In this review of All-New Venom #8, Rick Jones and Otto Octavius have a sinister (but meaningful) conversation (while one of them is hanging upside down), Sleeper discovers a new power, and Dylan Brock inches closer to discovering the truth.
ALL-NEW VENOM #8
Writer: Al Ewing
Artist: Carlos Gómez
Main Cover: Adam Kubert
Variant Covers: FANYANG, IVAN SHAVRIN, SCOTT KOBLISH
Page Count: 32 pages
Release Date: July 2, 2025
This review contains spoilers
All-New Venom #8 begins with Rick Jones being held prisoner in S.C.A.R. (Symbiote Containment And Rendition) headquarters courtesy of Doctor Octopus (who is back to his gleefully homicidal villain mode). Doc Ock extols the benefits of a classical education while taunting Rick about his recent memory lapses (it’s Sleeper), and threatens to dissect him.
Sleeper is locked away nearby (with Toxin), and sends out a general distress call on a symbiote wavelength.
Meanwhile, Venom (MJ Watson) has just impaled Agent Anti-Venom (Flash Thompson) in full view of witnesses. The armored S.C.A.R. agents launch a brutal counter attack against Venom, but a distressed Paul Rabin steps between them, pleading for them to stop. Agent Ripcord orders Paul to move aside, but he refuses, allowing Venom to escape in the confusion.
An enraged Ripcord and the other agents pursue Venom across the city. With S.C.A.R. gone, Anti-Venom reveals to Paul and Joe Robertson that he is not injured (at least not permanently). Flash explains that his symbiote is a giant healing factor, that can reset his body back to the state it was in when they first bonded, (which explains why Flash’s legs haven’t healed from his earlier war injuries).
Dylan Brock confronts the trio about Venom’s secret identity, (based on a verbal slip from Paul), but he is interrupted by Sleeper’s symbiote distress call, and instead sends Flash to help Rick and Sleeper. Meanwhile, Venom has already arrived at S.C.A.R. HQ and tries to save Rick from Ock’s experiment, but is knocked unconscious. The S.C.A.R. agents return and have questions for Ripcord as to why Doc Ock is in their headquarters.
All-New Venom #8 ends with Doc Ock triumphant, preparing for the unconscious Venom to be the next patient on his operating table.
Analysis
All-New Venom #8 is a thrilling chapter full of cool action, sharp dialogue, clever one-liners and a few surprises. Writer Al Ewing digs into Otto Octavius’ psychosis, and his latest obsession: secret identities. Ock can tell that his missing memories contain Spider-Man’s secret identity, and worse, that it was Ock himself that deleted that knowledge.
Ewing’s exploration of Ock’s obsessive nature is consistent with the character’s history. Doc Ock was a megalomaniacal villain from his earliest comic book appearances, and was commonly portrayed as an obsessive long before the fateful accident gave him control over his mechanical arms. Ock’s redemption as the Superior Spider-Man was erased after Ock got a new body (long story) and he reverted to villainy.
At one point Otto was so traumatized after losing to Spider-Man that he actually feared spiders for a time. His current desire to not want to know who is under the mask is fascinating, and likely a coping mechanism for Otto’s arrogance in not knowing something, (which also came into play as the Superior Spider-Man). Otto’s final heroic act in that series was to admit that Peter Parker was the superior hero, and the one to fix what Otto couldn’t, so he removed his mind from Peter’s body.
All-New Venom #8 is full of clever bangers, especially from Rick Jones, whose deadpan delivery in the face of danger is laugh out loud funny. The mental conversation between MJ and Venom is enlightening, and explains how this All New Venom is different from previous pairings. Ock’s macabre exuberance is palpable as he leans heavily into the mad scientist trope, and supervillain monologuing.
It’s also a nice touch for Joe Robertson to remind Paul and Flash to keep their voices low while discussing Venom’s identity in public.
The artwork from Carlos Gomez remains astounding; bold, clean lines, symbiote tendrils rippling through the air, muscled forms full of energy, the panel angles and composition that draws the reader’s attention. The sight gags in All New Venom #8 are also clever, (Sleeper as a cat, Toxin as a blob, MJ and Venom underwater, Rick Jones hanging upside down).
Final Thoughts
All-New Venom #8 is an enjoyable read, especially for fans of classic Spider-Man. The artwork bristles with intensity and imagination, while the writing both entertains and moves the story forward.
