Venom Modern Era Epic Collection: Shiver was a fun read on a rainy Seattle afternoon, but unfortunately, it was an experience that was largely forgettable from the moment I put the book down. Frankly, the art by Francisco Herrera, Paco Medina, and Skottie Young is all compelling, evocative, and terrifying, and Daniel Way’s writing is solid. But beyond the fun art, this collection is incredibly convoluted and confusing. At its core, Shiver is a book about humans experiencing otherworldly horrors at the hands of the Klyntar symbiote, but it never really focuses on Venom or Mania as thinking, complex characters.
To be fair, I think the older Venom stories (this trade includes 2003’s Venom #1-18) are in many ways ruined by the sheer amount of lore, character development, and emotional stories currently being told in the Venom universe. Ever since Eddie Brock became a galactic hero in King in Black and eventually defeated the dark god Null and became King in Black himself, the Venom stories (especially when written by the talented Al Ewing) have become larger than life, making the older Venom stories (especially when Venom isn’t acting as an anti-heroic lethal protector) feel boring in comparison. Daniel Way’s writing is really great, but I couldn’t connect with the plot and its complex nature and felt disconnected from the Marvel Universe at large. I felt disconnected from the story.
Courtesy of Marvel Comics
I know this might sound like a total hater, but yeah… I felt like this collection wasn’t even about Venom. It mostly focused on Mania, the Venom clone, and never portrayed Venom as a “lethal protector” or anything close to that. The beginning felt like a massive homage to John Carpenter’s The Thing (a scientist obsessed with an alien set in Alaska). If you’re a fan of that film and Marvel Comics, this story is definitely for you. The whole story with Bob from Ararat and the robot spider aliens was very confusing, and Ararat hasn’t appeared in the comics since, even though Bob was supposed to be a very powerful and connected variable (though it was cool to see Bob shut up Nick Fury). The suit that worked with the Fantastic Four to capture Mania was basically a cross between The Terminator and Agent Smith from The Matrix, not a very compelling character to play a very important role.
I especially loved the art by Herrera, Medina, and Young, as all three artists have cartoony, exaggerated, and expressive styles while still providing individual illustrations. While Marvel trade paperback collections have multiple artists and stories can feel disjointed or tacked together, this Venom series does a great job of keeping the art consistent while giving different artists a chance to take part in the series. The colors from Studio F and GURU-eFX are vibrant and effective, and the lettering by Sharpe, Wootton, and Petitt suits the fast-paced, explosive storyline very well. I also enjoyed Wolverine’s cameo appearances in a few issues. Especially since writer Daniel Way also wrote “Wolverine: Origins,” Logan’s appearance felt like a perfect representation of the iconic hero to me.
If you’re a big fan of Venom from all eras, love Wolverine cameos, or just love collecting Marvel trades, I think the Venom Modern Era Epic Collection: Shiver is a good investment. It’s fun to read, and the art is lovely. It lays the groundwork for future Venom stories, like Flash getting the Mania symbiote as Agent Venom, and Patricia Robertson eventually becoming Scream in Absolute Carnage. Keep in mind though that if you’re a big fan of the truly modern Venom stories from King in Black onwards, this collection might not resonate as well with you.
“Venom Modern Era Epic Collection: Shiver” is a fun but forgettable era for Lethal Protector
Venom Modern Era Epic Collection: Shiver
If you’re a big fan of Venom from all eras, love Wolverine cameos, or just love collecting Marvel trades, I think the Venom Modern Era Epic Collection: Shiver is a good investment. It’s fun to read, and the art is lovely. It lays the groundwork for future Venom stories, like Flash getting the Mania symbiote as Agent Venom, and Patricia Robertson eventually becoming Scream in Absolute Carnage. Keep in mind though that if you’re a big fan of the truly modern Venom stories from King in Black onwards, this collection might not resonate as well with you.
The art by Herrera, Medina, and Young all work really well together.
If you’re a fan of classic horror like The Thing, you’ll enjoy this book.
The story is incredibly complicated.
Unfortunately, the minute I put the book down I forgot the whole story.
No variant covers or special features
