[OOC] CLOSED - Ultimate One Universe: Season One

[An Outsider]

<Snipped quote by BlackSam3091>
BAH GAWD, THAT'S @Nightrunner'S MUSIC.

@Morden Man

I was trying to steer clear of that particular low hanging fruit. Should have known that was wasted effort in this group.

[Lord Wraith]

Low hanging fruit is our speciality.

[Retired]

HOT TAKE ALERT: Venom is a shit character in general and my least favorite major Spider-Man villain. He was mildly interesting in his debut arc, and outside of that has been nothing but garbage outside of Agent Venom

@HenryJonesJr

He's been done right from time to time, but with how much Marvel overdoes the symbiote thing, and with how much they tried to push him as the next big thing with the solo series, they turned him into an annoyance more than anything. I did enjoy best when he was stalking and ominously ruining Pete's life from the shadows, a la his beginning and the Spider-Man PS1 game.

That's why, for my Spider-Man attempts, my Venom was going to be different and unique compared to the mainstream version. Or, at least, after the initial symbiote arc which would have been played mostly straight until a twist ending, but the follow-up stuff would have been cool and fun. I hope.

[Enarr]

<Snipped quote by Morden Man>

I was trying to steer clear of that particular low hanging fruit. Should have known that was wasted effort in this group.

@BlackSam3091

Fuck it. I'm gonna lean into the drift.

[AndyC]

<Snipped quote by Sep>

1) This looks like complete and utter crap. The trailer gives you your daily dose of cringe many times over.

2) HOT TAKE ALERT: Venom is a shit character in general and my least favorite major Spider-Man villain. He was mildly interesting in his debut arc, and outside of that has been nothing but garbage outside of Agent Venom

@HenryJonesJr

Venom was very much a product of the 90s, and the further away we get from that era, the worse he's aged. Like Gambit or Doomsday, or basically the entire original lineup of Image Comics. That said, I liked his debut arc, his first arc in the Ultimate comics, bits of Lethal Protector, and I actually quite like Donny Cates' current run as it's one of the only things Marvel puts out at the moment that feels like an actual comic book.

But yeah, four things I liked in about 30 years worth of material isn't a particularly strong portfolio, especially outside of the comics. They regularly fast-forward through the Black Suit Saga (IMO one of the most potentially interesting parts of Pete's mythology) in order to get to the character, and when they do he regularly disappoints. He was okay-ish in The Animated Series, but far from the best villain in the show for how much emphasis they put on him. And the Venom episodes of Spectacular Spider-Man were far and away the weakest in the series. And the less said about his outing in Spider-Man 3, the better.

As a rule of thumb I don't believe there's such a thing as a wholly bad character, as the right creative team with the right idea can turn even the lamest concept into something cool. But there are definitely characters that are harder than others to do well, and Venom is pretty high on that list.

[HenryJonesJr]

<Snipped quote by HenryJonesJr>

He's been done right from time to time, but with how much Marvel overdoes the symbiote thing, and with how much they tried to push him as the next big thing with the solo series, they turned him into an annoyance more than anything. I did enjoy best when he was stalking and ominously ruining Pete's life from the shadows, a la his beginning and the Spider-Man PS1 game.

That's why, for my Spider-Man attempts, my Venom was going to be different and unique compared to the mainstream version. Or, at least, after the initial symbiote arc which would have been played mostly straight until a twist ending, but the follow-up stuff would have been cool and fun. I hope.

@Retired

I have a basic idea on where I’d take he character should I A) ever get to season 3/4 or something and B) decide to go through with it, but it’s nearly unrecognizable from most Venom incarnations

[Retired]

<Snipped quote by Retired>

I have a basic idea on where I’d take he character should I A) ever get to season 3/4 or something and B) decide to go through with it, but it’s nearly unrecognizable from most Venom incarnations

@HenryJonesJr

If your idea coincides with mine, I'm calling shenanigans.

[Eddie Brock]

*looks at username*
*sighs at 2007 self's choices*
*takes deep breath*

Yeah, I suppose I'll weigh in.

The Venom movie looks like hot garbage (or maybe I should say "a turd in the wind"?). Though, to be fair, I could not be more biased against it if I tried. A Venom solo movie is about the dumbest thing I can think of. A Venom solo film in a universe without Spider-Man? That's like doing a Mister Hyde solo film in a universe without Doctor Jekyll. Like... what? It's such a blatant attempt by Sony at flexing their independence from Marvel Studios and trying to stretch the Spider-Man brand as far as they can before they've poisoned the whole well.

My predisposition against it aside, it just doesn't look good. It looks like really 2000s Ben Affleck Daredevil-level garbage. Back when studios didn't want to look like nerds, so all comic book movies were as divorced from the source material as they could get away with and shot with the same flat, poorly-lit, blue-tinted "cinematography." I saw a Reddit comment that put it best: "I can't wait to watch two off-color puddles of gasoline fight each other." If you're gonna do symbiotes, at least make them obnoxiously 90s-colored so I know what I'm looking at. The only positive takeaway I have is that it looks like they'll at least give you Venom for the final third (if not entire second half), rather than doing Sick Motorcycle Tricks(tm) all movie and only pulling out the full suit for the final fifteen minutes.

And seriously, what the hell was Tom Hardy thinking? "I'm Eddie Bwock. I'm a weportuh." Sure, you are, little buddy. Lemme know when your front teeth grow back in and you get a speech coach for that lithp.

Now, on the topic of the Venom character at large. I think Venom's fine in small doses. I've gone on this rant before, but the ideal incarnation of Venom for me is defeated permanently at the end of his debut arc. Venom is the final boss of the Symbiote Saga; he is the literal personification of all Peter Parker's worst traits, a dark mirror showing what happens when great power is absent of great responsibility. Once Peter defeats his demons, that's it. They're defeated. Story arc over, Venom's purpose served.

He makes a fine, if shallow, antagonist to be used sparingly after that. I have no interest in anything where he takes a starring role, especially not where he's portrayed as a "lethal protector" (unless it's someone else in the suit, a la Agent Venom). And I wish my younger self didn't sip the Spider-Man 3 hype Kool-Aid because I've forever tied my online persona to a character I've more or less outgrown. C'est la vie.

/rant

[Byrd Man]

And I wish my younger self didn't sip the Spider-Man 3 hype Kool-Aid because I've forever tied my online persona to a character I've more or less outgrown. C'est la vie.

@Eddie Brock

Didn't you used to have a Topher Grave as Eddie Brock avatar? I remember you used to be Eddie Brock Jr. for a long time. So much so my shorthand for you is still EBJ.

[Eddie Brock]

<Snipped quote by Eddie Brock>

Didn't you used to have a Topher Grave as Eddie Brock avatar? I remember you used to be Eddie Brock Jr. for a long time. So much so my shorthand for you is still EBJ.

@Byrd Man

It's very likely. I chose Eddie Brock, Jr. as my username because the trailer had just come out and I had recently read the Ultimate Spider-Man trades. (Thus, when the movie was a trainwreck -- which I didn't acknowledge for a while -- I insisted that the latter was my inspiration all along.) And then somewhere along the way, that "Jr." started to bug me, so I got the SHH! mods to get rid of it because the original "Eddie Brock" account had been inactive for years.

[Sep]

<Snipped quote by Byrd Man>

It's very likely. I chose Eddie Brock, Jr. as my username because the trailer had just come out and I had recently read the Ultimate Spider-Man trades. (Thus, when the movie was a trainwreck -- which I didn't acknowledge for a while -- I insisted that the latter was my inspiration all along.) And then somewhere along the way, that "Jr." started to bug me, so I got the SHH! mods to get rid of it because the original "Eddie Brock" account had been inactive for years.

@Eddie Brock

While I was never part of SHH I do remember people referring to you as EBJ. Good times.

[Supermaxx]

So I heard I was being waited on, so there's a post.



So. How do people feel about this. Okay I get that you can do the whole Planet Symbiote style symbiote rather than the Doc Ock variant. Though I still don't like the idea of a Venom movie without Spidey. Is it in the MCU though? The "There's enough Superheroes" line throws me a little bit. It also looks really dark to be in the MCU.

I like the idea of the Venom/Eddie Brock relationship.

@Sep

OwO what's this *notices your venom trailer*
awwww!~ *nuzzles your shitty Sony Spiderverse*
ur a cutie x3 *swishes tail on a failing film studio that's latest hits include the Amazing Spider-Man 2 and the Emoji movie*
uwu this makes me want to die

I can't wait for the CGI monster orgy for the last twenty minutes of the movie. It'll be grand, confusing display of computer generated action with no weight and cartoony physics.

[ErsatzEmperor]

I'm in a bit of a pinch, guys. I think I'll have to retire Strange for a bit and see how my workload changes coming up through summer, or at the very least coming up upon the start of Season Two. I'll be lurking around regardless. But yeah, finding it hard to designate time to write at the moment and don't want to be in a position where I burn out altogether.

[Sep]

I'm in a bit of a pinch, guys. I think I'll have to retire Strange for a bit and see how my workload changes coming up through summer, or at the very least coming up upon the start of Season Two. I'll be lurking around regardless. But yeah, finding it hard to designate time to write at the moment and don't want to be in a position where I burn out altogether.

@ErsatzEmperor

Where is cry emoji

I cri

[Retired]

I'm in a bit of a pinch, guys. I think I'll have to retire Strange for a bit and see how my workload changes coming up through summer, or at the very least coming up upon the start of Season Two. I'll be lurking around regardless. But yeah, finding it hard to designate time to write at the moment and don't want to be in a position where I burn out altogether.

@ErsatzEmperor

Sorry to hear that. Hope your workload lightens up.

[Eddie Brock]

I can't wait for the CGI monster orgy for the last twenty minutes of the movie. It'll be grand, confusing display of computer generated action with no weight and cartoony physics.

@Superboy

"No weight?"
"You think he means physically or emotionally?"
"Would it even make a difference?"

[Master Bruce]

And I wish my younger self didn't sip the Spider-Man 3 hype Kool-Aid because I've forever tied my online persona to a character I've more or less outgrown. C'est la vie.

@Eddie Brock

This confession does make me wonder, if given the chance to alter things, what would your current username be? I admit that I kind of struck gold whenever "Master Bruce" wss suggested to me in the early Hype days, but this What If? sort of thing fascinates me.

[Eddie Brock]

<Snipped quote by Eddie Brock>

This confession does make me wonder, if given the chance to alter things, what would your current username be? I admit that I kind of struck gold whenever "Master Bruce" wss suggested to me in the early Hype days, but this What If? sort of thing fascinates me.

@Master Bruce

I've taken to going by Webhead on other sites/services, so probably that. If not, then... I don't know. I've always sucked at usernames.

[Sep]

<Snipped quote by Master Bruce>

I've taken to going by Webhead on other sites/services, so probably that. If not, then... I don't know. I've always sucked at usernames.

@Eddie Brock

Sep is my go to, it was taken on the old Guild, where I went with EvilScottishGuy... don't think anyone in this group knows me by that.

Other variants are SepRex, SepRexPrime, Septimundo and so on so forth.

[Master Bruce]

And as far as Venom goes, I think I'm gonna be the odd man out on this one. Not with the movie, which looks disappointingly terrible and a throwback to that awful Josh Trank Fant4stic film from a couple years ago, but with the character himself. I actually enjoy Venom whenever Brock is the one behind the wheel, especially when you get past the horror element that Todd MacFarlane intended with him and treat him as almost this annoying jock-lite big brother to Spider-Man that would sooner give Parker a swirlie than attempt to eat his brains. Venom as a villain never really made sense after his initial arc, but as Peter's reluctantly called upon ally? He's gold.

Of course, that opinion is weighed in a bit of bias for the PS1 Spider-Man game and the original 90's cartoon, where that version of Venom really shined. But as far as the comics go, it's also important to remember that Eddie really hasn't been Venom for quite a long time. The big overused monster versions have generally been successors, like Mac Gargan. Mindless, dull versions of the character with nothing to offer. Agent Venom was a nice change of pace and I really loved what that did for Flash Thompson's character, but I admit that it's nice for me to know that Brock is back.

Now, does that mean that I'm one of those people who thinks Venom is one of the coolest Spider-Man villains ever? Fuck no. My favorites are the classic rogues like Doc Ock, The Goblin, and Mysterio. But as a rough Bizarro stand-in that every superhero practically needs, he serves his purpose.

This film, of course, negates any of that by pretending as if Venom is interesting by himself. It reminds me of the bafflingly in-production Joker origin movie that isn't going to feature Batman. Who the fuck is that even for?