VENOM, VENOM, VENOM & VENOM!
MARVEL MINIMATES

So, yeah, it’s…uhh…Venom. And Venom. And Venom and Venom. That’s 4 Venoms. What is it? 1995? Anyway, it’s more Marvel Minimates. This time around, it’s a boxed set commemorating all the different incarnations of Venom from over the years. Because Venom’s such a diverse character. Regardless, that’s the set I’m looking at today.
THE FIGURES THEMSELVES
These guys were released last year, as the “Venom Through the Ages” boxed set.
VENOM UNLEASHED
First up, it’s the real star of the show. This is the version of Venom that most people think of when they think of the character. It’s the big, bulky, long-tongued, slobbering version of the character. If you read my review of the recent TRU Venom, you’ve pretty much seen this figure before. This one’s got most of the same pieces, only this time, cast in black instead of the dark blue from that figure. To counteract this, they’ve done the muscle detailing in a light blue instead of black. It’s all nice and cleanly done. This one doesn’t have a Spider-Man under all the pieces, instead showing a crazed Eddie Brock. He also includes a spare mask that is partly pulled back to reveal Eddies face, and an alternate hairpiece to show Eddie totally revealed.
VENOM – EDDIE BROCK
Next, it’s another version of Eddie Brock. This time around, it’s based on his more svelte look from his earlier appearances. He’s built on the basic Minimate body, with all the usual articulation. In place of regular hands, he’s got a pair of clawed hands, which have been used for Venom a few times before. He’s also got a torso cover that’s been used a few times in the past for some of the more bulky characters. It’s not my favorite piece, due to its blockage of the figures shoulders and neck articulation, and its overall odd shape, but it works okay, I guess. Instead of a sculpted head, Venom’s face is all paint on this one. It looks pretty accurate to the material, and fits the minimate aesthetic a bit better. The rest of his detailing is similar, though not identical, to that on the Venom Unleashed figure. Venom also includes an alternate Eddie brock head, this time with a more calm expression than the last one.
VENOM – ANN WEYING
Next, it’s Ann Weying, one of the attempts to make a “She-Venom” back in the 90s, when everything Venom sold millions. She was Eddie Brock’s ex-wife, or something, and had the symbiote for a little while, during one of Eddie’s many breaks from the role. Quality story telling there. She’s on the typical Minimate body, though with the same clawed hands that the Eddie Venom used. Like Eddie, she has a painted face instead of a sculpted one. The only other sculpted piece she has is a tendril piece that goes over her neck. She’s detailed similarly to the Eddie Venom, though a bit more simplistic, and of course, more feminine. She includes an unmasked head with hair.
VENOM – FLASH THOMPSON
Lastly, it’s Flash Thompson’s Venom. This one’s kind of the outlier of the set, being form the last few years. He’s also the only one that’s not a variation on the same basic look. And he’s heroic to boot. Flash’s design is of course based on his look from his series that’s been running the last few years. For him, the symbiote is used more as a tool, and not a controlling force. It’s an interesting take, and that’s actually not sarcasm. Anyway, he’s on the usual body, but he’s got a whole bunch of add-ons. He’s got a mask, vest, gloves, a belt, a holster, and boots. With the exception of the mask, which has been used several times before, all the pieces are new to this figure. They all look accurate to the source material, which is good. Flash has minimal detailing, but it’s all well done. The eyes and logo stand out nicely, and there’s a nice pattern representing the texturing on his arms. Flash also includes an assault rifle, a handgun, and a hair piece to display him unmasked.
THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION
I’m honestly not the world’s biggest Venom fan, but my usual online store had this set marked down during their Black Friday Sale, so I picked it up. Eddie and Ann aren’t gonna win any awards, but Unleashed and Flash are both really cool, so I’m glad to have picked it up.