This week’s issue of Venom was such a bummer. This issue offers a series of vignettes that show each of the characters deepest desires that then culminate in a reveal, which to me, isn’t all that exciting or surprising. The issue closes with the characters making a choice collectively that will ultimately come back to haunt them at a later date. The main problem I have with the issue, and I guess, the story overall, is that I’m not really finding anything all that interesting. To me, this seems like a pretty predictable character mash-up and with several of the characters already moving on from this event (see Venom in Secret Avengers), I don’t feel any stakes with what’s going on. There’s no “holy shit” storytelling that make me excited with what I’m reading. Like the story itself, I feel like I’m simply going through the motions.

On the art side of things, it gets the job done but does little to impress me. I did like the movement in some of the panels and you can see hints of an energetic style, much like an Emma Rios or Eric Canete, but these glimpses are fleeting and often unsatisfying as the book is buried in thick colors, rough textures and a dark tone.

I hate to admit that Marvel got me with this title. With only one more issue left, I’m going to buy it all even though I only really enjoyed the beginning parts. This is a part of the problem with having an event like this, and partly what may turn people off of some Marvel titles. I’m going to buy issue #14 anyways to see what happens with Flash, so I’m hoping that this wraps up on a solid note and leaves some of these characters in interesting places.