Marvel Unleashes Kid Venom: A Manga-Infused Symbiote Saga Bridging Ancient Japan and Modern Times

Marvel introduces a fresh adventure in the Kid Venom series, integrating a manga influence into the tale of a youthful symbiote protagonist. Manga artist Taigami joined Marvel with the "Summer of Symbiotes" event last year, featuring additional narratives in the limited series Death of the Venomverse. This publication debuted Kintaro, a young boy from the 10th century Japan who forms an alliance with the symbiote Clinter to defend his community from dangers.

Kintaro now stars in his very own quarterly publication, both penned and illustrated by Taigami again. According to Marvel's summary for the premiere issue, Kid Venom #1 kicks off in Japan, in 977, with an assurance that Kintaro will soon transition to the modern era.

An exclusive sneak peek at a selection of text-free pages from the inaugural issue is provided below, showcasing Taigami's unique illustration quality, alongside John Tyler Christopher's remarkable Negative Space variant cover.

Marvel officially describes the first issue as follows: "HARNESS YOUR INNER DARKNESS! JAPAN, 977. KID VENOM enters the fray against malevolent symbiotes seizing humans and creatures alike… but who is observing Kintaro and his symbiote? The saga of KID VENOM widens as fresh faces and threats emerge! Renowned manga illustrator TAIGAMI resumes his rendition of KID VENOM in this all-new sequence!"

According to Taigami, Kid Venom draws inspiration from Japanese mythology. He noted the significance of innovation, given the plethora of existing Venom incarnations. He highlights that among various celebrated tales like 'Momotaro' and 'Urashimataro,' there exists 'Kintaro,' a narrative of a robust youth who, alongside his mother, resides in Mount Ashigara. He later aligns with Minamoto Yorimitsu, an eminent samurai, battles numerous yokai, and ascends as one of the elite samurais under Minamoto Yorimitsu, intertwining folklore with the historical context of Japan's Heian Period. Thus, integrating the symbiote aspect with the legend of Kintaro gave birth to Kid Venom.

Kid Venom #1 is released by Marvel on July 10. As we've grown accustomed to the Lethal Protector… Could it be the moment for Venom to reclaim its sinister legend?