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Mary Jane & Venom’s Unlikely Bond Explained in All-New Venom #6

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Tasked with a challenging assignment, writer Al Ewing must convince readers to embrace the unusual duo of Mary Jane Watson and Venom, who are now bonded as All-New Venom following a surprising revelation in the previous issue. In an eccentric tale filled with more humor than anticipated, Ewing delves into the origins of this unconventional pairing, intertwining it with his signature dark humor and gruesome body horror elements that have become synonymous with his work. The distinctive narrative voice of Ewing makes this comic book an entertaining read, leaving readers eager to explore this unlikely partnership further.

Issue #6 of the revamped Venom comic book is penned by Al Ewing, illustrated by Carlos Gómez, colored by Frank D’Armata, and lettered by Clayton Cowles. The plot continues from where we last left off, with Robbie Robertson confronting Mary Jane and her husband Paul about an unexpected development: Mary Jane has become the new host of the Venom symbiote! This revelation catches even Paul off guard! The narrative then unfolds as an origin story filled with shocking surprises, and it’s a tough ride for Paul as he grapples with the consequences throughout the tale.

How did Mary Jane and Venom come together?

Almost every year, the latest comic book crossover event is accompanied by a set of miniseries and standalone issues. These spin-offs are typically not crucial to the main storyline. They can still be enjoyable and are not necessarily indicative of the quality of the stories. However, it’s surprising when a miniseries, like Venom War: Spider-Man, becomes significant within the larger narrative, especially considering that Al Ewing didn’t write this series. Instead, Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly penned it, which was more notable than usual given its focus on the relationship between Spider-Man and Mary Jane. As the story unfolds, Ewing subtly reveals that when the Venom symbiote combined with Mary Jane’s Jackpot device, it didn’t depart.

A minor annoyance of mine is a scene in “The Shawshank Redemption” where it’s stated that no one pays attention to anyone’s shoes, which allowed Andy Dufresne to steal the warden’s shoes without being noticed. However, the movie Al Ewing presents a more honest portrayal, and as expected, Jackpot’s powers are not demonstrated in this series. The plot twist is that Venom has been pretending that Jackpot’s gauntlets still function by using the symbiote’s abilities to simulate new powers for Jackpot, preventing Paul from figuring out that her actual powers have vanished and she can only use them because of the symbiote.

It turns out that the merger with Venom caused the gauntlets to malfunction unexpectedly, leading to harmful consequences for Mary Jane. As various results wreaked havoc on her bones, causing her great suffering (as portrayed so gruesomely by Gómez and D’Armata), she eventually encountered the most devastating result – instant death! It was thought that such an outcome could never occur, but the Venom symbiote’s fusion with the gauntlet disabled the safety mechanisms, ultimately resulting in Mary Jane’s demise at her own hands. Fortunately, the Venom symbiote intervened and sacrificed itself to revive Mary Jane, much like how Peter David’s Supergirl selflessly saves others. Remarkably, this act of heroism by Venom was inspired by its affection for Mary Jane, as Robbie points out – marking the first time that Venom has acted as a true superhero, all thanks to Mary Jane’s influence!

How does Al Ewing use humor to make this issue of All-New Venom stand out?

Amidst the grotesque physical anomalies portrayed in the narrative, Ewing manages to interject some humorous elements, and artists Gómez and D’Armata brilliantly depict this with their comical take on Mary Jane and Venom as a laid-back couple lounging on a couch. It’s a wonderfully quirky scene.

Ewing finds amusement in others ridiculing Paul, and the fanbase hasn’t always embraced Paul as a character. However, rather than standing up for Paul, Ewing seems to enjoy this kind of banter, and in this issue, things don’t turn out well for Paul who, unbeknownst to him, was kept in the dark by Mary Jane throughout this ordeal. Despite his ignorance, he reacts poorly, and when Dylan Brock, whom Paul and Mary Jane were watching on behalf of Flash Thompson, joins in the teasing, it nearly prompts some sympathy for Paul’s plight.

The relationship between Venom and Mary Jane is intriguingly unsettling, yet engaging, as it promises to introduce exciting new complications for Mary Jane. Notably, she hasn’t been intimate with Paul for some time now, due to her understanding that Venom must be with her (in her body or elsewhere), which creates a thought-provoking, although uncomfortable scenario for all parties involved. However, this journey is an enjoyable one.

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2025-05-11 19:37

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