Venom #200 Review

 Writer: Donny Cates and

Phillip Kennedy Johnson

Artists: Ryan Stegman,

Mark Bagley,

Ron Lim and

many more

Rating: 6 of 8

Venom #200

It's amazing to think just how much a man can change. You might start out pretty selfish and self-serving - but you can change. And that's exactly what happened with Eddie Brock. 

Instead of remaining that man and refusing to change, he finally became the good man he'd for so long believed himself to be. Throughout Cates' run, Brock found a whole new side to the symbiotes, his 'other' and finally faced the sins of his past.

One of the best things he introduced, though, was Eddie Brock's son. By making him a father, he made him look past himself, his other, or even his own moral code. Now, he has to take care of him, even if it means putting himself last. It really added a greater degree of both depth and relatability, a key aspect to a lot of Marvel's characters.

Now, though, he has an even greater responsibility. With Knull dead, his hive freed and Brock back from the dead, it's time for a new King to take charge. That he does, as he and his army jet from world to world, undoing a lot of Knull's evil and saving many people from incredible pain and destruction.

It's just incredible to see what used to be a villain, then anti-hero, finally make the transition to hero, even if it doesn't last. We also get some lovely moments of humour from Spider-Man and Eddie's other, who's formed a very endearing bond with his son, Dylan. He, too, has changed, as he's a lot less vindictive than he used to be. It's great seeing just how far he, too, has come since his debut all those years ago.

Early on, there's a wonderful moment between he and Dylan regarding his name. It's a rather touching moment, something that I'm surprised hasn't been touched on before Cates' run. Speaking of how far things have come, Eddie and Peter have a heart to heart and, afterward, shake hands. It's just wonderful to see how far their relationship has progressed.

Though it's a great issue, it's not without it's problems. Some of the art, specifically in Flash Thompson's segment, is weaker than the rest. The writing's a bit weaker there, too and, though it's often good to set up future stories, here, Eddie and Dylan's story might've been enough, especially at the end of the run. 

Bagley and Stegman doing art probably would've been enough, though some of the other artists, like Kev Walker, were good too. Overall, though, it's a great issue and a brilliant end to Cates' run.