Venom (vol. 2) #34
Family Bonding
While trying to contain a homeless man infected with technogranic creatures, Agent Venom is ambushed by Toxin. As they fight, Flash thinks that if he could go back in time and talk to his younger self, it would be to warn him that there is always someone bigger and stronger to knock him down.
Case in point, Toxin is much more powerful than Venom and he is quickly losing ground against his foe because both Eddie Brock and the Toxin symbiote have a pathological hatred of the Venom symbiote.[1] Since strength isn’t working, Venom tries psychology and asks why Brock is working with Toxin when he vowed to destroy all the symbiotes on Earth. Brock explains that he and Toxin have an understanding to work together until all other symbiotes are dead and then they will fight to the death.[2]
While they fight it out, the man infected with the technorganic creatures gets free from Venom’s webbing and tries to attack the two symbiotes. Toxin reacts by slashing the side of the man open causing one of the cylinders containing the alien creatures that are transforming him to come loose and bounce away from the battle. As Toxin tries to bite the guy’s head off, Venom tries to stop him but Toxin keeps him at bay with his tendrils until he bites the man’s head off and tosses away his lifeless body.
The the two lock horns again, Agent Venom is surprised when Toxin is able to reattached a severed arm and grow back chomped off fingers. He quickly realizes how thoroughly Eddie Brock has bonded with the Toxin symbiote. That’s when Toxin makes a blade out of his hand and impales it through Venom’s chest. Venom’s symbiote can barely keep him together and it screams inside his head. It responds by pulling out one of the sedative needles from on of Flash’s pouches and injects it into Toxin. This causes the Toxin symbiote to withdraw and realizing that he has been drugged, Eddie Brock makes a hasty retreat, vowing to deal with Venom later. As Flash passes out the last thing he sees are the cylinders that were attached to the ghoul’s back, and that the creatures that were once inside have gotten free.
Later that evening, Andi Benton — a teenaged girl who lives in Flash’s building — is hanging out on the roof when she hears a noise. Going to check it out, she finds Flash on the roof in his underwear without his wheelchair. She is concerned for his well being when she sees that he has been all beat up. He assures her that he is fine, and when she presses on the issue he yells at her to leave him alone. The young girl is hurt by his words and leaves. Flash feels like a dick for yelling at her, but he is afraid of anyone getting close to him, as that was the main reason why he left New York.[3] Flash figures he’ll heal, but as long as Toxin is on his trail, everyone around him are in danger.
Meanwhile, at a homless camp, the creatures that have been freed — actually a race of alien symbiote hunters — have taken up new host bodies by taking possession of a group of homeless men. After using their advanced technology to eliminate any eye-witnesses, the Symbiote-Slayers begin their hunt for both Venom and Toxin.
Recurring Characters
Agent Venom, Toxin, Andi Benton
Continuity Notes
The relationship between Toxin and Venom is… complicated. Toxin is a symbiote that was spawned by the Carnage symbiote in Venom vs. Carnage #1-4. Brock (when he was bonded to the Venom symbiote) considered Toxin it’s grandson and sought to kill it.. which is not entirely accurate. See my write up about the symbiote lineage here.
Eddie Brock took on a mission to slay all of the remaining symbiotes on Earth back in Venom (vol. 2) #11. He was later forcibly bonded to the Toxin symbiote by Crime-Master in issue #17.
Cole’s Notes version: Flash went through a period where he was blackmailed by the Crime-Master, who threatened his family and loved ones from Venom (vol. 2) #2 until Crime-Master’s death in issue #21.
