If you told a Venom fan in the 1990s that the character would become a mind-bending look at identity and time travel, and you’d probably think they were lying. That’s now the case, especially with Al Ewing and Cafu’s Venom #29, which takes us back to the Garden of Time and new information on how Meridius was created. He’s Eddie Brock’s greatest rival currently, and he’s also Eddie Brock’s final form. Or so he thinks!
The mind-bending nature of this series continues, and if you like that sort of thing, dig in and enjoy Venom #29. The idea of “paths” is explored, with the issue opening with Tyro’s thoughts. He’s a version of Eddie Brock that’s green and a bit slow. He wants to learn, but Meridius is cruel to him and isn’t interested. So begins a journey spurred on by the treatment Meridius gives him on a journey that connects the two intriguingly. I won’t spoil it here, but know that Meridius and his personality come into focus much more.
It’s Tyro’s thought process that is so compelling. Ewing does a good job reminding us of the various versions of Eddie and how the Garden of Time works. You could probably go into this issue blind and generally know what is happening, which is saying something since it’s all very complex. One character with multiple personalities all living at the same time? It’s a crazy notion, which Ewing explores in a maximum way. The concept of identity, empathy, and planning for a character that lives at multiple ages of development at the same time and place is a real trippy notion.
Thrown into the mix is Kang, who has appeared in previous issues, but we get to see how he’s involved in the creation of Meridius here. Even though Tyro and Meridius aren’t the Eddie or Venom we know, seeing them interact with such a prominent Marvel Cosmic figure is interesting. While Donny Cates and Ryan Stegman propelled Venom from street brawler to alien god status, Ewing takes him further, expanding on what they built and propelling Venom into a cosmic entity and god. This issue helps explain how that comes to be.
Maybe Meridius is just hangry?
Credit: Marvel
Cafu may be one of the best artists to render cosmic entities and space scenes. Paired with color artist Frank D’Armata, these two create visuals that play with light and form that help convey otherworldly characters beyond flesh and blood. That includes Kang, who has strange glowing eyes and a bizarre skin color. Tyro’s alien nature is critical, especially when he starts transitioning from pointy teeth and Venom’s face to a more humanoid look. The creative team does a good job essentially stripping the humanity from these characters, even when it was almost nonexistent in Tyro but most obviously missing when it comes to Meridius.
Props must also go to Cafu for an incredible cover that at once explains what the book is about but doesn’t give anything away, either. For a cosmic book like this, the cover conveys the weirdness but also the identity focus of the narrative.
Outside of understanding Meridius a bit better, this issue also addresses where this may be going. It may be because it could all be conjecture, given the multiple identities and the developments of Eddie being unstuck from a possible future as Meridius. Speaking of conjecture, that may be the biggest gripe most fans will have. Since most of this issue is about understanding Tyro’s perspective, there’s a lot to hold in your mind. Missing are big action scenes with punching and kicking, with most of this issue’s entertainment requiring you to put yourself into Tyro’s perspective. Some may balk at the idea, but it’s worth a read if you’re patient.
If you like psychological thrillers, Venom is a real treat. Continuing to evolve what this character can do and possible futures for him in a way that spans time and space is incredibly rewarding. This is the kind of storytelling you could never anticipate, making for riveting stuff.
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