Venom War has been a battle literally in the ring, as key players like Eddie, his son Dylan, Venom, Meridius, Spider-Man, and Carnage all play a part. It’s an event that is more like an exclamation point on Al Ewing and Ram V’s picking up the mantle of Venom. Venom War #5 ends up being the ultimate chokeslam of conclusions and new beginnings as Dylan seemingly killed his own father, but for what?
Venom War #5 opens where we left off, as Eddie, on his knees in a pro wrestling ring, looks down at a gaping hole in his chest after Dylan stabbed him through. Captions spoken by the Venom symbiote detail how the notion of the King in Black is over, as Eddie will likely die. It’s a gripping opening made all the more dramatic as Meridius makes a grand entrance from the roof. A new challenger has entered the literal ring.
This issue perfectly balances the action with the interconnected dramas of the characters. From Venom’s love of Eddie and Dylan to future evil Eddie in Meridius, thinking he finally has the upper hand. There are also various symbiote looking on, Dylan’s future self, and Carnage and his necro-spear playing a part on the sideline. There’s a lot of pieces doing work here, and writer Al Ewing beautifully juggles them all.
What a great page!
Credit: Marvel
The first major conflict involves the necro-spear hurtling at Eddie to deal with the killing blow. It’s expertly drawn as the stakes are made very clear, and the moment slowed down to milliseconds. It moves so fast that nobody can avoid it, but a lucky last-minute move by future Dylan saves the day. It also seemingly introduces a new version of Venom that we’ll see in All-New Venom next week!
There’s also a full-on fight between Dylan and Meridius, which is pretty awesome. Iban Coello gets to show off more wrestling moves with goopy symbiote bits flying this way and that. The gold version of Venom emblazoned on the cover looks slick as hell, and it has colors by Frank D’Armata. There are splash pages here that’ll have you cheering, but Coello is also great at creating splashy panels that are quite striking. As far as fight comics, Coello makes you invested in every punch.
There are some interesting relationship elements at work here that only create more interesting dynamics as we advance. That includes Dylan’s relationship with his parents, like how he stabs Eddie or how the Venom symbiote leaves him. Throw in the state of Carnage by the end, and it’s a very exciting time to be a Venom fan.
From the top rope, Venom War #5 lands the ultimate finishing move in an excellent finale. It delivers a knockout finale packed with jaw-dropping action and an emotionally charged finale that not only closes this chapter with style but also sets up a thrilling new era for Venom.
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