Superior Spider-Man 7, Venom 33

Superior Spider-Man 7
Slott (w) and Ramos and Olazaba (a) and Delgado (c)

Okay, one of these days I'm going to be right about when the Avengers come after Spider-Man. I have to imagine that NEXT TIME, definitely, the Avengers will get to the bottom of this Spider-Man business.
Doc Spidey finds himself pitted against Cardiac, a vigilante in a powerful suit, but one who does what he does to help people. In this particular issue, Cardiac has set up a medical facility where Mr. Negative once had his homeless shelter. There, he and his staff perform important medical research and help people who wouldn't get help otherwise. One of his doctors tells him that they need a certain piece of machinery to save a girl with brain trauma, so Cardiac sets off to track it down. It's in the Boneyard, a warehouse that contains tons and tons of confiscated supervillain tech. While he searches through it all, yelling about how terrible the organization in the place is and how wasteful it is to keep all this amazing technology locked away, Doc Spidey shows up and, comfortable with the way things are going as Spider-Man, quickly starts using excessive force. His anger with the vigilante (who he doesn't understand) is amplified when he discovers that the tech Cardiac was trying to steal was former Doc Ock tech, some of his greatest work. He attempts to land a brutal blow on Cardiac but Peter, locked away in his own mind but who has started to learn that he can gain little bits of control, pushes the fist out of the way. Cardiac escapes narrowly and Doc Spidey is ashamed, angry, and very suspicious of why his hand moved on its own. He's finally called to the Avengers, where they insist on running all sorts of tests to confirm who Spider-Man is. Doc refuses and begins to walk out, but they don't let him. The issue ends as they prep to fight.
So okay, we're moving along now. I think there are a lot of things happening in this story (mostly good/interesting) but boy it feels like they've been building to this Avengers thing for a while, even putting the Avengers on the cover of this issue only to have them end the issue. Still, there are a lot of things to like here. Peter's starting to vie for control of his own body but Doc is on to him. Doc's willingness to use extreme force is getting less and less tempered, as he fights Cardiac without even so much as glancing into Peter's memories about the little known vigilante. Now he's about to go up against the Avengers in battle which could end a number of different ways. That fight, too, should be interesting as Peter struggles for control of his body. For the record, I do still find it irritating how often Peter talks. I think, after fifty years, we kind of all know what Peter thinks about this whole situation and pretty much every situation. We don't necessarily need to hear him constantly reiterate how much he wants Doc Ock to stop. Otherwise though, another solid issue.

Venom 33
Bunn (w) and Shalvey (a) and Loughridge (c)

Geez, that's an intense cover.
Just as I feel like we've been waiting ages for the Avengers to figure out and put pressure on Spider-Man, I feel like we've been waiting ages for Toxin to come face to face with Venom. Of course, part of the problem is that this is a monthly (or bimonthly, in Spider-Man's case) medium, so we can get prepared for a plot event four months ahead of time and it'll be two days in their universe. Tricky business, trying to keep fans from getting bored with a plot before it even happens while also reminding fans that a plot is coming and that it'll be worth the wait. So Toxin is in Philadelphia and fighting the Figure (that's allegedly the name of the horrible flesh eating monster that has something to do with the U-Foes' recent appearance in the series) while looking for Venom. The Figure is a somewhat sympathetic character (particularly for Flash) because he's a victim in this, someone who was bonded to another force against his will and it's that force that's driving his hunger right now. We understand Venom's connection to the creature and we would understand if Eddie Brock had a sympathetic connection too, but Eddie's been rather overrun by Toxin so he's not exactly much for feeling sympathetic these days.
Flash, meanwhile, is settling into his new life, attending AA meetings that highlight the parallel between his past drinking addiction and his reliance on the symbiote. He also video chats Beast to talk to him about the U-Foes and the Figure, who Beast figures he might be able to help if he can see him. The tie between Venom and the Secret Avengers was a good move on Remender's part as it's opened up a whole world of supporting cast that Flash can turn to and who can solve problems with the best of them. Flash tracks down the Figure and webs him up, hoping to transport him to Beast, but Toxin descends on the pair immediately, setting up the big fight for the next issue.
The series is running well with the promise of a symbiote fight coming immediately and the continued hints at the demons living inside Flash making their presence known again. Shalvey's art and Loughridge's colors are perfectly dark and scary for the book's current tone, which focuses around the horrors of the Figure and the efficient brutality of the symbiotes. There's a lot to like here. I think pacing MIGHT still be an issue, though I wrote it off a little bit above. If the book can overcome some of those things, it's a solid and enjoyable read issue to issue. Good book.