Marvel Exclusive: Spider-Man & Venom Come Together Again - With A Twist

The relationship between Spider-Man and Venom has a tumultuous history, but they must put their differences aside in Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing, and Greg Land's "Venom War: Spider-Man" #1. Still, that might be easier said than done; war is in the air, and they might be the only ones who can stop it. To complicate matters, Peter Parker will have to trust his old adversary, despite being stung by the monster in the past.

The pair's most recent unexpected reunion can be traced back to Al Ewing and Iban Coello's "Venom War" #1, where the titular symbiote visits Peter's apartment because it's having a crisis. In short, a bunch of Eddie Brocks have fallen through a rift in the time stream, crashing a televised pro wrestling event, and going into business for themselves — meaning that Spidey has to suit up and fight them. However, the situation is more complicated than mayhem being unleashed at a wrestling match, as Eddie and his son, Dylan Brock, are feuding — and they both want Venom on their side.

That said, Venom isn't interested in reconnecting with either Dylan or Eddie, as it doesn't want to die or hurt any more people. So, the once-murderous alien seeks out the friendly neighborhood superhero, who is surprisingly happy for the parasitic alien to once again coat his body, as he believes that it's changed for the better. But can the symbiote truly be trusted? We'll find out if they can peacefully co-exist in "Venom War: Spider-Man" #1.

In Looper's exclusive preview of "Venom War: Spider-Man" #1, Spider-Man is once again joined with the Venom symbiote, and they're out to put a stop to the mayhem at the aforementioned wrestling event. Various Eddies and their symbiotes are about to go to war, and Spidey and Venom throw themselves into the middle of it because they know a battle between bickering, brain-eating aliens will have repercussions.

Before that happens, however, Spidey and Venom lay down some ground rules, such as keeping their minds separate. This is a throwback to the early days of their relationship, which began in "Secret Wars," before Peter realized that his then-new costume was actually sentient. Eventually, the symbiote would end up attempting to completely take control of Spider-Man, using his body to go out while Peter was sleeping before ultimately forcing Spidey to violently break their growing bond — an action that led to the birth of Venom and a decades-long blood feud between the two.

It remains to be seen if the symbiote will keep its new promise, but for now, it and Peter Parker must concentrate on beating aliens with a penchant for professional wrestling. "Venom War" #1 saw the invading Eddies deliver powerbombs and big boots on their monstrous opponents, but it might take more than that for them to contend with symbiote Spider-Man's high-flying style. The mission won't be easy, but the arachnid superhero seems amused by the conflict between all of the Eddies, Dylan, and their symbiote accomplices. Check out the pages below for a taste of what to expect in the first issue of "Venom War: Spider-Man."

Marvel Comics/Greg Land

Marvel Comics/Greg Land

Marvel Comics/Greg Land

Eddie and Brock's father-son rivalry is more than a battle to claim the Venom symbiote for their own agendas. Dylan previously encountered an omniscient being known as The Eventuality, who revealed that his old man will destroy the cosmos if he regains control of the parasitic alien. Eddie, meanwhile, believes that the world will end if his offspring gets reacquainted with Venom. Talk about a dilemma, right?

Elsewhere, Liz Allan and her corporate cohorts at Alchemax have teamed up with Mr. Meridius to find a solution to the symbiote problem. Meridius has beef with Eddie because he blames him for destroying the Garden of Time, and he wants to destroy the symbiotes with a chemical that's dangerous to both the aliens and human beings. The stage has been set for an all-out war that could shape the future of the Marvel Universe, but who will prevail? "Venom War: Spider-Man" looks set to turn up the volume, and it'll be interesting to see if Peter Parker and the eponymous symbiote can complete the mission without any funny business getting in the way.

Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing, and Greg Land's "Venom War: Spider-Man" #1 will be available in retail shops and online on Wednesday, August 14. You can find more information on the issue and where to purchase it on the Marvel website. In the meantime, why don't you whet your appetite for brains and chocolate by reading more about Venom's brain-eating history?