Venom – The Mace #1–3 (1994)
🧬 Genre
Superhero, Action, Horror, Science Fiction
This three-issue limited series blends high-octane superhero action with horror and mystery, all centered around the darkly twisted world of symbiotes and experimental warfare.
🕷️ Main Characters
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Venom / Eddie Brock – The anti-hero bonded to an alien symbiote, walking the fine line between vengeance and redemption.
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Mace – A formidable, enigmatic bounty hunter clad in experimental armor with a personal vendetta.
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The Jury – A group of armored vigilantes with a shared goal to eliminate Venom.
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Dr. Paine – The shady mastermind behind military experiments involving the Mace armor.
✍️ Writer
Carl Potts – Known for his work on The Punisher War Journal and Alien Legion, Potts brings a gritty, morally complex narrative to this mini-series.
🎨 Artist
Liam Sharp – With a distinctive, hyper-detailed style, Sharp’s art captures the raw brutality of Venom’s world and the intense physicality of his battles.
🧑💼 Editor Details
Edited by Danny Fingeroth, a Marvel veteran who ensured continuity and tone aligned with the broader Venom mythos while allowing creative experimentation.
🏢 Publisher and Brand
Published by Marvel Comics, under its mainstream superhero line during the early ‘90s symbiote boom, following the success of Lethal Protector.
📅 Release Year
1994
📖 Brief Plot Summary
Eddie Brock, still coming to terms with his role as a lethal protector, finds himself hunted once more—but this time, not by the usual vigilantes or government forces. Enter Mace, a new threat clad in next-gen battle armor designed to neutralize super-powered entities. Backed by a shadowy military organization and driven by his own motives, Mace sees Venom not as a man or monster—but as a mission.
As the two collide in increasingly savage encounters, secrets begin to unravel. The experiments behind the Mace armor may have links to the same government interests that view Venom as a rogue weapon. With the Jury also closing in, this mini-series becomes a triple-threat showdown—man vs. monster vs. machine.
📌 Notable Arcs or Storylines
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Mace’s Introduction & Backstory – Mace's debut introduced a character with strong visual appeal and hinted at deeper connections to Marvel’s military and black-ops world.
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Venom’s Anti-Hero Evolution – This series reinforces Eddie Brock’s complexity—he’s not just a villain, but a protector with brutal methods and a twisted sense of justice.
🔍 Fan Theories or Interpretations
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Mace as a Proto-War Machine – Some fans speculate that Mace was Marvel's experimental step toward developing tech-armored characters beyond Iron Man and the War Machine narrative.
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Shadow Government Interest in Symbiotes – This arc subtly foreshadows later stories where the government actively pursues symbiote-based weaponry (Agent Venom, King in Black), suggesting a long-term fascination with their potential.
🧾 Review Summary
🎨 Art: Liam Sharp’s visuals are a gritty feast of muscle, metal, and monstrous mayhem. His depiction of Venom is visceral and terrifying—oozing texture and ferocity.
✍️ Story: Carl Potts delivers a tightly woven action thriller with just enough political intrigue to give the punches emotional weight.
💥 Character Depth: Though primarily action-driven, the series gives enough insight into both Eddie and Mace to spark empathy and moral reflection.
Verdict: Venom: The Mace may not be the most well-known mini-series, but it's a stylish, hard-hitting addition to the symbiote saga—perfect for fans who love morally gray conflicts and brutal showdowns. 💣🕸️
Comic Resource / Read Online (External Source)
