Religion and Characters in
Marvel Knights Spider-Man #8 (Jan. 2005):
“Venomous: Part Four”
by Mark Millar, Frank Cho

36 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 (Peter Parker) (lead character)	Protestant	Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends; Secret Defenders  Avengers; New Avengers; Weapon X (Exiles)		9,358
Venom (Angelo Fortunato)		Mafia [son of rich mobster/Mad killer bent on proving his worth]		3
Mary Jane Watson	Christian (denomination unknown)	[was wife of Peter Parker (Spider-Man)]		1,827
J. Jonah Jameson	hates Spider-Man	Daily Bugle [Peter Parker's boss; Spider-Man's denouncer]		1,719
The Symbiote (details)  The Venom symbiote is explicitly referred to as an independent entity. Bonded to Angelo Fortunato, it attacks Spider-Man. But it then leaves Angelo, acting independently, to find a stronger host.	alien; vengeance	[sentient black costume Spider-Man obtained on Battleworld]		16
Otis Kincaid (details, pg. 10-12, 17)  A Spider-Man impersonator is killed by the new Venom (Angelo Fortunato). This may well be Otis Kincaid, but this can't be verified.		[impersonated Spider-Man trying to get JJJ's bounty]		3
Scorpion (Mac Gargan) (4-panel cameo, pg. 23-24)	manifestly non-religious	Masters of Evil; Sinister Twelve  Spider-Man Revenge League; Thunderbolts; Initiative; Dark Avengers		315
Ramona (4-panel cameo, pg. 22, panel 1-4)		[mother of Vulture's grandson]		3
Robbie Robertson (3-panel cameo, pg. 18, 21)		Daily Bugle		739
Paolo (3-panel cameo, pg. 22, panel 1-3)		[boss (at diner) of Ramona (mother of Vulture's grandson)]		1
Comic Book Guy (Jeff Albertson) (2-panel cameo, pg. 9, panel 1-2)	comic books	[business owner]		277
Sandman (Flint Marko) (1-panel cameo, pg. 1)  On issue #7 cover, which is reprinted on recap page.		Sinister Six; Sinister Twelve  Frightful Four; Avengers; Wild Pack; Next Wave; Intruders (leader)		388
Venom (Eddie Brock) (1-panel cameo, pg. 17, panel 3)  also many references	Catholic	Sinister Six; Brotherhood of Mutant Supremacy		416
The Lizard (Dr. Curt Connors) (1-panel cameo, pg. 1)  On issue #7 cover, which is reprinted on recap page.	Catholic	U.S. Army; Sinister Twelve		318
Rhino (Aleksei Mikhailovich Sytsevich) (1-panel cameo, pg. 1)  On issue #7 cover, which is reprinted on recap page.		Emissaries of Evil (Egghead); Sinister Syndicate [Russia]		305
Don Fortunato (Vincente Fortunato) (1-panel cameo, pg. 16, panel 2)  also many references		HYDRA; Maggia		23
Aunt May (memory, pg. 21, panel 4)  Quote: "(pg. 1) After his Aunt May is violently kidnapped by a mysterious assailant, Peter Parker watches his world unravel at a furious pace... The X-Men's Marvel Girl tells Peter that his Aunt May has likely been murdered."	Protestant	[raised Peter Parker (Spider-Man)]		1,368
Black Cat (Felicia Hardy) (memory, pg. 21, panel 4)  (pg. 9) Spider-Man (thinking): "Got to keep in mind he's just a kid. Black Cat says he's only doing this to please his nutcase Dad and prove he's as sociopathic as the rest of the Fortunatos."	Catholic	Heroes for Hire		374
John Jameson (photo/picture/video, pg. 18)		Avengers (staff); U.S. Air Force  NASA [test pilot; J. Jonah Jameson's son]		231
Mike McSwiggin (business/store name, pg. 6, panel 3-4)  Gas truck with "McSwiggin Gas" printed on side.	indeterminate	[name seen on driver's sign for passenger pickup at airport]		2
The Hulk (Bruce Banner) (mentioned, pg. 4, panel 2)  Mary Jane Watson (to man at Peter Parker's high school reunion who hits on her by lying and claiming to be Spider-Man): "Sorry, Spidey, but I'm already married to the Hulk and you know how big and cranky he gets when someone hits on his girl."	Catholic (lapsed)	Avengers; Defenders  Hulkbusters; Pantheon; The Order; Ultimates; Secret Defenders; X-Saviours; Warbound; Weapon X (Exiles)		4,551
The Thing (Ben Grimm) (mentioned, pg. 7, panel 4)  Spider-Man (thinking, during battle with new Venom, Angelo Fortunato): "This is dangerous. Too many people around. A nerd that's suddenly as strong as The Thing just has too much to prove."	Jewish	U.S. Air Force; Yancy Street Gang  West Coast Avengers; Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation; Fantastic Five		5,017
The Punisher (Frank Castle) (mentioned, pg. 22, panel 5)  Peter Parker (thinking): "Parker, you must be just about the biggest softie in the world. Can you imagine the Punisher doing this for one of his bad guys?"	Catholic (former seminarian)	U.S. Marines; Marvel Knights  Secret Defenders; Code Red		1,170
Flash Thompson (mentioned, pg. 2-3)  Peter Parker (thinking): "Unfortunately, this isn't the first time I've ended up fighting for my life in the school's showers. Twice a week, this used to happen after gym class, regular as clockwork, but Venom's a piece of cake after Flash Thompson and his ugly twelve apostles."	Alcoholics Anonymous	U.S. Army; Daily Bugle		718
Doctor Doom (Victor Von Doom) (mentioned, pg. 12, panel 2)  Angelo Fortunato (as Venom): "Oh my God. I did it. I killed him [Spider-Man]. All those big guys out there... Green Goblin, Doctor Doom, Doctor Octopus and all those clowns... I just did what none of them could do... even when they all ganged up."	Gypsy/Roma; magic/mysticism	Fearsome Four [Latveria. Foe of: Fantastic Four (arch-enemy)]		1,176
Green Goblin (Norman Osborn) (mentioned, pg. 12, 23)  (pg. 12) Angelo Fortunato (as Venom): "Oh my God. I did it. I killed him [Spider-Man]. All those big guys out there... Green Goblin, Doctor Doom, Doctor Octopus and all those clowns... I just did what none of them could do... even when they all ganged up. (pg. 23) Mac Gargan: "Why is Osborn in such terrible danger?"	manifestly non-religious	Sinister Twelve (leader); Cabal of Scrier (leader)  Thunderbolts (leader); Dark Avengers (leader); H.A.M.M.E.R. (leader); Dark X-Men (founder) [Foe of: Spider-Man (arch-enemy)]		417
Doctor Octopus (Otto Octavius) (mentioned, pg. 12, 23)  (pg. 12) Angelo Fortunato (as Venom): "Oh my God. I did it. I killed him [Spider-Man]. All those big guys out there... Green Goblin, Doctor Doom, Doctor Octopus and all those clowns... I just did what none of them could do... even when they all ganged up. (pg. 23) Mac Gargan: "What were those cops doing with Otto Octavius?"		Sinister Six; Masters of Evil  Thunderbolts Army		1,006
Vulture (Adrian Toomes) (mentioned, pg. 22, panel 3, 5)  Paulo (to Ramona): "Some guy with brown hair and a brown jacket said an old man called Adrian asked him to drop this off. Peter Parker (thinking): "Parker, you must be just about the biggest softie in the world. Can you imagine the Punisher doing this for one of his bad guys?" Peter Parker gave a half million dollars to the mother of the Vulture's grandson, to pay for the boy's leukemia treatment.		Sinister Six; Sinister Twelve		342
Marvel Girl (Rachel Grey) (mentioned, pg. 1)  Quote: "After his Aunt May is violently kidnapped by a mysterious assailant, Peter Parker watches his world unravel at a furious pace... The X-Men's Marvel Girl tells Peter that his Aunt May has likely been murdered."	Episcopalian (born); future self: founder of Askani religion	X-Men; Excalibur  X-Treme Sanctions Executive; Starjammers		358
Jesus Christ (Jesus of Nazareth) (mentioned, pg. 16, panel 5)  bystander (watching Angelo Fortunato fall to his death): "Mary, Mother of God..."	Christianity	[ 1st app: Justice League of America #40 (Nov. 1965) ]	, etc.	565
Liz Allan (mentioned, pg. 4, panel 4)  Mary Jane Watson: "Liz! Hit the fire alarm! We need to evacuate the building!"		[longtime friend of Peter Parker]		429
Ernie (mentioned, pg. 1, 23)  (pg. 23) Peter Parker (narrating): "Two days after the incident, Mary Jane and I are asked to give a statement about Venom injuring all my classmates and murdering poor Seymour O'Reilly." [more]		[when young, bullied Peter Parker, wanted to be like Flash]		2
Mary (mentioned, pg. 16, panel 5)  bystander (watching Angelo Fortunato fall to his death): "Mary, Mother of God..."	Jewish; Christian	[Israel. mother of Jesus]	Procter & Gamble Productions	155
Seymour O'Reilly (mentioned, pg. 1, 10, 23, etc)  (pg. 23) Peter Parker (narrating): "Two days after the incident, Mary Jane and I are asked to give a statement about Venom injuring all my classmates and murdering poor Seymour O'Reilly." some other references to the classmate killed by Venom, but no other references to him by name		[Peter Parker's high school classmate; Flash's buddy]		19
Charlie (mentioned, pg. 1, 23)  (pg. 23) Peter Parker (narrating): "Two days after the incident, Mary Jane and I are asked to give a statement about Venom injuring all my classmates and murdering poor Seymour O'Reilly." [more]		[encouraged bullying of Peter Parker in high school]		3
Vulture's grandson (mentioned, pg. 21-22)  (pg. 21) Ramona: "Sorry I'm late, Paolo. My kid just wouldn't let me out the door tonight. I think he musta cried himself to sleep. (pg. 22) Paolo (referring to Peter Parker): "Could you tell your boy my restaurant ain't a post office box? Ramona (thinking he's referring to her son): "What are you talking about, Paolo? He's four years old?" Peter Parker gave a half million dollars to the mother of the Vulture's grandson, to pay for his leukemia treatment.		[Vulture's grandson; suffering from leukemia]		2

One of the many troubles Spider-Man faces in this issue is a $5 million bounty being offered by J. Jonah Jameson and the Daily Bugle for the identity of Spider-Man. In order to put an end to the insanity caused by this offer, which puts his secret identity and risk and also causes Spider-Man impersonators to be endangered, Peter Parker fakes photos to show that J. Jonah Jameson's own son John Jameson is "really" Spider-Man.

After this happens, J. Jonah Jameson offers Peter Parker 10 percent of the reward money, something Parker was not even trying to collect. Jameson tells him:

"The five million bucks our anonymous donor gave me to fund this little offer. I'm hardly gonna give you the whole five million if I can't print any of these pictures! ...Let's say you get half a million and the balance rests in a private bank account in case our anonymous donor ever comes forward."

Jameson genuinely does not know who the anonymous donor is. At the end of the issue, Mac Gargan (the villain previously known as Scorpion) calls Peter Parker and identifies himself as the man who provided Jameson with the bounty money.

Webpage for Marvel Knights Spider-Man #8 (Jan. 2005) created 24 January 2011. Last modified 25 April 2013.
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