Venom (vol. 2) #2
Now
Agent Venom is being chased through the Savage Land by Kraven the Hunter. As he stalks his prey, Kraven thinks about how he always feared that his mother’s madness was hereditary and how it drove him from his aristocratic upbringings to the wilds and the hunt. However, he learned that the source of his own madness was the ultimate pray, the spider. However, not even death could end this madness and now he vows to drink the spider’s venom as it is the only thing that can now end his life.[1]
With jungle drugs running through his system, Agent Venom struggles to keep his sanity as the constant pounding of drums gets louder and louder. He fights back against Kraven while also trying to keep his symbiote in check. The fear and anxiety from the drugs begin compelling him to run. Flash Thompson follows this instinct, thinking of his girlfriend, Betty Brant, and how he can’t leave her with this.
At that moment, back in Manhattan, Betty Brant is confiding in her best friend, Peter Parker, about the troubles she is having in her relationship with Flash Thompson. Peter tries to assure her that Flash will ultimately do the right thing. However, Betty believes that Flash runs from his problems, saying that while he may be someone yo want on your side in a fight, he is unreliable in everything else. Not long after this, Peter leaves Betty’s apartment to go on patrol as Spider-Man.
Back in the Savage Land, Kraven the Hunter has killed a massive spider and drank its blood before continuing his hunt for Agent Venom. Not far away, Flash wakes up and wonders how much time has passed and fears that he may have had the symbiote on too long and it may have permanently bonded to him. He reminds himself that he was sent to destroy an Antarctic Vibranium mining operation in the region and he has wasted too much time fighting Kraven the Hunter. With his life on the line, Flash has the symbiote remove all the darts stuck into his skin. He checks his watch and sees that the has had the symbiote on for more than 48 hours. He contemplates shooting himself in the head if the symbiote takes control but redoubles his determination since his handles haven’t activated the kill switch and he doesn’t want Betty to have to bury another liar.[2]
However, as Flash runs toward his mission objective he can’t shake the idea that Kraven is a threat that he needs to take down. That’s when Kraven, hopped up on spider-venom, catches up with him and renews his attack. The fight leads them into a part of the cave that is filled with massive bats. Fearing that their sonics will disrupt the symbiote, Agent tries to silence his foe. Unfortunately, when Kraven gets gored by his own spear, his screams wake the bats up. When they begins creaming, it affects the symbiote which tries to retreat. Seeing Flash Thompson’s true form, he dismisses him as a cripple unworthy to him. That’s when the giant bats grab both Kraven and Flash and carry them out of the cave. Flash still has one of his guns and shoots the bat carrying him, making the creature drop him into the jungle below.
To his surprise, the symbiote finds him and bonds with him again. Speaking in his mind, the alien creature explains that it needs him to survive and reminds him of his mission. It assumes Flash that he has nothing to be afraid of as long as they are together. At that same moment, the new Crime-Master has just observed Agent Venom out of costume with his spy satellite and has discovered his true identity. Knowing of Flash’s history as a school yard bully and dispatches the Jack O’ Lantern to deal with him since Jack has a thing for killing bullies.
Recurring Characters
Agent Venom, Crime-Master, Jack O’Lantern, Betty Brant, Spider-Man
Continuity Notes
Kraven the Hunter’s “spider” is, of course, Spider-Man who he hunted for years starting in Amazing Spider-Man #15. Kraven drove himself mad to the point where he ate a bullet Kurt Cobain style in Amazing Spider-Man #294. More recently, Kraven’s family resurrected him in Amazing Spider-Man #635. However, the process was imperfect and he could now only be killed by Spider-Man’s hand.
This “other liar” is Betty’s ex-husband, Ned Leeds. Leeds was murdered in Spider-Man Versus Wolverine #1. At the time of this story, Ned was secretly operating as the Hobgoblin after being brainwashed into taking on the role. See Spider-Man: Hobgoblin Lives #1-3.
