my friend what a wonderful review.
King In Black #1
| Event\Storyline | King in Black |
| Writer | Donny Cates |
| Artist | Ryan Stegman |
| Cover Price | $5.99 |
DARKNESS REIGNS!
After a campaign across the galaxy, Knull's death march arrives to Earth and, worse yet, he hasn't come alone! With an army of hundreds of thousands of symbiote dragons at his command, the King in Black is a force unlike any Earth's heroes have ever faced. EDDIE BROCK, A.K.A. VENOM has seen firsthand the chaos that even one of Knull's symbiotic monsters can wreak - will he survive an encounter with the God of the Abyss himself?
From Donny Cates, Ryan Stegman, JP Mayer, Frank Martin and VC's Clayton Cowles comes the definitive chapter in their two-year-long VENOM saga that changed everything you thought you knew about
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CRITIC REVIEWS Back to Top
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10
But Why Tho? - CJ
Dec 02, 2020King in Black #1 is the gold standard for event books, pitting the heroes of the Marvel Universe against an utterly terrifying force. Fans of Marvel's heroes-Venom in particular-will want to read this series. Cates, Stegman, Mayer, and Martin are an immensely talented creative team, and I can't wait to see what else they throw at the Lethal Protector. Read Full Review
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10
Monkeys Fighting Robots - Matthew Sardo
Dec 03, 2020If you love how comic books make you feel like a 12-year-old kid, you need to read KING IN BLACK #1. Read Full Review
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10
Horror DNA - James Ferguson
Dec 07, 2020I was predisposed to like King in Black, as I've been a huge fan of Venom and all of its tie-ins since this creative team took over the title a couple years ago. This book has exceeded my expectations in every way. More importantly, this is an event that surprised me. We've seen huge attacks on the planet before, but there was always a way out. The stakes were never all that high to begin with because it was clear the heroes had a path to victory. That doesn't exist in King in Black. This is a decisive and swift attack that has decimated every hero, big and small, across the entire planet. If this is the opening salvo, where can this possibly go next? Read Full Review
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9.4
The Comicbook Dispatch - Dispatchdcu
Dec 01, 2020If you're a MARVEL COMICS fan, you need to read this. There is something for everyone in this story. If you're a VENOM fan, it would be pure lunacy to not read KING IN BLACK #1. Cates has rewritten the mythos surrounding the Symbiotes and has anchored them deep within the entire Marvel Universe. The impact of this event will be felt throughout a variety of comics across all of Marvel, which is ultimately why this isn't just a VENOM event. Read Full Review
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9.2
The Super Powered Fancast - Deron Generally
Dec 02, 2020Ryan Stegman thrills with the art in this issue. The characters look amazing and the action is beautifully done. I was blown away by the scope and scale of the scenes and how Stegman stages the panels to keep the story character focused while also delivering huge action. Read Full Review
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9.1
Word Of The Nerd - Brent Jackson
Dec 02, 2020Knull is here in King in Black #1 and his arrival does not disappoint. With so many events happening recently in the Marvel Universe, it can be easy to get burnt out. You could possibly see this issue and all the tie-ins and think "I should skip this". I wouldn't blame you and maybe, yeah, you should skip those tie-in issues. But King in Black #1 absolutely delivers; from art to story, it builds something truly epic! I was not really too excited about this event. I mean, with Donny Cates and Ryan Stegman, I knew it would be good, but it truly lives up to the hype. Read Full Review
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9.0
AIPT - David Brooke
Dec 01, 2020After shaking off the feeling Marvel is addicted to invasion events, this is a satisfying first strike from the King in Black team. It balances Venom with the rest of the main Marvel characters, features multiple shocking moments that'll get you talking with your friends, and sets up a villain that seems impossible to defeat. King in Black is an event that is audacious, viscerally gripping, and hellbent on raising the stakes. Read Full Review
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9.0
Beyond The Panel - Jideobi Odunze
Dec 02, 2020By the end of King In Black #1, I would dare to say that this creative team made a believer out of me. This story so far not only changes everything you once knew about symbioses, it changes everything you thought you should fear from them too. Read Full Review
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9.0
Comics Bookcase - T.W. Worn
Dec 02, 2020King In Black #1 is the wailing, heavy metal riff we have been building up to. Like a stack of SUNN0))) amplifiers, it blows me a way into reverberating bliss. Read Full Review
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9.0
Graphic Policy - Brett
Dec 02, 2020King in Black #1 kicks things off with jaw-dropping moments and unexpected twists. But, it's the heart of it all where things succeed. Eddie Brock brings a touch to the story that we can all relate to. And, more importantly, he brings a character we can empathize with and feel sorry for. He's likely sacrificing himself to save the world and his kid and knows it. Yet, he goes through with it. King in Black #1 is the shift of Eddie Brock from anti-hero to true hero willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for the greater good. It's the start of an event but also the next step for the character that Cates and Stegman have been adding depth to for years. Read Full Review
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9.0
Major Spoilers - Christopher Rondeau
Dec 08, 2020Eddie as a hero is a dynamic character that I never expected would work. This book proves how wrong I am. Read Full Review
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8.5
Weird Science Marvel Comics - wolfcypher
Dec 01, 2020This book explodes with chaos, and the art does not disappoint to sell on the catastrophe Knull's arrival brings to Earth. We're finally free to see Knull in action, and Cates writes him with all the menace and calamity a world-ending villain needs to deliver, especially after years of building towards his arrival. This event needs to be a blockbuster, and Cates's is bringing out nukes. Read Full Review
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8.5
Comic Book Revolution - Kevin Lainez
Dec 06, 2020Donny Cates and Ryan Stegman do not waste anytime kicking things off as big as possible with King In Black #1. This first issue set the tone that Knull is not messing around as the God Of Symbiotes makes it clear to all the Marvel Universe's heroes they cannot stop him. With how things turned for our heroes by the end of King In Black #1 I cannot wait to see what happens next in Marvel's big event. Read Full Review
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8.4
Comic Watch - Mike Eakins
Dec 02, 2020Make no mistake about it, King in Black will be Marvels highlight series of 2020 and beyond. For about the past year we have seen a stellar campaign announcing this event and if the first issue is any indication of how the rest of the series will play out... buckle up because this is going to be huge and talked about for a long time to come. Read Full Review
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8.0
ComicBook.com - Charlie Ridgely
Dec 02, 2020Stegman brings out the best in Cates, and vice versa. They make a formidable duo capable of telling some of the most imaginative and death-defying stories in the modern era of superhero comics, even when the premise seems simple to start. Read Full Review
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7.0
Comics: The Gathering - Harlan Ivester
Dec 02, 2020It’s not without its missteps, but King in Black #1 is a promising start to the next big thing for Venom and Marvel. It’s rare that a writer can make the stakes so believable in one of the line-wide events that seems to come and go every year. The visuals are fantastic as well. There are many moments that will make readers pause so they can soak in everything there is. Read Full Review
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6.8
Multiversity Comics - Quinn Tassin
Dec 08, 2020"King in Black" is an epic, narratively uneven, visually stunning affair that seems to be setting itself up for something even better. Read Full Review
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6.0
Newsarama - Pierce Lydon
Dec 02, 2020For fans of Cates' Venom work, King in Black stands as an exciting continuation of his symbiote story. But if you step back, it feels like Cates is almost going through the motions compared to what we've seen from him before. We know that he's a student of the genre and is looking to deliver a story worthy of the ones that came before him. But it often feels like he's playing at remastering them with some new glossy sheen. He'll remind you of the originals but isn't doing anything more than making them shinier. This opening issue isn't a bad place to start but it lacks the urgency of great events that have come before it. Read Full Review
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6.0
Geek'd Out - Nico Sprezzatura
Dec 02, 2020That being said, Im interested in checking out some of the upcoming tie-ins, such as the aforementioned The Union, Return of the Valkyries, and Iron Man / Doctor Doom, which apparently has the odd couple teaming up against a symbiotic Santa Claus? If that doesnt sound like a true Christmas miracle after the hellish year that was 2020, I dont know what does. Read Full Review
USER REVIEWS Back to Top
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10
And I thought Absolute Carnage was brutal but that was a mere opening compared to Knull's arrival. Damn this was good.
+ Like • Comment• Likes (3) -
10
Yup.
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10
King in Black Issue: 1 "Reign" Publisher: Marvel @marvel Writer: Donny Cates @dcates Artist: Ryan Stegman @ryanstegman & JP Mayer @jpmayer_ Colors: Frank Martin @frankmartinbox Letters: Clayton Cowles Cover: Ryan Stegman, JP Mayer & Frank Martin Symbiote dragons rain down upon New York City. Refusing to submit his son to the darkness which awaits them, Eddie Brock hides Dylan away in an old bomb shelter while the heroes of the world unite. With every wave of defense a failure, Eddie uses the remains of Carnage's spire in an effort to connect with and control the invading horde. Upon connection Eddie learns just how dire their situation is as Knull has arrived amid a trio of Celestial's, the first of his defeated enemies. Knull more
+ Like • Comments (3)• Likes (3) -
10
Energetic, dramatic, reaching strong critical points. It is a masterpiece, the best comic I have read this year.
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10
Sopiler Alert: It is tooooo good.Probably Comic of the Month.
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10
Gentlemen this was the most beautiful thing that I could read, the drama of a father and son, the survival of the planet, the fall of the heroes AND IT IS JUST THE BEGINNING !!!!!
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10
Donny Cates is a god walking among mortals, Jesus what a number!
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10
Considering Marvel has a history of endless events, this one has the stakes feeling real. Holy shit! The art is perfect!
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10
Cates really nailed this week! Can't remember the last time I've enjoyed the first issue from a Marvel event this much, and Thor #10 was also amazing.
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10
are you kidding me? i mean seriously! that was unbelievable! plain and simple that was an epic start to this event it really just doesn't get any better than that
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10
" Child... I am Knull. Lord of the abyss. God of the symbiotes. The darkness inside of you ? That darkness bows to me. I am the void." - KNULL
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10
An amazing start to an amazing storyline that expanded for over two years now. It's very brutal and very metal. With its amazing art style and story, this is an issue that landed itself very good. Almost feels like a death metal song. A better Dark Nights Metal iteration if I say so myself.
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10
Can you remember the last time an event was so simple yet so good? No goofy crap here just straight Marvel Heroes vs a Big bad. Venom heads rejoice this is what we've been waiting for.
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9.5
This was a really strong start just like AC! I'm hoping this sticks the landing as well.
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9.5
Fantastic. Don't really have much to see outside of that. It's just an epic event and epic start, which is what I want events to be, not a slog like Empyre. READ READ READ
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9.5
Don't waste your time reading this review.... Go read the issue !!!! This is how you do comic events !!! Well worth the wait!
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9.0
It was really good and started fast. Almost too fast but we will see how it plays out. I have faith in Cates.
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9.0
Okay wow not even going to tell the symbiote you love them back? Harsh, dude.
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8.5
Art 4/5 Story 4.5/5
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8.0
Knull comes to New York and it's even awful-er than Eddie expected. Things look particularly dire, yet somehow I suspect the heroes will pull out a win. I like the setup and the broad scope appeals to me. The art, not so much. Muddy colors. Exaggerated faces that make most of the characters impossible to take seriously. Definitely not to my taste -- but I know it's really well done, and even I appreciate the high level of detail.
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6.5
I must be in the minority here. I thought it was OK and very by the book so far. I read way too many Marvel events I guess. I mean threat arrives and destroys everyone and there is no hope and option A,B,C and D fails has been done a million times over. I get it that it's in the journey but still can't get to care for Knull at all. Venom started so well 2 years ago but this just is not the end I was expecting from Cates. Stegman/Mayer/Martin are doing awesome work and at least that is worth the $6. I'm out.
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4.0
yawn
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4.0
Clichê and painfully mediocre. So desperately looking for approval it sounds silly. Even the art stumbles sometimes. Steve and Tony look terrible in some panels. Also, both were poorly characterized. Then the Celestials and Sentry shows up just to say "hey guys, I'm here to die in order to show how powerful my OC is". Then Eddie does the clichê edgy shit of throwing the communicator away when everyone is depending on him, then says "you ready" twice to Venom for no reason. Sigh. Trash.
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2.0
i rated it the same number of things that happened in this issue :)
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2025 In Review:
