Venom and Wolverine enter the jaws of death! When the two lethal heroes are thrown into an unwilling interdimensional adventure, even in space you'll still hear the screams! Then, the law finally catches up with Eddie Brock - and Venom goes on trial! But even with Matt "Daredevil" Murdock on defense, what possible verdict could hand Venom a license to kill?! That's right - Venom becomes a hired gun for the government! But when he targets Ghost Rider and J. Jonah Jameson, Spider-Man must intervene! The bitter feud between Peter Parker and Eddie Brock is reignited - but can Spidey fi nally bring about Venom's big finish? COLLECTING: VENOM: TOOTH & CLAW 1-3, VENOM: ON TRIAL 1-3, VENOM: LICENSE TO KILL 1-3, VENOM: SEED OF DARKNESS -1, VENOM: SIGN OF THE BOSS 1-2, SPIDER-MAN: THE VENOM AGENDA, VENOM: FINALE 1-3
Larry Hama is an American writer, artist, actor and musician who has worked in the fields of entertainment and publishing since the 1960s.
During the 1970s, he was seen in minor roles on the TV shows M*A*S*H and Saturday Night Live, and appeared on Broadway in two roles in the original 1976 production of Stephen Sondheim's Pacific Overtures.
He is best known to American comic book readers as a writer and editor for Marvel Comics, where he wrote the licensed comic book series G.I. Joe, A Real American Hero, based on the Hasbro action figures. He has also written for the series Wolverine, Nth Man: the Ultimate Ninja, and Elektra. He created the character Bucky O'Hare, which was developed into a comic book, a toy line and television cartoon.
This was pretty awful not going to lie. None of the stories really stuck with me and the insane awful art especially in the Tooth and Claw story was really terrible. Venom just seems really weird here, going all Commando style when the dude was a fucking reporter for the news. I don't think Hama is a bad writer, but he does not write Venom well.
This second volume from Larry Hama's run with Venom is a disappointing mixed bag. It starts with a Wolverine-focused story and some of The Most Extreme 90s I Have No Idea How Anatomy Works art you will ever see. If you're into that style, you might like it, but if you enjoy polished easy to follow art, you are going to HATE the first arc in this volume. It is Ugggggghleee.
The second storyline has Venom connecting back to Spider-Man and Daredevil to stand trial. This happens at least once more in continuity, and I remember enjoying the other trial. This one was ill-conceived and pretty stupid. But the art was an improvement.
The License To Kill arc is a pretty cool concept where the government takes control of Venom, puts a bomb in his brain if he tries to defy them, and has him off fighting criminals to satisfy his bloodlust (already no longer brainlust, so they dropped that idea real quickly). It's not revolutionary writing but it starts as an entertaining story. But it's not long before the stories become dull and the characters completely unbelievable, and I found myself eager to finish this book and never pick it up again.
As with the last volume, if you're super into 90s Extreme Super Hero Bare Plot Smash Smash, this is probably a fun book. But if you're a Marvel fan who kind of liked McFarlane's Venom, or Michelinie's take on the character, this volume is totally skippable, and probably not considered part of continuity.