Cant Keep a Bad Knull Down
Art Team: Ryan Stegman, JP Mayer, Frank Martin
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Release Date: July 25, 2018
Cover Price: $3.99
Venom has been one of the more interesting 'Fresh Start' titles as it continues its deep dive into the origins of the symbiotes and their new found god Knull. While I wasn't a fan of the entire origin being explored again so soon, and being altered or changed on top of that, Cates has made me a believer slowly and methodically with the last few issues effort. It appears this issue might be full of the answers we've been waiting for since the series has begun, let's see what we have in store for issue number four here.
If you have any questions going into this issue regarding Knull Donnie Cates gives his best effort to answer anything that might be lingering in the corners of your mind by this issues end. The issue starts by exploring the very beginning for him, where a chance meeting with the Celestials goes wrong fast. From the very start Knull is shown as able to access the 'Void' or 'Blackness' and use a very basic form of it to take some of the pesky space gods with him.
From there Knull forms a clear mission, he hates all life, using the blackness to forge and create the first 'Living Blade' (later knows as the Necrosword), which he then goes on and uses to extinguish 'the light' or life, especially that created by Celestials it seems. The story eventually wraps around to the flashbacks we saw in issue one, even incorporating other call outs to Marvel's books, and other properties, which I always appreciate and find entertaining.
The issue eventually checks in on Eddie and Miles, where a nice twist is revealed about just where they really are, after all this discussing. Knull throughout the issue reveals more about the evolution, and the concept, of the symbiotes. How it grew from nothing, into a hive mind, and eventually the ultimate weapon before all being taken away from him, which he's now back to reclaim.
The issue concludes with our heroes, Venom and Spider-Man, a situation not progressing much at all but continuing to set this story up for interesting things in the future to come.
Overall things remain interesting and very intriguing as Venom and Spidey are off at the whims of Knull. I have no idea how they will get out of this situation, mostly because my imagination can't hold a candle to Cates, but he keeps bringing some fresh ideas to the Venom mythos I'm personally digging, without changing it too much at all in the end. I think the issues have been better off without a heavy reliance any more on the Vietnam past from the stories beginnings and have really gripped me since then. I can't wait to see how this arc wraps up as I find myself getting sucked into each issue more and more.
The art is high-quality comic book material. Ryan Stegman four issues in hasn't had a down moment yet and you can tell is having a blast with the horror feel to this Venom arc. I said it last issue I will say it again this issue this is my favorite comic book art in any title I'm reading right now. Dark, gritty, moody, its a perfect fit for this Venom title.
Bits and Pieces:
Venom takes a time out from focusing on the heroes to dive deep into the origins of Knull, exploring his distant past, more recent past, revealing why he's so powerful and now back on a mission of redemption in his own mind. Cates and Stegman continue to deliver a high-quality product that should please any new, or long-time Venom fan ... hell, even a regular run of the mill horror fan would have fun here, to be honest.
8.8/10
One of the best books Marvel is publishing at the moment.
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