Anti-Venom is Such an Obvious New Character Name...

...I'm not sure what took them so long.

Since the One More Day story changed so much in Spider-Man, I was reluctant to start reading the Brand New Day stuff.  However, after I saw a teaser poster at the local shop of the New Ways to Die story-line with images of Venom struggling with an inverse-color Venom-like creature I had to add Spidey to my list.

Last week they put into place the origin of this new Anti-Venom with a background that doesn't take a great leap in logic to piece together.  Eddie Brock, formerly host of the Venom symbiote, is spotted at the FEAST Homeless Shelter by a reporter trying to dig up dirt on the proprietor Mr. Li (who also happens to be the villain Mr. Negative) during an interview.  It is revealed that Brock is trying to get his life back in order after rejecting the Venom symbiote and is currently battling with cancer.

One note of suspicion the reporter brings up is so-called miraculous recoveries by people at the shelter.  During this exchange, we see Mr. Li apparently charging Brock with some of his negative energy powers potentially causing healing within his body.

With his established link to this negative energy, a strong diversion to the Venom symbiote which he blames for the downturn in his life, and his desire to turn his life around; this week we see Brock announce that he now shows no sign of the cancer he had and is healthier than ever.

And, later as Venom attacks Brock and tries to overtake him, the symbiote finds the contact with Brock painful.  Whether through his sheer will fueled by his rejection and hatred of the symbiote, or his contact with Mr. Negative (or some combination of the two) Brock finds himself combined with a seemingly opposite version of the Venom symbiote most appropriately named Anti-Venom.

Certainly Anti-Venom will be as violent and destructive as Venom.  But, will Anti-Venom be the hero Venom has been presented to the public to be under the command of Norman Osborn's Thunderbolts?  Or, will Anti-Venom just be single-minded in his goal to destroy Venom?

One thing's for sure:  I can't wait to find out.

The Point Blank Critic

My Return to Comic Books

So, I haven't talked about comic books on here before.

Until the last few months, I hadn't read many.  I had a great love for our classic super's in the early 90's when the business was huge.  People were buying comics up expecting them to be worth big money later.

Except if they buy so many, they aren't rare.  Thus, they never really grew in value to the point that was anticipated and the market plunged suddenly.  That's when some crazy things happened.  Batman's back was broken by Bane and Superman is killed by Doomsday.  Amazing stories aimed at bringing back readers.  But somethings just got ridiculous after that.  Superman's energy powers among them.  What I think really disenchanted me at that time was the Spider-man clone stories.  It was confusing and, even beyond the suspension of disbelief it takes to read superhero stories, it was ridiculous.

Well, then I was in high school and later college and often did not have spare money to spend every week.  Recently, however, I got a better job and discovered the local store.  Since then I have been reunited with some of my favorite characters and it's like none of the silliness never happened.  Now, with all forgiven I make sure that every Wednesday I get the latest issues of my favorites.

As such, I would like to add this to my repertoire of topics I talk about here as I attempt my triumphant return with a renewed vitality.  Soon I hope to comment on some recent story lines I've been reading.

The Point Blank Critic