Ultimate Comics Spider-Man (Vol. 2) #19

Background

In the latest point one story, Betty Brant was killed by a venom symbiote. The symbiote hasn't been seen in the Ultimate Universe for awhile and with Peter Parker dead, what could this symbiote want with Miles...

Story Details

The issue stars out with Miles trying out the new webbing that Aunt May and Gwen gave him. He runs out and later Ganke and Miles make a plan to make more. Meanwhile, a venom symbiote enters an abandoned Osborn Industries plant, smashes a few things and then blows the place up.

Over at the Daily Bugle, Detective Maria Hill is investigating the death of Betty Brant. Jonah helps her out and gives her the reasons why he didn't run Betty's story (Betty thought Miles' dad is the new Spider-man).

That evening, Miles is having dinner with his family, when a news crew knocks on the door and barges in. They want to interview Jefferson (Miles' dad) about how he stood up to Hydra. It turns out someone video the encounter he had and now the video has gone viral. Jefferson loses it a bit and pushes the news crew out the door. Jefferson then follows the crew outside and confronts them. He wants to be told how they found out where he lived. As things escalate, the Venom symbiote arrives on the scene and it looks like it wants to eat Jefferson!

General Comments

A very solid issue with excellent art and developing mysteries. Jefferson is an interesting character and his stand against Hydra was admirable, but he seems to really go off the deep end here when the news crew arrives. I can understand him not wanting the attention, but it just seems a bit over the top. Is he just worried about Hydra reprisals?

The scene with Jonah seemed to drag on a bit too long and was very similar to others scenes that played out after Peter Parker died. I was hoping for some new info on Betty's death to come out, but nothing significant really did.

The new symbiote in the main source of mystery this issue. Who's in the suit? Is anyone in the suit? What is it after? Why would it kill Betty? And why does it turn up at Miles' house?

Overall Rating

Venom is back in town and mystery surrounds him.