Agent Venom is Marvel’s BEST Symbiote Hero, Not Eddie Brock
Eddie Brock might be the original Venom, but it’s Flash Thompson – yes, THAT Flash Thompson – took the symbiote to new heights as AGENT VENOM.
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Eddie Brock is the anti-hero many fans have come to love as Venom. Originally a rival of Peter Parker’s at the Daily Bugle, Brock found a surprising ally in the form of an alien costume Spider-Man had rejected after discovering its true nature. United in their shared resentment of Parker, the two bonded to become Venom. But while Brock is the most recognizable Venom, there is another character with a very similar trajectory who developed Venom into a far more compelling hero – Flash Thompson, aka Agent Venom.
Eugene “Flash” Thompson first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15 – the first appearance of Spider-Man – as Peter Parker’s classmate and bully. While Thompson relished picking on “Puny Parker”, he was literally the founder of the Spider-Man Fan Club, and a vocal defender of the hero – despite never learning his adored hero and his high school target were one and the same. Thompson himself was bullied at home, a victim of his abusive, alcoholic father Harison. After graduating high school, Flash’s animosity towards Peter would evaporate, and two would even become friends as they matured. Though originally taking a job as a P.E. teacher, Flash Thompson would later join the Army – where he would lose his legs in an IED explosion.
Thompson would later be admitted to a secret government project. Having acquired the symbiote, the military makes Thompson “Agent Venom”. The symbiote’s biomass is able to act as Thompson’s legs, giving him the mobility he once enjoyed. In addition, Agent Venom had all the powers of the original Venom, combined with military training, which included the ability to use Venom’s many tendrils to operate firearms. However, for a time Thompson could only stay bonded to the symbiote for forty-eight hours, or the symbiote would begin to take him over.
Agent Venom would go on to join the likes of the Secret Avengers, the Thunderbolts, and even the Guardians of the Galaxy. After many adventures, the symbiote would ultimately rejoin with its original host, Eddie Brock. For a short time, Flash would instead be known as Agent Anti-Venom, complete with a white costume. This would be short-lived, however as Flash would later perish, sacrificing himself so Spider-Man could stop a Carnage-infused Norman Osborn.
There were several elements that made Agent Venom a superior character in the Venom saga. Like Brock, Thompson was a flawed figure – a former bully struggling with PTSD, the loss of his legs, and a growing dependency on the symbiote itself. In many ways, however, becoming Agent Venom makes Thompson more like his personal Spider-Man than ever before, as he must balance personal life with his role as Agent Venom. This, in turn, makes his friendship with Peter Parker all the more compelling, as for the longest time neither knew the other was struggling with the same hero/life balance issues as they were. Plus, a gun-wielding Venom with black ops training is just plain cool.
While Agent Venom had a good run, there’s still a lot of untapped potential especially for an iconic member of Spider-Man’s supporting cast like Flash Thompson. Unfortunately, it seems unlikely Agent Venom will return any time soon, with Eddie Brock the hero of both his ongoing title as well as Sony’s upcoming Venom sequel. Hopefully, Flash Thompson will return to the role of Agent Venom sooner rather than later, leading to more adventures for the secret agent alien symbiote.
Link Source : https://screenrant.com/agent-venom-marvel-best-symbiote/