A Twist On The Typical Venom Story: Paul Jenkis’ and Humberto Ramos’ Spectacular Spider-Man (issues from 1 to 5) Reviewed.

 By Pablo Gutiérrez, Y11

When thinking about Venom, one of the main antagonists in the Spider-Man stories, we mostly imagine the character of Eddie Brock and the Symbiote, the two components that form the Venom character, having a strong friendship with similar motivations. But, in this comic book the relation between these two characters has been changed to give it a more original touch to it. 

When opening a Spider-Man Comic book the only thing to expect is a satisfying amount of action and an interesting conflict between characters. However, it also has to be intriguing and original but well, we know a lot of stories of Spider-Man and doing something new is difficult knowing the infinite quantity of comics that he has and regardless of that, surely this book satisfied my need for original stories. With help of its dark ambient, spectacular artstyle and new characterizations it gives it a new curious feeling. 

This new story has us in a time where Spider-Man is already experimented in his thing and already familiar with his most typical villains. In this arc the main antagonist is going to be Venom who is going to be somewhat different from most adaptations we know. The main conflict talks about the differences that Eddie and the Symbiote have since Eddie feels he needs it so it can survive but he also feels that the Symbiote has taken everything he has to offer while the Symbiote just wants to change him for Spider-Man since he has everything it wants. 

Another thing I liked about the comic book is the parts where Spider-Man is talking with the reader or with himself. It also give us to understand what is happening in his mind and what does it feels to be someone like him, the way of telling his experiences and emotions really puts you into the character and feel like him like the part when he starts talking about how having spider-senses it's like, makes you imagine it and sense it, and that’s the exact point of Spider-Man since it is meant to be someone you can identify with so it is nice to see how the book achieves this. 

The only thing that I think the books lacks a little is it’s Peter Parker’s sections which I think it lacks of it, and it’s pacing is very slow just to give the Spider-Man sections more attention and more notoriety that is ok, but it is important to take into consideration the balance that this two need to function as an interesting character because having those conflicts in where Peter’s personal life collides with his other identity makes him a more complex and identifiably. Even so, it is important to know that I only read the first 5 issues so maybe the initiated plots that were started for Peter will end up later on the series. 

I think that this arc of this Spider-Man series has initiated very well and the expectations have been met, giving us new authentic content that follows up well what Spider-Man is supposed to be.