Marvel’s Spider-Man 2will feature Venom, and based on the positive reaction to the game’s reveal trailer, many are excited to see what Insomniac does with the character. All signs point to Harry Osborn filling the role as opposed to Eddie Brock, meaning that the story could be significantly different from the comics. However,Marvel’s Spider-Man 2fansshould not worry about this, as Insomniac has several other adaptations to keep in mind when crafting its own take on the villain.
Not only is Venom’s voice actor perfect for the role, but Insomniac has taken risks with characters like Aunt May and The Tinkerer that have paid off very well. Alongside hundreds of comic book appearances, the good and bad portrayals of Venom on TV and the big screen can remind the developer what it should (and should not) do with the character. With fans waiting so long to see Venom in Insomniac’s universe, it is important that he ends up being everything fans hoped he would be inMarvel’s Spider-Man 2.
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What The Animated Series Get Right About Venom
Whether it was theSpider-Mancartoon from the 90s or the criminally underratedSpectacular Spider-Manseries, the animated shows have always done a terrific job with Venom. Both shows nailedVenom’s imposing size and voice, with the character made out to be a terrifying threat unlike anything Peter had faced before. He was taken seriously, with humor left entirely to the wise-cracking webslinger.
In both the 1990sSpider-Manseries andSpectacular Spider-Man, Eddie Brock and theSymbiote’s shared hatred of Peter Parkeris brilliantly captured. The former felt he was wronged by his friend Peter, while the latter hates Spider-Man because he rejected the bond with the Symbiote. On the off-chance Venom is Eddie Brock in Insomniac’s universe, this hatred needs to be captured. However, in theUltimate Spider-Mananimated series, the Symbiote bonds with Harry. As such, Insomniac can look closely at this show if it plans on making the younger Osborn Venom, keeping arcs that did and did not work in mind.
What The Movies Have Gotten Wrong So About Venom
On the big screen, Venom has had an interesting run. It did not get off to a good start, though, as most would agree thatSpider-Man 3’s take on Venomwas an abomination. The voice was frustrating, the design made him small and not formidable whatsoever, and that film’s version of Eddie Brock was a truly odd character. Insomniac can use this movie as an example of what not to do, and based on Venom’s look and voice in the game’s reveal, it looks like the developer is doing just that.
Despitemediocre reviews for theVenommovies, they certainly have their fans, with many being able to look beyond the issues with the writing and editing. This is because the films do a fine job of making Venom into a proper monster, with the character’s design being spot-on. While they certainly go too far in terms of the humor for some Marvel fans, the dynamic between Eddie Brock and the Symbiote works much like it does in the comics. Whether it is Brock or Osborn that bonds with the parasite inMarvel’s Spider-Man 2, Insomniac needs to focus on how the Symbiote is different from the man it is attached to.
Still the biggest problem with theVenomfilms is undoubtedly the lack of a relationship between Spider-Man and Eddie Brock. A huge portion of the original story is tied to Spidey, as Peter wearing the Symbiote is a crucial part of Venom’s creation. Likewise, Eddie Brock (or whoever else becomes Venom) having a hatred for Peter is essential. The movies skip over this and make Venom an anti-hero from the start, something that is going to be a huge problem once Spider-Man and Venom face off in the next film. Explaining Venom’s odd hatred for Peter will surely be weird, and with Brock being indifferent to the hero, a lot of emotion will be missing from the fight. Insomniac needs to verify there is a reason for the two to do battle, which is whyHarry becoming Venommakes more sense in the game universe.
Based on the few seconds of Venom that has been shown intheMarvel’s Spider-Man 2trailer, Insomniac seems to be getting the character right. He should be fully terrifying like in the animated shows as opposed to being played for laughs. Further, the person wearing the Symbiote should have a genuine reason to hate Spider-Man, something that the new Venom movies have made impossible by changing Brock’s origin story. If Insomniac gets these things right while also putting its own spin on the character, theMarvel’s Spider-Manversion of Venom could become the best adaptation yet.
