Venom #1 (2021)

I really thought I was going to hate this book. For context: I am a lifelong fan of Venom. I’ve been there when he’s been serious, I’ve been there when he was silly, I’ve been there when he’s been good, I’ve been there when he’s been bad, and thus I can say with certainty that Donny Cates’ and Ryan Stegman’s Venom run was the best Venom run ever published and an all-time classic for Marvel as a whole. Any creator who had to follow in their footsteps was in for a rough ride, and when they announced who those creators were, I was deeply skeptical. The last time Al Ewing took over a book from Donny Cates, it was Guardians of the Galaxy, and that did not go so well. Meanwhile, Bryan Hitch has been out of form for awhile now, while I don’t have enough experience with Ram V to really get a handle on him. The solicitations were vague and scarce on details, only heightening my nerves. I went in expecting it to be at best a downgrade and at worst a complete disaster.



Instead, it’s everything a start to a new run should be. It’s compelling, it’s intriguing, it’s exciting. I walked away from it looking forward to the next issue. It feels like a seamless transition from one team to another. The writing was rock solid, the art unexpectedly good, and its exploration of the new status quo provides a solid foundation going forward. While Donny Cates will remain the gold standard, if this is a sign of things to come, he has left the book in good hands.