Marvel is finally giving fans the most fantastic symbiote yet: Venom-Thing. The symbiote has a history with the Fantastic Four, and August’s What If? Dark: Venom #1 looks at that history, showing what might have happened if the Venom symbiote, which was held for study at the Baxter Building after being shunned by Spider-Man, had escaped and bonded with someone other than Eddie Brock–namely Benjamin Grimm aka the Thing.
Marvel has unveiled a first look at What If? Dark: Venom #1, along with the other titles in the latest series of What If? comics. The one-shot will be written by Stephanie Phillips and drawn by Jethro Morales, with a cover by Philip Tan, shared below. The story kicks off when the Thing returns from space following the events of Secret Wars. He comes home to find a symbiote trapped in Mister Fantastic’s lab–and he is not sure what to think. Is this symbiote harmless? Or is it perhaps the most powerful threat the Thing has yet to face? Tan’s cover, showing the symbiote oozing its way around Ben Grimm, seems to confirm it will almost certainly bond with the Thing.
Marvel’s new What If? Dark titles will take readers to pivotal moments in the publisher’s history—such as the death of Gwen Stacy or the birth of Moon Knight—and show what might have happened had events unfolded differently. Long-time Marvel fans will recognize the title, and know that many of the visions presented by the Watcher in What If? stories over the years have been dark and unsettling. This new batch of What If? titles will keep this same spirit alive, looking at the dark corners of Marvel history.
This One-Shot Mines Venom's History With the Fantastic Four
As stated earlier, the Venom symbiote has a long history with the Fantastic Four. After finding the symbiote costume on the distant Battleworld, Peter Parker brought it to Mister Fantastic for study–where they learned it was alive and trying to bond with Peter. Spider-Man was able to free himself from the symbiote, and took it to the Baxter Building for safe-keeping. However, it managed to escape, and feeling betrayed by Spider-Man, bonded with Eddie Brock–who also harbored a deep grudge against the Wall-Crawler. The rest is history, but now Marvel is looking at a road not taken–and in the process giving fans the most fantastic symbiote yet.
Tan’s cover features a Venom-ized Thing–and while the story has Ben selected to be the symbiote’s host due to being in the wrong place at the wrong time, he actually makes sense as one. The Thing, especially earlier in his career, resented Mister Fantastic for the accident that turned him into a monster; likewise, the symbiote resented Spider-Man for abandoning it. The two would find mutual ground, with the symbiote’s abilities supercharging the Thing’s own natural strength and endurance. Assuming the two could work together amicably, the Venom-Thing would be the most fantastic–and powerful—symbiote yet.
Source: Marvel
What If? Dark: Venom #1 goes on sale August 2 from Marvel Comics.