Marvel have today announced that Venom will be moving to the City of Brotherly Love in this December's Venom #28 as Flash Thompson leaves New York behind in order to make a fresh start. "Now, he's trying to do the right thing. He's reassessing what it means to be a hero. And he's looking for a fresh start," series writer Cullen Bunn explains to The Associated Press. "This means a lot of things for Flash. He's surrounding himself with new people — such as tabloid journalist Katy Kiernan and his new love interest, the Asgardian Valkyrie. He's changing his approach to being a superhero. And he's looking for a change of scenery. I've always liked that Marvel superheroes are adventuring in the 'real' world. Certainly, there will be some fictional elements popping up in stories, but I'll try to keep it as grounded in the actual city as possible. It's time Philly gets a little Marvel Universe face-time. Local landmarks, neighborhoods, legends, and history will play a role in the book."
Editor Tom Brennan (a former resident of Philadelphia) had this to say about why it's the right place for the Symbiote wearing war hero to settle down. "All the while that I lived there, I wanted a superhero for the city of Philadelphia, a town full of heart, hustle and hope — and I don't care what anyone says — some of the nicest people I've ever met. Sure, they don't suffer fools, and you've got to be mindful if you cross against the light, but I found the City of Brotherly Love to be a character in and of itself that I thought more fiction should explore. We're not just moving Venom to Philly in hopes of getting free hoagies, though we'll take them. Flash Thompson has been on an emotional roller coaster. His superhero career almost cost him everything. This is a good man with a troubled past who needed a fresh start, and thought the City of Brotherly Love was the perfect place for him to take his next steps in becoming the hero he was born to be."