As bad a time as the 90's were for comics, that's when I started reading comics (hell, that's when I started reading, period!) so I can't help but have a little nostalgia. My introduction to Venom was one of the last issues of the much disputed "Lethal Protector" mini, wherein the blood-sucking, spider-smooshing baddie becomes a quote-unquote "anti-hero". Looking back, the art was trashy and the hairstyles ludicrous, but... there it was, ya know? My childhood. So ist das Leben, nicht wahr?

Venom really did suffer from a whole lot of the 90's Syndrome and much of those endless mini series were awful, but there were some enjoyable points. I *just* finished reading the mini "Venom: the Hunger", and it completely cements my view of Brock and symbiote as one of those odd old married couples who, though horribly toxic for each other, end up sharing some weird and highly creepy form of legitimate affection. With brain-eating and occasional gifts of chocolate.

Spectacular Spider-man is *adorable*. The timeline is roughly the same as the 90's cartoon but condensed, so all the crooks and everyone else all seem to know each other. (Eddie Brock working for Curt Conner? Feels like some possible fun there.)