Writer Donny Cates is building up the mythos behind Venom in big ways. This is some awesome stuff and it's already paying off with some excellent storytelling. This has elevated the character above its extreme '90s anti-hero origins into something much more. Read Full Review

If you're not reading this already I highly recommend you add it to your pull list. It's only issue 2 so easy to catch up. Spectacular writing with strong visuals to back it up. Read Full Review

This book is wild as hell and I love every second of it. Read Full Review

VENOM #2 is downright scary. However, it's also an outstanding book. Fans of Venom should not miss this book. Donny Cates adds some great new Venom lore to the mix, and also tells a chilling story. Ryan Stegman's art looks like it's right out of a horror movie, and I love it. Read Full Review

A solid step up from the last series, I'll gladly spend my money on it provided quality keeps up. An interesting first arc. Can't wait to see Symbiote god! Read Full Review

This second issue continues to flesh out Eddie and the Symbiote well. Read Full Review

With Venom #2 I am enjoying this Venom series much more than I ever thought I would. Donny Cates is building an epic story while bringing good character development to Eddie Brock. The art team is truly incredible and works fantastically well together. Being vague to remain spoiler-free, but there is one page that is in space, just flip to that page and you will see how incredible this art team is. Venom #2 is just a good comic book, with a heck of a cliffhanger ending that has me very excited for the next issue. Read Full Review

Venom #2 continues to have me excited for whats to come in this comic series. Cates has a good grasp on Eddie Brock, and he has ideas for the book previous writers have overlooked. Stegman, JP Mayer, and Martin make the comic darkly beautiful. This one gets a recommendation. Give it a read. Read Full Review

It's funny too because Venom feels less like the character is trying to be a hero and more like he is just trying his best to survive and not to kill any and everything in his path. I like this version of Eddie, who is just trying to survive. Confronting the giant creature that attacked him last issue seems to be the solution of all his problems. However, with the symbiote out of control and other obstacles in his way, it looks like Venom is going to have a hard time. Read Full Review

Venom #2 is a slower read, but one that showcases a bright future ahead for the series. Read Full Review

There's the potential for a fantastic Eddie Brock story here, though, and with luck, the stars will align in future issues to allow this series to be as truly great as it can be. Read Full Review

A gloomy trip through Eddie Brock's past jumpstarts "Venom" #2, a welcome return to the horror elements of the symbiote's early outings. Read Full Review

Venom successfully delivers an interesting story, supported by art which is impressive. It simply stops just short of being great. Read Full Review

We get to see what Donny actually thinks of Eddie, painting him as the man of a thousand second chances, which is a perspective I had never thought about before. But that's where Cates excels, pushing those buttons on characters that should be obvious but have actually never been explored before. The creative team continues to work in dense and dark color palettes, complimenting the tone of the book. Read Full Review

Venom #2 is a solid issue by Donnie Cates with great art by Stegman but it also spends a lot of time dancing around the actual information the reader is waiting for from this title.  My main concern is issue two is raising more questions than its answering right now, and as it begins tying SHIELD into everything, its obviously setting up a crossover very early in a Fresh Start title which I cant put a stamp of approval on, if the answers never actually come from this book. Marvel again pulls my interest away from a Venom title by insisting to cross it over with other books however the attention to detail here put in by the creative team is noticeable. Read Full Review

Prelude:
Cates started Venom off to a perfect start in the previous issue. After that, let's see if Cates and Stegman can possibly keep up the momentum.

The Good:
I'm not usually one to give points for this, but I love that cover.

Holy, I thought Stegman couldn't improve anymore off last issue and here he proves me wrong.

I loved that recap scene and how Rex can't figure out Eddie and how Eddie is the comeback king.

Rex's history wasn't something I expected to see so soon but Cates shows it off tremendously.

God is Coming. Man, that is chilling and it fits the mysterious language.

The Grendel (because let's face it, that's probably what it is tying from #1), looks absolutely great.

Really interested to see what Cates does with Miles.

The Bad:
Wasn't any last issue, still none here.

Conclusion:
Cates somehow keeps up the momentum from last issue. Stegman's art is utterly amazing and tied to Cates writing, I don't think Venom can be stopped if it's always like this. more

Well, what can I say. This series is near to perfect. Go and get it!

It's only issue 2 but this has become a must-read for me. Stunning artwork and a fascinating story make sure Venom is one of the best books on the stands right now. Get on board before you get left behind!

THIS IS THE VENOM RUN THE WORLD HAS NEEDED.

The rare 10 must I say??? Come @ me!! 😆

While it's a retcon, I'm very interested in this new Symbiote lore. Loving the thriller elements in this and the art is incredible, making everything come together perfectly.

This is one of the best comics that i've ever read!!!

Another great installment. Solid backstory. Stegman's art is awesome. I love the colours and the black pages. Feels like the symbiote itself has enveloped the book. Cates is setting this thing up for something fierce, something epic. Next issue comes out in 2 weeks. Not nearly fast enough!

Symbiote God is coming. And boy are we ready.

Rex provides his personal backstory, the antagonist slips into sharper - but still not crystal-clear - focus, and Eddie Brock gets a nice re-introduction, too. This issue does a terrific job of building on the previous one, answering just enough of our questions to drag us further down its rabbit-hole. It helps that the art and prose are still up at the very highest levels; there are plenty of lines and images that imprint themselves on the reader's long-term memory.

Can’t even nitpick this one.

Well paced featuring mind-blowing art.

One of the best books on the shelves right now - do yourself a favour and see what all the fuss is about!

Better than Watchmen!!

Welcome to the Oblivion Bar where the first round is on me and the pretzels are free! Be warned: like the pickled eggs at the bar, this issue is going to get SPOILED rotten.

Did you ever want to know a history of the symbiotes? Sure, we know they are alien and from outer space... but haven’t you always wanted to know more? An origin story if you will. Well, Cates is leading us down that path and this issue gives us the origin story of Rex, as well as now the symbiote which was used by SHIELD. Let’s ooze right in shall we....

We basically open with a graphic view of how the symbiote repairs it’s host, which was freakin’ awesome! You watch it literally piece bones and organs back together from the perspective of the hole in Brock’s chest. Awesome artwork on the entire issue in general, especially this part!

Well, Brock is pissed and comes storming back to Rex. Side note: every time I read this issue, as well as the last, I want to say Rex Tillerson!!!! That is a horrible switch-a-roo to make. But maybe he has an alien symbiote inside of him too and that why I keep making the mistake? Who knows? Anyway, we get the play by play as to how Rex got wrapped up into this magical mystery tour.

He was a 19 year old soldier in the war and is platoon came under attack. In order to save them, he ran at the snipers to but them cover and time to get to safety. When he woke up, SHIELD was bonding him with the symbiote. Now, this story sounds better than it actually was. Rex elaborates to say that he was no Boy Scout and killed many people. He took many lives and deserved to die.

The way he tells the story was that he was not a good person. When he woke up in the hospital with SHIELD, he was burned from the napalm drop of a plane and filled with bullet holes. While he was under, he saw images of a flying oil symbiote monster. The very same one that is currently flying through the sky in New York. Rex mentioned that he thought it was dead but it turns out, he was wrong.

Brock informs Rex that the monster basically took the symbiotes/ ate the symbiotes as well as Rex’s teammates. Both Eddie and Rex hear on TV that the monster is flying around NYC and the only one currently their to stop it is Spider-Man. So, Brock takes off to help and finds Miles there instead. Personally, I was shocked to see Miles there and not Peter.

This was a great issue to continue with the series. The story didn’t move forward in the extent of figuring out a ton about the monster BUT we did find out a ton about Rex and at least also figured out that it appeared as though Rex and his teammates were made from this Flying Oil Symbiote Monster of death. I can’t wait to see how long the symbiote has been around. From last issue, I bet it’s been around at least since the Vikings if not longer. I’m totally in on this ride and I can’t wait to see what’s next.

I love when comics incorporate history and myth and mix them together to create an amazingly creative cocktail of imagination and exploration of characters. Cates is taking Venom down that road now. This is only the second bus stop. I highly recommend you get on the dang bus before your late to work, everyone makes fun of you, then you lose your job and you live in a box down by the river eating a steady diet of government issued cheese.

If you like what you heard, love talking all types of comics, and are interested in joining a comic chat group, hit me up at dispatchdcu@gmail.com or @dispatchdcu on twitter. Catch you all later! Peace more

Cates and Stegman are definitely onto something epic. This may be very well their both magnum opus. Read this book. Especially if you haven't been happy with Marvel these past few years.

Really good stuff coming from Venom right now. If you are even remotely interested, pick it up now! The art fits the book perfectly and the story is making Venom into a very interesting character.

This issue is a tense, slow burn as we see Rex reveal a bit of the history of the symbiotes and the monster that feeds upon them. This book has done a really nice job so far settling into a dark horror vibe, and the art by Ryan Stegman does a great job in helping establish this tone. The writing is top notch, as this is a really thrilling read despite the amount of exposition in it. Really liking Venom's new/old direction!

Man this series is off to a great start i love the vietnam story line, this is going to be an amazing series.