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Flash Thompson Agent Venom Reading Order Guide

So few characters really change in the comic book world, but there are exceptions like Eugene “Flash” Thompson. Created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, he first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15 (1962), the same comic that introduced Spider-Man. A high school jock, Flash was one of Peter Parker’s biggest tormentors, constantly mocking him for his bookish nature, but also Spider-Man’s number one fan, never suspecting that the hero he idolized was the same teenager he bullied daily. From that, he would go on to become one of Spider-Man’s most unlikely allies, a war hero, and even the host of the Venom symbiote!

Flash Thompson: The Early Years

Flash was never a villain, his story is not one of redemption, but one of growth as a human being. Despite his antagonistic behavior, Flash had moments of kindness, and over time, he began to mature and became a more noble human being. His admiration for Spider-Man always indicated his sense of justice. After high school, Flash enlisted in the military to serve in the Vietnam War and returned later, eventually becoming Peter’s roommate. At that point, their relationship had already evolved into a more cordial territory, and they developed a true friendship.

Coming back from the war as a decorated hero may have changed him, but it eventually made him mentally struggle. During his time in Vietnam, he met Sha Shan with whom he reconnected in the US and they eventually married. But their relationship was doomed by Flash’s struggle and adultery. Suffering from depression, he fell into alcoholism. It was Norman Osborn who helped him find his path to sobriety, but this relationship eventually led Osborn to use his weakness to try to pass his murder as an accident. Flash survived but ended up in a coma. When he finally woke up, Peter helped him to recover and he became the physical education teacher at Midtown High School.

Following the events of “One More Day“, Spider-Man’s life was changed and those who were close to him were also affected. The story of Flash Thompson was slightly altered as he rejoined the Army to fight in the Iraq War. He lost his legs in combat, but with the help of his friends, he built a new life in New York.

Flash Thompson: Agent Venom

Flash Thompson made his first appearance as Agent Venom in The Amazing Spider-Man #654. At the time, he had come to terms with his condition, but when the U.S. Government called on him with an offer that could help him once again be a hero, he could not refuse and joined Project Rebirth 2.0. The goal was to use his combat skills by bonding him with the Venom symbiote (who gave him his legs back) in a controlled environment. Under strict government supervision, he was deployed on black-ops missions, using the symbiote’s abilities for tactical advantage. However, there was a crucial limitation: the longer he remained bonded, the harder it became to control the symbiote’s influence.

As he became Agent Venom, he struggled to resist Venom’s violent tendencies but Captain America trusted him and invited him to join the Secret Avengers. During this time, the symbiote began developing a stronger bond with Flash, displaying increasing loyalty and responding to his emotions. This evolution was key to Flash gradually gaining more control over Venom, though the risk of losing control always remained.

Flash became a true comic book superhero and, as such, his life was complicated by his duty, but also by his relationship with his symbiote. But he proved himself and eventually joined the Guardians of the Galaxy and went into space.

Flash Thompson: Agent Venom Reading Order

This guide to reading the Flash Thompson Agent Venom comics is only one part of the Venom story, focusing on Flash Thompson’s time as host. If you want to go further, go visit our complete Venom Reading Order.

First, the more straightforward way to explore this era is the new omnibus dedicated to Agent Venom, but it doesn’t collect the Secret Avengers comics.

  • Agent Venom Omnibus new collection!
    Collects Amazing Spider-Man (1999) #654 (B story), 654.1; Venom (2011) #1-42, 13.1-13.4, 27.1; Minimum Carnage: Alpha (2012) #1; Scarlet Spider (2012) #10-11; Minimum Carnage: Omega (2012) #1; and Venom: Space Knight (2015) #1-13 to read later.

All the Agent Venom comics are now reprinted in the Venom Modern Epic Collection. This is ongoing and all the volumes are not available yet. We will add them in future updates when they are available for purchase.

In the comic book Venom (Vol. 2) #15, Agent Venom joins the Secret Avengers comics written by Rick Remender, the main author of the Venom comics at the time. He made his official first apparition as a member of the team in Secret Avengers #23.

Agent Venom joins another team, Thunderbolt Ross’s Thunderbolts of Marvel Now Era, after Venom (Vol. 2) #30.

Agent Venom makes his first appearance as a Guardian of the Galaxy in the issue Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 #14 but left temporarily the team in #17.

Secret Wars, the event that rebooted the entire Marvel Universe took place here. During the event, Flash Thompson appeared in Spider-Island: Warzones!

Guardians of the Galaxy (Vol. 4) #11-13 and Venom: Space Knight (2015) #11-12 are part of the Civil War II event.

After that, Lee Price took over the Venom symbiote in Venom (Vol. 3) #1.

Flash Thompson: Agent Anti-Venom 

Flash’s time as Agent Venom ended when the symbiote was forcibly taken from him by Lee Price, a new villainous host, in Venom #1 (2016). Without Venom, Flash had to rediscover his identity once again, leading to his eventual rebirth as Agent Anti-Venom in Amazing Spider-Man #792 (2018) during the Venom Inc. storyline.

Originally created by Dr. Steven for Eddie Brock, the Anti-Venom serum transformed Flash, bonding him with a new white symbiote with powerful healing properties. Unlike Venom, which enhances aggression, the Anti-Venom symbiote is a stabilizing force. Flash retained his superhuman strength and agility. While his most notable ability is healing, he also can neutralize symbiotes by curing their influence over hosts.

Flash Thompson: Agent Anti-Venom Reading Order

Now Agent Anti-Venom, Flash Thompson started to reappear as a supporting character in Symbiote-related comics, doing his superhero work. But this didn’t last as, in the Go Down Swinging storyline from the Amazing Spider-Man comics, Flash made the ultimate sacrifice to save everybody else.

There is no bigger Symbiote event in the world of Marvel Comics than King in Black. The dark symbiote god Knull comes to Earth and we learn that Flash and others like him who were host to symbiotes still exist in the Symbiote hive-mind. This is where he reconnects with Eddie Brock and the events that follow lead him to his resurrection.

After some Savage adventures, Flash is back on Symbiote business. He has become convinced that a series of increasingly horrifying murders are all connected and this put him on the hunt for Carnage.

Once again, a massive Symbiote event took place and Flash joined the fight. During the Venom War, he first teams up with the Widow (Black Widow and her symbiote) in the Venomous limited series, then meets up with Venom and others in the main Venom War series. We’ve got a guide to reading the Venom War comics in order, if you want to experience the event in its entirety.

The Adventures of Flash Thompson: Agent Anti-Venom continues…

Want to know more about Symbiotes?
Check out our Venomverse guide to the main symbiote characters.

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