Spoilers for Detective Comics #1039 ahead!
Batman must contend with a new monster stalking the streets of Gotham, and this new villain is an even more disgusting version of Venom. In Detective Comics #1039, on sale now in print and digital, a new menace, named Vile, is infecting the citizens of Gotham with a parasite that makes them mind-controlled zombies, and the parasite’s behavior and appearance mimics that of the Venom symbiote.
In the Marvel Universe, the symbiotes originated with Knull, AKA the King in Black. These alien beings travel through the universe, bonding with hosts and giving them fantastic powers. Usually, the symbiote takes control of the host, but in some cases, most notably Venom, a true symbiosis occurs. The symbiotes are usually depicted as a black, liquid substance that can alter its form. There has been no real analog to this in the DC Universe - at least not until the arrival of Vile in Gotham City. The issue is written by Mariko Tamaki, with art by Viktor Bogdanovic, inks by Bogdanovic, Daniel Henriques and Norm Rampmund, colors by Jordie Bellaire, and letters by Aditya Bidikar.
Readers learn that Vile has had the parasite since he was a boy, and that it can infect people and make them zombie-like creatures. Batman and Huntress are on the trail of a missing reporter, and all clues are leading to Vile. The Huntress tracks him down, and as she goes to subdue him, he infects her with his parasite. Now Batman must deal not only with Vile, but an infected Huntress as well. Vile, mentally controlling the Huntress, tries to get her to kill Batman, but the Caped Crusader blinds her with a light device. As the story concludes, readers learn that Huntress and other victims are being treated with a mixture of chemicals and that the parasite is shrinking. However, Vile is still at large.
The Venom symbiotes have always been depicted as slimy and gross, yet Vile’s parasite has them beat. In order to spread the parasite, Vile must project it out of his mouth, almost like he is vomiting it up. It then goes into the victim’s mouth and turns them into mindless slaves. Unlike Venom, however, Vile’s creature is a parasite and not a symbiote. Vile’s parasites also do not have the intellect of a symbiote as they are mindless creatures. And like the symbiotes, who are afraid of fire and sound, Vile has its own weakness when it comes to bright lights.
The DC Universe finally has its own version of the Venom symbiote, and it is far more disgusting than its Marvel counterpart. It is also just as deadly and signals the arrival of a major new foe for Batman.
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July 18, 2021 at 12:12AM
