Venom/Spiderman Graphic Novels

[Respeto6]

Hello, Im new to the forums. I hope you are doing well!

My question is, what do you consider to be the best/most essential Venom (as the Protagonist or Main Villain/Ally) Graphic Novels?

And what do you consider to be the best/most essential Spiderman Graphic Novels?

I've recently gotten into graphic novels, and Im very interested in the Spidey universe. So your suggestions would be very appreciated :)

[TheVenomSite]

Hello, Im new to the forums. I hope you are doing well!

My question is, what do you consider to be the best/most essential Venom (as the Protagonist or Main Villain/Ally) Graphic Novels?)

I can help you with Venom. If you want to start with Venom, I would suggest starting at the beginning with The Birth of Venom or Spider-Man vs Venom

I would also recommend The Vengence of Venom

If you want to catch up on his current ongoing most of those stories are in TPB form as well.

[David Walton]

The Birth of Venom is Eddie Brock at his best, even though he only appears in two stories there. But after his first two appearances, they weren't really sure where to go with a guy who wants Spider-Man dead and knows his secret identity.

Also of note: TBOV features some great DeFalco stories, my personal favorite being the Rose story about the football player throwing games. It's also got the issue where Mary Jane Watson reveals her back story.

[godzilla2099]

Welcome to the Board

The comic that got me into collecting and stamped Venom as my favorite Marvel Character for Decades was Amazing Spider-Man #317. It was my first comic and to this day remains in my top three comics of all time.

- Best Spider-Man Story
- Best Venom
- Best Fight Scene

I won't get into the details for you, but its stories like those is what made Venom such a boogeyman for Spider-Man.

So my highest recommendation is The Birth of Venom or Spider-Man vs Venom

[David Walton]

Welcome to the Board

The comic that got me into collecting and stamped Venom as my favorite Marvel Character for Decades was Amazing Spider-Man #317. It was my first comic and to this day remains in my top three comics of all time.

- Best Spider-Man Story
- Best Venom
- Best Fight Scene

I won't get into the details for you, but its stories like those is what made Venom such a boogeyman for Spider-Man.

So my highest recommendation is The Birth of Venom

Yeah, great fight...and without giving anything away, they used something from this story in the Spectacular Spider-Man cartoon.

[idlewildered]

It'd be worth getting what I'm sure is titled Carnage.

First appearance of the character and the introduction of a different Spider-Man/Venom dynamic.

[godzilla2099]

Yeah, great fight...and without giving anything away, they used something from this story in the Spectacular Spider-Man cartoon.

Its funny, that 317 reference was the first Spectacular Spider-Man Episode I watched too. I know I'll be in the minority, but I wasn't a fan of that series. I thought the Animated Series from 94 was by far superior.

[Venom]

Its funny, that 317 reference was the first Spectacular Spider-Man Episode I watched too. I know I'll be in the minority, but I wasn't a fan of that series. I thought the Animated Series from 94 was by far superior.

You're not alone. I thought Spectacular was alright but in my view no Spider-Man cartoon will ever be better tha the classic 90s one.

[Mister Mets]

Birth of Venom is the essential volume, collecting the alien costume saga, as well as the first Venom storylines. It collects the same material as two out of print collections: The Alien Costume Saga and Spider-Man VS Venom.

I think the strongest Venom story was in Mark Millar's run on Spider-Man, which is also an accessible twelve part story.

http://www.amazon.com/Spider-Man-Ult...lar+spider-man

[Venomous Mask]

The 90s show was awesome; it was actually where the idea that the symbiote corrupted its host came from.

Some other good Venom graphic novels (in chronological order):
Spirits of Venom
Venom: Lethal Protector (first limited series)
Maximum Carnage
Spectacular Spiderman: The Hunger
Venom vs. Carnage (amazing artwork, somewhat lackluster story)
Sinister Spiderman
Amazing Spiderman: New Ways to Die

Stories that have been collected but are bundled with other stories:
The Exile Returns (can be found in The Complete Clone Saga Epic Vol. 1)
Planet of the Symbiotes (can be found in The Complete Clone Sage Epic Vol. 3)

Some good Venom stories that haven't been collected yet are:
Venom: Nights of Vengeance
Venom: Sinner Takes All
Venom: The Hunted
Venom: The Hunger (not the same as Spectacular Spiderman story, but one of the best Venom solo stories)
Venom: On Trial (last Venom vs. Carnage fight of the 90s; art is somewhat mediocre)
Spiderman: The Venom Agenda one-shot
Peter Parker Spiderman #9, 10 Vol. 2
Amazing Spiderman #19 Vol.2 (both this and the Peter Parker issues have been collected, but you really don't want to read the other Spiderman stories around that time)

[Respeto6]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I especially like your chronological order of the novels, it's really helpful :)

[Magnum_Valentino]

It's worth noting too that the Carnage 3-parter, the original story, is included in Vengeance Of Venom, mentioned above.

[Kymeric]

For the more recent stories I would recommend Spiderman: New Ways to Die, followed by Anti-Venom, followed by Spiderman: The Return of Anti-Venom, and the entire run of the current series.

I personally like what they did with Eddie Brock and the symbiote. Its comic books so it will inevitably go back to the old status quo, but I for one am enjoying the current take on both Eddie Brock and the symbiote.