Potential spoilers ahead for Spider-Man: Spider's Shadow #5!
There is a new King in Black in the Marvel Universe—the Fantastic Four’s Reed Richards! In a special preview for Spider-Man: Spider’s Shadow #5, on sale in print and digital August 11th, the former leader of the Fantastic Four has been taken over by the Venom symbiote, infecting and controlling other heroes—just like the King in Black.
Spider-Man: Spider’s Shadow, written by Chip Zdarsky with art by Pasqual Ferry, colors by Matt Hollingsworth and letters by Joe Sabino, takes readers to an alternate Earth where Peter Parker did not relinquish the Venom symbiote; instead, he keeps it, and his behavior becomes erratic as the symbiote asserts its control. Under its destructive influence, Spider-Man attacked J. Jonah Jameson at the Daily Bugle offices, prompting an alliance between the publisher and the Sinister Six. Jameson and the Six were successful in finally separating Peter from the symbiote. Reed Richards took the symbiote for further study, but in the previous issue, the symbiote took control of him, using his intelligence and know-how to augment the symbiotes, making them stronger than ever. The Venomized-Reed Richards took control of the Baxter Building, sealing it off to further conduct experiments, and the issue ended with Spider-Man and his allies entering the building for a final showdown.
As the preview opens, Spider-Man is in the Baxter Building’s lobby, where he sees that Venom has taken over a number of heroes, including Thor, Captain America and the Beast. Meanwhile, Mary Jane is confronting the symbiote-controlled Reed Richards; he tells MJ that when bonded with Peter, Peter’s feelings for Mary Jane led him to “falter” and not “fully commit” himself—in other words, her love kept Peter from becoming a monster. Reed continues to goad Mary Jane, telling her she is nothing but an “obstacle” for Spider-Man, and that he only thinks he loves her. The Human Torch, one of the few heroes not taken over, runs interference, pulling Mary Jane from Reed’s clutches and buying Spider-Man some time.
If the Venomized Reed Richards’ actions look and sound familiar, it is because these were some of the tricks the King in Black used during his invasion of Earth. When Knull arrived on Earth, he enslaved some of Marvel’s heaviest hitters and forced them into his service. Knull also would taunt his opponents and attempt to get under their skin—much like Reed is doing here. The key difference between the two is that Reed is merely controlled by a symbiote, albeit an upgraded one, but the King in Black is an actual god, a being older than creation itself.
While the Fantastic Four’s Reed Richards is not in the same league as the King in Black, his actions in Spider-Man: Spider’s Shadow #5 are reminiscent of the dark god.
