WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Venom #27, by Donny Cates, Juan Gedeon, Jesus Aburtov and VC's Clayton Cowles, available now.
After a fight between Eddie Brock, the Maker, and the mysterious Virus in Venom #26, Eddie and his son Dylan were sucked into a trans-dimensional portal and transported to an unfamiliar, futuristic reality controlled by some sort of symbiote. In Venom #27, Eddie and Dylan learn more about this reality. discovering it's actually policed by a group of Venomized Avengers. These enforcers answer to a new character named Codex, and together, they form this world's Hive.
But that's not even the biggest surprise in Venom #27. Instead, that comes at the issue when Eddie meets a version of Agent Venom, only Flash Thompson isn't the one bonded to the symbiote this time.
In the regular Marvel Universe, Agent Venom was an identity assumed by Eugene "Flash" Thompson. A long time ago, Flash was the high school bully of Peter Parker -- however, the character changed. After a stint in the army, Flash tragically lost his legs in combat, but that didn't keep him down. After taking part in Project Rebirth 2.0, Flash was bonded with the Venom symbiote, which had fallen into the hands of the government. With it, Flash became a new kind of super-soldier. His stint as Agent Venom lasted a very long time, and he became a fan-favorite in the process. Years later, Flash lost the symbiote and his time as Agent Venom came to an end.
In Venom #27, Virus and Eddie Brock continue their fight, which attracts the attention of the symbiote Avengers. The superheroes rapidly intervene, and Virus becomes their main focus when he uses their weapons on them. Eddie is then able to escape and heads underground into the city sewers.
It isn't long before he meets shadowy figures who insist they can help him run from the Venomized Avengers. One of the figures steps out from the shadows, revealing itself as Agent Venom. But this Agent Venom isn't alone. There are actually multiple others wearing the same symbiote-generated armor. They explain that they are part of a resistance that is fighting back against Codex and his Avengers. They are the only ones who remain free from Codex's control.
Upon seeing Agent Venom, Eddie mistakenly takes them for Flash Thompson. However, when Agent Venom reveals their face, Eddie simply can't believe it: under the mask is his ex-wife, Anne Weying -- or rather, an alternate version of her. Eddie is overtaken with joy when he sees her given that, in his reality, she's dead.
What's more, given what we know of Dylan Brock's parentage, Anne Weying is his mother, which makes this some sort of strange family reunion between all three of them. Of course, this may not be the Anne Weying from their world, but she is essentially the next best thing.
There is much we don't yet know about this Agent Venom, but with any luck, she could come back to the regular Marvel Universe with Eddie and Dylan to live as a symbiote family. And with Knull coming for Earth, Eddie could sure use all the help he can get.