#venomm

“his name”

Marvel's Voices: Pride #1 - "Perfectly Scene" (2022)

From Marvel’s Voices: Pride Vol. 2 #001

“Perfectly Scene”, by Danny Lore, Lucas Werneck and Michael Wiggam

“Stay Outta My Mind Turf, Jack”, by Christopher Cantwell, Kei Zama and Rico Renzi

I briefly mentioned Don McGregor's first run on Black Panther a couple of posts back. I want to delve into it as it relates to queerness and also write a ship manifesto for Taku/Venomm. Okay, so the Black Panther movie? It's loosely an adaptation of the first McGregor run + Priest's world building + some of Priest's characters with different personalities + Shuri. But Killmonger and his first big fight with T'Challa is from the McGregor run. Except that in the comics, Killmonger doesn't fight alone. He has a small army. One if his lieutenants is Horatio "Venomm" Walters. Venomm gets apprehended fairly early on and spends a year in a Wakandan prison, where he's visited regularly by Taku, who's T'Challa's advisor. They form an interpersonal relationship, giving Venomm Divided Loyalties. Okay, so McGregor? Has Word of God said that he intended Venomm and Taku to be gay. But it was the 1970's, so he couldn't ever quite come out and say that. As a result, there's something of a queer-shaped hole in the story. That is, the story only really works if the reader assumes queerness. Venomm's backstory is that he was viciously bullied as a youth, to the point of having acid thrown in his face (with the perpetrators going unpunished) for, um, Reasons. Which aren't ever stated. Because. He was also into poetry when he was younger, and Taku encourages him to take up poetry again. It's very, "Is he, you know, a poet?" For Taku's part, he’s the empathic one who believes in solving problems by talking, who believes in people’s best selves. He’s contrasted with W’Kabi, which, of all the characters, W’Kabi is the most in character in the Black Panther movie when compared to his comic book counterpart. Lol.

Anyway, the result of this is that Venomm - despite his professions otherwise - can’t bring himself to do any villainy if it would kill Taku. Eventually, he won’t let anyone kill Taku. Basically, if you like Enemies to Lovers, it’s great Enemies to Lovers. And a good-hearted hero prompting a tragic villain to change his ways with the Power of Love. Which is why none of it makes sense if you don’t assume queerness, and also why I ship them.

Anyway, I’ve got two Taku/Venomm fics.

Snakes on a Plane is about them being reunited, where they need to stop a hostage situation on a plane.

Double Date With Danger, is a sequel to Snakes on a Plane were they go on a double date with Prince Khanata & Monica Lynne, and the night is more exciting than they expected.

Snakes on a Plane: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30617870

id: a digital portrait drawing of Marlon the snail creature. he is somewhat feline in appearance, with silver / white fluffy fur. he has two purple antennae, and large ears dripping purple goo. he wears a lavender bandanna, black bell collar, and pink bandaid on his muzzle. Marlon bites his lip and looks to the side nervously /end id