Venom (vol. 2) #42
Mania Part Three
In order to learn the secret of Mania’s symbiote, Agent Venom has brought her to an abandoned casino in Atlantic City. There he finds a specific slot machine where he plays using a coin covered in the blood of a mad prophet. The machine pulls up three pictures of the devil, summoning Mephisto.
Both Venom and Mania ask how Flash Thompson’s symbiote was able to duplicate itself as well as the Hell-Mark after Flash was given it during his battle against Blackheart in Las Vegas.[1] This amuses Mephisto who explains that the Venom symbiote absorbed a clone of itself some time ago and in order to purge the Hell-Mark from itself, it passed it along to the clone and it is this clone that Mania is now wearing.[2] When Flash asks how Mephisto can know so much about the Venom symbiote he tells them there is no time as they are about to have company.
Moments later they are ambushed by DOA, led by Crossbones, Master Mayhem, and the Gargoyle Brothers. As the two heroes fight back, Venom finds himself going toe-to-toe with Crossbones. As they fight, Flash realizes that he is developing an almost fatherly desire to protect Andi, which is a surprise given his trouble upbringing.[3] With the tide of battle turning, Crossbones orders Master Mayhem to unleash his demons, however, Mayhem is afraid of his demons turning on him again. That’s when Mephisto appears beside him and mocks Mayhem for being betrayed.[4] The demon then uses the pentagram protal in Master Mayhem’s chest to summing the Monsters of Evil to help Venom and Mania.[5]
With her Hell-Mark, Mania is able to order the Monsters of Evil to attack the members of DOA and beat them into submission. Crossbones agrees to surrender, but vows he will keep coming back until he gets what he wants. With the battle over, Mephisto teleports all the soldiers, mercinaries and demons out of the casino, leaving him alone with Venom and Mania. Flash demands that Mephisto remove the Hell-Mark from Andi. When Mephisto asks what Flash would do if he refuses, it prompts Venom to shoot the devil point blank in the face with his machine gun, but this does no harm. Mephisto decides to allow this insult, saying he needs Flash to keep Mania alive. Before he departs, he tells them that when he gave the Hell-Mark, he wasn’t giving it to Flash, but to the Venom symbiote.
In the aftermath of the battle, Flash asks Andi how she is doing. She admits that she doesn’t know how to feel. Flash then promises her that he’ll stay by her side and they will not rest until he finds some way to remove the Hell-Mark.
Recurring Characters
Agent Venom, Mania, Mephisto, DOA (Crossbones, Master Mayhem, Gargoyle Brothers), Monsters of Evil (Lord Tiki, Gragoa, Worm, Skunk Ape, Sphinx)
Continuity Notes
Agent Venom, X-23, Red Hulk, and Ghost Rider entered a pact with Mephisto to stop Blackheart in Venom (vol. 2) #13-14. It was later explained in issues #23-25 that this mark identify heirs of a specific Hell-Lord who are preparing for the Descent, an event that will make one of them the true devil.
For more on the clone of Venom see Venom #1-18. Mephisto states that this happened “some time ago.” Per the Sliding Timescale the clone was created an absorbed by the real Venom about roughly 3 years prior to this story.
Flash recounts a lot of different facts in his internal monologue here. They are:
How his father was an abusive alcoholic until he died. This was first explored in Spectacular Spider-Man #-1. Harrison Thompson later died of cirrhosis of the liver in Venom (vol. 2) #7.
He mentions how Spider-Man was his idol. Flash had been a fan of Spider-Man dating back to the start of the web-slinger’s career. Flash even formed one of the first Spider-Man fan clubs in Amazing Spider-Man #17.
He also talks about his military career which ended with the loss of his legs. Flash first joined the military in Amazing Spider-Man #47. He later lost his legs during a tour of duty in Amazing Spider-Man #574.
Flash also mentions his own struggles with alcohol abuse. His drinking problem was first seen in Spider-Man: Redemption #1.
Lastly he mentions how he blames himself for the death of Andi’s father. Andi’s dad was murdered by Jack O’Lantern in Venom (vol. 2) #38.
Master Mayhem, aka Master Pandemonium, was given his powers by Mephisto, as explained in West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #9.
For more on the Monsters of Evil see Venom (vol. 2) 23-25.