visuals overshadow the script and plot in this initial issue, one cannot deny that Carnage is literally growing and developing as a character. After all, his whole existence now revolves around sucking up power from villains and other symbiotes, killing all the different Venoms all across the multiverse, and training himself to be ready to take on the original Venom, the one true king, himself.

OFFICIAL MARVEL DESCRIPTION:

Published:

August 02, 2023

Writer:

Cullen Bunn

Penciler:

Gerardo Sandoval

Cover Artist:

Bjorn Barends

THE END OF THE VENOMVERSE IS HERE! CULLEN BUNN and GERARDO SANDOVAL reunite to bring the symbiotic ax down on the VENOMVERSE! CARNAGE has been building his powers up, extracting unique abilities from many villains throughout the MARVEL UNIVERSE to the point of traversing the Multiverse with ONE GOAL: KILL ANY AND ALL VENOMS!

PROS:

• The biggest source of satisfaction any reader will get from this first issue is seeing so many variations of our favorite characters in one place. Not only do we get to meet all sorts of Venoms, teaming up to track down and stop Carnage… but we also get to see unique interpretations of superheroes like Spider-Man, Deadpool, and Hawkeye. Not only that, but at the end of the first installment, we get treated to a glimpse of the Symbiote Six, who look to use their strength in numbers when they go toe-to-toe with Carnage.
• The art is not only flawless in the issue, but it is also a perfect fit for the kind of tale that is being told… one of chaos, destruction, and pure violence. Recognition must be given to the creative team for portraying such a contrast between the vulnerable Venoms versus the continually changing Carnage. Carnage is only just one being, without a host, yet he immediately gives off the aura of a betting favorite, despite the obvious numbers game being played by the Venoms. Too bad for them, any kind of advantage they hope for will be unfortunately very minimal.
• I am totally sipping the Carnage juice right now, and I love how they show him as so calculated and methodical in his approach nowadays. Even the heroes are giving him some praise, because honestly, we’re all looking at the most powerful and dangerous version of Carnage ever to exist. And not only is he stealing power and taking it on as his own, but he is also practicing his combat skills against other Venoms, in order to get ready for the main event. This is such masterful and excellent build-up to what will surely be a fight for the ages.

CONS:

• While there are so many heroes and Venoms from alternate realities in this book, not much attention or spotlight is given to them, and certainly not enough is given to significantly make readers want to cheer for them or take their side. It may be a twisted world we live in, but I can’t help but get on my feet and root for Carnage, who is obviously the evil villain in this scenario. It is a very similar situation when you watch a horror movie and end up wishing the slasher wipes out all the annoying teenagers by the end of the film.

FINAL GRADE: A

This comic may not challenge your core philosophies as a person, or shake your soul to its very core, but it will undeniably give you a good time. It’s the perfect kind of book to entertain you on a Saturday morning, as you enjoy the beginning of a wonderful weekend ahead. While the script is quick, fast, and hard-hitting, the real star of the show is the art, which never lets up even until the final page. It’s just a different kind of feeling when a comic book just naturally and effortlessly makes you smile during and after a read. And that is what I ended up with during this beautiful Saturday morning in the Philippines. Carnage definitely hits different.