An entertaining trip down memory lane for one of Marvel's most popular characters Read Full Review

All in all, a decent annual with a handful of stories I may read again someday. Read Full Review

Does this rise to the creative team's claim of being better than Watchmen? Probably not, but at least the Venom Annual #1 is fun as hell. Read Full Review

At the end of the day, I would say pick up Venom Annual #1 for an old fashion reminder that comic books don't need to be multi-issue epics to be fun and engaging. Read Full Review

Venom Annual #1 features an uneven lineup of flashback stories, but the art alone is worth the price of admission. Read Full Review

A good time with four different recountings of Venom that should make any action fan very happy. Read Full Review

If you flicked through the first few pages and were turned off, don't be. The last two tales are worth the entrance price. Read Full Review

For as good as the Venom series has been under Cates' leadership, this annual was sort of anticlimactic. Read Full Review

"Venom Annual" #1 carries a good idea and strong artwork with subpar execution. Read Full Review

Venom Annual #1 isn’t bad by any means, but I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone for $4.99. Sure, there’s a whole other store in those 34 pages that I didn’t even touch on, but it’s not doing the book any favors. The main story is pretty run of the mill in more ways than one, and the art doesn’t really wow me at any point. If you just have to pick this up, do it when it’s on sale. Read Full Review

Deff not the tone we have been getting in this Venom series but hey that doesn't mean it is a bad thing. This is what annuals should be, one-shot issues with mini stories. Enjoyed the art.

Prior to Venom becoming an anti-hero, he was a villain who fought against many heroes in the Marvel universe. Venom Annual 2018 gives us three stories about the parasitic character, all told in flashbacks by other characters drinking in a seedy dive bar.

The first story is about the Black Cat going after Venom to ensure Spider-Man doesn't get hurt by the latter, while the second is about the title character getting into a bar fight against an anti-hero who really just wants to drink in peace. The third and final story involves the symbiote taking on an opponent who may be above the former's weight class. These three stories all show off different aspects of Venom: the first story shows us his sense of justice, though twisted it may be, the second tells of his rage and brutality and the third shows off his unexpected strength and how he can easily take down seemingly unbeatable enemies. The reveal after the final story was unexpected and the ending of the Annual was akin to horror movie, though it may be seen a mile away by some readers.

The artwork here is varied from story to story, with the first being of good quality, but looks rather generic, with nothing in particular standing out. The second story looks better than the first, with the colors used by the artist conveying a memory being recalled, while Venom looks like a large sadistic beast that can't be tamed and seems to have a permanent smile on his face (which is completely fine). The third story has Venom as the best looking as the character looks beautifully ugly, as Venom has multiple, smaller head and arms sticking out of his body, with a long, disgusting tongue to match. Venom looks hideous in the best way possible here, while the backgrounds are very detailed and well colored and are a joy to look at.

Overall, Venom's first ever Annual can give new readers a good look at the character as a villain. If you also miss Venom being a bad guy, this is the book for you. This is certainly worth a read. more

Doesn't add anything to the main story and is more of a way to make some cash because of the movie, but it's still a fun read.

Average annual type stuff. Fun read.

Solid read with a good concept and some fun stories.

Feels like tie in to a movie. Story by Stokoe was even fun, but rest of them are eh.

Fun but forgetabble.

I liked some of these stories significantly more than others.

The art is great and the writing is too.

But.

What makes this annual bad for me is the inconsistencies. Felicia worked with Venom in Venom Inc. and he earned her respect. So her view is very odd. Shocker has fought Venom in Venom #164, they act like that never happened.

And the worst of all, Gargan. "Venom doesn't eat people, he is not scary..." GARGAN YOU WERE A HOST OF THE SYMBIOTE. YOU ATE PEOPLE. WHEN YOU WERE IN DARK AVENGERS.

Gargan hates Venom, but he knows what it is capable of. Gargan would not understimate it.

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Amazing Psycamorean - Oct 18, 2018

I think he was referring to Eddie's Venom. Not his.

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