Venom (vol. 2) #36
Simple.
Flash Thompson is settling into his new life in Philadelphia. On Monday, he coaches gym classes at West Philadelphia High School. On Tuesday he attends an AA meeting. He spends Wednesday exercising. Thursday and Friday are spent at the school, getting to know the students and staff. Each night he goes on patrol as Agent Venom to bust crooks all over the city. The whole week he thinks about what makes him special and wonders if everything he is doing is overcomplicating his life. As he goes to sleep on Saturday night, he decides that his life needs a change in direction.
By Sunday night, he has decided to keep things simple. As Agent Venom he comes upon an abandoned church that has been turned into a drug lab. He easily takes down the drug dealers inside and then uses his symbiote to intimated one of them to tell him who helped them organizes such an elaborate set up.
On Monday, Flash is back to teaching at WPHS and when he catches one of his students, Andi Benton, on her cell phone he tells her to put it away, telling her that if she insists on sitting out during gym class she is at least going to watch what she is refusing to participate in. He warns her that if she continues to refuse to participate she could fail physical education and that she can learn a lot if she participated. That’s when the school jock, Darius Fowler spikes a volleyball too hard, prompting Flash to scold him for playing too rough. This gives Andi all the more reason not to join the rest of the class.
Flash realizes he doesn’t like Darius overly much because he reminds him of his days as a high school bully. When Fowler spikes a ball at a kid in glasses on the other team, Flash decides to teach him a lesson. While Darius is busy getting a good laugh, Flash picks up the volleyball and throws it at Darius as hard as a he can. Involuntarily, the Venom symbiote adds its own strength to the throw, which knocks Darius off his feet. As everyone looks in amazement, Flash looks over his shoulder and sees that Andi was watching her this whole time and wishes he just left her with her phones.
That night while chasing down a speeding van full of gun toting crooks led by a gangster named Lord Ogre, Agent Venom reminds himself that he is over complicating things again and assures himself that his secret is safe. However his thoughts are so consumed over what Andi might do with her knowledge that he gets thrown off the van. As it speeds away, Flash tells himself to get his head back in the game. That’s when he spots a junked car propped up on blocks and suddenly gets some inspiration. As Lord Ogre and his men arrive at their hideout they are shocked when Venom comes crashing through the garage door in the car, which he has brought to life with his symbiote.
Flash easily defeats the gang members and grabs one of them for questioning. The gang banger shoots Venom point blank in the head, but his symbiote catches the bullet before it can do any real harm, and Flash spits it out of his mouth to further intimidate his prisoner. Venom demands to know where Lord Oger is. That’s when the gang leader enters the room with his high ranking officials and two pet pitbulls. Lord Ogre is annoyed that Agent Venom has been interfering with his operations and tells Venom that if he wanted a meeting all he had to do was ask, he is a business man after all.
Agent Venom isn’t impressed and tells Ogre that he is going to shut down his criminal empire. Ogre responds letting his dogs off their leashes. One attacks Venom, while the other locks its teeth around the captured goon. As Flash is fighting off these dogs, Lord Ogre and his minions make their escape. With the battle over, Flash opens the back of the van. Instead of the guns and drugs he thought he was going after, Agent Venom is shocked to discover a bunch of women and realizes that Lord Ogre is also involved in human trafficking as well. He suddenly realizes that this case isn’t going to be quite as simple as he thought.
Recurring Characters
Agent Venom, Batroc, Zaran, Lord Ogre, Andi Benton
Continuity Notes
This story has multiple references to Flash’s struggle with alcoholism. Flash has had troubles with substance abuse dating back to Spider-Man: Redemption #1.
