Peter Parker becomes the bully.
After so many years of writing Amazing Spider-Man, you'd think Dan Slott would have completely run out of new angles on Peter Parker by now. But somehow, that never seems to be the case. Even in a crossover that's geared heavily toward overhauling Venom's status quo in Marvel Legacy, the most fascinating element in "Venom Inc." is how Slott and co-writer Mike Costa are handling Spider-Man himself.
This second chapter of the crossover devotes most of its attention to the Spidey/Flash Thompson dynamic, one that's just been changed in a big way now that Flash has become the new Anti-Venom. At this point, it's nice just to see Flash back in action after he was unceremoniously demoted from the Venom role in 2016. But Slott does some great work here in exploring the complicated three-way relationship between Peter, Flash and the symbiote itself. Where Spider-Man is normally among the most compassionate and selfless heroes in the Marvel U., his hatred for the symbiote and all the damage it's caused over the years clouds his judgment. At one point, Flash accuses Peter of being a bully, which is a terrific subversion of the old-school Peter/Flash relationship.
That strong characterization gives the crossover most of its weight at this early stage. Lee Price works perfectly fine as the designated villain of the story, but his return certainly isn't lighting the Spider-Man franchise on fire just yet. He's a means to an end, showing even less depth in this issue than he did during his short, forgettable tenure as Venom. With four issues yet to go in the crossover, "Venom Inc." will need a few added wrinkles along the way.
While it's hard to be thrilled about the idea of Stuart Immonen taking a break on this series, there's little reason to complain when Ryan Stegman is filling in for the duration of the crossover. Stegman's style just lends itself to characters like Spider-Man and Venom so well. His powerful, dynamic figures leap off the page, and his expressive, comical take on the symbiote gives it plenty of personality despite its dialogue-less presence in this issue. Stegman even evokes the look of early Venom stories from artists like Erik Larsen and Todd MacFarlane here. Stegman's Marvel art has taken on a very '90s-influenced quality in recent years, but without so much of the excess that plagued that era.
The Verdict
The second chapter of Venom Inc. isn't quite as as strong as the first. Lee Price and his symbiotic minions aren't exactly the most compelling threat Spider-man has ever faced. But this crossover continues to thrive in two key areas. The characterization frequently shines as Slott explores the constantly evolving relationship between Peter and Flash. And Stegman's gritty, powerful art recalls the best aspects of the early '90s Spider-Man books.
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