Venom Review: First Host, by Mike Costa
Recommended: Yes
Wow, this particular storyline is fantastic. I really enjoyed it!
I have one proviso to make on my recommendation -- even though this story is self-contained, you really need to have a bit of background on the Venom!verse to understand where things start. So I wouldn't recommend this as the very first Venom storyline you read. However, if you're a bit familiar, then I highly recommend this. The art is gorgeous, the storyline is suspenseful and has some great twists, and the ending... I don't want to give anything away, but it gave me feels.
SPOILERS
This story begins with Venom and Eddie raising their spawn. That is not only the set up, it's a crucial plot point, and the author really squeezes every bit of drama out of it.
There wasn't anything I didn't like about this story.
There's an interesting female character in a major role. The villain's journey has several great twists that arise from the premise that's been set up. There's an interesting (and heartbreaking) back-story development for Venom. The spawn has an interesting role, and a fantastic, if rather gross, resolution. The powers the spawn has are really interesting! The theme of trauma due to war is dealt with in a way that didn't raise my hackles, even when it's part of the villain's backstory -- but do note that war crimes are a major plot point. And the plot itself has a coherency and tension that none of the other arcs I've read so far have had.
Once again, The Man ends up being Venom's villain, as has been the case with every comic I've read so far. I really do admire the bait and switches Costa uses to reveal the villain though. As is so often the case with good comics, things are not always as they seem at first glance. I really like that, it makes for great storytelling.
Finally, this is the first experience I've had of Venom in space, which I loved. I'm stoked about it as a possible fanfic avenue as well, now that I've seen how they tackle it in canon.
This is just a really solid and enjoyable bit of storytelling, and my favourite Venom comic so far. I can't wait to read more of Mike Costa's run now.
This entry was originally posted at https://cupidsbow.dreamwidth.org/441563.html.
Wow, this particular storyline is fantastic. I really enjoyed it!
I have one proviso to make on my recommendation -- even though this story is self-contained, you really need to have a bit of background on the Venom!verse to understand where things start. So I wouldn't recommend this as the very first Venom storyline you read. However, if you're a bit familiar, then I highly recommend this. The art is gorgeous, the storyline is suspenseful and has some great twists, and the ending... I don't want to give anything away, but it gave me feels.
SPOILERS
This story begins with Venom and Eddie raising their spawn. That is not only the set up, it's a crucial plot point, and the author really squeezes every bit of drama out of it.
There wasn't anything I didn't like about this story.
There's an interesting female character in a major role. The villain's journey has several great twists that arise from the premise that's been set up. There's an interesting (and heartbreaking) back-story development for Venom. The spawn has an interesting role, and a fantastic, if rather gross, resolution. The powers the spawn has are really interesting! The theme of trauma due to war is dealt with in a way that didn't raise my hackles, even when it's part of the villain's backstory -- but do note that war crimes are a major plot point. And the plot itself has a coherency and tension that none of the other arcs I've read so far have had.
Once again, The Man ends up being Venom's villain, as has been the case with every comic I've read so far. I really do admire the bait and switches Costa uses to reveal the villain though. As is so often the case with good comics, things are not always as they seem at first glance. I really like that, it makes for great storytelling.
Finally, this is the first experience I've had of Venom in space, which I loved. I'm stoked about it as a possible fanfic avenue as well, now that I've seen how they tackle it in canon.
This is just a really solid and enjoyable bit of storytelling, and my favourite Venom comic so far. I can't wait to read more of Mike Costa's run now.
This entry was originally posted at https://cupidsbow.dreamwidth.org/441563.html.