Spoilers for King in Black #2 by Donny Cates, Ryan Stegman, JP Mayer, Frank Martin, and Clayton Cowles!
The King in Black #2 sees the God of the Symbiotes claim his first major victim of Donny Cates and Ryan Stegman’s massive crossover event. While Knull has been plaguing Venom since the beginning of his current run, the all-powerful villain has been around for much longer. Now, after years of buildup and a bloody rampage courtesy of Cletus Kasady, the lord of all things dark and slimy has arrived. And he’s taking no prisoners.
After a galaxy-wide conquest, Knull puts Earth to the sword with an army of symbiote dragons at his back. Despite the best efforts of an army of heroes ranging from The Avengers to the reclusive X-Men, Knull blots out the sky with relative ease and conquers the planet. And while Iron Man and Reed Richards form a ragtag coalition with the likes of Namor, Dracula, and Wilson Fisk, the planet’s defenders still lost one of their greatest weapons against the dark god. As Knull’s shocking separation of Eddie Brock and his beloved symbiote partner at the end of the event’s first issue is met with a grisly payoff.
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After a very long fall, a Venom-less Eddie crashes into the ground in a gruesome impact. Eddie’s former nemesis and current friend Spider-Man quickly arrives on the scene to attempt a rescue. The mortally wounded Brock asks Peter to protect his son Dylan before the web-slinger rushes the crumpled hero to the care of Valkyrie and Reed Richards in a makeshift hospital. In a desperate attempt to save the one person who might be able to pose a threat to Knull, Iron Man attempts to bond Eddie with one of his symbiote dragons. Sadly, it was a little too late, as Eddy quietly dies.
Eddie’s dying this quickly in the event is a shocking and tragic development. After all, Knull is his villain just as much as King in Black is his event comic. For comparison, what happened here would be like Hulk dying at the beginning of Planet Hulk. That being said, it’s never safe to assume anything at face value with Eddie. He’s been to hell and back a time or two, and has proven to be something of a Comeback King.
Eddie Brock was one casualty that the heroes of earth couldn’t risk. Who else has more knowledge of the symbiotes? Furthermore, how will this affect his young son Dylan, who appears to be Knull’s main target? It’s a development that makes an already dire situation much worse. The previews for the event’s finale, King in Black #5 depict a Venom coated skeleton clutching Knull’s sword. So regardless of whether it’s beloved host remains dead, it’s safe to assume that Venom will have a rematch with dear old dad before all is said and done.
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