Welcome back to Venom Unleashed!
The road to Queen in Black is here, especially after reading Venom #259 out today. The Venom corner of the Marvel Universe has rarely felt this unpredictable. With Venom #259 hitting stores today and Queen in Black #1 arriving on July 22, major pieces are moving into place as Al Ewing continues building toward a cosmic war between Knull and Hela that could reshape the symbiote mythos once again. Meanwhile, Mary Jane Watson’s tenure as Venom continues to spark discussion among readers, especially given her striking new look, evolving relationship with the symbiote, and unanswered questions about her future.
This month, for the second time, Marvel Editor Jordan D. White returns to answer your questions, offering new insights into MJ’s status as Venom, Knull’s latest transformation, the possibility of new Venom villains, and whether classic symbiote lore could one day be revisited. He also teases what readers can expect from Queen in Black, shares behind-the-scenes details on character designs and editorial reactions, and drops a few intriguing “keep reading” hints along the way.
We’ve also got exclusive artwork to share and a brand-new survey where you can submit your own questions for Jordan.
So dive in, enjoy the latest answers, and start thinking about what you want to ask next as the countdown to Queen in Black continues.
Venom #259 is out today in comic book shops!
Kiekan asks: The recent All-New Venom and current Venom runs (from #250 onward) do a fantastic job exploring the physical and psychological bond of the host-symbiote dynamic. Looking forward, will future stories reconcile the symbiote’s conflicting origins? I’m especially fascinated by the contrast between Knull’s hive lore and the ’90s Planet of the Symbiotes super specials, which established Venom as an outcast exiled and imprisoned for favoring partnership over dominance (and then eventually being sucked into the Beyonder’s Battleworld). Is there room to explore, bridge, or reconcile those two versions of symbiote lore?
Jordan D. White: I have not read Planet of the Symbiotes in many years! I am sure those two are not TOO hard to reconcile. There are no plans to reckon with it right now, but I have always wanted to do a Venom mini retelling of the early Venom stories from Eddie’s POV, given all the retcons that have happened since then.
A page from Planet of the Symbiotes!
Credit: Marvel
Golden-Spider asks: If there was ever a Spider-Man family book that featured all the mainline Spider characters (Peter, MJ, Miles, Gwen, Bailey, etc.), how do you think Venom/MJ’s dynamic on a team like that would be? And would you ever want to do a book like that? Probably never going to happen, but I had to ask. Because I would read a book with Peter and MJ/Venom working with those guys month to month in a heartbeat. Especially love to see Venom/MJ meet Spider-Gwen.
JW: It’s funny–you’re ALMOST describing the new SPIDER-VERSITY series, except that Peter and MJ are not in it. Honestly, I think MJ is more interesting solo than on a super team. Though for something CLOSE to that, you can check out QUEEN IN BLACK, where she is working very closely with a number of heroes–one of whom has the initials P.P.
Twisted Lemon asks: Will we see more Venom-specific foes after the QIB event? Obviously, I’m aware Knull is a big Symbiote player but a lot of adversaries MJ has gone up against lately are from other corners of the Marvel U–whilst this isn’t a bad thing by any means I’d like to see her get more of her own rogues that aren’t borrowed from other heroes, could we possibly see the return of the Digger Robots from Lethal Protector? Or Carlton Drake again? maybe even an all-new villain to fight against an all-new Venom! Thanks!
JW: I think, Knull aside, it’s unlikely we’re going to be seeing any of Venom’s non-borrowed foes any time soon… but you never know! I think it’s more likely we would get all-new villains. And, as you said, I have quite enjoyed seeing the duo up against surprising villains from other parts of the MU. Madame Masque was a delightful nemesis for the All-New Venom run.
New villains, you say?
Credit: Marvel
Venom series/character questions:
Jay asks: Was it always the plan to bring Captain Alliance back, or was there a change of mind? His death looked pretty permanent before.
JW: We certainly planned for him to return when we killed him. I think Al might not have planned for him to live when he STARTED writing VENOM #250, but by the time he finished the issue, he enjoyed writing him so much he knew he would be bringing him back.
Somehow, Captain Alliance returned!
Credit: Marvel
Devan asks: Why is MJ’S hair colored orange? A lot of comics previously had her hair colored dark red, including the issues of ASM during the Death Spiral crossover. Is this a mistake or intentional?
JW: Just different colorists having different interpretations of red hair, I think.
And Twisted Lemon also wonders about hair, asking: Usually, Symbiotes cover their hosts’ hair when they transform. Was there a specific reason to keep MJ’s hair exposed in this redesign? Or was it just a case of it being too iconic to change?
JW: I think as you said. We did look at versions with no hair showing, but folks wanted that famous MJ hair to give her a little more of an MJ/Venom look. And I will say, we didn’t just want her to look like any old Lady Venom look.
Ian Morton asks: Will we eventually get a definitive answer as to whether it was MJ or the symbiote who dropped Torment?
JW: That is definitely a “Keep reading, True Believer” kind of question!
Who dropped Torment? Wait and see, True Believers! Credit: Marvel
Sean asks: When news of MJ’s status as the new Venom host broke within Marvel, what kind of reactions were there from writers and editors outside of the Venom/Spidey titles?
JW: Very positive–”Whoa!” “That’s crazy!” “I can’t wait to see that!” That sort of thing. That and, it’s no secret among all of editorial that there is a… passionate and vocal segment of fandom when it comes to Mary Jane, so there were definitely some folks thinking we were either brave or foolish. :)
Anonymous asks: I was deeply moved to see MJ refer to the symbiote as a “friend.” While we can reasonably assume she won’t stay Venom forever, can we hope that, much like Flash Thompson, she will remain a key figure in Venom’s inner circle? Will this development be preserved, rather than being undone the moment the books need to return to the Eddie Brock/Venom status quo?
JW: That all depends on the book. If what you posit here happens – if the symbiote and Eddie are the new Venom – I cannot see MJ wanting to have anything to do with Eddie. But I assume that she and the symbiote will forever have some sort of bond, no pun intended.
The panel where MJ calls them friends, from Venom #258.
Credit: Marvel
Knull questions:
Vovina asks: Did Knull straight-up eat the Eventuality to absorb the dregs of his power?
JW: AH–I am afraid you are slightly confused. That was not The Eventuality that Knull killed, it was The Illuminated. He first appeared in the VENOM: ORIGINAL SIN Infinity Comic and then in a print edition one-shot of the same. The Illuminated is the version of Eddie who DOESN’T become the King in Black because he kept the power of the light after the KING IN BLACK event. In the story, the Eventuality also shows up and helps The Illuminated through some trouble he gets himself into trying to undo one of Eddie’s many past mistakes. But to answer your question, yes–Knull absolutely used All-Light to drain The Illuminated dry and take his power.
Knull sure was hungry. A scene from Knull #4.
Credit: Marvel
H-E-D asks: About Knull’s new design and direction as the God of Light, here’s a deep cut question: Does this connect in any way to Ichor, the Antithesis of Venom from the Circle of Four crossover back in the Agent Venom days? The resemblance is uncanny.
JW: I do not believe that was intentional, no! We went to Ryan Stegman to give Knull his new design, and he tackled it – there was certainly no talk of Ichor that I was involved in.
And that’s a wrap on answers, but wait, there’s more!
Scroll down for a peek at exclusive unlettered panels for future symbiote-related comics, and once you’re done oggling those, fill out the survey to get your questions potentially answered by Jordan D. White!
Survey below. Get your questions in by July 6, 11 a.m. ET
Can’t see the form below? Click here!
You must be logged in to post a comment.