Fierce rage built up in him, ready to overflow like lava from an erupting volcano. Only his steel will stood between him and completely losing himself to it. If he were to succumb, would anyone be safe from his wrath? But enough about me quitting smoking this month. I should probably get on with the subject to this month’s article. This article will be the first of four as I take a look back at a personal favorite storyline of mine from my youth, “Spirits of Venom”! This narrative concerns part one which was originally presented in “Web of Spider-Man” #95. Enjoy the coming chaos, Unspokenites!
A storm raged overhead as Spider-Man swung upon his webline. In his other hand, he carried the bound form of one of his most relentless foes, the Hobgoblin! Hobgoblin struggled in his web cocoon but to no avail. He was trapped. As he relaxed his taxed muscles, he complained to his wall-crawling enemy about how this was all unnecessary. The man he had tried to kill was only a contract to be fulfilled after all. It was nothing personal. Plus in the end, he had only defended himself. These words stung Spider-Man and he let go of his captive! He let him fall several stories before catching him at last. He then roared into the face of the assassin about how the taking of any life couldn’t be any more personal and he’d see the goblin punished for what he had done! Then, Spidey continued his swinging, heading to the nearest police station. This had all not gone unnoticed however. They were being watched from a distance…..(Seems like Spidey’s in a really bad mood. Grum-pee! What is it about attempted murder that strikes a nerve in most superheroes? Go figure. He just needs a calming cigarette. Sorry. I’m doing my best here.)
The two beings that were witnessing this scene were far from your usual bystander on the street. No. These two perched instead upon the head of a gargoyle statue that was affixed atop a tall building. One of them was known as the hellish Demogoblin! The other had no known name. He was a savage doppelganger of Spider-Man himself! (How’d these two monstrosities meet? I blame online dating sites personally.) The Demogoblin spoke to his growling comrade about how he and the Hobgoblin used to be one being, but now he and the other “sinner” who carried him must be slain! He would kill the Hobgoblin but he’d save Spider-Man for the Doppelganger to do with as it wished! This terrible twosome then began their pursuit! Spidey’s spider-sense suddenly warned him of danger! He immediately let go of his webline and he and the Hobgoblin began to plummet! A smart move, as the six-armed Doppelganger narrowly missed with its many claws! The wall-crawler then fired another web upwards and swung both of them to the top of an adjacent building. That’s when the demonic Demogoblin made his grand entrance!
Riding atop his hellfire glider, he decreed that all sinners would be sent into the pits of firey Hell by his righteous hand, starting with the two before him! (Okay. So it’s become apparent to me that the Demogoblin is in need of some serious therapy! Am I wrong?!) He continued by stating that all who aided the sinner, Hobgoblin, would burn as well! Still carrying the ensnared Hobgoblin, Spidey threw a kick at the Doppelganger, sending it crashing into the Demogoblin and stunning them both! Obviously at a disadvantage, Spider-Man shot another web and swung away in hasty retreat! He didn’t get far, as the Doppelganger fired a web of his own! Only this one has it’s own unique razor-webbing and it sliced right through Spidey’s line! This sent both he and Hobgoblin into a forced nosedive towards the pointed peak of a church roof!
Several blocks away and beneath the streets of Manhattan, two other heroes were on a quest of their own. Ghost Rider turned his flaming head, searching for his evil prey as Johnny Blaze, the man who was the Spirit of Vengeance before him, followed with his hellfire shotgun in hand. They were hunting evil creatures called Deathspawn and they were last seen entering these sewers. Suddenly, Blaze aimed upwards as he sensed something watching them from above! That’s when Venom dropped from the ceiling! (Damn! Who else is in this issue?! Why not add in Archie and Jughead while you’re at it?!) Ghost Rider and Blaze both assumed that Venom was here for them. That’s why they were surprised when he leaped past them to the killers that were hiding in the shadows! They were more human looking versions of these Deathspawn and as Venom tussled with them, more apparition-like creatures crept out to attack the dark heroes!
Meanwhile, Spider-Man and Hobgoblin had survived their fall. Spidey achingly pulled the goblin inside of the church through an unlocked window with sore arms. Hobgoblin once again stated how much easier this would all be if the web-slinger were to cut him free. Spider-Man of course declined. Their conversation was interrupted by the sudden appearance of a priest carrying a flashlight in shakey hands. He called out for them to reveal themselves in a frightened voice. Spider-Man stepped from the shadows, immediately putting the priest’s nerves at ease. Spider-Man asked for help. But before he could even finish his sentence, the priest agreed. He knew the goodness in this hero’s heart and was happy to be of service. (Finally! A bit of good luck for Spidey. I get tired of the whole “misunderstood hero” thing. The guy’s been around since 1962 for God’s sake! Yet he looks to be about 20 to 25 years old…..Comics are weird.)
The priest led them to the catacombs beneath the church to hide from their attackers. After, he then returned to the church’s main floor. But upon his arrival, he was terrified as he was standing face-to-face with the fanged Demogoblin and his many-limbed cohort! The priest ordered them to leave. This was hallowed ground and it would not abide their evil! Growing increasingly impatient, the Doppelganger lept towards the priest’s throat, ready to draw blood one way or another! But the Demogoblin would have none of this! Wasn’t this a man of God not unlike himself? No. The priest would live. He caught the beast by one of it’s arms and forced it back! Instead, he force the priest to lead them to their prey! Terrified, he began to lead them downstairs. Spidey’s luck held however and he noticed the trio before he could be attacked from behind. He made his presence known so that the Demogoblin would forget the priest. It worked! Too well, apparently, because the goblin threw a flaming pumpkin bomb towards Spider-Mans masked face! (Speaking of mental problems, can you imagine how much therapy this priest is gonna need after this night? Hell, you’d think any average person would need some strong meds just to live in a comic universe!)
In the sewers, Ghost Rider, Blaze, and Venom were having trouble of their own! For every Deathspawn they struck down, two more seemed to materialize! Venom, always a loner, soon tired of this and went after his original prey, the human-looking twin Deathspawn! Blaze fired his mystical weapon at the ceiling of the sewers, creating a large hole for them all to escape from. But Venom only cared about his own mission. He webbed up the two villains and escaped from the hole alone! In the church, Demogoblin threw the priest towards Spider-Man to exchange for Hobgoblin! Spidey caught him just as Venom burst through a recent hole that exploded from the catacombs floor! (Aaaand both stories have now intersected. Excellent storytelling. And the writer of this comic isn’t that bad either. ) Venom then spied his longtime arch-nemesis and leaped towards the wall-crawler, forgetting his webbed-up prize from moments ago! However, the Doppelganger would not be denied Spider-Man’s blood! It threw itself full force into Venom and the two monsters clashed in the shadows!
Demogoblin approached Spider-Man, ready to collect Hobgoblin! But this was interrupted as hellfire erupted from the large hole in the floor! Out came Ghost Rider, Blaze, and a horde of fleeing Deathspawn! When the Demogoblin spied Ghost Rider emerging from the sewers below, his fanged mouth spread into an awkward smile! He would slay an actual demon this night! Calling Ghost Rider by his supposed true demon name, he attacked the Spirit of Vengeance! To make matters worse, the still-bound Hobgoblin was being drug into the sewers by the evil wraiths! Ghost Rider and Demogoblin followed, entangled in battle! The same thing for Venom and Doppelganger as they fell in next! Blaze cleared the church catacombs of any remaining Deathspawn spirits with his hellish rifle! He then jumped in as well! (Whee! Sounds like fun! And less dangerous than most amusement park rides too!)
Only Spider-Man and the priest remained now. The rest of the combatants had already vanished into the sewers. Spidey spoke of his wife and family awaiting him at home. If he jumped in as well, there was a good chance he’d never come out alive again. The priest replied that he had already saved countless lives in his superhero career. There was no need to prove anything else. He should follow his heart. Spider-Man thanked the priest before he lept into the abyss and most probably his own certain doom.
to be continued…..
Dedicated to my nephew, Blade Miller, one of the strongest men I know.
Greetings and salutations, you sexy and clever fans of The Unspoken Decade! What’s that? Why am I kissing your butts? Me?! Never! Can’t a narrator praise his amazing readers? Good. I’m glad we cleared that up. (By the way, have you all been working out? It shows!)
Drake merely brushes the threat away and begins speaking of his master plan. Simply put? He wants Venom’s offspring to enhance bodyguards for the wealthy that have already purchased condos from him. (Devious, eh? He’s essentially like if Dr. Doom had an evil love child with the Monopoly Guy!) Just then, the fifth and final symbiote is born and quickly contained. Venom continues to thrash in outrage!
He notifies his wife that, though Venom has recently dropped off of the grid, crimes are being committed in true symbiote fashion all around the city. His stay in San Francisco may just be longer than expected. Back in the desert compound of the Life Foundation, Venom continues to attempt an escape. Sadly, the force of the Sonics is just too strong for the symbiote. But for the human within….? The thought coming to the venomous duo, Venom grins his many-fanged smile.
Back to Venom. While the villain has his back turned, speaking further of his sinister plans, Venom suddenly reaches through the orb with his human arm and seizes a guard! He then throws the minion into the control center for his prison, effectively shutting it down! Now free, the Lethal Protector begins tearing his way through the security personnel as if they’re no more than tissue paper! As he reaches for Drake, however, he is suddenly shot in the back by a sonic rifle! Brock and the symbiote drop unconscious. (Nekkid again, it should be noted. Someone, anyone, get this man some tighty whiteys!)
When the craft reaches the Life Foundation compound, Spidey enters and sneaks along the ceilings, unseen until that’s no longer an option. He battles armored goons left and right, slowly advancing upon the room where Venom is held captive. Within, Drake has decided that Eddie Brock has become more trouble that he’s worth! Using his sophisticated machines, he actually painfully strips the Venom symbiote from Eddie Brock! (Way to go, web-head! Just had to stick your nose where it didn’t belong! Now there is no Venom to finish this storyline! Well, I guess I could finish this with some thoughts on Marvel’s Powdered Toast Man Special #1. What’s that? Oh. The comic’s not over yet. Well, color me embarrassed. Please. Do continue.)
On to the next exciting issue! Spidey, still fighting guards, replies that Venom is a lot harder to kill than he thinks. Just then, one of the lab techs alerts Drake that they have found a faint pulse! Eddie Brock lives! Disgusted with this turn of events, he switches off the monitor and orders the tech to perform an autopsy anyway! As for Spider-Man? Let him meet “the children!” The five symbiotes enter the room! (Man! Spidey looks like he’s kinda screwed, eh Unspoken fans? I mean, he usually has trouble with just one symbiote! Is the wall-crawler’s number finally up? Will Marvel lose its biggest cash cow without an “X” in the title? Stay tuned….)
Meanwhile, Treece has had enough of his “homeless problem” and pulls the tarp from the back of a large truck, revealing crates of explosives! He means to bury those poor people alive! Seeing this, spies for the underground city return to their home with the alarming news!
Two of the aliens trap his arms in tendrils as a third charges with sharpened fists! When the symbiote gets close Spider-Man pulls all three together with his enhanced strength! Another then attacks with barbed hands and, strangely enough, excretes a strange acid from them! (Does anyone else remember this “acid thing”? I mean, I admittedly haven’t read this in years, but isn’t that a strange ability for a symbiote to possess? I don’t remember Marvel bringing this up ever again either. Hmmm. The House of Ideas, forget something? Impossible! Write in if I’m wrong here.) Spidey ducks and webs up their faces. Just then, Brock enters the room! He tries to call his symbiotic children to him in peace. They answer by attacking him in unison, forcing the heroic duo to momentarily retreat!
While Venom tangles with the other symbiote, he orders Spider-Man to look to the keyboards of the many computers for help of any kind! Accidentally, he discovers a ray that, once it hits the alien’s skin, ages it to death! Venom tells Spidey to hit them all with it as the others burst in! Spider-Man, not wanting to risk the lives of the humans within, refuses! (What a weenie! I’m sorry, but thats why I root for the anti-hero! I mean, I get the whole moral compass thing, but these guys had no qualms about making Spidey-kabobs just minutes earlier! Sheesh!)
At the home of Roland Treece, the chief of security is in a state of shock! It seems that all security measures for the estate have been bypassed and all guards lie beaten and unconscious! Who could have done this? What happened? That’s when he turns and the answer to his question becomes clear…..Venom happened! To his credit, the man tries his best to protect the property, even from the likes of the Lethal Protector! But, in the end, he talks. (Finally, the secret of why there’s gold in them thar hills will be explained! Umm. At this point, do we even really care? Don’t we, the readers, just want to see justice served to the bad guy? Agreed. Moving on.)
Learning that the homeless are in danger from the explosives in the park, an outraged Venom knocks out the security chief and heads toward the park. Spider-Man, however, is already there. When Venom arrives, he is met by two red-booted feet in the gut from our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, quickly followed by a quick punch to the jaw! Venom retaliates by entangling the hero in symbiotic goo! As the arachnid hero attempts to free himself, Venom states that there is no time to fight. Innocent people are in danger. He finishes by asking the hero for help. Surprised by all of this, Spidey agrees. (Wow! Venom was the voice of reason in this scene! Is the world nearing its end? Quick, someone check on Betty White! Everyone knows she’ll outlive the planet itself!)
Now united, the heroes quickly leap into action! Never losing a step, Treece sends the digger armored suits to stop the heroes from reaching the bombs! Spidey lets loose a webline at one as it fires a heat ray and swings it towards another, effectively using both robotic armored suits to take each other out! Not to be outdone, Venom pushes a suit’s drill arm down, towards its own armored knee! Treece then does what anyone in his situation would do – runs away! (Yep. Things are coming crashing down on the villain, aren’t they? He’d have gotten away with it too, if it wasn’t for those meddling heroes and their symbiote!)
Spider-Man runs up to check on his once-enemy. Venom is already healing itself. Sirens sound in the distance. Spidey turns momentarily. When he returns his gaze, Venom is gone. (Batman, eat your heart out!) Later, Eddie Brock is once again called upon by the council of the underground city. Having witnessed how he saved them, he is offered sanctuary. He accepts. Not only will he live as one of them, he will be their protector – a lethal protector!
(This article is dedicated to my lovely niece, Angel Marie Miller. You’ve always had my back throughout your young life. Always defending your uncle no matter what. Words cannot express just how much you mean to me. I love you.)
The Unspoken Decade: 90's Comic Book Blog Extraordinaire 