Highlights

  • Venom's appearance in Marvel's Spider-Man 2 deviates from the comics by making Harry Osborn the host instead of Eddie Brock or Flash Thompson, but still maintains a connection to Agent Venom.
  • The inclusion of Agent Venom's suit in the game suggests that Flash Thompson may not play a major role in future installments of the Spider-Man universe.
  • Insomniac has shown a willingness to take creative liberties with Spider-Man canon, as seen in their changes to Venom's weaknesses, and it remains to be seen how they will continue to express their creativity in future games.

A lot of factors contributed to the anticipation behind Marvel's Spider-Man 2. The addictive gameplay of Marvel's Spider-Man, the prospect of playing as both Peter Parker and Miles Morales, and the continuation of Insomniac's stellar storytelling were just a few, but one thing above all arguably accounted for the majority of the hype: Venom. The iconic Marvel anti-hero has appeared in many video games before, but Marvel's Spider-Man 2 would be one of his first showings in a project of this caliber. Insomniac largely managed to deliver a Venom many fans could be happy with, but with some major changes to his origins.

The Venom symbiote has taken many hosts over its long comic history. Eddie Brock is the first, and one of the most popular Venoms, and many other names have hosted the symbiote for various amounts of time. Another host who has staked their claim as an iconic Venom is Flash Thompson thanks to his time as Agent Venom, a militarized version of the character with a unique look and arsenal. Insomniac took a different approach with Venom in Marvel's Spider-Man 2, forgoing previous hosts for Peter Parker's best friend, Harry Osborn. In the process, however, Insomniac made sure to maintain some connection to Agent Venom.

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How Insomniac References Flash Thompson's Agent Venom

Harry Osborn's journey as host to the Venom symbiote differs rather wildly compared to other hosts from the comics. While the symbiote keeps Harry healthy from his sickness, similar to how it gave Flash Thompson his legs after losing them in military combat, Harry's initial relationship with the symbiote is where things take a different path. Instead of immediately turning into the toothy monster fans are familiar with, Harry demonstrates some control over the symbiote. While he still has control over himself, Harry decides to take up a life of heroism just like his best friend Peter.

As Harry discovers the limits of his powers, he joins Peter on his missions as Spider-Man. Like any true hero, Harry makes a suit for himself with help from the symbiote, and he opts for a distinctly militaristic style. For fans of Agent Venom, this suit should look very familiar, as it's a near recreation of his suit from the comics. It makes for a fun Easter egg in Marvel's Spider-Man 2, but it may have unfortunate implications for Flash Thompson's chances of becoming Venom's host in a future game.

What Flash Thompson's Absence Could Mean For Spider-Man 3

As of right now, Venom's future in Spider-Man 3 is generally up in the air. However, the appearance of Agent Venom's suit and Flash Thompson's absence as the character could have several implications for Insomniac's next installment. Simply put, players may never see Flash Thompson play a major role in Insomniac's Spider-Man universe, especially not as Agent Venom. The inclusion of his suit may have been Insomniac's one way to pay homage in the face of this creative decision, in which case it may be better than nothing for some fans.

The Venom featured in Spider-Man 2 was a delight for many players, but it certainly deviated from the comics in more ways than one. In addition to having no connection to Eddie Brock or Flash Thompson, Insomniac altered Venom's weakness to fire, but maintained his weakness towards certain sound frequencies. Insomniac has shown little hesitation towards taking creative liberties with certain aspects of Spider-Man canon, and time will tell how it continues to express that creativity in a future installment.