Product Code Database
Eugene " Flash" Thompson is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, the character First appearance in Amazing Fantasy #15 (August 1962).
Flash Thompson is a star high school football player, who mercilessly bullies his high school classmate Peter Parker, but greatly admires Spider-Man, an irony in which the superhero takes some gratification. In time, they become close friends in college after Flash matures and he later discovers Peter is Spider-Man. After graduation, he joins the United States Army, but becomes PTSD, leading to alcoholism. After losing both of his legs in the Iraq War, Flash Thompson turns into the superhero Agent Venom after being bound to the Venom symbiote, which he controls via drugs. Eventually during an argument between him and Eddie Brock regarding the Venom symbiote, he became the new host of the Anti-Venom symbiote, causing him to assume his current alias of Agent Anti-Venom. The Amazing Spider-Man: Venom Inc. Alpha #1
Thompson has appeared in several other media adaptations. Notably, he was portrayed by Joe Manganiello in the Sam Raimi Spider-Man trilogy, Chris Zylka in The Amazing Spider-Man, and Tony Revolori in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Though the relationship between Flash Thompson and Spider-Man's alter ego Peter Parker gradually became more cordial over the years, the major turning point towards their becoming friends was in The Amazing Spider-Man #138 (Nov. 1974), in which Thompson lets Parker room with him after all his other friends and acquaintances turned him away.
Thompson's childhood is explored in The Spectacular Spider-Man #-1 (July 1997), titled "That Thompson Boy". Writer J. M. DeMatteis commented, "Despite our human tendency to want to fit people into convenient pigeonholes, no one is any one thing all the time. The main point of 'That Thompson Boy' was to show that there were other sides to Flash, to look behind the curtain and see the vulnerability, and depth, that was there. 'Flash' is a mask. Eugene is a complex, wounded human being. I think the character's history, even going back to Stan Lee's stories, is a constant battle between the two, a seeking to find balance."
The character made his first appearance as the new incarnation of Venom in The Amazing Spider-Man #654 (February 2011). A second volume of Venom started in May 2011 with Flash Thompson as the titular character. As Venom, he appeared as a regular character in the 2010–2013 Secret Avengers series, from issue #23 (April 2012) through its final issue, #37 (March 2013). As Venom, he appears in the 2012 Thunderbolts series by Daniel Way and Steve Dillon. After the Superior Spider-Man event, Agent Venom is seen in space in The Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 3, #14. He was eventually spun off into his own solo series, Venom: Space Knight, written by Robbie Thompson and drawn by Ariel Olivetti. It was canceled after 13 issues. In the premier issue of Venom volume 3, Flash Thompson is seen without the symbiote.
In a very early issue, Flash and Peter squared off for a boxing match in the school gym. Initially expecting an easy victory, Flash was astonished to discover that he simply could not lay a hand on Peter (due to his opponent's enhanced speed and reflexes), and a single tap from Parker's fist knocked him clear out of the ring. The Amazing Spider-Man #8 (Jan. 1964) After this episode, Flash's bullying was restricted mostly to verbal harassment. Over the next few years, as the two became rivals for Liz Allan's affections, Flash was willing to confront Peter only when backed up by his friends. Peter began to laugh off his threats with good-natured comebacks (much to Flash's annoyance as well as bewilderment). This subtle reversal of their positions was typical of Lee-Ditko character developments in the title.As noted by Daniels in Marvel: Five Fabulous Decades of the World's Greatest Comics (p.130) Ditko's plotting emphasized the more subtle aspects of human relationships, stressing (for example) Aunt May's quiet strength over Flash's macho posturing.
Towards the end of Ditko's run on the title, Flash was employed mainly as comic relief, more a local buffoon than a serious threat. Major changes in his personality took place subsequently to 'The Amazing Spider-Man #39, when John Romita, Sr. took over as artist for The Amazing Spider-Man. Following Romita's take in place, Flash was made into a more sympathetic character and his clean-cut image was similarly emphasized to give him an "All-American" persona.
While in university, Flash joined the United States Army and serves in the Vietnam War (although this was later to unspecified overseas conflict due to Marvel's floating timeline). Unlike many students of the time, Flash was never conscripted—instead, he volunteers for service of his own free will. Although Flash was absent from the strip for months at a time, his frequent stateside visits kept him familiar with the readers. He returned from the war a decorated hero. Flash's tour of duty profoundly changed him from a reckless and immature youth to a tormented and conflicted man. Finding no comfort in his military decorations, Flash turned to alcohol for years.
While in Vietnam, Flash's unit bombed an ancient temple whose acolytes had earlier sheltered Flash when he was wounded. Flash tried and failed to stop them. When he returned to America, he dropped his antagonism toward Peter. Peter, in turn, began to respect Flash's newfound maturity and the two became close. However, Flash soon finds himself tailed by mysterious assassins, former acolytes of the temple who thought that Flash had betrayed them. Spider-Man held off the assassins long enough for Flash to explain his side of the story. Sha Shan, the leader of the assassins, forgave Flash and even dated him for a while, but left him when she found out he was cheating on her. When Sha Shan was attacked by the Hobgoblin, Flash made the mistake of insulting the villain on television. Hobgoblin took revenge by abducting Flash and framing him as Hobgoblin's true identity. Spider-Man was aghast that his old friend was a villain, but Flash was legally exonerated when Hobgoblin's true identity was revealed. It was around this period that Flash Thompson would serve as best man at the wedding of Parker and Mary Jane.
After a bout of severe depression, Flash went drunk-driving and was badly injured in a car crash. Soon afterward Norman Osborn offered him a job at Oscorp as his personal aide to annoy Peter. Not knowing the reasons behind this, Flash became loyal to Norman for giving him a second chance and turning his life around. During this time, Flash met the hero Prodigy, not realizing he was also Spider-Man in disguise. Later, as part of a plan of driving Spider-Man to murderous violence by attacking his family and friends, Osborn kidnapped Flash (under the pretense of picking him up from an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting), force-feeds him whiskey and has him crash a truck into Midtown High School, where Peter works. Flash survived, thanks to his excellent physical condition, but he suffered severe brain damage that left him in a coma. Liz, although widowed and raising her son Normie all on her own, became Flash's caretaker, and hired a full-time nurse to care for him. Aunt May had come up with the idea to have Flash moved into Peter's apartment building so he could be among friends in the hopes it would aid in his recovery. Peter, blaming himself for what happened to Flash, was eager to help and started spending his free time with him, lending emotional support and companionship. Although Flash remained in a largely unresponsive state after coming out of the coma, Peter's constant companionship led to his condition slowly improving over time. The Spectacular Spider-Man vol. 2 #1–5
Flash awakens from his coma during "" story arc. Flash takes a job as the physical education teacher at Midtown High School, where Peter teaches science. However, Flash suffers from severe memory gaps and again treats Peter like a nerd and picks on him, as he did in their high school days. Flash also flirts with Miss Arrow, unaware that she is a villain there to attack Peter. When Peter unmasks himself as Spider-Man, Flash dismisses it as a trick. The Amazing Spider-Man #533 But after witnessing Peter fighting with Mysterio and Mysterio, Flash's memories come back to him and he re-establishes his friendship with Peter. Flash briefly appeared at the beginning of the "Brand New Day" story arc, attending a welcome home party for Harry. Flash and the rest of the world's population no longer remembers that Peter is Spider-Man, due to the machinations of the demon Mephisto. The Amazing Spider-Man #545 (Nov. 2007)
Flash's platoon is ambushed, and Flash suffers several bullet wounds in both legs but continues on in an attempt to save his superior officer from danger. He willingly endangers himself, reasoning that Spider-Man had often committed the same sacrifices for everyone else, and glad to have had the opportunity to imitate him. His actions further damage his legs. This results in the need for them to be amputated below the knees. Flash's sacrifice is enough to earn him a recommendation for the Medal of Honor. He returns to New York, only to shock Peter with the loss of his legs. He reveals to Peter that Spider-Man was his inspiration in Iraq. Harry rents a condo just for Flash, to help him out. The Amazing Spider-Man Extra #3 He later competes in a disabled athletes sporting event at the local YMCA, managing to come in first place. The Amazing Spider-Man #591
Flash later accepts an offer to join Mayor Jameson's office of veteran's affairs. He attends the wedding of Aunt May. The Amazing Spider-Man #600 When the Chameleon (disguised as Peter) meets Flash at the subsequent press conference, he cruelly mocks him, calling him "puny Flash". The Amazing Spider-Man #603 Flash is seen going through the so-called "stages of grief" backwards, even so far as to use dangerous experimental procedures to regain his legs, but seems to come to terms with his condition, thanks to the support of his friends, family, and his new rehabilitation trainer Sha Shan. The Amazing Spider-Man #622
He cannot stay bonded to the Venom symbiote for more than 48 hours at a time, or the symbiote may gain complete control over him. The consequences of this are first seen when the suit causes Flash to go berserk and brutally slaughter a group of enemy operatives during his second mission, and again during a brawl with the Jack O'Lantern, ending with the suit putting a grenade in Jack O'Lantern's mouth. The Amazing Spider-Man #654.1 While on a mission in the Savage Land, Flash finds himself being hunted by Kraven the Hunter who mistakes him for Spider-Man. Venom vol. 2 #2
During the 2011 "Spider-Island" storyline, Agent Venom is sent in to capture the Spider-King that is fighting Firestar and Gravity. Agent Venom manages to capture the Spider-King who he later discovers is Captain America under the influence of The Queen. Flash uses the symbiote to reform himself as the Spider-King to track the infestation to its source. Venom vol. 2 #6 The Queen and the Jackal send him to kill Anti-Venom because he is curing people who have gained spider-powers, but his superiors order him to take him to Mister Fantastic to help develop a cure. Flash and the Venom symbiote fight each other because Flash wants to bring Anti-Venom to Richards and the symbiote wants to kill Anti-Venom for previously rejecting it. This leads to Venom and Anti-Venom fighting. Venom wins the fight and delivers Anti-Venom to Richards. Venom vol. 2 #7 Venom teams up with Thunderbolt Ross, X-23, Ghost Rider, and Johnny Blaze to fight Blackheart. Venom vol. 2 #13, 13.1 – 13.4, 14
He joins the Secret Avengers as Agent Venom. As an Avenger, Flash apprehends the Human Fly, Venom vol. 2 #15 but the Human Fly escapes via a prisoner transport to the Raft when the new Phil Urich attacks the transport trying to kill the Human Fly for stealing money from the Kingpin. Venom vol. 2 #16 Flash tries to assassinate the third Crime Master for threatening his family, but Eddie Brock attacks him as he is about to fire. This causes the Crime Master to have his new Savage Six attack Flash and Betty Brant. Venom vol. 2 #17 While trying to protect Betty from Jack O'Lantern he reveals his identity to her. Venom vol. 2 #18 Thunderbolt Ross recruits Venom to be part of his Thunderbolts team. Thunderbolts vol. 2 #1
Flash relocates to Philadelphia after fighting the U-Foes there. Venom vol. 2 #28–31 While trying to capture a serial killer infected with some of the alien technology the U-Foes were trying to sell, so Beast could try to cure the man, he is attacked by Toxin. Venom vol. 2 #33 While in Philadelphia, he adopts a protege in his teenage neighbor Andrea "Andi" Benton, who upon bonding to a duplicate of the symbiote becomes the antiheroine Mania.
Flash returns to New York when Betty Brant contacts him with information that the Crime Master has resurfaced. Flash infiltrates and attacks Crime Master and his men until the Superior Spider-Man (Otto Octavius's mind in Spider-Man's body) and his Spiderlings intervene. Crime Master then reveals himself to be a small-time hood who had purchased the name and mask from Hobgoblin and turns himself in. Superior Spider-Man then turns his attention to Agent Venom with the intent on destroying him. The Superior Spider-Man #22 Flash escapes in a puff of smoke and hides in a hospital before going to Peter's apartment. Seizing opportunity, "Peter Parker" invites Flash to his company to give Flash prosthetic legs. After doing so, Superior Spider-Man detains the symbiote in a cage from which it soon breaks free and bonds to Superior Spider-Man to be the Superior Venom. The Superior Spider-Man #23 The symbiote tries to flee back to Flash, but Superior Spider-Man keeps it for himself, even going as far as to injure Cardiac when Cardiac tries to separate them. The Superior Spider-Man #24. Marvel Comics (New York). Iron Man arrives to Parker Industries to assist both Cardiac and Flash to take him to the battle-zone and reunite him with the symbiote. The Avengers are starting to fall against the power of Superior Venom who boasts about his superiority until Iron Man arrives to distract him allowing Flash (wearing Iron Man's armor) attack from behind and attempt to retake the symbiote. With the unexpected assistance from Spider-Man's conscience, the Venom symbiote finally leaves Superior Spider-Man's body and reunites with Flash, bonding together again. The Avengers are still in disbelief about Superior Spider-Man's argument until they ask Flash to check his mind-link with the symbiote to see anything wrong about Superior Spider-Man's motives. Flash replies that he sees "two different radio stations playing in the same frequency". The Superior Spider-Man #25
Following the conclusion of The Superior Spider-Man and the return of Peter Parker as Spider-Man, the latter learns that his friend Flash is Venom and became angry at the Avengers that they did not tell him. The Avengers confess that because Flash was a good soldier and the secret identities in the Avengers' rules goes both ways. The Amazing Spider-Man vol. 4 #2
Seeking to maintain a connection with the Guardians of the Galaxy, the Avengers placed Venom on said team as their new envoy. Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 3 #14 At a point the Symbiote began to act strangely considering anyone as an enemy as something was tapping into its mind signalling it. Flash became extremely worried and, since he was left behind when the other Guardians were captured, he began to try to find a way back to Earth which the Symbiote encouraged. However, in its fear it killed people if they refused. Eventually Gamora found them but they attacked her thinking her as an enemy. Star-Lord manages to subdue the Symbiote but Flash goes into a coma. Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 3 #21 The Symbiote breaks out on the ship and takes the ship to its planet of origin. Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 3 #22 The planet of Symbiotes explains to the Guardians the origins of the Klyntar. However, Flash and the Venom Symbiote have created the perfect savior the Symbiotes want. This heals the Symbiote and allows Flash to tap into the full potential of the Symbiote. Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 3 #23
Venom then becomes the new intergalactic ambassador of Earth and an Agent of the Cosmos. Venom: Space Knight # 1–13
During the 2016 "Civil War II" storyline, Flash is called back to Earth along with the other Guardians, during which he comes into conflict with Miles Morales, and repeatedly subdues him for not being the Spider-Man he knows. Prompting Miles to electrocute him with the Venom Blast, which blasted him into the open. Civil War II #5 Andrea, who is host to the Mania symbiote, becomes more ruthless in her actions to the point of killing everyone she encountered. Venom manages to separate the symbiote from Mania, and absorb it into the Venom symbiote, though Andrea is corrupted by a demonic sigil called the Hell-Mark. Flash resolves to remain on Earth to care for Andi until he can find a way to remove the Hell-Mark permanently.
Venom is later shown to have been somehow separated from Flash and it finds a new host in Lee Price. Venom vol. 3 #1 It is eventually revealed that Flash was separated from Venom during a fight with an FBI agent outfitted with high-tech battle suit. The agent used a special weapon that agitated the Symbiote and sent it into a crazed state, which led to it fleeing into the city, where it eventually encountered Price, then reunites with Eddie Brock. Venom #150 Venom vol. 3 #6
In the Go Down Swinging storyline, Norman Osborn returns with the Carnage symbiote bonded to him, making him the Red Goblin. He attacks New York City, and Silk, Clash, Miles Morales, Human Torch and Agent Anti-Venom tried to stop him. The Amazing Spider-Man #799 Flash uses his Anti-Venom to heal any of Peter's friends and family that were infected by the Carnage symbiote, and discovers Spider-Man's secret identity in the process. Norman critically wounds Flash, who can no longer heal due to using the Anti-Venom to save the others. Peter offers to use the Venom symbiote to heal him, but Flash refuses, worrying that it would die with him and knows Peter needs an edge over Norman's new powers. He dies in Peter's arms and is honored by Peter and his friends at his funeral. The Amazing Spider-Man #800
Maker later obtains a piece of the symbiote taken from Flash's time as Agent Venom, which contains a copy of his consciousness. The sample is dubbed as a codex by the Maker. The brain dead symbiote absorbs the sample during Venom's escape from Project Oversight, and with Eddie Brock's permission the copy takes control and transforms into Agent Venom. Flash's consciousness burns out shortly after. Venom vol. 4 #8
In "What if Peter Parker Had to Destroy Spider-Man?" a darker twist to the "Captain Spider" story is depicted, with Flash still possessing his aggressive, selfish bully attitude from his early appearances. As Peter witnessed the spider-bite, he becomes Flash's confidant, and Flash pressures Peter to make Flash a costume and weapons. Not wanting Flash to harm anyone permanently, and motivated by his concern for innocents after Mary Jane Watson is killed in a botched burglary, Peter devises the web-shooters, but Flash uses his powers to become a super-criminal called The Spider. A pep talk from Aunt May and Uncle Ben inspires Peter to do something, beginning with him inadvertently saving Otto Octavius from the accident that transformed him into Doctor Octopus in canon. With Octavius's aid, Peter uses his scientific genius to create a robotic exo-skeleton similar to Doc Ock's familiar tentacles, along with other methods that allow him to counter Flash's powers and incapacitate him. Later, Mister Fantastic removes Flash's powers (noted to only be possible because Flash was captured early enough that the changes weren't infused into his DNA) and remarks that Peter has a bright future ahead, using technology rather than biological powers. What If? vol. 2 #76
In "What if J. Jonah Jameson Adopted Spider-Man?", JJJ adopts Peter after Chameleon's attempt to hijack a NASA shuttle resulted in the deaths of Aunt May, John Jameson, and Chameleon himself. Jameson hires Flash to be Peter's bodyguard, writing off their antagonism as youthful energy. Because Jameson remains convinced that Spider-Man is to blame for the shuttle accident, he hires Spencer Smythe to create the Spider-Slayers, only for Peter to sabotage them in secret. At the demonstration, Flash notices that Smythe has also created the Mac Gargan suit and takes it for himself, hoping to protect Spidey and possibly become a hero in his own right. However, the serum affects Flash's mind, causing him to go berserk, and Peter (now maskless) goes to try to bring him down. Blinded by rage and addled by the serum, Flash refuses to believe that "Puny Parker" could be Spider-Man and attacks, nearly killing Peter until Jameson intervenes using a remote-controlled Spider-Slayer robot and shoots Flash with an antidote dart. What If? vol. 2 #82
In What if Flash Thompson became Spider-Man?, the Nick Fury depicts another example of a timeline in which Flash Thompson is Spider-Man. In this timeline, just as Peter did, Flash starts out in wrestling before taking on a 'heroic' role when he stops the burglar who would have killed Ben Parker, with J. Jonah Jameson finding solace in praising Spider-Man as a hero after the existing system fails to save his son from the shuttle accident that Peter would have saved him from in canon. Flash eventually drops out of school to act full-time as Spider-Man, living in a trailer park with no apparent official income. Peter still becomes Spider-Man's photographer through more conventional methods, but when May Parker suffers serious complications and requires a rare drug to treat her disease, Peter tracks down Flash to ask for his help, only for Flash to accidentally kill Peter when he throws him into the wall of his trailer in a rage in the blind belief that Peter was making him look bad out of jealousy due to their history. Forced to face the fact that he is actually a brutal criminal rather than his perceived role as a hero after seeing the error of his ways, Flash takes action to confront Doctor Octopus and acquire the medicine for May, but subsequently turns himself in for Peter's death. What If? Spider-Man vol. 2 #1
| Venom by Rick Remender vol. 1 | Venom (vol. 2) #1–5 | ||
| Spider-Island | Venom (vol. 2) #6–9, along with other material | ||
| Venom: Circle of Four | Venom (vol. 2) #10–14, 13.1–13.4 | ||
| Venom: The Savage Six | Venom (vol. 2) #15–22 | ||
| Venom by Rick Remender: The Complete Collection Vol. 1 | Venom (vol. 2) #1-12, Venom/Deadpool: What If? #1 | June 2015 | |
| Venom by Rick Remender: The Complete Collection Vol. 2 | Venom (vol. 2) #13, 13.1-13.4, 14-22 | August 2015 | |
| Venom: Devil's Pack | Venom (vol. 2) #23–25, 28–30 | ||
| Minimum Carnage | Minimum Carnage: Alpha; Venom (vol. 2) #26–27; Scarlet Spider (vol. 2) #10–11, 12.1; Minimum Carnage: Omega | ||
| Venom: Toxin With a Vengeance! | Venom (vol. 2) #31–35 | ||
| Venom: The Land Where Killers Dwell | Venom (vol. 2) #36–42, 27.1 | ||
| Venom by Cullen Bunn: The Complete Collection | Venom (vol. 2) #23–42, #27.1; Minimum Carnage: Alpha, Omega; Scarlet Spider (vol. 2) #10–11 | September 2018 | |
| Venom: Space Knight Vol. 1: Agent of the Cosmos | Venom: Space Knight #1–6 | ||
| Venom: Space Knight Vol. 2: Enemies And Allies | Venom: Space Knight #7–13 |
|
|
