WARNING: The following contains major spoilers for Venom #35 by Donny Cates, Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Ryan Stegman, Kev Walker, Danilo S. Beyruth, Ron Lim, Guiu Vilanova, Gerardo Sandoval, Mark Bagley, JP Mayer, Jay Leisten, Kev Walker, Scott Hanna, Victor Nava, John Dell, Frank Martin, Chris O'Halloran, Jim Campbell, Matt Milla, Alex Sinclair, Chris Sotomayor, Richard Isanove and VC's Clayton Cowles, on sale now.
Venom has always been one of the most imposing figures in the Marvel Universe no matter what form he takes or host he bonds with. Ever since his defeat of Knull and ascent to godhood during King in Black, Eddie Brock has been overwhelmed with the duties of his newly acquired seat on the throne, leaving his symbiote to find a new host in Eddie's son Dylan. As usual, with a new host comes a new look, and the latest iteration of Venom has just given his signature webs a menacing makeover.
Eddie Brock has been busier than ever with the weight that comes from being the god of the symbiotes, giving Dylan plenty of time to connect with Venom. The two have begun spending their days together, and when a bad day at school turns bloody, taking long walks in the rain together as well. On this night, Dylan just happens to come across his father's old enemy Jack O'Lantern assaulting an elderly woman. Without hesitation, Dylan leaps into action only to catch a bullet in his chest for his trouble. The symbiote, who has solely dedicated itself to protecting the young Brock, quickly bonds to him and saves his life. Not only does the symbiote keep Dylan going, but they emerge as one in the biggest Venom reveal of all time. This new Venom towers over his foe, and even Eddie comments on his sheer size when Dylan finally shows off his new look. What's more, Venom's classic webs have been replaced with heavy chains that are both literally and figuratively ripped right out of the funny pages.
When Eddie asks Dylan if he is sure about the bold new look, he gets an answer he never could have expected: Dylan thought webs were played out. Not only that, but he tells his father that all of the comic books he read as a child had heroes with chains in them, and that the aesthetic has become one of his favorites. Eddie himself should be no stranger to chain-wielding heroes, considering his numerous encounters with the likes of Ghost Rider, but Dylan's bring to mind a far different hero. Specifically, Al Simmons, aka Spawn, who much like Dylan's Venom wields sentient, near-endless chains of his own among the myriad of his other demonic powers. The chain trend in comics has left the same impact in the Marvel Universe that it did in the real world, and while they might not be an iconic part of Venom's repertoire quite yet, there is little doubt that they will before long.
Trading his webs for chains might just be the least expected change that Venom has undergone in bonding with a new host, even more so than his incredible stature. They might not be made of iron, but there is little doubt that they hit any less hard than the chains of other, similarly equipped heroes across the Multiverse. If nothing else, the new look is just one more thing to remind readers that a new era of Venom has officially begun. With any luck, Dylan will have his style all figured out before he starts adding pouches.