Warning: there are spoilers ahead for Venom #11.
In the most recent issue of Venom, Donny Cates and artists Joshua Cassara and Ryan Stegman drastically changed the status quo for Eddie Brock and the symbiote. But some fans are having extreme reactions to the story. Via CBR, Cates shared a tweet in which he revealed that he’s getting death threats from Venom and Eddie shippers.
Just saw that I’ve received multiple death/injury threats over Venom #11.
So, a few things.
1: I’m not changing my plan for these characters.
2: threatening my life or injury to me is not the way to champion your cause.
3: Shipping is fine. But this is insane.
— DONNY CATES (@Doncates) February 24, 2019
Yes, there really are Venom/Eddie romantic shippers. Let that sink in for a moment. It’s almost as shocking as their behavior towards Cates.
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In Venom #11, Cates and his collaborators retconned the history of both Brock and the symbiote. After an intense encounter with the symbiote in his mind, Brock realized that it’s been manipulating his mind for years. It made Brock believe that he had cancer and that he needed to be Venom to survive. The symbiote also altered Brock’s memories to include fake family members who died from cancer.
But the biggest strain on the partnership between Brock and the symbiote is Dylan Brock. Now that he can see past the symbiote’s alterations, Brock has realized that his younger brother, Dylan, is actually his son. The symbiote made Brock forget about his child because it didn’t want to lose him. But its various lies may finally drive Brock away for good.
That’s the reason why the Venom/Eddie shippers are so upset, even though their partnership has never been portrayed as a romance in the comics. Sometimes, fans will create a relationship with their minds even if it doesn’t exist on the page. But it’s the death threats that are inexcusable. Whatever else happens, it’s just a story. Nothing justifies those threats.
How do you feel about the threats made to Donny Cates from the Venom shippers? Let us know in the comment section below!
