Lost Souls

Separated from its host, the Venom symbiote has been imprisoned within a secret government lab in the Adirondack Mountains.[1] Surrounded by security and being experimented upon by Doctor Edmund Zwerling. The creature has decided that it must get free and begins trying to break out of the cylinder that it has been contained in. Its blows have caused the glass to crack, giving it a glimmer of hope of getting outside.

Meanwhile, Eddie Brock wakes up after being captured from the New Mexico facility that he was being held. When he sees the five symbiotes standing before him, he remembers that they captured him and tries to attack their leader.[2] Revealing her true face, the woman named Donna explains that they don't intend to harm him. In fact, she and her fellow symbiotes have freed him to get his help. She explains that they were all selected by the Life Foundation to be hosts for the symbiotes due to their values. After Spider-Man and Venom seemingly destroyed their symbiotes, Carleton Drake and his foundation found a way to revive the aliens and rebond them with their hosts.[3] However, when they learned that the Life Foundation was engaged in activities that went against their values, the five symbiotes left the organization. Now they are struggling to control the homicidal tendencies of the symbiotes and want Brock's help to learn control. After hearing all of this, Eddie is sympathetic but refuses to help, and tries to flee. However, one of the other symbiotes, named Carl, manages to catch Eddie and threatens to harm Eddie if he continues to resist them. Donna pulls Carl back, telling him to keep things under control. Seeing this, Eddie mocks the symbiotes for their alleged values.

Back at the Adirondack facility, security enters the lab and discovers that the Venom symbiote has escaped containment. They find Doctor Zwerling alive but with an erratic heartbeat. They evacuate him by airlift. When Zwerling comes to, and tries to warn them that the symbiote has bonded itself to him, but it suddenly reveals itself and attacks the doctors, intending to get itself back to its former host. While back at the symbiote's hideout, Eddie continues to goad Carl into trying to kill him. However, the other symbiotes pull Carl off of Eddie and try to get him under control. With effort, Carl forces his symbiote to subside and assume the form of normal clothing. When the other symbiotes congratulate him for maintaining control, Eddie points out that while Carl was able to control his symbiote today, he questions if he will be able to do it again. Donna is furious that Eddie would mock them and slashes the metal tank that he is resting against. Realizing that she is losing control of her symbiote, she walks away, telling her allies to put Eddie with their other prisoner. Brock is tossed into the room with their other prisoner. Thinking it might be another symbiote, Eddie attacks this other person, until he realizes that it is Daily Bugle reporter Ken Ellis, who meekly asks Eddie if he can get an interview. Outside, Donna and the others wonder what they should do next. Without the cooperation of Eddie Brock, she fears that they will lose control of their symbiotes. Not sure what to do next, Donna and the others go to sleep for the night, leaving Carl and Leslie along to comfort each other.

Meanwhile, Ken Ellis bombards Eddie Brock with a number of questions about his career as Venom. This gets on Brock's nerves and he eventually shouts at the reporter, telling him to shut up. Eddie can feel that his other is coming, and is looking forward to their reunion. Not far away, armed soldiers find the crashed medical craft. Finding no sign of the symbiote or any survivors.[4] As they begin to their search for the symbiote, the creature has hitched the ride on the back of a passing semi-truck in order to get closer to its host.

Recurring Characters

Eddie Brock, Scream, Agony, Phage, Riot, Lasher, Edward Zwerling, Carleton Drake (flashback)

Continuity Notes

1. The capture of Venom occurred after he was defeated by the Scarlet Spider.

2. These symbiotes are unnamed here. Scream, the red and yellow symbiote is officially named in Civil War Battle Damage Report #1. The others are identified as Agony, Lasher, Riot, and Phage in Carnage, U.S.A. #2.

3. Venom seemingly destroyed the five symbiotes in Venom Lethal Protector #5-6.

4. Although the soldiers find no survivors, Doctor Zwerling survived the crash as he is seen again in Venom: Along Came a Spider #1.