REVIEW: ‘Venom’ Issue 1 (2026)

Venom Issue 1 (2026) is published by Marvel Comics. Written by Charles Soule, art by Tommaso Bianchi, colors by Yen Nitro and letters by Clayton Cowles.

Eddie Brock and the Venom Symbiote are reunited in Venom Issue 1 (2026), and ready to reestablish themselves in the city. There is an immediate energy within Venom Issue 1 (2026), sending the Symbiote hurtling through the streets of New York and beyond.

Soule does a superb job of explaining what happened with both Eddie Brock and Venom, but also keeping the story fresh and inviting. Venom Issue 1 (2026) bounces between points in time, using the shuttle to create a thunderous place. It is recognizing the past, but shrugging it off at the same time.

Venom Issue 1 (2026) rapidly throws Venom into battles and fights that aren’t just against other Symbiotes. It becomes clear that Venom is trying to get somewhere. It’s a transitional issue that becomes much different and freer by the end, ready to move on.

It has been a long time since the characters at the helm of a Venom series have been Venom and Eddie. That’s the original, and both have been through so much in that time. So n much of the dialogue is trying to understand their connection again. Sometimes Eddie is reacting; other times it’s the Symbiote. Venom can be angry, scary and aggressive, getting in the faces of innocents and prominent heroes.

But there are also several moments of humour and refreshing conversation. It’s funny to see how people are used to Venom now, even civilians on the street. The antihero concept is also being revisited. Killing is off the table, but there’s still plenty of violence and a decisive stance toward the other heroes in the city. Venom is part of the New York hero community, but far on the fringes.

The art reverts Venom back to a recognizable shape, and Bianchi is unbelievable. The design of Venom is sublime. He is bulky, with a tiny head and a massive tongue. This is how Venom is often presented, but there are other elements added as well. There is always some kind of extension to his body, blotches of symbiotic skin and tendrils. It keeps the eyes moving to see what these tendrils attach to or connect with.

It’s funny to see Venom’s huge frame take up so much space within such famous places in New York. There’s a movement scene in the subway, and a stop outside City Hall. The fights are frantic and display Venom’s rapid movement, but also immense strength. When needed, Eddie’s face emerges from within the goop. And it’s comical to see only Brock’s face peering through the hulking figure.

The colors are fantastic within this issue. The oily shine of Venom’s skin looks fantastic, with a blue tint that helps to craft muscle definition. The blue isn’t permanent either, with Nitro also opting for a jet black approach to the protagonist. Cowles does a superb job of departing from the narration boxes and word balloons of both Venom and Eddie.

Venom Issue 1 (2026) is a reset and a statement of intent. After so much cosmic conflict, this returns to where it all began. Venom is on the streets of New York and not the King in Black. That history and passing around of hosts had always been exciting, but it’s also refreshing to see Eddie get another chance and work on that relationship with the Symbiote.

Venom Issue 1 (2026) is action-heavy and filled with multiple terrific personalities. It’s dark, funny, and feisty, which is perfect for new readers to re-engage with such an iconic pairing.

Venom Issue 1 (2026) is available where comics are sold.