Venom 2099 // Review
With 2099 back from the depths of the 90s and being reimagined for the present, it’s only fitting that Venom gets resurrected alongside them. However, with all the recent changes in the mythos for the black ooze. That used to once love eating brains, exactly what is Venom like in the future now?
Venom 2099 is brought to us by writer Jody Houser, as well as the art team of Francesco Mobili and Geraldo Borges. Rachelle Rosenberg colors the pages, and Clayton Cowles letters the book.
Young Alea Bell is in Alchemax’s secret labs for treatment. In her case, it’s for a possible skin treatment that would allow her to hide burn scars. The treatment is code-named Venom, which means nothing could possibly go wrong. Unfortunately, Alea gets visions of other beings clothed in black with large white eyes and big teeth… and then her arm turns into a spiky black death limb while a voice echoes in her mind. A voice asking her to free the others, asking her to kill.
This is a fairly neat origin story, with a neat glimpse into the world of medical advances of 2099. However, the character of Alea Bell is actually fascinating and a nice take on what could be a Spidey analog of 2099. The fact that she is both in over her head, and also trying her best to keep the Venom symbiote in control without blind panic is genuinely enjoyable to read. While it’s likely these 2099 characters will vanish into the ether once these books are done, we at YDRC would love to see her show up again.
Venom 2099 fully embraces the future aspect of the setting. From the highly technical Alchemax medical institute to high school, to the darkened back alleys, the entire book is fascinating from a background glance alone. The partial state of Venom on Alea’s arm genuinely looked disturbingly creepy, but the full Venom design honestly feels lacking. Again, as an introductory story, it seems like there would be another issue to make sure there is a better design. As such, it’s just there.
With an interesting take on the Lethal Protector concept, Venom 2099 is an excellent book for someone looking for a different lead character, or for anyone looking for a fix for their Venom addiction. The open-ended conclusion feels like there should be more, and we can only hope Marvel continues Alea Bell’s adventures as the new host of Venom.
