Comics Bulletin logo
Search
  • Columns
    Random
    • Bin There Found That’s Obligatory Year End “Best Of” List

      Robert Tacopina
      December 22, 2014
      Bin There Found That, Columns
    Recent
    • Revisiting the Witchblade/Fathom/Tomb Raider Crossover

      Daniel Gehen
      February 8, 2021
    • The Full Run: Usagi Yojimbo – The Wanderer’s Road Part 2

      Daniel Gehen
      December 4, 2020
    • The Full Run: Usagi Yojimbo – The Wanderer’s Road Part 1

      Daniel Gehen
      October 30, 2020
    • What Looks Good
    • Comics Bulletin Soapbox
    • The Full Run
    • Leading Question
    • Top 10
    • The Long-Form
    • Jumping On
    • Comics in Color
    • Slouches Towards Comics
  • Big Two
    Random
    • Comic Book G-Forces: "Punisher: Circle of Blood" is All Dried Up

      Robert Tacopina
      August 31, 2016
      Big Two, Columns, Comic Book G-Forces, Marvel Comics
    Recent
    • 3.0

      Review: X-MEN LEGENDS #1 Delivers A Dose of Nostalgia

      Daniel Gehen
      February 22, 2021
    • 4.5

      DCeased: Dead Planet #7 Presents a Hopeful Future (Review)

      Daniel Gehen
      January 22, 2021
    • Retro Review: Detective Comics #826 Remains a Holiday Classic

      Daniel Gehen
      December 3, 2020
    • DC Comics
    • Big Two Reviews
    • Marvel Comics
  • Indie
    Random
    • New Miniseries HARDCORE: RELOADED Brings The Action This December

      Robert Tacopina
      September 17, 2019
      Image, News, Press Release, Previews
    Recent
    • 4.0

      Review: Beast Wars #2 another chance to change the past

      Stephen Cook
      March 3, 2021
    • 4.5

      Review: THE LAST RONIN #2 Hurts So Good

      Daniel Gehen
      February 19, 2021
    • TIME BEFORE TIME—A HIGH STAKES TIME TRAVEL SCIENCE FICTION SERIES SET TO LAUNCH THIS MAY

      Daniel Gehen
      February 19, 2021
    • Reviews
    • Archie Comics
    • Boom! Studios
    • Dark Horse
    • IDW
    • Image
    • Oni Press
    • Valiant
  • Reviews
    Random
    • 4.0

      BPRD: The Dead Remembered #1

      Robert Tacopina
      April 9, 2011
      Reviews
    Recent
    • 3.0

      Review: X-MEN LEGENDS #1 Delivers A Dose of Nostalgia

      Daniel Gehen
      February 22, 2021
    • 4.5

      Review: THE LAST RONIN #2 Hurts So Good

      Daniel Gehen
      February 19, 2021
    • 2.3

      Review: SAVAGE #1 Needs Taming

      Daniel Gehen
      February 16, 2021
    • Singles Going Steady
    • Slugfest
    • Manga
      • Reviews
    • Small Press
      • Reviews
      • ICYMI
      • Tiny Pages Made of Ashes
  • Interviews
    Random
    • Geoffrey Wessel: There Hasn't Been a Good Policy-Based Argument Against Cobra

      Robert Tacopina
      December 9, 2013
      Interviews
    Recent
    • Interview: Jon Davis-Hunt Talks SHADOWMAN

      Daniel Gehen
      June 8, 2020
    • Interview: Becky Cloonan talks DARK AGNES and Her Personal Influences

      Mike Nickells
      March 4, 2020
    • Simon Roy

      Interview: Simon Roy on His Inspirations and Collaborations on PROTECTOR

      Mike Nickells
      January 29, 2020
    • Audio Interview
    • Video Interview
  • Classic Comics
    Random
    • Classic Interview: Marv Wolfman - A Crisis, Years Long

      Robert Tacopina
      April 1, 2016
      Classic Interviews
    Recent
    • Countdown to the King: Marvel’s Godzilla

      Daniel Gehen
      May 29, 2019
    • Honoring A Legend: Fantagraphics To Resurrect Tomi Ungerer Classics

      Daniel Gehen
      February 15, 2019
    • Reliving the Craziest Decade in Comics History: An interview with Jason Sacks

      Mark Stack
      January 2, 2019
    • Classic Comics Cavalcade
    • Classic Interviews
  • News
    Random
    • You Gotta Read This: Comics Non-profit Shuts Down After Twitter Controversy

      Robert Tacopina
      May 30, 2014
      News
    Recent
    • TIME BEFORE TIME—A HIGH STAKES TIME TRAVEL SCIENCE FICTION SERIES SET TO LAUNCH THIS MAY

      Daniel Gehen
      February 19, 2021
    • Image Comics and TMP Announces SPAWN’S UNIVERSE

      Daniel Gehen
      February 18, 2021
    • SAVAGE DRAGON IS A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH THIS MAY

      Daniel Gehen
      February 17, 2021
    • Press Release
    • Kickstarter Spotlight
  • Books
    Random
    • Collecting Profile: NFL Superpro

      Robert Tacopina
      August 31, 2019
      Books, Collectibles, Collecting Profile, Columns, Marvel Comics
    Recent
    • Collecting Profile: Disney Frozen

      CB Staff
      November 22, 2019
    • Collecting Profile: NFL Superpro

      CB Staff
      August 31, 2019
    • “THE BEST OF WITZEND” is a Wonderful Celebration of Artistic Freedom

      Daniel Gehen
      September 15, 2018
    • Review: ‘Machete Squad’ is a Disappointing Afghan Memoir

      Jason Sacks
      July 31, 2018
    • Review: ‘Out of Nothing’ is the Antidote to Our Sick Times

      Jason Sacks
      July 23, 2018
    • Review: ‘Bizarre Romance’ Shows Rough Edges in the Early Days of a New Marriage

      Jason Sacks
      July 10, 2018
What's New
  • Review: Beast Wars #2 another chance to change the past
  • Collecting Profile: Blue Beetle
  • Review: X-MEN LEGENDS #1 Delivers A Dose of Nostalgia
  • Collecting Profile: Kraven the Hunter
  • Review: THE LAST RONIN #2 Hurts So Good
  • TIME BEFORE TIME—A HIGH STAKES TIME TRAVEL SCIENCE FICTION SERIES SET TO LAUNCH THIS MAY
  • RSS Feed
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Contact Us
  • Write for us!
  • Visit Video Game Break!
Home
Reviews

Venom #5

Robert Tacopina
August 4, 2011
Reviews

Venom #5 scales back the action to take a heart wrenching view into the life of Eugene “Flash” Thompson. The appropriately titled “Father’s Day” is one remarkable piece of storytelling right there, folks! Rick Remender’s Venom series has been a blast from the get-go, but this latest issue was the proverbial icing on the cake to this point. For the all-out action sort of people, this may issue may be a let down for you — outside of an opening sequence that features Venom thwarting a kidnapping ring by the Human Fly, this issue was basically a 101 on character building.

After receiving a call from his mother, Flash sets off with the companionship of his pal Peter Parker to find his father, who had up to this point been sober. In fact, his father’s sobriety was the main factor in Flash mending his relationship with the man. As the two search the bars of the city, we learn just how tough Flash had it as a child and how it affected him emotionally and resulted in his social actions. Even though Flash and Peter are extremely close now, it wasn’t always that way, as Flash bullied Peter for the longest time. Flash even turned to the bottle himself for a period of time, much like his father. The two pals eventually find Mr. Thompson and it turns out that his health has deteriorated which has led him to drinking once again.

The heart of this story deals with the tumultuous relationship Flash has with his father. He has always sought out approval from his father and has never received it. Furthermore, when your father is a drunk you are typically not apt to receive anything but a verbal barrage of negativity. That is exactly what Remender lays out for the reader as he takes his rendition of Flash to the dark recesses of his inner 10-year-old self. A fractured child desperately wanting nothing more that his father’s love only to have that rebutted at every turn by a raging drunk.

It’s a pretty poignant tale, and one bound to hit home to many readers in some fashion. We all have our demons and this was so easily relatable for any reader to get caught up in. You can sense the trepidation in Flash throughout the course of this issue, even as it pertains to his relationship with Betty Brant. This is a man who dwells on his disability of having lost his legs in service to his country. He comes to the realization that his decision to don the Venom symbiote was for his own gain. Yet above all you sympathize with the man that is Flash Thompson.

Rick Remender delivers a beautiful story of what it feels like to face these types of demons. Don’t we all seek our father’s approval? It just was so relevant and reading it definitely struck a nerve for me. It was a fantastic lesson in character building and humanizes Flash Thompson further. Tom Fowler, who handled the majority of the heavy lifting here, advances the emotional aspect further with an amazing grasp on facial animations. You can feel the various stages that Flash goes through just by the subtle shifts in the artwork. John Rauch’s moody coloring sets the perfect environment for such a powerful issue of comic storytelling.

Venom has been and continues to be a great read. When a writer and art team is as capable as Remender & Co., you really can’t go wrong. Between Venom #5 and Uncanny X-Force #12 (also reviewed by yours truly), you have two masterful Remender stories encompassing two of the most beloved Marvel franchises in Spider-Man and the X-Men. Rick Remender has brought the thunder and I am officially his bitch after such incredible work. This is how you do it, folks!


Robert Tacopina is just your typical average everyday comic book fan. Robert is equally fascinated by both the print and digital formats and loves a multitude of titles. He spends his time waiting for next Wednesday by video gaming, reading, watching movies, following his sports teams, and desperately trying to spread the comics word. Proud to let his geek flag fly.

Joe CaramagnaJohn RauchMarvelRick RemenderRobert TacopinaTom FowlerTony Moore

Share On:
Tweet
Fear Itself: The Deep #2
Mike Baron's Flash

About The Author

Robert Tacopina
Robert Tacopina

Robert Tacopina is a writer for Comics Bulletin

Related Posts

  • Collecting Profile: Kraven the Hunter

    nguyen ly
    February 20, 2021
  • Collecting Profile: Jessica Jones

    nguyen ly
    February 6, 2021

Latest Reviews

  • 3.0

    Review: X-MEN LEGENDS #1 Delivers A Dose of Nostalgia

    Daniel Gehen
    February 22, 2021
  • 4.5

    Review: THE LAST RONIN #2 Hurts So Good

    Daniel Gehen
    February 19, 2021
  • 2.3

    Review: SAVAGE #1 Needs Taming

    Daniel Gehen
    February 16, 2021
  • 4.3

    Review: RADIANT BLACK #1 Shines Brightly

    Daniel Gehen
    February 12, 2021
  • 2.7

    Review: DEEP BEYOND #1 Can’t Commit to a Premise

    Daniel Gehen
    February 4, 2021
  • 2.0

    VINDICATION Falls Short of its Lofty Goals (Review)

    Daniel Gehen
    February 1, 2021
  • 4.5

    DCeased: Dead Planet #7 Presents a Hopeful Future (Review)

    Daniel Gehen
    January 22, 2021
  • Review: The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Cartoonist

    Daniel Gehen
    December 14, 2020
  • Retro Review: Detective Comics #826 Remains a Holiday Classic

    Daniel Gehen
    December 3, 2020
  • 4.5

    TMNT: The Last Ronin #1 Lives Up to the Hype (Review)

    Daniel Gehen
    October 29, 2020
RSSTwitterFacebookgoogleplusinstagramtumblr

Comics Bulletin is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for website owners to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, audible.com, and any other website that may be affiliated with Amazon Service LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate, Comics Bulletin earns from qualifying purchases.

All content on this site (c) 2018 The Respective Copyright Holders