Warning: The following contains spoilers for Venom #14, on sale Dec. 28 from Marvel.
A preview of Marvel's Venom #14 explains why the titular symbiote has gone back to his brain-eating persona in the publisher's Dark Web event.
Venom #14 comes from writer Al Ewing, penciler Bryan Hitch, inker Andrew Currie, color artist Alex Sinclair and letterer VC's Clayton Cowles. A preview of the issue provided by Marvel is set in Limbo prior to the events of Dark Web #1 (by Zeb Wells, Adam Kubert, Frank Martin and VC's Joe Caramagna). There, Eddie Brock/Venom tells Ben Reilly/Chasm and Madelyne Pryor/the Goblin Queen he's willing to "cross dimensions" in order to save his son, Dylan Brock, which is the reason why Eddie initially agreed to be part of Madelyne and Ben's Dark Web attack on New York City.
While Eddie warns Madelyne and Ben not to betray him, Chasm can't help but poking into their newfound ally's psyche. "So this is what it is to be a dad," Chasm comments. "All this pain. Knowing just how badly you're messing everything up. fighting to change what can't be changed." Ben further tells a struggling Eddie that he and Madelyne are going to resort his brain back to "factory settings." Madelyne seeming casts some kind of curse which does so, as Eddie then transforms back into Venom and appears to have no clue as to who Dylan is.
Venom's Dark Web Journey
At the end of Dark Web #1, Venom goes swinging through the streets of New York City after he detects Spider-Man/Peter Parker's scent. Wanting to eat Spider-Man's brains, he and Peter have a confrontation which results in a major battle in Amazing Spider-Man #15 (by Wells, Ed McGuinness, Cliff Rathburn, Marcio Menyz and Caramagna). The battle ultimately ends with Spider-Man defeating Venom through the use of fire, though Madelyn and Janine Godbe/Hallow's Eve swoop in to retrieve Eddie shortly after the fight is concluded.
The synopsis for Venom #14 reads, "Madelyne Pryor has plans for Eddie Brock and the symbiotes he can control—in this issue, she and her new ally CHASM bring them all to bear! Unwittingly turned into a slathering and terrifying monster you might recognize, Eddie Brock’s fears from the last year stand fully realized in this turning point for Al Ewing, Ram V., and Bryan Hitch’s enthralling run on the title!"
Venom #14 features cover art by Hitch and Sinclair, interlocking cover background art by Federico Vicentini and Matthew Wilson and variant cover art by Salvador Larroca, Edgar Delgado, Ryan Stegman and Dave McCaig. The issue releases Dec. 28, 2022, from Marvel.
Source: Marvel