Posted in: Comics | Tagged: knull, Venom #250

A Marvel Rivals Character Comes To Venom #250 This Week (Spoilers)

A Marvel Rivals character makes their Marvel 616 debut in Venom #250 this week (Spoilers)

This week's Venom #250 sees the first appearance of a character who debuted in Marvel Rivals, in Marvel 616 comic book continuity, alongside the return of Knull, after having been banished in the King In Black event. But who can it be? As well as Knull, of course. Well, Mary Jane Watson is still Venom…

Venom #250 by Al Ewing, Charles Soule, Todd Nauck, Terry Dodson, Carlos Gomez
THE RETURN OF KNULL!!! Mary Jane Watson is finally in the swing of things as the new Venom host, using their powers in all-new ways to be the hero the symbiote never knew it could be! But as she cleans up the streets of New York, she remains blissfully unaware of the strands of darkness leading off into the darkness of the void. Knull, the creator of all symbiotes, was killed by Eddie Brock. Nothing could bring him back… but Knull rules over nothing. Knull has returned, and word is racing across the stars to the one who took him down before to prepare to do it again. Will Venom be ready? Join us for a huge celebratory issue as ALL-NEW VENOM becomes VENOM once more and shifts back to the legacy numbering with issue #250!

Well, in July, the Marvel Rivals video game saw The King In Black, God of the Symbiotes, Knull, infect Hela, the Queen of Hel, goddess of death in Thor mythology, to make her The Queen in Black.

Donny Cates, co-creator of Knull and the King In Black storyline, posted on X in response to the news, saying, "Well, that's just rad as hell. Why didn't I think of that?" Well, Marvel Comics won't let something like pride, dignity or reticence stop them. Marvel is bringing The Queen In Black to Marvel Comics 616 continuity.

Venom #250 by Al Ewing, Charles Soule, Todd Nauck, Terry Dodson, Carlos Gomez is published by Marvel Comics this Wednesday. Until then, here's the lore for the Marvel Rivals version of the character;

From the throne atop her realm, the Queen of Hel recalled feeling the shattering of worlds, the sundering of realities as unknown forces knit them together again. Differently. She remembered venturing forth into her kingdom, only to discover that in Hel little had changed. However, Hela suspected once she traveled beyond her realm, she would see profound changes – and when she had worked enchantments to gaze upon worlds newly interwoven with the Ten Realms, her suspicions were confirmed. Mortals had done this? Remade time itself? Broken it and rewound different streams into a different braid or worlds?What power was this for men to wield? Immediately, Hela set about scheming a way to make it hers.

First, she knew, she must understand Chronovium. One of her thralls, in life a great wizard-king, had brought to her a stone of a sort she had never seen before in Hel. She had paid it little mind until she grasped what the mortal Victor von Doom had done. Then, she sent the flock. Her crows scouted other realms, all returning bearing samples of Chronovium, the crystallized residue of the monstrous shocks to the space-time continuum. And yet, they all differed slightly from the version in Hel and from one another. Whoever learned best to control it, Hela knew, would rule worlds beyond Asgard. Beyond the Ten Realms.

Hela's intrigue deepened. New lands meant expanding the borders of Hel and welcoming vast numbers of new creatures into her ever-growing legions, perhaps even claiming the souls of the great beings known as Celestials. Only recently had she become aware of them, and then only through a new soul in Hel, cast there from another universe by the – what had he called it? – the Timestream Entanglement. This pitiful mortal, who met their end in the event, spilled forth knowledge of vast realms of space filled with fantastic creatures.

At a wave of her hand, Hela's crows feasted on the mortal's soul, her mind settling on a goal. The souls, and thus the power, of these great beings would belong to her. And when they did, she would sweep unchallenged through the Ten Realms, uniting them under the banner of Hel. Undoubtedly, Loki was hatching his own schemes to utilize Chronovium to increase his own power and ensure Asgard never slipped from his grasp, but Loki's schemes never worried Hela. Often, his petty obsessions and caprices benefited her by causing conflicts that added to her legions. At some point, she suspected, he would approach her proposing some sort of arrangement. Perhaps an alliance. Perhaps she would consent, and they would begin the dance of waiting for the right moment to betray each other. The joys of family.

Until then, she would proceed with her own plans, which led her to the current moment, as a messenger from a distant place she had never heard of before. Her initial response was to annihilate it for the arrogant crime of trespassing in her realm. However, it seemed to her that these disruptions of time and space could be a gift. Had it not opened vast new possibilities for Hel? Surely, she should learn what new worlds – new universes! – now lay within her grasp.

So, her crows stood perched while the otherworldly emissary trudged into her throne room. It was a strange creature, appearing like blobs and tendrils of a tarry black substance bonded with a host. Its liquid flesh mingled aspects of its own nature and that of its host – currently a Jotun priestess. Even though she was no longer alive, enough of the Jotun's soul was still present for Hela to feel her horror at being bound to such a monstrosity. How curious. The creature, however – the symbiote – had no such misgivings, or at least did not betray them. "Tell me, little creature. What brings you to this place?" "You would do well to listen, Queen of Death," it said. "I bring tidings from Knull, mighty lord of the abyss."

"And what is a 'Knull'? Is he the god of all creatures such as you?" She made no effort to hide her scorn. This Knull was, in all likelihood, as debased and parasitic as its worshipper who stood before her. "His power is eons older than yours, ancient before light existed, and he has his own claims on creatures whose essences he has consumed." Ah, Hela thought. Of course. "I take it he means to claim the Celestials as well?" The symbiote nodded and flicked out its tongue. "Knull has learned that one of the Celestials is now in this realm. You cannot keep it, Asgardian. It is his to claim and it will be the key to his freedom."

"I cannot?" Hela stood from her throne. "Bold of you, parasite, to tell me what I can and cannot do in my own realm. What enters Hel is mine, forever. In fact," she said, giving the symbiote a closer look, "perhaps I will even keep you. What manner of soul does a creature like you possess?" The symbiote remained still. Hela let it wonder for quite a while, as she pondered what she had already learned. The key to his freedom, the emissary had said. So, this Knull was a god in chains, yet he still possessed the reach to send a message to Hel. He knew the power of Celestials. He knew that the tangled worlds had brought new souls into Hel. Therefore, there must now be a way from Hel to… "What is the world you come from, creature?"

"Klyntar, O Queen." A name she knew vaguely. People from a culture long since annihilated had once come to her realm from there. She considered a little longer. "I release you," she said. "Now, release your host." The symbiote did, peeling and secreting and withdrawing from the skeletal form of the Jotun priestess. "Return to your master," Hela went on, "and tell him that he may rule Klyntar, but Hela rules Hel. And if he wishes to fight me…" she smiled. "Then he too will become one of my subjects. Do you have that, messenger?" The symbiote mass quivered, but without a host it could not speak. Hela worked a spell, drawing forth knowledge from its mind. She swirled open a gateway to a world of darkness, an impenetrable jungle where no sane mortal would tread. "Go," Hela said, "before I change my mind." The symbiote sprang through the gateway and was gone. Hela let the gateway close. Now, Knull knew that she could reach out to his world directly. Let him think on that and consider his next move.

Hela gathered up a mass of Chronovium, imbued with the essence of Hel. Just as all lives must end, she reflected, all things must move through time. Did it not follow that all time ended in Hel as well? And did it not follow that Hel could grow through this crystallized time, encompassing new realms brought near by the entanglement of worlds? The Hel-Chronovium was shot through with black and green. She spoke to it, shaping it into an enchantment, the first of many. "All living beings," she said, "in all realms, in all universes. They shall be thralls of Hel. They need not come to me. I will use you, Chronovium, to expand Hel not through space but through time. Beings more ancient than stars will be mine, and beings not yet born will be mine. This is a powerful magic and will take some time to work. But it shall be done, and then Knull? She smiled. "He will be mine as well."

She suspected that the symbiote emissary was not Knull's only gambit. Doubtless he was plotting against her, seeking ways to undermine her and the reach of Hel. Let him, she thought. Let him beguile mortals and persuade greedy gods that they can band together against me. That would bring them all the closer – and as she had already told the symbiote emissary, whatever entered Hel was Hela's. Unless she chose to let it go. And soon, souls would no longer come to Hel, Hel would come to them. Her realm would grow outward through time, drawing in numberless souls until she had an army so vast not even gods could hope to resist it. The Ten Realms were just the beginning. She spun the black and green Chronovium jewel over her palm. "Yield to me your secrets," she commanded. "Bring to me the future, as I already rule the past."

And from the Queen in Black herself:

"In the countless centuries that I have lived, I have never seen much use for kings. They are a loud, boorish lot whose deeds never seem to match their words.Take Odin, for instance. The so-called All-Father claimed to be the most powerful ruler in the Ten Realms, and yet he couldn't save his own kingdom without having to take a multi-year nap immediately after. In all my time as the Queen of Hel, I have never once had so much as a single day off. I suppose the old saying is right. "No rest for the wicked."

I thought, perhaps, my opinion on kings might change for the better when Loki took over the thrown of Yggsgard. His goals were certainly more aligned with my own, after all, he promised to help me expand my domain of the dead into the mortal realm in exchange for my aid. But it wasn't long before that frost-born fool got distracted from his own nefarious scheme and started to look for other ways to spread mischief. And so, instead of draining the World Tree of its Chronovium-infused sap, as he had sworn to do, he flitted off to Midgard, where he joined a band of warriors in combat against vampiric legions and killer robots. Perhaps it was in order to keep those threats from spreading into Yggsgard. Or, more likely, it was in hopes of making the mortals his playthings again. Either way, it was all so predictable, as Loki always was.

While I admit I did join the fray myself for a time, I had my reasons as well. If one of those self-proclaimed "super heroes" happened to perish on the field of battle, I believed I would be able to swoop in and claim their powerful soul as a trophy. It was all part of my master plan. If i could make one of them my new champion, I wouldn't need Loki any longer. I would be able to conquer Yggsgard and all of the other realms of the living myself. Yet somehow, every time they fell, those accursed mortals found a way to get back up again. And I began to lose my patience.

After a particularly irritating clash on a Midgard-adjacent planet called Arakko, I had finally had enough. I took my leave, fully intent on returning to my castle in Niffleheim to formulate a new scheme… but then the most peculiar thing happened. I heard someone whispering my name. The voice was sweet and sinister at the same time, like a lullaby spilling from the lips of a fresh corpse. Not only was it absolutely enchanting… it was strangely familiar as well…."

It took me a moment before I could place where I had heard the voice before, but I soon realized that it was when I had briefly joined forces with the mortals on Klyntar. That world was populated by a race of ravenous parasitic creatures — the very same species that had dared send an emissary to Hel as a harbinger of their dark lord's impending return. as we traveled the planet's surface, I had sworn that someone was calling out to me. Could it be the same King in Black that the symbiote messenger had spoken of earlier? I hoped so, for I wished to have my words with this Knull for threatening me in my own domain… but sadly, our time on Klyntar ended more quickly (and explosively) than expected, and the voice was silenced before I could ever identify its true source.

Now it had returned, though, and whoever it belong to was seeking an audience with me. Using a shard of the Bifrost that I had stolen from Odin's Vault during my stay on Yggsgard, I opened a portal across the cosmos and soon found myself standing on Klyntar's undulating surface once again. I was not thrilled to have my boots sullied by the grotesque creatures that populated this world, but my curiosity outweighed my disgust.

Following the voice, I navigated my way into a series of caverns that led deeper and deeper beneath Klyntar's surface. I was no stranger to underworlds, but even I took pause as all traces of light began to fade from view. For once I felt as thought I might actually be out of my depth. But then, my black soul trembled as I heard the mysterious voice directly in front of me, so close I felt as if I could reach out and touch it. And for some reason that I could not quite explain, I wanted to… so very desperately….

"Sweet Hela…" it said. "Home at last…." "Show yourself," I commanded. "You do not give the orders on this world, woman," the voice replied.

"Really?" I mused. "Then, pray tell, who does?" "I do," the voice responded. "And you are?" I asked, already knowing the answer full well." "Knull," the voice said proudly. "God of Darkness. The King in Black." "I have heard of you," I muttered. "But I have no need for another king."

"You do not need anyone," Knull said. "That is exactly why I chose you." "Do go on…" I said, enjoying Knull's flattery." "When I first sent my progeny to your realm," Knull said, "it was with a warning. You dared to defy me, but you did not raise my ire. Instead, you intrigued me. Then, when you came to my world, it was clear that my curiosity about you was justified. You did not belong with those that opposed me. I could sense something different inside you — a darkness not unlike my own. I believe we may be kindred spirits." "If you are attempting to court me," I replied flippantly, "then I expect you to at least be brave enough to show me your face." "If only I could…" Knull said, feigning despair. It was obvious he was playing a game, but he was quite good at it. Almost as good as me. "Alas, my children trapped me deep within the heart of their own home world eons ago. I am a prisoner of my own creations… at least until someone finally sets me free…." "Ah…" I responded, "…so you would have me be your pawn then. How typical."

"Not my pawn," Knull responded, pretending to be wounded by my words. "My queen." "I am already a queen," I said. "I have a realm to call my own and millions of souls on my army, all ready to obey my every command. What could you possibly offer me that I do not already have?" "The rest of them," Knull said. "Every mortal soul that ever lived. When I am finally set free from my bonds, I will snuff out the stars. And then every last creature that was born into this ill-begotten universe will become yours for all of eternity." "And why would you give me such an extravagant present, my dear?" I asked. "You barely know me." "I disagree," Knull replied. "I know you all too well. Like me, you were created for a purpose. We help maintain a universal balance, you and I. It is no easy task — one you most certainly did not choose, but one you have proudly dedicated your very existence to nonetheless. And yet, those shortsighted fools who fight in the name of life and light fail to recognize our glorious purpose. They consider us evil, when what we actually are is necessary. They have tried to conquer us, and they have always failed. Why? Because the universe cannot exist without us. Life and death, light and dark. Those forces cannot be separated. And while one can be pushed down for a time, it eventually returns, stronger than ever."

"Hmm…" I said, pondering Knull's words. "… it seems you do know me. Almost as well as I know myself. What is it you would have me do for you? "Reign," he responded. "Sit on my throne and rule this world. Protect it form the onslaught to come. From the righteous fires that would scorch it to ash, and the prodigal sons that would return to strike their creator down. Reign with the same ruthlessness you always have, milady, and that will be more than enough." "And when you return, my lord?" I asked. "What then?" "Then we shall look out over the endless abyss we have created with pride," Knull said, his voice growing stronger. "We shall live out the rest of our eternity in the darkness of the void together. And should the forces of light and life dare to try to rise against us ever again, which they inevitably will, we will revel as we crush them beneath our boots." "You truly know the way to a girl's heart," I responded, a smile twisting across my lips. "I accept." "Then come to me, my queen…" Knull beckoned.

Suddenly, the darkness of the subterranean cavern was replaced by the crimson glow of a strange spiral pattern on the cavern wall. The red symbol pulsed, as if it were alive. I placed my hand on it and tried to use my arcane powers to syphon its energy, but to no avail. Instead, the wall itself began to open, as if the spiral was a lock and my hand the key. I stepped into the vast cavern that had revealed itself, and far in the distance I saw what I had been seeking. There stood a pillar made from the material as Klyntar itself… and at its top, a majestic figure sat, waiting.

Not willing to delay reaching my destination any longer, I transformed myself into a Nastrond crow and flew to meet Knull face-to-face at last. When I arrived, I resumed my godly form and approached the King in Black. With a sinister smile, he silently reached out his hand to me, touching my forehead with a single finger as white as bone. I could feel his sigil burning itself into my flesh, the very same blood red spiral that had appeared on the wall moments ago." Immediately, the organic material from which the pillar was made extended towards me, surrounding my body. I struggled against it at first, not fully realizing what was happening, but then Knull spoke again. "Do not resist, my love," he said. "This is my gift to you. The first of many…"

Once the substance had completely enveloped my form, I realized that Knull had been telling the truth. This was a gift indeed, one that made me feel more powerful than ever. And now I could hear his voice even louder, as if he was sharing my own mind with me." "Rise, my Queen in Black," he said. "Rise so that all others may fall!" And rise I did. I turned and walked triumphantly from the cavern, my new garments rippling around me as they guided me back to the outside world with ease. It felt as if I knew every inch of Klyntar as well as I knew my own realm. Certainly these vestments would provide a great advantage in the battle to come, I thought. But it wasn't until I reached the surface that I realized how soon that battle would begin."

There, off in the night sky, I could see a star growing brighter. No… not a star… a being of some sort, racing every closer to this planet. As it continued its approach, its shape became clear. It was a giant bird with flaming wings. Could this be the same fire-haired Phoenix that Odin used to sing love songs about after too many tankards of ale? I supposed I would find out soon enough. Until then, I would sit on Knull's throne, claiming it as my own, and waiting patiently for the light to arrive so that I could extinguish it… in the name of my king….

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