Venom (vol. 2) #19
Family
While trying to protect Betty Brant from the Savage Six, Agent Venom has revealed that he’s actually her ex-boyfriend Flash Thompson, in an attempt to convince her to trust him. This is a shock to Betty at first and she slaps him across the face. She is furious that he kept this double life a secret from him. Flash shrugs this off for now and tells her that she and his family are in danger, but doesn’t specify that this is his fault.[1] Betty doesn’t like this, but grudgingly agrees to go with him.
Flash starts web-slinging to his sister’s place since she is closer. Needing to get in touch with her, he snatches a phone from someone on the street and has Betty make a call to his mother’s house. Unfortunately, Rosie Thompson isn’t able to answer the phone because she has been attacked by the Human Fly. Unaware of this situation, Flash tells Betty to try his sister next, but they are forced to ditch the phone when Megatak tries to attack them through it with his digital powers.
They quickly arrive at Jesse Thompson’s apartment. After ordering Betty to wait on the fire escape, Venom goes inside with his gun drawn. In the bedroom Flash is horrified by the sight of Jesse’s husband, whose head has been followed out for a candle by Jack O’Lantern. Flash blames himself and struggles to think of what to do next when he hears his sister voice coming from under some bedsheets. Hoping she’s alive, Agent Venom pulls the sheet away and discovers that it was not his sister but a bunch of Jack’s robotic devils that were left behind. As he trashes the robots, Flash discovers that one of them has a time-bomb built in and rushes outside and pulls Betty to safety before the bomb goes off.
Seeing Jack O’Lantern fleeing the scene, Venom leaves Betty on a rooftop to go after him. He prepares to make a kill-shot when Jack lures him to a chruch where Jesse is tied up. Seeing his sister causes Flash to pause long enough for Jack to loop around behind him and slash the hero with his scythe. Jack further disorientates Flash by breathing fire into his face. While Flash is busy putting out the fire with gutter water, Jack decides to toss Flash’s sister to toss him over the side of the church.[2] Although Flash saves Jesse, Toxin arrives and shows that he has captured Betty. As Toxin and Jack flee the scene, Jack asks Flash if he’s visited his mother recently. At that very moment, the Human Fly is feasting on a human rib cage.
Recurring Characters
Agent Venom, Savage Six (Jack O’Lantern, Toxin, Megatak, Human Fly), Betty Brant, Jesse Thompson, Rosie Thompson
Continuity Notes
Crime-Master has been blackmailing Flash to do his bidding by threatening his family ever since he discovered Agent Venom’s true identity in Venom (vol. 2) #2.
Jack O’Lantern says he is taking inspiration from when the Green Goblin murdered Gwen Stacy. That happened in Amazing Spider-Man #121.
