*This review contains spoilers*

The Good

After months of teasing and one vicious brawl later, writer Cullen Bunn presents us with his conclusion to the feud between Flash Thompson and Eddie Brock... and I'm pretty pleased it didn't go a totally cliche route. Don't get me wrong, this issue doesn't really change the book's formula or anything along those lines. It's still mostly a big fight and it's not heavy on plot, but it does a great job getting right to the core of these two characters and definitely provides a fitting and somewhat unexpected conclusion to their violent conflict.

Bunn absolutely has a firm grip on the characters and makes this feud one that's definitely worth reading for any symbiote fan. Aside from one remark from Flash which felt a little too campy for my taste, I adore how the focus of this one is really on Eddie Brock. We're talking about a man who sincerely thinks he's a hero, but he's clearly been more of a villain the entire time. We get a few shining moments of that as Brock confronts Thompson while they're surrounded by innocents. At first, it's clear Brock's a good man and has no desire to fight him there, but when push comes to shove, it's transparent he's not above with letting his hate take the wheel and going full speed ahead. Despite moments like that, I've always believed there's plenty of good in Brock, too, and it's great to see Bunn agrees as the action packed events play out.

Declan Shalvey's art really blows me away and makes this book worth every single penny. His work is jagged around the edges and incredibly rough -- it essentially feels like a dark and twisted cartoon, and that's a great vibe for the title. Additionally, the man is king when it comes to drawing symbiotes. They're simply savage looking and seeing them in combat is always a twisted spectacle. There's more than a few panels here where I simply had to take a few moments to let it all soak in and appreciate the rough take on the symbiotes. Venom gnawing on a slayer's face? Brutal. As the terrible events happen in the school's hallway, there's a panel of a child cowering under a table as a symbiote slayer walks past his empty room. It's a striking image and really conveys just how terrifying the scenario truly is.

The Bad

While I've been more than vocal about how much I love Shalvey's art, there a panel which really caught my eye. Venom's upperbody is massive, almost appearing bloated. Usually this isn't too big of a deal, but his legs seemed a bit too tiny and it makes for one awkward looking creature. There's so many fearsome panels of Venom in this issue, but that one made me feel like I was looking at some kind of odd animal with the symbiote on it.

It's also a bit disappointing how easily the enemies took down Toxin. I understand they had the numbers advantage, but I feel like Brock's extensive time with symbiotes and violent nature would grant him a better performance in a situation such as that one.

The Verdict

This is yet another issue where writer Cullen Bunn and artist Declan Shalvey show off they're a great team for VENOM. The plot remains a tad light, but the ridiculously good visuals, impressively fun action and firm understanding of the key characters makes this a great read each and every time. While this does seemingly wrap up Toxin's involvement (for now, at least), this school melee has apparently created a whole new plot point to the book: Andi seems to know Flash's secret. If so, I'm definitely curious to see if Bunn will have Thompson come clean or desperately try to hold onto his secret.

Thanks.

I'm mixed on it, but not to the point where it really took away from the issue for me. On one hand, he's caused plenty of damage while fighting Spider-Man in public (thrown cars at him, for example), so while I do think it's a tad out of character he'd be willing to throw down right there in the school, I also believe he would never intentionally hurt the children around them if it went down. Personally, I'm not sure what his rush was since he's already waited a long time to confront Flash. He could have waited until school let out and followed him or anything along those lines, but it is what it is, I suppose.

For sure, it's definitely possible. And based on Eddie's reaction to Thompson having the symbiote in school, it's clear he had no desire at all to harm kids. I'm just glad he didn't say "MEET ME AT THE FLAG POLE AFTER SCHOOL!" :P

I'm disappointed that Eddie let Flash go that easily.

All Flash had to his name was the hope that he could maybe do some good if Eddie let him live.

You know who Eddie killed before this? Scott Washington. Who had already done actual good. The Eddie who killed him also didn't have a symbiote rattling in his brain.

I absolutely agree it's a stark contradiction to Remender's handling of Brock, but truth be told, I prefer it and that's why it wasn't too big of an issue for me.

@k4tzm4n: @theacidskull:

Eddie's been murdering people and justifying it to himself for years.

He kills a cop in ASM 300 (and stuffs his corpse under the church floorboards) and calls it an "unfortunate, but necessary" act. He calls himself the Lethal Protector for years so he can feel good about murdering people he sees as evil - while screwing up the lives of anyone he's "protecting." He stalks the halls of his hospital killing nurses in a full on bout of schizophrenia after the thing gives him cancer, which leads to him attempting suicide a second time. He decides that he's messiah figure when a stroke of luck cures his cancer and gives him the Anti-Venom suit, and continues believing that up until and beyond killing Scott. Then he bonds to Toxin against his will and almost dies. Then he decides on a murder-murder-suicide pact with the very vengeful Toxin symbiote to get Venom, tracking him down for MONTHS AND MONTHS OF BUILD UP, after years and years of perfectly justifiable reasons to hate the thing, and you're telling me that at the moment of truth, when all the symbiote-slayer crap was finally taken care of, Eddie lets him go?

Bullsh*t.

DAMN YOU BUNN! YOU LEFT ME NO CHOICE BUT TO LIKE THIS ISSUE!!!

@theacidskull: @k4tzm4n: I absolutely agree with you, guys! I hated Remender's handling of Brock and while I didn't really enjoy the last few issues I think they were kinda necessary to make the transition from "mindless killing machine" to a more "relatable" portrayal of Brock seem a little less jarring.

@innervenom123: We're all well aware of Brock's willingness to kill people in his way, but how would you have wanted it to conclude?

@k4tzm4n: The entire arc was set-up to end with a team-up and uneasy "I don't kill you until __" scenario, like the old relationship Eddie had with Peter (which I suppose is the point), but I don't like that.

Guess it would've been better for me if the arc was team-up first and then fight.

God! I was waiting for this moment, thank you Lord \o/

I just feel like Brock diserved yo be treated with more respect, considering all his history and showings among the years until this point..

nice review @k4tzm4n !

@theacidskull: I really don't see how Remender screwed Brock over.

Yeah, well, not the first time Eddie's almost been killed off. People keep trying to kill him off because it's either that or write the same plot with him over and over again. Now that he's repeating the same relationship he had with 90's Spider-man with Flash, I can see why.

@theacidskull: I thought you meant screwing him over in terms of character.

Leaving him burning alive because the Venom symbiote inadvertently screwed up his life again is pretty consistent with how Eddie's life has been for the past decade.

@theacidskull: What guy? Scott? Eddie didn't have the Anti-Venom suit, so he started going back to old habits. Which he was doing in the Anti-Venom suit in the first place (read New Ways To Live.)

@theacidskull: I don't understand what you're saying. Are you saying Wells did something bad or that Wells was mad at what they did?

@theacidskull: Brock was only good in NTWD because he was gunning for Gargan. Had Gargan not been there, Anti's brief conflict with Spider-man (and almost accidental depowering) would have been the main conflict.

NWTL didn't re-start the trend of Eddie hunting down druggies, either. A one-shot story made after NTWD, wherein Eddie meets Jenna in the first place, is the cause of that. NWTL just followed up on it and dove deep into his character.

While he did kill a bunch of scumbags in New Ways To Live he was still acting more like an anti-hero than a bad guy. Trying to be a hero didn't mean he wouldn't kill criminals from time to time! ;p

Killing Scott (who was a good guy!) because he didn't have the Anti-Venom suit anymore was still way out of character IMO.

Do you know what issue it was? I can't remember if I've read it...

Loving the art and loving the story. Venom ftw!

@hectorsquall:

@innervenom123:

This is exactly what i was thinking after reading this

Epic issue love brock n flash

@theacidskull: Yup. Like I said, it's how Eddie met Jenna. Written by Slott and everything.

Great Issue, I totally laughed when I saw the big bulky Venom with short legs.

this arc. has been border line perfect cullen bunn and declan shelvy are a perfect team, it's a real shame declan is leaving the title (well only doing cover's now on) but i love how cullen write's both flash and eddie like it's been pointed out he has a handle on both characters! i think from now people will think of eddie brock and only think of toxin rather than past incarnations which is what bunn set out to do! for me going forward improving sales etc. i'd love to see venom and toxin take join lead roles on this title keep the numbering and change the title to venom/toxin it set it apart from the competition!

Can't wait for this 1.