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Marvel Knights Spider-Man #6 (Nov. 2004):
“Venomous: Part Two”
by Mark Millar, Terry Dodson, Rachel Dodson

Marvel Knights Spider-Man #6

Title: “Venomous: Part Two”

Medium: comic

Cover date: Nov. 2004

Publisher: Marvel
Written by: Mark Millar
Art by: Terry Dodson, Rachel Dodson


79 characters in this story:

Character
(Click links for info about character
and his/her religious practice, affiliation, etc.)
Religious
Affiliation
Team(s)
[Notes]
Pub. #
app.
Spider-Man Spider-Man (Peter Parker)
(lead character)
hero scientist
CBR Scale: I Protestant
Secret Defenders; Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends...  Marvel 10,664
Mary Jane Watson Mary Jane Watson supporting character
CBR Scale: I Christian (denomination
unknown)
[was wife of Peter Parker (Spider-Man)] Marvel 1,827
J. Jonah Jameson J. Jonah Jameson supporting character
CBR Scale: M hates Spider-Man
[Peter Parker's boss; Spider-Man's denouncer] Marvel 1,719
Norman Osborn Green Goblin (Norman Osborn)
(details) 
villain
CBR Scale: U manifestly non-religious
Cabal of Scrier (leader); Dark Avengers (leader)...  Marvel 417
Marvel Girl Marvel Girl (Rachel Grey) hero clergy/religious leader
CBR Scale: S Episcopalian (born); future
self: founder of Askani
religion
Excalibur; Starjammers...  Marvel 358
Cyclops Cyclops (Scott Summers)
(cover & 1-panel cameo, pg. 5, panel 3)
hero
CBR Scale: SCBR Scale: I Protestant; mutant supremacist
Brotherhood of Mutant Supremacy; Summers Rebellion...  Marvel 8,371
Wolverine Wolverine (James Howlett / Logan)
(cover & 1-panel cameo, pg. 5, panel 3)
hero
CBR Scale: S raised Protestant; sometimes atheist; has practiced Buddhism; skeptical seeker
Alpha Flight; Brotherhood of Mutant Supremacy...  Marvel 10,615
White Queen White Queen (Emma Frost)
(cover & 1-panel cameo, pg. 5, panel 3)
villain hero
CBR Scale: U Episcopalian (nominal); mutant supremacist
Academy of Tomorrow; Dark X-Men...  Marvel 3,409
Kitty Pryde Shadowcat (Kitty Pryde)
(only on cover)
hero
CBR Scale: S Jewish
Excalibur; S.H.I.E.L.D....  Marvel 3,128
Tinkerer Tinkerer (Phineas T. Mason)
(8-panel cameo, pg. 21-23)
villain scientist
  [serves the underworld] Marvel 104
unnamed telepathic student
(8-panel cameo, pg. 14-16)
supporting character
  Xavier Institute
[has telepathic powers, some precognition]
Marvel 1
Sandman Sandman (Flint Marko)
(6-panel cameo, pg. 20-21, 23)
villain hero
  Intruders (leader); Next Wave...  Marvel 388
Hydro-Man Hydro-Man (Morrie Bench)
(5-panel cameo, pg. 20-21)
villain
  Sinister Syndicate; Sinister Twelve Marvel 84
Man-Wolf John Jameson
(5-panel cameo, pg. 8-9)
supporting character
  The Avengers (staff); U.S. Air Force
[J. Jonah Jameson's son]
Marvel 231
Sadie Frickett
(5-panel cameo, pg. 20-21)
supporting character
  [was in love triangle w/Hydro-Man and Sandman] Marvel 5
Otis Kincaid
(5-panel cameo, pg. 7-8)
supporting character
  [impersonated Spider-Man trying to get JJJ's bounty] Marvel 3
Venom Venom (Eddie Brock)
(4-panel cameo, pg. 22-24)
villain
CBR Scale: M Catholic
Brotherhood of Mutant Supremacy; Sinister Six...  Marvel 416
The Owl The Owl (Leland Owlsley)
(4-panel cameo, pg. 21-23)
villain
  Gang of Four
[led his own criminal gang]
Marvel 135
Scotty
(4-panel cameo, pg. 11-13) 
supporting character
  [sought inmate Norman Osborn's help to cure wife] Marvel 2
Aunt May Aunt May
(3-panel cameo, pg. 16-17, 19) 
supporting character
CBR Scale: S Protestant
[raised Peter Parker (Spider-Man)] Marvel 1,368
Shocker Shocker (Herman Schultz)
(3-panel cameo, pg. 21, panels 2-4)
villain
  Sinister Six; Sinister Syndicate...  Marvel 157
William Lamont
(3-panel cameo, pg. 4, panels 2-4)
supporting character
  NYPD
[lieutenant; later captain]
Marvel 8
Joannie
(3-panel cameo, pg. 20)
supporting character
  [briefly dated Sandman] Marvel 1
The Scorpion Scorpion (Mac Gargan)
(2-panel cameo, pg. 16-17) 
villain hero
CBR Scale: U manifestly non-religious
Dark Avengers; Initiative...  Marvel 315
Yith
(2-panel cameo, pg. 20, panels 3-4)
villain
CBR Scale: S repentant
[assassin] Marvel 8
Don Fortunato Don Fortunato (Vincente Fortunato)
(2-panel cameo, pg. 21, panels 2-3)
villain
  HYDRA; Maggia Marvel 23
Barbara
(2-panel cameo, pg. 11, 13)
supporting character
  [Norman Osborn tried to cure her illness, but she died] Marvel 1
Captain America Captain America (Steve Rogers)
(1-panel cameo, pg. 23, panel 5)
hero
CBR Scale: I Protestant
Redeemers; Secret Defenders...  Marvel Timely 5,992
The Thing The Thing (Ben Grimm)
(1-panel cameo, pg. 5, panel 2) 
hero
CBR Scale: S Jewish
Fantastic Five; The Avengers...  Marvel 5,017
Mr. Fantastic Mr. Fantastic (Reed Richards)
(1-panel cameo, pg. 5, panel 2)
hero scientist
CBR Scale: SCBR Scale: I humanist; portrayed alternatively as explicitly believing in God and as atheist
Fantastic Five; Illuminati...  Marvel 4,661
Invisible Woman Invisible Woman (Susan Storm Richards)
(1-panel cameo, pg. 5, panel 2)
hero
CBR Scale: S Episcopalian
Lady Liberators; The Avengers...  Marvel 4,069
Speed Demon Speed Demon (James Saunders)
(1-panel cameo, pg. 21, panel 2)
villain
  Hood's Army; Sinister Syndicate...  Marvel 86
Doctor Octopus Doctor Octopus (Otto Octavius)
(1-panel cameo, pg. 1, panel 1) 
villain hero scientist
  Sinister Six; The Masters of Evil...  Marvel 1,006
Rhino Rhino (Aleksei Mikhailovich Sytsevich)
(1-panel cameo, pg. 12, panel 1)
villain
  Doom's Brigade; Emissaries of Evil (Egghead)...  Marvel 305
Franklin Richards Franklin Richards
(1-panel cameo, pg. 5, panel 2)
hero
CBR Scale: I Episcopalian
Daydreamers; Fantastic Five...  Marvel 650
Sage Sage (Tessa Hartley)
(1-panel cameo, pg. 8, panel 3)
hero
  Excalibur; The Council of the Chosen...  Marvel 238
Stilt-Man Stilt-Man (Wilbur Day)
(1-panel cameo, pg. 21, panel 2)
villain scientist
  Emissaries of Evil (Electro); Gang of Four Marvel 53
The Symbiote
(1-panel cameo, pg. 24, panel 1)
supporting character villain
CBR Scale: I alien; vengeance
[sentient black costume Spider-Man obtained on Battleworld] Marvel 16
Bloodlust Bloodlust (Beatta Dubiel)
(1-panel cameo, pg. 22, panel 3)
villain
  Femizons; Femme Fatales Marvel 12
Knockout Knockout (Elizabeth Rawson)
(1-panel cameo, pg. 23, panel 2)
villain
  Femizons; Femme Fatales Marvel 10
Mindblast Mindblast (Danielle Forte)
(1-panel cameo, pg. 20, panel 4)
villain
  Femizons; Femme Fatales Marvel 12
Whiplash Whiplash (Leeann Foreman)
(1-panel cameo, pg. 23, panel 2)
villain
  Femizons; Femme Fatales Marvel 14
Mysterio Mysterio (Daniel Berkhart)
(1-panel cameo, pg. 23, panel 3)
villain
  Sinister Six Marvel 35
Bloodscream Bloodscream
(1-panel cameo, pg. 22, panel 3)
villain
  [long time partner of Roughouse] Marvel 3
Goldbug Goldbug (Matthew Gilden)
(1-panel cameo, pg. 22, panel 3)
villain
CBR Scale: S obsessed with gold
[executive; thief] Marvel 11
Roughouse Roughouse
(1-panel cameo, pg. 22, panel 3)
villain
  [criminal enforcer] Marvel 17
Venom Angelo Fortunato
(1-panel cameo, pg. 21, panel 2)
villain
  Mafia
[son of rich mobster/Mad killer bent on proving his worth]
Marvel 3
White Rabbit White Rabbit (Lorina Dodson)
(1-panel cameo, pg. 20, panel 4)
villain
  Hood's Army Marvel 9
E.T., the Extra-Terrestrial E.T., the Extra-Terrestrial
(1-panel cameo, pg. 23, panel 5)
non-feature lead character scientist
CBR Scale: S alien religion
[botanist] Universal Studios 9
Elf with a Gun Elf with a Gun
(1-panel cameo, pg. 22, panel 3)
villain
CBR Scale: D elf
[1st app: The Defenders (vol. 1) #25 (July 1975)] Marvel 15
Corona Corona (Dagny Forrester)
(1-panel cameo, pg. 22, panel 1)
villain
  [Cedric's sister, who experimented on him] Marvel 5
Lobsterman
(1-panel cameo, pg. 22, panel 1)
villain
  [1st app: Marvel Knights Spider-Man #6 (Nov. 2004)] Marvel 2
Phoenix Jean Grey
(mentioned in text & seen in picture, pg. 14, 16) 
hero
CBR Scale: I Episcopalian
Metro College; The Twelve...  Marvel 1,905
Uncle Ben Uncle Ben (Ben Parker)
(mentioned in text & seen in picture, pg. 6, 17) 
supporting character
CBR Scale: I Protestant
[Spider-Man's beloved late uncle] Marvel 51
Giant-Man Ant-Man (Hank Pym)
(mentioned, pg. 8, panel 1) 
hero scientist
CBR Scale: U atheist
Commission on Superhuman Activities; Secret Defenders...  Marvel 1,543
Professor X Professor X (Charles Xavier)
(mentioned, pg. 18, panel 1) 
hero scientist
CBR Scale: S religious
Brotherhood of Mutants; Genoshan Excalibur...  Marvel 4,999
Wonder Man Wonder Man (Simon Williams)
(mentioned, pg. 20) 
hero
CBR Scale: I religious
Force Works; Galactic Guardians...  Marvel 788
Tigra Tigra (Greer Grant)
(mentioned, pg. 20) 
hero scientist
CBR Scale: S mystically empowered
Cat People; Counter Force...  Marvel 310
Magneto Magneto (Erik Magnus Lehnsherr)
(mentioned, pg. 22, panel 2) 
villain hero scientist
CBR Scale: S Jewish; Gypsy/Roma
Brotherhood of Mutants; Genoshan Excalibur...  Marvel 916
Ant-Man Ant-Man (Scott Lang)
(mentioned, pg. 8, panel 1) 
villain hero
CBR Scale: S repentant
A-Next; Heroes for Hire...  Marvel 120
Robbie Robertson Robbie Robertson
(mentioned, pg. 9, panel 5) 
supporting character
  black Marvel 739
Doctor Doom Doctor Doom (Victor Von Doom)
(mentioned, pg. 22, panel 2) 
villain scientist
CBR Scale: S Gypsy/Roma; magic/mysticism
Fearsome Four; The Cabal Marvel 1,176
MACH-IV Beetle (Abner Jenkins)
(mentioned, pg. 22, panel 2) 
villain hero
  black; Initiative...  Marvel 152
Scarlet Spider Scarlet Spider (Ben Reilly)
(mentioned, pg. 16, panel 2) 
hero
CBR Scale: I Protestant
The New Warriors Marvel 202
Red Skull Red Skull (Johann Schmidt)
(mentioned, pg. 22, panel 2) 
villain
CBR Scale: D Nazi
Axis Mundi; HYDRA... 
[Captain America's arch-nemy]
Marvel 298
Black Cat Black Cat (Felicia Hardy)
(mentioned, pg. 6, panel 2) 
hero
CBR Scale: U Catholic
Heroes for Hire Marvel 374
The Lizard The Lizard (Dr. Curt Connors)
(mentioned, pg. 7, 20) 
villain scientist
CBR Scale: I Catholic
Sinister Twelve; U.S. Army Marvel 318
Kraven the Hunter Kraven the Hunter (Sergei Kravinoff)
(mentioned, pg. 20, panels 3-4) 
villain
CBR Scale: D hunting
Sinister Six Marvel 92
Jesus Christ Jesus Christ (Jesus of Nazareth)
(mentioned, pg. 23, panels 2-3) 
deity real/historical person
CBR Scale: D Christianity
[] DC 565
Boomerang Boomerang (Fred Myers)
(mentioned, pg. 20, panel 4) 
villain
  Doom's Brigade; Initiative: Heavy Hitters... 
[played professional baseball]
Marvel 130
Liz Allan Liz Allan
(mentioned, pg. 14, panel 1) 
supporting character
  [longtime friend of Peter Parker] Marvel 429
Gwen Stacy Gwen Stacy
(mentioned, pg. 6, panel 5) 
supporting character
  [Spider-Man's deceased girlfriend] Marvel 560
Grizzly Grizzly (Maxwell Markham)
(mentioned, pg. 12, panel 1) 
villain
  Hood's Army; Spider-Man Revenge Squad Marvel 32
Kraven the Hunter Kraven the Hunter (Alyosha Kravinoff)
(mentioned, pg. 20, panels 3-4) 
villain
  Sinister Six Marvel 36
Meteor-Man Looter (Norton G. Fester)
(mentioned, pg. 22, panel 2) 
villain scientist
  [inventor; thief] Marvel 5
Rocky (Rocky Balboa)
(mentioned, pg. 5, panel 4) 
hero
CBR Scale: S Catholic
[boxer] United Artists 25
Jimmy-6 (Giacomo Fortunato)
(mentioned, pg. 21, panel 2) 
supporting character
  Mafia
[Don Fortunato's son; opposed father's violent excesses]
Marvel 17
Mel Gibson
(mentioned, pg. 23, panel 2) 
supporting character
CBR Scale: M Traditionalist Catholic
[actor; film director] Marvel 12
Jehovah's Witnesses
(mentioned, pg. 17, panel 3) 
supporting character group
CBR Scale: D Jehovah's Witnesses
[] ABC Marvel 11

At least one source suggested that Knight and Fogg (Malcolm Knight and Thomas Fogg) might have appeared in this issue. We looked closely and we are certain that they do not appear anywhere in this story.

All over New York City, people are trying to find out Spider-Man's identity in order to earn the $5 million reward for uncovering the secret. In this issue it is revealed that an "anonymous billionaire" has given the $5 million bounty to J. Jonah Jameson and the Daily Bugle in order to offer this bounty. Some of the spoken references to this billionaire include the following exchange from pages 8 and 9:

Peter Parker: "And what's with this crazy Spider-Man stunt? Isn't this, like, the eleventh time you've pulled the old 'cash-reward-for-his-secret-identity' thing?

J. Jonah Jameson: "Who cares? Some anonymous billionaire donates five million bucks to boost our circulation, who am I to say no?"

The identity of this "anonymous billionaire" will not be revealed until Marvel Knights Spider-Man #8. At the end of that issue, it is revealed that the billionaire is Mac Gargan, the villain formerly known as Scorpion.

Excerpts

BELOW: Aunt May thought Mac Gargan (the Scorpion) was a Jehovah's Witness: Spider-Man consulted with powerful telepath Rachel Summers ("Marvel Girl" of the X-Men) to help him find his Aunt May, who was abducted by unknown villain. Touching a ring that belonged to Aunt May, Rachel was able to receive psychic impressions of the abduction. Rachel could not identify who the assailant was. But she did reveal that when Aunt May answered the door, she thought the person at the door was a Jehovah's Witness coming to preach about the Bible. It is worth noting that Aunt May left the chain on the door (meaning that she had not planned to let the Jehovah's Witness in), but she opened the door, no doubt intending to politely decline his invitation to visit with her.

Aunt May thought Mac Gargan (the Scorpion) was a Jehovah's Witness

Source: Marvel Knights Spider-Man #6 (Nov. 2004): "Venomous: Part Two", pg. 17, panels 2-3. Written by Mark Millar. Art by Rachel Dodson, Terry Dodson. See also: religion identified by name; missionary work; Jehovah's Witnesses; Spider-Man (Peter Parker); Aunt May; The Scorpion (Mac Gargan); Marvel Girl (Rachel Grey); Jehovah's Witnesses

BELOW: Eddie Brock ("Venom") was moved by Mel Gibson's "Passion of the Christ" to renounce villainy, sell The Symbiote, and donate the money to charity: The Terrible Tinkerer conducts an auction for super-villains in which Eddie Brock is auctioning off the alien symbiote that transforms him into Venom - selling the symbiote to the highest bidder. Note how Mysterio questions whether Eddie Brock's actions are truly "Christ-like." It is not every day you see a super-villain question whether somebody's actions are "Christ-like." But Eddie Brock's spiritual motivations in this case are very sincere, and hearken back to the earliest beginnings of this Catholic character, who first merged with The Symbiote after a sincere prayer in a Catholic church. Note how the Tinkerer refers to Eddie Brock's "crisis of faith." This term is usually used to describe as a period of doubt that causes one to question one's beliefs. In this case, Eddie Brock has come to doubt his life as a villain, and is actually turning back to his religious faith.

Eddie Brock (Venom) was moved by Mel Gibson's Passion of the Christ to renounce villainy, sell The Symbiote, and donate the money to charity

Source: Marvel Knights Spider-Man #6 (Nov. 2004): "Venomous: Part Two", pg. 23, panels 2-4. Written by Mark Millar. Art by Rachel Dodson, Terry Dodson. See also: charity; Christ-like; faith; repentance; crisis of faith; Catholic; Venom (Eddie Brock); Jesus Christ (Jesus of Nazareth); Tinkerer (Phineas T. Mason); The Symbiote; Mysterio (Daniel Berkhart); Mel Gibson