Venom #27 Review
Writer: Donny Cates
Artist: Juan Gedeon
Colours: Jesus Aburtov
Letters: VC’s Clayton Cowles
This issue is full on frantic action, revelations, teases and insanity. Donny Cates’ run on Venom has always scored quite highly here at CTG but this has been one of the best issues so far. Thrust into a parallel universe at the end of the previous issue the two Brocks have to deal with the consequences. And as the last issue revealed there is a massive symbiote presence here on this alternate Earth.
This has been one of the more action packed issues of recent times. The two brocks didn’t come over to this parallel Earth alone, they were also accompanied by Virus. More is revealed about this hero, and a tease towards the end of the issue makes the reader think we’re about to learn his secret identity but Cates’ manages to snatch the reveal away at the last minute.
If you’ve seen anything about this issue on social media you’ll know it’s also the first appearance of Codex, another villain who’s been teased for a while now in this run on Venom. We can’t really go into any more detail without major spoilers but know this is a frantic issue that complies with all the standard alternate reality tropes. We get to see familiar characters in brand new scenarios, instantly recognisable and twisted. It would be disappointing not to get that, but Cates’ manages to keep it fresh and exciting. It’s fair for readers to feel a bit of skeptisicm whenever a new parallel universe is introduced but rest assured Cates’ delivers the goods here.
It looks like it’ll be an interesting opportunity to explore the symbiote mythology in even greater detail than ever before. It’s also giving readers a good idea of what to expect when Knull makes his appearance later on in the year in the King in Black storyline. Cates’ has enjoyed rewriting and expanding the symbiote mythology and the Venom Beyond storyline looks to do this in even greater depth.
The art from Juan Gedeon is frantic and action filled, which is exactly what this issue calls for. He makes it clear from the first panel that we aren’t in Kansas anymore either. Thanks to rules of parallel universes we also get to see a slightly different take on a number of heroes readers will be familiar with and it’s nice to see Gedeons take on them. The only slight critisicm that could be leveled at the art is that Venom isn’t quite as detailed as other artists in this run have made him, but since this issue is action packed losing a little detail in most of the panels is perfectly acceptable.
Helping Gedeon show the readers that we are somewhere foreign and alien to us are the colours from Jesus Aburtov. He manages to give the bright lights of the city an ominous tint, the symbiotes red and blacks are everywhere helping to show us that this world has a massive symbiote presence.
One of the most exciting and revelatory issues in Cates’ entire run, an achievement in itself, this issue cannot be missed. The symbiote mythology is further explored and expanded on as more new questions are introduced. Virus and Codex are both exciting new characters. Parallel universes are always great fun and we’ve never come across a universe quite like this one. The art matches the frentic pace of the comic. Cates’ run on Venom is one of the most exciting things happening in comics at the moment and this is one of the best issues to date.
Artist: Juan Gedeon
Colours: Jesus Aburtov
Letters: VC’s Clayton Cowles
This issue is full on frantic action, revelations, teases and insanity. Donny Cates’ run on Venom has always scored quite highly here at CTG but this has been one of the best issues so far. Thrust into a parallel universe at the end of the previous issue the two Brocks have to deal with the consequences. And as the last issue revealed there is a massive symbiote presence here on this alternate Earth.
This has been one of the more action packed issues of recent times. The two brocks didn’t come over to this parallel Earth alone, they were also accompanied by Virus. More is revealed about this hero, and a tease towards the end of the issue makes the reader think we’re about to learn his secret identity but Cates’ manages to snatch the reveal away at the last minute.
If you’ve seen anything about this issue on social media you’ll know it’s also the first appearance of Codex, another villain who’s been teased for a while now in this run on Venom. We can’t really go into any more detail without major spoilers but know this is a frantic issue that complies with all the standard alternate reality tropes. We get to see familiar characters in brand new scenarios, instantly recognisable and twisted. It would be disappointing not to get that, but Cates’ manages to keep it fresh and exciting. It’s fair for readers to feel a bit of skeptisicm whenever a new parallel universe is introduced but rest assured Cates’ delivers the goods here.
It looks like it’ll be an interesting opportunity to explore the symbiote mythology in even greater detail than ever before. It’s also giving readers a good idea of what to expect when Knull makes his appearance later on in the year in the King in Black storyline. Cates’ has enjoyed rewriting and expanding the symbiote mythology and the Venom Beyond storyline looks to do this in even greater depth.
The art from Juan Gedeon is frantic and action filled, which is exactly what this issue calls for. He makes it clear from the first panel that we aren’t in Kansas anymore either. Thanks to rules of parallel universes we also get to see a slightly different take on a number of heroes readers will be familiar with and it’s nice to see Gedeons take on them. The only slight critisicm that could be leveled at the art is that Venom isn’t quite as detailed as other artists in this run have made him, but since this issue is action packed losing a little detail in most of the panels is perfectly acceptable.
Helping Gedeon show the readers that we are somewhere foreign and alien to us are the colours from Jesus Aburtov. He manages to give the bright lights of the city an ominous tint, the symbiotes red and blacks are everywhere helping to show us that this world has a massive symbiote presence.
One of the most exciting and revelatory issues in Cates’ entire run, an achievement in itself, this issue cannot be missed. The symbiote mythology is further explored and expanded on as more new questions are introduced. Virus and Codex are both exciting new characters. Parallel universes are always great fun and we’ve never come across a universe quite like this one. The art matches the frentic pace of the comic. Cates’ run on Venom is one of the most exciting things happening in comics at the moment and this is one of the best issues to date.
A Look Inside
