Venom Unleashed #21: Death Spiral exit interview answers your biggest questions

April 29, 2026

Venom Unleashed rolls on as AIPT’s regularly released column, where fans get their questions answered straight from the creators shaping the symbiote saga. Each edition pulls back the curtain just a bit more, offering insight, teases, and the occasional surprise straight from the source.

This time, though, things hit a natural stopping point. With Death Spiral now wrapped, Venom Unleashed #21 serves as a kind of exit interview for the event, collecting your final fan questions and giving the creators a chance to reflect on how it all came together, what it means for these characters, and where things might head next.

From the earliest seeds of the crossover to the fate of Torment, the fallout between Peter and MJ, and the lingering questions that still hang over the story, this edition is all about looking back before the next chapter begins.

Death Spiral Questions: 

Chris from Every Spider-Man Ever asks: What were the seeds for this event? Did this start with the idea of Torment and grow from there, or from teaming up the symbiotes, or from the idea of Peter combining with Carnage? How did each element come together?

Joe Kelly: I was just coming on to ASM, and Nick said, “We’re doing a crossover!” Sometimes, that’s just how it starts. What was awesome, though, was that Al and Charles were doing such great interesting things with Venom and Carnage that I knew it was going to be fun.

Almost immediately, the idea of the three of them going up against a serial killer was pitched, then the theme of family emerged, and we were off. As far as the cool beats themselves, sometimes those are up top – like I believe Nick was the one who said Peter and Carnage had never merged, so that became something we were writing towards.

Other things evolve during the writing – Al pitched the “was that you?” moment between Venom and MJ as we got into breaking what an ending could look like.

Nick Lowe: AHEM, I think I said, “Joe! What do you think about doing a crossover with Venom, who’s MJ at the moment, and Carnage, who’s Eddie Brock at the moment?!” You’re making me sound like J. Jonah Jameson! Wait a second, I’ll take that as a compliment! 

Jordan D. White: Yeah–the impetus was that we had three books about these three characters with this rich history and great creators, and we knew that was a recipe for a great crossover. All the story specifics stemmed from us jamming on the idea at our first summit with all three creators in place. We sealed Paul’s fate that very day.

Charles Soule: I pretty distinctly remember this one snapping into something that felt like a go project when all or most of us were hanging out in a bar, chatting about it. We might have been together for a Marvel creative summit, or possibly for New York Comic Con – but we all just started spinning things out, and the basic seeds were planted there. It immediately felt like a story that could give us some fantastic action and thriller beats, but set in a wonderful character-based stew. Every character involved, from humans to symbiotes, has real stakes and a complicated relationship with everyone else. It was very rich material to mine.

Al Ewing: It feels like a long time ago now that we all went to that bar and span the whole thing out from beginning to end – that was the moment Paul got killed for keeps, and a few other bits and pieces got set in stone. Over time, things got a lot tighter – I think originally there was a chase all over upstate New York, but that ended up really getting in the way of the action. But definitely one of the most fun writer’s rooms I’ve got to be in!

The full event…in checklist form!

Shen asks: Gotta say, I quite liked this crossover, and thank you for giving your effort. How was the experience for you guys and the weekly releases?

JK: Top to bottom, I had a blast with this. I’ve done many crossovers in my time – this one lives at the top in terms of fun, great collaboration, and general smooth sailing!

JDW: Yeah–crossovers are fun when the creators are game for them, and this crew was all in. They made it great from concept to execution and every step along the way. 

CS: It really did seem smooth. Everyone was very accessible, so if I had a question about, say, Spidey’s history or a Venom beat, or even how we were all seeing Torment’s character, Joe and Al were always right there. I’ve done my share of these, too, and it was great to just be able to rely on everyone to not just meet but exceed the brief for their various chapters. Very proud of this story.

AE: We had it all blocked out from quite an early point, so I could look at the outline, look at the scripts that had come before, and then slot my beats in and leave things in a place for the next person to pick up, so I felt very happy with my end and how the whole thing panned out.

NL: Yep, this was a really fun one. I edited several of these back in my X-Men days and oversaw VENOM, INC alongside then-Om editor Devin Lewis years ago. I loved these when just a fan and always enjoy them. These three writers were especially collaborative, so that was fun. They always get tight toward the end, but this velocity and madness are always fun!!!

A scene from ASM #23.
Courtesy Marvel

Chi-Town Spidey asks: I read Death Spiral as a turning point that brings Peter and Mary Jane closer together.  Was that the key aspect when scripting this story? 

JK: We knew that it was going to be a big arc for both of them, though I would say that the ending has me wondering how close they really are. There’s a huge elephant in the room between MJ and Peter – did she kill someone or not? That’s a big deal for both of them that’ll have some ramifications.

JDW: There was one Peter/MJ bit we came up with that first day of planning the event that I was sort of bummed didn’t make it into the final work. It was the idea of MJ coming to Peter’s door again, and when he opens it, Raelith is there with him in some sort of compromising position, and MJ is furious, but the Venom symbiote is like, “We have bigger problems right now; we need to deal with this later.” And then Symbie pops up, and the Venom symbiote gets jealous as well.

CS: Soap operas everywhere you look! I love working in this office.

AE: I think MJ ends up being a lot cooler with Raelith than we originally pitched. (And why not? People can date who they like.) As for Peter and Torment’s well-deserved plunge… well, we’ll see in future issues of Venom who he blames and how he deals with that.

NL: Hi Chi-Town Spidey! Sorry, this story didn’t end with an engagement or wedding! 

Courtesy Marvel

Blu asks: I loved that moment at the end where the symbiote and MJ aren’t quite sure who let Torment drop to their death. Are there plans to explore that further?

JK: Of course! It’s a big deal for MJ and Peter.

JDW: And for MJ and the symbiote! 

CS: This was one of Al’s really inspired contributions to the story. It’s great because it gives you just what you want and need out of something like this – more story! Exploring those beats, and what they’ll mean for MJ, Peter, the symbiote and who knows who else… lots to work with there.

AE: We’re getting right into it in the very next issue of Venom! It’s a little eye-opening how willing some people are to say that the slip of a symbiote’s grip makes MJ the most evil murderer since Galactus – I came up with that thinking there’d be a touch more disagreement about who actually did the deed. In fact, I thought everyone would assume it was Venom, since I recall the days when people were saying MJ had no agency in her own book. But the fact is that somebody’s hand opened on that rooftop, and MJ is by no means off the hook. So we’ll be coming back to that.

NL: Al handles it SO WELL in VENOM!

XpRienzo asks: We see in a panel at the end of Death Spiral that Flash is holding a picture of him, MJ, and Peter, presumably from the time he and Pete were roommates. Is he perhaps missing the simpler times from back in the day?

JK: Perhaps… perhaps more… perhaps he has face blindness and is wondering who is in the picture. 

NL: HA!

CS: Unrelated – why didn’t FLASH Thompson become the photojournalist? Cameras have flashes! This is almost as bad as Daredevil calling himself Daredevil, when there is an *actual* daredevil stunt jumper person out there – Ghost Rider! Someone really needs to clean all this up.

NL: Double HA!

JDW: Also, Gambit is a rogue, and Rogue gambles with taking people’s powers when she touches them! 

NL: Triple ha!

AE: I, too, miss the simpler times from back in the day…

NL: Oh man, Al always delivers a twist! I expected him to jump on the laugh train! Instead, he serves up sadness, and I’m here for it!

What does it mean?
Credit: Marvel

John asks: Does Carnage remember bonding to Ben Reilly? It didn’t get brought up by anyone involved. 

JDW: Maybe his memories of it were sucked into some sort of mental chasm. 😉

CS: Going with the mental chasm. Those things are no joke. 

NL: Danny Khazem was the first person to remind me of that bonding! No Reilly-Remembrance goes without Danny’s notice!

Mike K. asks: Will there be any follow-up on Shocker’s death?

JDW: We’ve already seen a little in WEB OF VENOM where Shocker’s best pal, Boomerang–who Shocker literally brought back to life–has been affected by his pal’s death.

JK: We’re going to be addressing it very soon in ASM! 

CS: I just miss him so damn much.

NL: I miss him already, too, but no one misses him more than Marvel’s own Mike Strobl, who made a shrine to Shocker when he died!

AE: I don’t miss him – in fact, I’m already planning my next murder. First Shocker, then Torment – who’s next? Big Wheel’s wheeled a little too freely for my liking. Maybe we could off a whole brace of new Stilt-Men, one after the other, like a domino topple. And the next time you see F.A.C.A.D.E. may be the last. (Or, more likely, the first.) All I know is that my thirst for villain blood won’t rest until the only villains left are Blue Streak and the Plunderer! And Terry.

Click to view slideshow.

Gregg “Still Rooting for Cardiac” Katzman asks: I may be misremembering this or potentially overlooked something, but it seemed like there was a family connection between Herman Schultz and MJ, teased. If I remember correctly, Torment called Shocker’s death a “happy coincidence” or something along those lines. If I’m remembering that correctly, will that be further explored? Could we potentially see the debut of a “new” Shocker in the future pages of ASM or another Spidey line title? Thanks!

JK: It turns out that Shocker and MJ were distant cousins, so he didn’t have to violate his spiral to take Shocker out. As to a future new Shocker..? Time will tell… and Nick will also tell at some point because he’s like spoiler central.

NL: HEY! 

JDW: Somehow, cousin Kristie inherits all of his gear and begins her life of crime! 

NL: Heeeeeeeyyyyyy.

CS: I was going to go with “Somehow, Shocker returned!” but Jordan pretty much got there first.

NL: Hay.

AE: The only thing I’d love more than killing the Shocker is killing him twice! Let’s resurrect him on a precarious cliff.

Torment Questions:

Toby Loper asks: Does Torment have a form of OCD? His “needs” or “compulsions” check a lot of boxes for ocd. Or is there something more sinister in his mind?

JK: Can it be both?

JDW: It can! 

CS: I’m no psychoanalyst, but I believe OCD can manifest as a symptom of a deeper cause. In my personal opinion, the spirals were where his problems started, and trying to handle them or deal with them generates the compulsions we see.

NL: What they said.

Torment, we hardly knew ya.
Credit: Marvel

Rob ask: Could Torment see MJ’s spiral being in love with Peter in the scene where VenomMJ kills Torment? Because I’ve seen fans online taking it in very different ways.

JK: By that point, Torment knows who everyone is, so he’s saying all the things that will anger/torment MJ in that moment. I personally think it’s open to interpretation.

JDW: And isn’t different readers taking things in different ways the very heart of fandom? 

CS: So now a SPIRAL is in love with Peter Parker? Geez. Who/what isn’t in love with him? What’s next, a square? A pyramid? A rhombus????

NL: Are you insinuating that Peter and MJ are blood relations? Oh man, that WOULD be a hell of a twist.

AE: Online fans do tend to take comics in very different ways, yes. (Stares silently at camera for five solid minutes, expression unchanging, eyes dead.)

Carlitos asks: My question is more so for Nick Lowe: Would you be able to show us the Ed McGuinness design sheets for Torment? Always love seeing those.

NL: Yes! 

Paul question:

Sean asks: Nick, you’ve had your name attached to Paul since the beginning, and I was hoping you could clear some things up for me. What was the plan for Paul from the very start? How far ahead did you plan? Why is this where you decided to end it? What was the intended reaction to Paul? Obviously, you knew fans would reject him at the start, but did you hope over time they would warm up to him, or was he always intended to be someone the readers hated (not judging, btw, engagement = engagement and all that)? 

NL: Hi Sean! The plan for Paul was to be a romantic entanglement and an obstacle. We knew we wanted him to be related to The Emissary. We knew he would be hated immediately for being such a romantic entanglement and obstacle. We never intended for him to be a fan favorite, per se, but I like the moments where Paul shows decency. I feel that people sort of willfully misread his backstory and the responsibility he felt and took for his universe’s tragedy, though I don’t think he was as culpable as HE thought he was. But everyone brings their own stuff to experiences, readers, and characters alike. Having him killed by Torment was not in the plan from the beginning. But I don’t think anyone involved thought he would stick around forever. 

The final word on Paul?
Credit: Marvel

Venom Questions: 

Spider-BRat asks: Previous hosts of Venom and other symbiotes make use of the symbiote’s ability to shapeshift into new clothes for their civilian persona. Will we see that with MJ in the upcoming issues of Venom?

NL: I believe so! Anyone else brave enough to confirm or deny this?! 🙂 

AE: I think we gotta – it’s just a logical conclusion. Previously, in the “beefy era” of VenoMJ, there was lots of room in Venom for MJ to wear her own clothes inside the symbiote, as well as carrying her own handbag, phone, etc. Now that things are a little more body-contoured, it makes sense for MJ to start wearing Venom as fashion. Do we have room on the page to really get into that? Maybe, maybe no – real estate is always at a premium, and we’ve got some big stories to fit in the space.

(This is an opportunity to answer the question of “why did Venom look like a burly dude when it was a supermodel inside?” Well, the reason is the same reason I do a lot of things – because I thought it’d be fun. And it was fun! It was a neat opportunity to play around with ideas of gender, presentation, and Venom as a costume/disguise/suit of armor. But what do you think of the New All-New Venom, coming next issue? Let us know!)

The body-contoured look Ewing refers to can be seen in the Venom #259 cover.
Credit: Marvel

Tux Droid 9000: Regarding Dylan, do you think he sees his father deep down as someone who sees what is right but struggles with his impulsive, addictive, and violent inner aspects, or is he still too hurt to fully understand him?

JK: I think we learn a lot about our parents as we age, and it’s hard to get the whole picture while we’re young and in the thick of it. 

NL: Well said, Joe. 

AE: Dylan’s been dealing with his own impulsive and violent aspects over the course of the past few years – his anger, his desire to lash out and push people away, and his own need for symbiotes to bond with. So it might be that Dylan sees too much of himself in his father, or too much of his father in himself. Does that stop Dylan from fully appreciating the good Eddie’s done? It might. As much as we wish our heroes could lead lives of endless leisure on the page, sipping cocktails in front of gold statues to their achievements, sometimes the story demands a little family drama instead.

DragonMaster150 asks: If O’Brauk is related to Eddie, does that mean Eddie is of Irish descent?

JDW: Yes. For sure. Good Irish Catholic stock, Brock is.

CS: I think that’s part of Eddie’s backstory that hasn’t been sufficiently explored. Maybe someday.

NL: I wish I were Irish. 

Eddie Brock is Irish…confirmed!?
Credit: Marvel

Future Story questions: 

Spider-BRat: The upcoming Queen in Black happens to overlap with Avengers: Armageddon. Which events canonically happen first, or do they happen at the same time?

JDW: This sort of thing is best discovered on the page or in the aftermath of the events–we’d hate to spoil one by saying the other took place afterward, and therefore everything turns out ok. 

Anonymous: Carnage appears to be on a collision course with Osborn! Does this mean we are getting OG Red Goblin soon!? 

NL:  Don’t miss SPIDER-VERSITY, True Believer! 

Gregg “Still Rooting for Cardiac” Katzman: In a previous edition, another Cardiac fan (“there are dozens of us! DOZENS!”) got a reply. Have there been any serious internal conversations about future plans for the character since then? I know there probably isn’t a strong enough sales hook to justify his own limited series, but maybe a modern, character-defining arc for him? Beyond the cool design (so glad there’s finally an action figure!), the character is so interesting and can speak to so many topical themes. I’ll keep my fingers crossed. Thanks!

JDW: I am a fan of any character Erik Larsen drew in his run. Cardiac is terrific, and I feel like the idea of a vigilante cleaning up the medical insurance industry is as relevant now as ever. But I will be honest–we’re not gonna be doing a Cardiac mini any time soon. It all depends on if there is a book that he would make sense as a “villain” in, and a writer who is interested in using him there. Al? Charles? Joe? 

CS: All I have is that one issue could have a cover with Cardiac in handcuffs being escorted away by the police with the hype text: CARDIAC… ARREST???

Cardiac recently appeared on a variant cover for Spider-Man/Superman #1.
Credit: Marvel

M.J. (No, not Mary Jane) asks: Will we see Sleeper back any time soon? I feel like they left us on a cliffhanger and never circled back.

JDW: WE WILL.  Big plans. 

CS: What Jordan said.

AE: The first thing Sleeper does when he returns to the narrative is apologize for being “preoccupied.” Which raises the question… what the hell is the little creep up to? We will find out.

NL: Can’t comment on Sleeper, but I wanted to just thank everyone for reading and writing in!!!! You all rule!!!

See you soon, buddy.
Credit: Marvel

And that’s a wrap on Venom Unleashed #21, the final Death Spiral edition! We’ll be back in May with a new opportunity to ask Jordan D. White anything!

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