Venom (vol. 2) #37
At West Philadelphia High School, Flash Thompson is greeted by Katy Kiernan who has come to ask questions about the recent appearance of his alter ego, Agent Venom, and Toxin at the school.[1] He is surprised to see her there and almost blows his cover. He tries to avoid her reporter’s instincts and tells her he didn’t see much. She tells him that her paper, the Daily Inquisitor, is looking to pay a huge reward for anyone with evidence that confirms that Agent Venom set up shop in Philadelphia. She then hands Flash her business card and suggests they go out for a drink, even though Flash doesn’t drink.[2]
Andi Benton, one of Flash’s students, overhears this whole conversation and after Kiernan is gone, she asks Flash if that was his girlfriend. Flash dismisses her observations as well, assuring her that he doesn’t know who Katy Kiernan is.
Flash is furious that Katy is trying to find out his secret identity. When he goes out on patrol as Agent Venom to break up another one of Lord Ogre’s human trafficking operations, he takes out his frustrations on the guards. After freeing the captives forced to make drugs, Venom tries to find out where Lord Ogre is hiding out. That’s when he is hit in the face with a shield. At first, he thinks he’s being attacked by Captain America. It is actually Death Shield, who has arrived with his two teammates, Jagged Bow and Death Spider. This trio has adapted the abilities of Captain America, Hawkeye, and Spider-Man and have been hired by Lord Ogre to deal with Agent Venom. When Jagged Bow fires fire and sonic arrows, Venom quickly realizes that these villains are almost as skilled as their heroic counterparts and came prepared to deal with him.
However, despite their best efforts, Agent Venom bests the trio in battle. However, before he can trounce his attackers, Venom is caught in the electrified tendrils of the Constrictor. He is also joined by Lord Deathstrike and, as it turns out, they are all competing on a contract to kill Agent Venom. As the others bicker among themselves, Lord Deathstrike uses his sword to slice through Constrictor’s wrist coils. This causes all the villains to begin fighting each other allowing Agent Venom to escape in the confusion. Since Lord Ogre is hiring out super-powered assassins, Flash decides he needs better intel on his foe and grudgingly calls Katy Kiernen and asks to meet up.
They meet up in a parking garage and Venom takes the opportunity to talk about how she is trying trying to learn more about him. She assures him that she is only following the orders of her editors and has no intention of actually learning his secret identity. He thinks that she is manipulating him and tells her as much, but asks for her help anyway because he now has a bounty on his head. She agrees to help him out since she has the resources he needs.
Meanwhile, at Lord Ogre’s penthouse, the gangster has gathered even more super-villains to hunt down and destroy Agent Venom. He believes that overkill is the only strategy to ensure Venom is destroyed. That’s when Jack O’Lantern arrives and offers to hunt down Agent Venom, telling Lord Ogre that it takes a boogeyman to catch a boogeyman.[3]
Recurring Characters
Agent Venom, Katy Kiernan, Andi Benton, Lord Ogre, Death-Shield, Jagged Bow, Blood Spider, Lord Deathstrike, Constrictor, Foolkiller, Lady Octopus, the Hand, Jack O’Lantern
Continuity Notes
Venom and Toxin battled a trio of Symbiote-Slayers in Venom (vol. 2) #35. While Kiernan has worked with Venom on occasion dating back to issue #23.
Flash has struggled with alcoholism since Spider-Man: Redemption #1.
Although his speech implies that he is the same Jack O’Lantern as the one employed by Crime-Master from Venom (vol. 2) #1-22. However, this man is impersonating that Jack O’Lantern as revealed in issue #39.
