Spider-Man: The Animated Series Episode Reviews

Venom Returns
Review by Stu, Media by James Harvey

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Episode #37 - Venom Returns
Original Airdate: November 2nd, 1996

The Venom symbiote returns to Earth and reunites with Eddie Brock. He is ordered by Dormammu to steal a machine from Stark Enterprises capable of releasing Dormammu from his dimension. When Venom battles Spider-Man and War Machine, he is easily defeated. He soon gets help from Cletus Kasady, who has bonded with another symbiote to turn into...Carnage!

Credits:
Story By: John Semper
Written By: Stan Berkowitz , James Krieg and John Semper
Music Composed By: Shuki Levy and Kussa Mahchi
Animation Services By: Toyko Movie Shinsha (TMS)
Guest Starring: Christopher Daniel Barnes as Spider-Man/Peter Parker, Robert Hays as Tony Stark, James Avery as War Machine, Joseph Campanella as Dr. Curt Connors, Hank Azaria as Venom/Eddie Brock and Scott Cleverdon as Carnage/Cletus Kassidy

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Review: After waiting two full seasons since his debut, Venom finally returns! But, after such a wait, they certainly chose a bizare way to reintroduce him into the series after his appearance in the amazing "The Alien Costume." It doesn't really dissapoint, but having Mordo and Dormannu play a role is perplexing. For what should've been a two-part story featuring Spidey teaming up with his greatest enemy to stop Carnage, it was instead often sidetracked for whatever Dormammu or Bordo were cooking up. Those two have no place on a Spider-Man show without Dr. Strange to accompony them.

What's interesting about this episode is that it does take a little bit of time to introduced the host of the red-coloured symbiote. The beginning sees a pre-Carnage Cletus Kassady and gives us an idea of what type of monster he was een before bonding with an alien creature.The series also gives us a genuine reason for him to hate his captor, Spider-Man.

A nice surprise was War Machine, who actually looked cool here. I don't especially care for either of his designs on Iron Man, but the clunky armour look actually works well here. James Avery provided the voice for some of War Machine's first appearances over in Iron Man, and does so again here. Thankfully, he voiced all the lines himself, with no one here was randomly jumping in to say his lines (watch the Iron Man animated series and you'll hear it from time to time.

Also of note, the fight in the science hall was actually pretty well done. Carnage himself actually had a very badass design and an absolutely perfect voice. Venom fares better here than he did in his original appearance. He really pops off the screen when compared to "The Alien Costume" arc in season one. Overall, a good episode that is easily topped by its much superior conclusion.

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