DC/Marvel: All Access Vol 1 1

In Manhattan's Greenwich Village, Axel Asher notes that he's wound up in yet another alley before musing on the significance of that. Noting that he's always felt trapped between places, he meets with his girlfriend Ming Kuo-Fan; who chastises him for being late for their date again. As Axel pours her a cup of tea as an apology, Ming informs him that it's on the house as her parents own the restaurant. As Ming notes that her mother is worried about Axel not eating enough, his comeback is interrupted by a migraine-inducing flashback to the war between the cosmic entities known as the Brothers - embodying Earth-616 and New Earth - that had ended with both universes temporarily merging into an amalgam. Noting that he had restored the multiverse to normal and that no-one should even remember it exists, Axel has a vision of Venom prowling through Metropolis and worries that this crossover might cause the universes to merge again.

Axel's train of thought is derailed by Ming, who expresses concern over his strange behavior and offers to call a doctor. Saying he has to go, Axel attempts to assuage her concern and confusion before running off. As he exits the restaurant, he's startled by the sudden appearance of the Sanctum Sanctorum across the street, noting that a bald man in Chinese clothing seems to be watching him. Brushing off his concerns, Axel ducks into a nearby alley and transforms into his superpowered form, Access; recapping that his powers and duty as a "cosmic hall monitor" come from being an incarnation of the Brothers' power. Opening a portal - the only real superpower he has, Access steps through.

In the Metropolis of New Earth, Venom terrorizes a group of civilians, roaring that he wants to know where he is and who this "Superman" they keep calling for is. Snaring a woman named Caitlin Fitzgerald with tendrils, Venom tells her that he wants answers for his questions. When Caitlin questions why he's referring to himself with plural pronouns, Venom warns her that he has a temper and isn't to be trifled with. As Caitlin protests that she doesn't know anything and that he's scaring her, Venom mockingly takes her glasses and quips that he can "see" that. Hearing something rapidly approaching, Venom is struck by Superman. Noting that Venom obviously isn't from the area, Superman remarks that normally Metropolis is welcoming to visitors but that he'll make an exception in this case; smashing Venom into a brick wall. As Caitlin flees, lamenting having moved to Metropolis, Superman notes that Venom's costume reminds him of a hero from another world he'd met not long ago - Spider-Man. Enraged, Venom engulfs Superman's head in black webbing and lunges, snarling at him to never mention that name in his presence again. Tossing Superman into the side of a bus, Venom disparagingly remarks that he wasn't much of a superhero before wondering where Caitlin disappeared to. Spotting her, Venom snatches her up just before Access arrives on the scene.

Picking himself up, Superman burns through the webbing covering his eyes with his heat-vision. Not realizing Access is a fellow superhero, Superman tells him to get to safety before taking off in search of Venom. Lamenting that Superman doesn't recognize him, Access notes that nevertheless the Man of Steel needs him.

Climbing the side of an apartment building, Venom notes that being in a completely different universe may actually be a good thing, what with nobody knowing his weaknesses and there being no pesky spiders. Caitlin hopefully asks if he's afraid of them, Venom snarling that he hates them. Arriving at the apartment's roof to find Superman waiting for him, Venom snarls that he just doesn't know when to quit. While he's distracted, Access opens a portal and rescues Caitlin - Venom noticing too late to stop her from jumping through. Superman decks Venom across the face, but Venom mockingly sneers that he's traded blows with the likes of the Juggernaut and that brute force attacks barely faze him. As Superman starts to retort that he's also fought the Juggernaut, Venom punches him into the support beams of the apartment's water tower.

Taking Caitlin to a safe location, Access gently turns down her attempts to flirt with him and tells her he has to take Venom back to where he belongs - lamenting that he couldn't take her up on her offer. Over the city, Venom and Superman trade blows. As Venom lands on the roof of an apartment, Axel opens a portal nearby. Recognizing him, Venom angrily rejects Access' demand that he peacefully return to his home universe. Immobilizing Access with webbing, Venom lunges - Access porting out just in time to avoid being smashed. Superman rejoins the fight by uppercutting Venom, stating that now there aren't any more innocents to get caught in the crossfire. Demanding to know what Superman knows of innocence, Venom smashes him into a wall and snarls that he's starting to hate Superman almost as much as he does Spider-Man - noting that they even wear the same colors. As Venom's symbiote extends tendrils down Superman's throat in an attempt to suffocate him - turning his eyes black - a voice mockingly calls out to him. Turning to see Spider-Man emerging from a portal with Access in tow, the incredulous Venom is kicked off the roof by Spider-Man. Catching his breath, Superman remarks that he recognizes Spider-Man from when their universes crossed over before noting he changed his costume. Spider-Man responds to Superman's questions about his costume and Venom by saying that they're long stories and that they should focus on capturing him. As Access asks what he can do to help, Spider-Man and Superman simultaneously tell him to stay put.

As they traverse the city, Superman asks Spider-Man what Venom's next move will be; Spider-Man replying that Venom will stop at nothing to kill him now that he's here. Superman remarks that he has his own rogues gallery full of dangerous villains, but has never fought anyone or anything quite like Venom - noting that the best he could do was battle him to a standstill. Acknowledging that Venom is a handful even if you know how to best him, Spider-Man informs Superman of the symbiote's weakness to sonics - which interferes with its ability to bond to its host. As they arrive at a construction site, Superman notes he could get his hands on a sonic generator; but their conversation is interrupted as Venom suddenly attacks Spider-Man, demanding to know how he could be there. Evading Venom's attacks, Spider-Man quips that Access brought him in specifically because he knew Eddie hates him.

As Superman catches a block and tackle before it can fall to the street below, Access ports in and informs him of his duty to return Venom to his proper universe. Convinced, Superman sends Access to get a sonic generator from S.T.A.R. Labs, providing his cape as proof of who sent him. As Venom restrains Spider-Man and prepares to devour him, Superman thrusts his arm between Venom's jaws. Biting down and grabbing Superman by the throat, Venom proceeds to manhandle both him and Spider-Man at the same time, snarling that he was intending to keep this between himself and Spider-Man but that he's happy to kill Superman as well. Before he can do so, Access ports in with the sonic generator and blasts Venom with it. The symbiote destabilized, Eddie Brock collapses and complains that Spider-Man ratted out his weaknesses. Superman scolds Access for putting himself in danger, but Access points out that Superman was the one in danger; Spider-Man thanking him for saving them. Access downplays his contributions, saying Spider-Man and Superman did all the hard work; but Superman tells him not to sell himself short and remarks that Venom was an uncommonly difficult foe. Spider-Man starts to joke that even without the symbiote Eddie was no picnic - having been a newspaper reporter - but notices Superman scowling at him and trails off, asking if something's wrong. Access returns Superman's cape, thanking him for it, and fills Spider-Man in on his duty to maintain separation between the universes. Webbing Venom up, Spider-Man and Superman shake hands; Superman thanking Access for his help. As Access opens a portal, he tells Superman he'll see him later; Superman noting that just might come to pass.

Arriving in Earth-616's Greenwich Village, Spider-Man and Access shake hands and part ways; Spider-Man noting that since Venom broke their truce he'll be turning him over to the authorities. Returning to his civilian form, Axel congratulates himself on a job well-done before briefly wondering how Venom even crossed over into New Earth in the first place. Inside the Sanctum Sanctorium, Doctor Strange ominously remarks that "it" is beginning.

Notes

First appearance of Caitlin Fitzgerald. She makes her next and final appearance in DC/Marvel: All Access #4.

Links and References

References

DC/Marvel: All Access Vol 1 1

Appearing in "The Crossing!"

Synopsis for "The Crossing!"

Notes

See Also

Links and References

References

Fan Feed