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Robert Wood is a writer and editor based out of Cheshire, England. He is the author of 'The False Elephant: and 99 Other Unreasonably Short Stories' - 100 stories, each told in exactly 100 words.
Rob got into comics via Bendis' Ultimate Spider-Man and the UK anthology 'The Mighty World of Marvel,' which was running Frank Miller's Daredevil, Classic Hulk and Contest of Champions II.
Prior to journalism, he worked in copywriting and copyedited for Oxford University Press. He is on X as @PinchTwigs and Instagram as roobwoodjourno.
The symbiote antihero Venom recently started a new era, with a surprise new host and creative new powers. However, the villains aren't just going to take this upgrade lying down...
Venom Is Facing AIM's Answer to Iron Man
In today's Venom #253 - from Al Ewing, Carlos Gómez, Frank D'Armata and Clayton Cowles - the villainous Madame Masque undergoes a high-power redesign. After enacting a hostile takeover of terrorist group AIM (aka Advanced Idea Mechanics) and killing her way to the top of the ladder, Masque unveils a Hulkbuster-style suit of armor.
Masque recently discovered that Venom's new host is Mary Jane Watson, implanting advanced tech within her body to spy on her every move. But after attacking MJ's loved ones, Masque has awoken the actress superhero's dark side, leading to a battle that Marvel promises will destroy multiple New York landmarks.
The summary for Venom #254 calls the armor "the Madame Masque Battlesuit," describing it as "two tons of A.I.M-constructed, missile-loaded murder machine." Masque is a longtime enemy of Iron Man, so it's no surprise she understands the potential of advanced armor to turn the tables in a super-fight.
Our Take on Madame Masque's Upgrade
It's easy to see Madame Masque's new design as the first step in her total rebirth. Iron Man will soon begin his own new era, as Iron Man volume 8 launches January 28. The summary for issue 1 promises that Masque will use AIM to "create the next great weapon" - which seems to be an evil version of Iron Man.
The official preview for the upcoming comic sees Masque subjecting candidates to a version of Tony Stark's origin, trying to discover a new genius on Tony Stark's level. It's easy to draw a line between her new battlesuit and AIM's twisted upcoming goal.
Venom's new era has done a great job of giving Mary Jane Watson her own villains, with Madame Masque undergoing a serious redesign to match strength with the symbiote. However, this battle against Venom is just the beginning of Masque's plans, and her next stop will see her attempt to not just replicate Iron Man's armor, but his genius...
Venom #253 is available now from Marvel Comics.
Movie(s) Venom, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Venom: The Last Dance
English (US) ·