Warning! Spoilers froAll-New Venom#8 ahead!
Wolverinehas a new rival for thecoolest regenerative powers in the Marvel Universe, asAgent Anti-Venom reveals that his “technological symbiote” suit is effectively a “wearable healing factor,” which can restore him to full health after all but the most fatal injuries, including being stabbed through the chest by Venom.
All-New Venom#8, written by Al Ewing, with art by Carlos Gómez, elaborates on the abilities of Agent Anti-Venom’s suit, confirming that it contains a world-class healing factor, quicklyestablishing it as one of Marvel’s best.
In addition to an exciting upgrade for Anti-Venom, this also raises the question of the technology’s wider implication for Marvel lore.
Marvel Confirms Agent Anti-Venom Possesses A Powerful “Wearable Healing Factor”
All-New Venom#8, Written By Al Ewing; Art By Carlos Gómez; Available Now From Marvel Comics
Agent Anti-Venom is revealed to be working with Venom in the issue, but to “sell” that they are adversaries, Venom full-on runs Anti-Venom through, leaving him lying in the street bleeding out from a chest wound. AsAll-New Venom#8 makes clear, this was all an act (“kayfabe,” as the issue calls it, borrowing a term from professional wrestling.)
An act that was only made possible by Anti-Venom’s substantial healing factor. “As long as I’m not dead,” he explains, “[the Anti-Venom suit] can restore me to how it found me.” In other words, thisputs the character’s regenerative abilities on the level just below functionally-immortalcharacters like Wolverine and Deadpool.
While this is an exciting development for the Agent Anti-Venom character, it could have ominous consequences for the Marvel Universe in the future.
Moreover, while Marvel readers are accustomed to accelerated healing as a result of mutant and superhuman biology, a tech-based healing factor is far less common. Consequently, while this is an exciting development for the Agent Anti-Venom character, it could have ominous consequences for the Marvel Universe in the future, if this technology falls into the wrong hands.
“Wearable Healing Factors” Could Change The Landscape Of The Marvel Universe
An Exciting Concept With Major Potential
Behind the mask, Agent Anti-Venom islongtimeSpider-Mancharacter Flash Thompson, who has long since transcended his humble beginnings as Peter Parker’s bully to become a Marvel hero in his own right. Now that the character has been given a powerful upgrade, it remains to be determined how that will impact him moving forward.
However, the possibilities of a “wearable healing factor” go beyond just Anti-Venom. The proliferation of this regenerative tech would level the playing field for Marvel’s more vulnerable heroes and villains, as well as potentially empowering ordinary citizens, blurring the line between hero and ordinary person. It is a fascinating sci-fi concept, which deserves to be tested further in future stories.
Whether thepotential of this new Marvel technology, for better or worse, will be explored in subsequent stories remains to be determined. Still, for now, readers can be satisfied thatAll-New Venomhas introduced something novel and exciting to the contemporary Marvel landscape, by giving Agent Anti-Venom a thrilling healing factorthat rivals the best of them,Wolverineincluded.
