Jason Seaver

As a result of the Secret Wars crossover, Spider-Man got a new costume, a black job that at first everyone thought was just really advanced technology - it generated its own webbing, could change colors for camoflage, and enhance Peter's strength. That's the good news; the bad news was that it was in fact a sort of symbiotic alien that was messing with Parker's mind and he had a hell of a time getting it off, eventually having to call in Reed Richards.

When he finally did, it latched onto a reporter at the Daily Bugle, Eddie Brock, who was jealous of Parker. Eddie + symbiote = Venom.

If had ended there, it would have been fine. But the damn thing kept showing up, even though there really wasn't a whole heck of a lot you could do with it.

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"What? Since when was this an energy ball movie?" - Overheard during a screening of Takashi Miike's Dead Or Alive
"What the hell religion are you people?" - Overheard during the Captain Marvel serial at SF/29
"If I feel even one bullet hit me, I will rip your lungs out through your nostrils!" - Ron Silver as himself, "Heat Vision And Jack"

Rodney Martin

Aaron,
an entirely forgettable storyline designed to re-energise the spiderman comic book franchise. They wont use it in the 3rd spiderman film, and rightly so.

JeremySt

Jason explained Venoms origins well, but I thought Id expand slightly. I was an avid reader of Spiderman throughout the mid 80s, and the for those who need the sum up on the Venom story line, as best I can remember it is this:

Spider-man and a whole gob of other super hero types are whisked into space by some aliens, where they are forced to do battle against eachother.

While there, Spider-man discovers an "alien symbiote". Its sort of a mass of black goo that becomes a suite for Spider-Man. As Jason perfectly pointed out, it


Upon returning to earth, Spider-Man briefly enjoys the new found enhancements he gets with the suite. Until he learns of it negatives. It controls him. It leaps onto him at its own discretion, and imposes its will upon him. Spidy senses it is also beginning to control him mentally. The final straw, during a key battle with (I think) The Vulture, Spidy is basically rendered useless by the suit.

He is finally able to rid himself of, and he buries it in the basement of an abandoned church.

Eddie Brock, a co-worker of Peter Parkers, feeling lost in life, especially because of his overwhelming jealosy of Spider-man. Goes to the church in a final fleeting moment to plee for help for anyone or anything that might hear him. The symbiote costume hears Eddie's cries and latches onto him. Because of Eddie's jealosy and psychologically fragile state, the symbiote suite manifests itself in unchecked form, taking all the rage and multiplying it exponentially. Venom is born.

JonZ

"Enter Harry, who feels bad for blaming Spider-Man for the death of his father and who also feels the need to redeem his father's name (even if it is only in his own mind) and so he dons the Green Goblin suit - perfecting the perfomance enhancer so it does not affect his mind - and saves Peter's life."


Didnt this happen in Amazing Spiderman around 1983-84? Harry was going a bit nuts and Hobby threw him over the edge.At the time he was married with a child. I remember Harry with the Goblin sack over his shoulder, and throwing pumpkin bombs during a fire(He was in plain clothes though, not the Goblin suit).

SarahG

I guess I'm ok with more than 3 Spidey's, but I just hope they don't overdue it. Too many is somtimes too much. But one thing they have going for them is that..well...so far so good.

Fish are Friends, not Food!

Aaron Thorne

Farewell and adieu to you fair Spanish ladies.
Farewell and adieu to you ladies of Spain.
For we\'ve received orders to sail back to Boston.
And so nevermore shall we be seeing you again.

Grant H

And then there's the spawn of Venom which bonds with a serial killer producing a far, far more despicable threat, (as one might imagine since it enhances what's in the host) Carnage.

In most stories, Spidey and Venom end up putting aside their differences (momentarily anyway) to fight Carnage. Spider-Man and Venom each view each other as the lesser of two evils. Very much as the X-Men heroes and villains often band together against a common foe.

I don't think the symbiote story-line is any more far-fetched than any other Spider-Man character.

It's more sci-fi than most of the other costumed weirdos Spidey takes on. I can see where the brain-eating might turn off a few though. And, then there's that whole demographic out there that accepts any superheroes or villains you throw out them, but don't like anything that has to do with aliens because "they're not real." I wonder how those people feel about Superman? Personally, I find it much more likely that an alien being would have special powers than would a human who was in some kind of freak accident. But to each his own.

I still can't figure out how Doc Ock's legs supported the weight of all that stuff his tentacles moved around when he wasn't standing on them. (At least I think there were a few moments he moved things while standing on his own two feet. Maybe I'm wrong.) You have to assume the metal is fused to his spine, but any time he's on his feet he'd be limited by the leg strength of an overweight human. Ahh, fantasy.

My midis bring all the Force to the yard; my midis are better than yours!

Bill GrandPre

In the movie, at least, Doc Ock is often shown using the lower two arms to support whatever the top two are holding. The moment when he's escaped from the hospital and he attacks the car comes to mind.

Don't you ever, EVER compare me to "Family Guy," you hear me Kyle? Compare me to "Family Guy" again and so help me, I will kill you where you stand!

Do you have any idea what it's like? Everywhere I go: "Hey Cartman you must like 'Family Guy,' right?" "Hey, your sense of humor reminds me of 'Family Guy' Cartman!" I AM NOTHING LIKE FAMILY GUY! WHEN I MAKE JOKES THEY ARE INHERENT TO A STORY! DEEP SITUATIONAL AND EMOTIONAL JOKES BASED ON WHAT IS RELEVANT AND HAS A POINT, NOT JUST ONE RANDOM INTERCHANGEABLE JOKE AFTER ANOTHER!
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oscar_merkx

here is more from Sam Raimi in the new Costco Connection

http://superherohype.com/news/spider...ws.php?id=2335

CC: Will you be hanging up your mask after Spider-Man 3, or will you keep making more of these films?
SR: I never know if they're going to want me for another one. But if the studio did make a part four, and if they'd ask me, I'd be thrilled to do it.

Toastmasters International

Communication is Everything

Frank Anderson

Great news.

Edwin Pereyra

From Variety: