Venom returns this week with a milestone 250th issue after an excellent 10-issue run in All-New Venom. The title of the series may have changed, but Mary Jane is still Venom and trying to figure out her complicated relationship with the symbiote. Also on the scene is Knull, who is getting his own series in December, and returns in this issue! Can Venom #250 live up to the legacy of everyone’s favorite symbiote?
Venom #250 only contains two tales, with one lengthy main one and a quicker flashback backup. I say “only”, as most milestone issues are extra-sized because there are so many mini tales. Here, the main story is extra long, written by Al Ewing with art by Terry Dodson and Todd Nauck, and features two plots. One follows Mary Jane as Venom, while the other focuses on a Skrull who has important information regarding Knull’s return!
Venom #250 opens in deep space, where a Skrull named Captain R’Gars is recording a message in case he doesn’t make it all the way to Earth. His message begins with information about a “cult of Knull,” which leads him to detail how he has acquired new information and the exploits taken to board a ship headed for Earth. This story cross-cuts with scenes with Venom/MJ, adding a nice space action frenzy with an on-Earth Venom story.
Overall, Captain R’Gars’ story adds a space opera vibe with big action and high stakes. It’s all building towards the eventual return of Knull, and a reminder of how powerful an army of symbiotes can be. It also all builds towards a cliffhanger involving Knull himself and a key Marvel villain you won’t see coming.
MJ is getting comfortable as Venom.
Credit: Marvel
Mary Jane’s story serves as a nice jumping-on point if you haven’t caught the MJ/Venom bug yet. We’re eased into her being Venom gracefully as she heads to meet her manager. She’s been missing auditions because of that superhero life, mirroring Spider-Man’s usual tardiness to things. This tale is decidedly street-level, right down to the surprise villain that aims to ruin Venom’s day. At the end of the day, it’s a story that shows Mary Jane as a bona fide hero trying to juggle a job and real life, to no avail.
If you’re looking for major revelations as far as Mary Jane’s side of the story, you might feel disappointed. This is more of a check-in with a hint that we’ll see her trying to manage living a normal life while being a hero. It’s not exactly new territory if you’ve ever read a Spider-Man comic, but it sets a new status quo since it’s fully out that she’s Venom.
Nauck draws the Skrull scenes in space, while Dodson takes on the on-Earth scenes with Venom. Dodson does a great job with the fight scenes, making them easy to follow and giving the goopy symbiote a cool, alien look. It suits the street-level vibe, while Nauck does a great job with the space stuff. Lots of detail and accuracy when it comes to Skrull and Kree looks abound.
A quick Eddie story wraps things up.
Credit: Marvel
Closing out the issue is a story by Charles Soule and Carlos Gomez. This story features Eddie Brock as Venom and fits nicely between issues #4 and #5 of Venom: Lethal Protector. It’s on the shorter side, but it gives Eddie fans a little taste of Venom action. It also hammers home the addictive qualities of having a symbiote, which is a nice touch.
Venom #250 celebrates the symbiote’s legacy with a sleek mix of cosmic stakes and street-level heroics. While Mary Jane’s journey doesn’t push far into new territory, the blend of high-stakes Skrull intrigue, Knull’s looming presence, and a nostalgic Eddie Brock short makes this a worthy milestone issue.
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