Following the announcement of the upcoming release of "Venom" #150 back in December, Marvel has revealed that the current "Venom" ongoing series from Mike Costa and Gerardo Sandoval will retain the legacy numbering and continue ahead with the release of issue #151 in July. May's 150th issue will follow the release of "Venom" #6 in April, an issue that will see the return of original Venom Eddie Brock to the title role.
In an interview with IGN about the upcoming anniversary issue, editor Devin Lewis spoke to how current Venom Lee Price will fit in with the larger Venom mythos.
“The story featuring Lee Price is only a chapter in the symbiote’s ongoing saga," said Devin. "I love Lee – especially the tactical sensibility [writer] Mike [Costa] has given him, the awareness of where all the pieces are on the board at any given moment. He operates with intelligence, and thinks about things before he does them. That tempered and measured approach is something I love in the character, and it’s the kind of thing that could really turn Lee into a great villain for the larger Marvel Universe.”
"Venom" #150's main story will star Eddie Brock, reunited with the Venom symbiote in a story written by Costa and illustrated by Tradd Moore. A backup from writer Robbie Thompson and regular "Venom" artist Gerardo Sandoval will reveal how previous symbiote-carrier Flash Thompson parted ways with the Venom persona ahead of Lee Price's stint; Thompson previously wrote the "Venom: Space Knight" ongoing. Another back-up will come from David Michelinie and Ron Lim, the creative team behind Venom's first ever limited series (1993's "Lethal Protector"). Their story will be set in-between the pages of that "Venom" classic.
If you're curious as to how "Venom" hit its milestone 150th issue despite only having a handful of ongoing series published in the past 15 years, we solved the mystery. What many people might not realize is that Venom basically had an ongoing series published quasi-monthly from 1993 to 1997. Instead of all being unified under one "Venom" title, those 60 issues were published across 19 different limited series, one-shots, specials and graphic novels. Here's how the first 149 issues of "Venom" break down:
- "Venom: Lethal Protector" (1993): 6 issues
- "Venom: Deathtrap - The Vault" (1993): 1
- "Venom: Funeral Pyre" (1993): 3
- "Venom: The Madness" (1993): 3
- "Venom: The Enemy Within" (1994): 3
- "Venom: The Mace" (1994): 3
- "Venom: Nights of Vengeance" (1994): 4
- "Venom: Carnage Unleashed" (1995): 4
- "Venom Super Special" (1995): 1
- "Venom: Sinner Takes All" (1995): 5
- "Venom: Separation Anxiety" (1995): 4
- "Venom: Along Came A Spider" (1996): 4
- "Venom: The Hunted" (1996): 3
- "Venom: The Hunger" (1996): 4
- "Venom: On Trial" (1997): 3
- "Venom: License to Kill" (1997): 3
- "Venom: Seed of Darkness" (1997): 1
- "Venom: Sign of the Boss" (1997): 2
- "Venom: The Finale" (1997): 3
- "Venom" (2003): 18
- "Venom: Dark Origin" (2008): 5
- "Venom" (2011): 47
- "Venom: Space Knight" (2016): 13
- "Venom" (2017): 6
Here's the solicitation text for May's "Venom" #150:
VENOM #150
MIKE COSTA, ROBBIE THOMPSON & DAVID MICHELINIE (W)
TRADD MOORE, GERARDO SANDOVAL & RON LIM (A)
Cover by GERARDO SANDOVAL
Variant Cover by CLAYTON CRAIN
Young Variant by SKOTTIE YOUNG
Variant Cover by ADAM KUBERT
Variant Cover by JAMES STOKOE
VARIANT COVER BY MARK BAGLEY
SKETCH VARIANT COVER BY MARK BAGLEY
VARIANT COVER BY GABRIELE DELL’OTTO
REUNITED, AND IT FEELS SO GOOD!
Or, feels so bad? However it feels, Eddie Brock and the Venom symbiote have been reunited, and they’re web-slinging their way around New York again. Featuring a host (hah!) of Venom creators from the character’s near 30-year history, this monstrous anniversary spectacular welcomes guest artist TRADD MOORE for an oversized and brutal main story AND a lethal story featuring fan-favorite creators David Michelinie and Ron Lim, reunited! With questions still lingering about how the symbiote was separated from Flash Thompson, and what lies in its future now that it’s reunited with Eddie Brock, this is one issue you can’t afford to miss!
56 PGS./Rated T+ …$5.99