Corporal Eugene "Flash" Thompson is a fictional character, a superhero in the Marvel Comics. He is a star high school football player who mercilessly bullies classmate Peter Parker. He greatly admires Spider-Man, an irony in which the superhero takes some gratification. After graduation, he joins the United States Army and is haunted by his combat experiences, leading to alcoholism. The character has appeared in several other media adaptations of Spider-Man, usually in his earlier bullying incarnation, and is often considered an anti-hero. Although he bullies Peter in high school, the two rivals eventually become close friends in college. In 2011, he was bound to the Symbiote and became Agent Venom after losing both of his legs in the war. He would later become a superhero, as he is the first to control the symbiote.
He was portrayed by Joe Manganiello in the 2002 film Spider-Man and makes a silent cameo appearance in Spider-Man 3. He was portrayed by Chris Zylka in the 2012 film The Amazing Spider-Man, a reboot of the Spider-Man film series.
Publication history
Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, Flash Thompson first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15 (August 1962), the same issue Spider-Man first appeared in. He was a recurring character in The Amazing Spider-Man series for several years.
Flash made his first appearance as the new Venom in The Amazing Spider-Man #654 (February 2011). Then a second volume of Venom was started in May 2011 with Flash as the titular character. As Venom, he appeared as a regular character in the 2010-2013 Secret Avengers series, from issue #23 (April 2012) through its final issue #37 (March 2013). As Venom, he appears in the new 2012 Thunderbolts series by Daniel Way and Steve Dillon.
Character biography
High School
In his early appearances, Eugene "Flash" Thompson is a high school classmate of Peter Parker. In high school, Flash is a stereotypical jock who continually bullies Peter. Flash is physically abused by his alcoholic father Harrison Thompson, leading to Flash's own violent, bullying nature. It is Thompson who dubs Peter with the derogatory nickname "Puny Parker" and humiliated him daily in front of the whole school. Ironically, Flash admires Spider-Man (Peter Parker) and forms the first "Spider-Man Fan Club" and vocally supports his idol wherever he goes, even criticizing J. Jonah Jameson and his editorials to his face. When Spider-Man was seen committing robberies, Flash was one of the few to stand up for him claiming that he could still be innocent. It soon turned out that Spider-Man had been framed by Mysterio and Flash boasted about how he was always right. Peter, who openly stated that he would not "trust [Spider-Man] any further than I can throw him", took some secret pleasure in that Flash supported his alter-ego.
In a very early issue, Flash and Peter square off for a boxing match in the school gym. Initially expecting an easy victory, Flash is astonished to discover that he simply cannot lay a hand on his opponent (due to Peter's enhanced speed and reflexes), and a single tap from Parker's fist knocks him clear out of the ring. After this episode Flash's bullying is restricted mostly to verbal harassment. Over the next few years, as the two become rivals for Liz Allan's affections, Flash is only willing to confront Peter when he (Flash) is surrounded by his friends. Peter, for his part, begins to laugh off his threats with good-natured comebacks (much to Flash's annoyance, as well as bewilderment). This subtle reversal of their positions is typical of Lee-Ditko character developments in the title.
Towards the end of Ditko's run on the title, Flash was employed mainly as comic relief, more a local buffoon than a serious threat. Major changes in his personality took place subsequent to issue 39, when John Romita, Sr. took over as artist for The Amazing Spider-Man. Following Romita's take in place, Flash was made into a more sympathetic character and his clean-cut image was similarly emphasized to give him an "All-American" persona.
College and adulthood
After Flash Thompson enters Empire State University, his relationship with Peter Parker becomes progressively less hostile. While the two still trade the occasional insult, Flash has grown to respect Peter's intelligence and is surprised by his popularity with the girls (particularly Gwen Stacy and Mary Jane Watson). Both Flash and Peter are friends with Harry Osborn, whose presence serves to defuse the tension between the former rivals.
While in university, Flash joins the United States Army and serves in the Vietnam War (although, due to Marvel's sliding time scale, this was later retconned to some unspecified overseas conflict). Unlike many students of the time, Flash was never conscripted - instead, volunteers for service of his own free will. Although Flash was absent from the strip for months at a time, his frequent stateside visits kept him familiar with the readers. He returns from the war a decorated hero. Flash's tour of duty profoundly changed him from a reckless and immature youth to a tormented and conflicted man. Finding no comfort in his military decorations, Flash turned to alcohol for years.
While in Vietnam, Flash's unit bombs an ancient temple whose acolytes had earlier sheltered Flash when he was wounded. Flash tried and failed to stop them. When he returns to America, he drops his antagonism toward Peter. Peter, in turn, begins to respect Flash's new found maturity and the two become close. However, Flash soon finds himself tailed by mysterious assassins, former acolytes of the temple who think that Flash had betrayed them. Spider-Man holds off the assassins long enough for Flash to explain his side of the story. Sha Shan, the leader of the assassins, forgives Flash and even dates him for a while, but leaves him when she finds out he is cheating on her. When Sha Shan is attacked by the Hobgoblin, Flash makes the mistake of insulting the villain on television. The Hobgoblin takes his revenge by abducting Flash and framing him as Hobgoblin's true identity. Spider-Man is aghast that his old friend is a villain, but Flash is legally exonerated when Hobgoblin's true identity is revealed.
After a bout of severe depression, Flash went drunk-driving and was badly injured in a crash. Soon afterward Norman Osborn offered him a job at Oscorp as his personal aide in order to annoy Peter. Not knowing the reasons behind this, Flash became loyal to Norman for giving him a second chance and turning his life around. During this time, Flash meets the hero Prodigy, not realizing he is also Spider-Man in disguise. Later, as part of a plan of driving Spider-Man to murderous violence by attacking his family and friends, Osborn kidnaps Flash (under the pretense of picking him up from an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting), force-feeds him whiskey and has him crash a truck into Midtown High School, where Peter works. Flash survives, thanks to his excellent physical condition, but he suffers severe brain damage that leaves him in a coma. Liz Allan Osborn, although widowed and raising her son Normie all on her own, becomes Flash's caretaker, and hires a full-time nurse to care for him. Peter, blaming himself for what happened to Flash, makes a point of visiting his friend as often as he can.
Flash awakens from his coma during the "The Other" story arc. Flash takes a job as the physical education teacher at Midtown High School, where Peter teaches science. However, Flash suffers from severe memory gaps and again treats Peter like a nerd and picks on him, as he did in their high school days. Flash also flirts with Miss Arrow, unaware that she is a villain there to attack Peter. When Peter unmasks himself as Spider-Man, Flash dismisses it as a trick. Flash eventually believes Peter is Spider-Man after witnessing him fight with Daniel Berkhart and Francis Klum. Flash briefly appeared at the beginning of the "Brand New Day" story arc, attending a welcome home party for Harry Osborn. Flash and the rest of the world's population no longer remembers that Peter is Spider-Man, due to the machinations of the demon Mephisto.
Iraq War
After the events of "One More Day", Flash Thompson willingly leaves his place as a P.E. instructor to rejoin the Army and fight in the Iraq War out of patriotic zeal, inspired by the selfless life of his lifelong idol Spider-Man. He is still in a close friendship with Peter Parker, as he is seen, lying in his hospital camp bed, with a greeting card by his best friend, and an iPod loaded by Peter himself with "Christmas in Fallujah".
Flash's platoon is ambushed, and Flash suffers several bullet wounds in both legs but continues on in an attempt to save his superior officer from danger. He willingly endangers himself, reasoning that Spider-Man had often committed the same sacrifices for everyone else, and glad to have had the opportunity to imitate him. His actions further damage his legs. This results in the need for them to be amputated below the knees. Flash's sacrifice is enough to earn him a recommendation for the Medal of Honor. He returns to New York, only to shock Peter with the loss of his legs. He reveals to Peter that Spider-Man was his inspiration in Iraq. Harry rents a condo just for Flash, in order to help him out. He later competes in a paraplegic sporting event at the local YMCA, managing to come in first place.
Flash later accepts an offer to join Mayor Jameson's office of veteran's affairs. He attends the wedding of May Parker. When the Chameleon (disguised as Peter) meets Flash at the subsequent press conference, he cruelly mocks him, calling him "puny Flash". Flash is seen going through the so-called "stages of grief" backwards, even so far as to use dangerous experimental procedures to regain his legs, but seems to come to terms with his condition, thanks to the support of his friends, family, and his new rehabilitation trainer Sha-Shan.
Agent Venom
In a January 2011 interview with Newsarama, Flash Thompson was revealed "by accident" as the new Venom host. Marvel confirmed Flash will have his own comic using a military style version of Venom. Despite previously seeming to come to terms with the loss of his legs, Flash jumps at the dangerous offer of being bonded to the Venom symbiote, as the alien will be able to replace his legs with its own bio-mass, allowing him to walk again. He will star as a hero working for the military, and he will encounter many heroes and villains of the Marvel Universe. He made his premiere as Venom in The Amazing Spider-Man #654 (February 2011), and continues in his own Venom ongoing series following the special The Amazing Spider-Man #654.1 issue.
He cannot stay bonded to the Venom symbiote for more than 48 hours at a time, or the symbiote may gain complete control of him. The consequences of this are first seen when the suit causes Flash to go berserk and brutally slaughter a group of enemy operatives during his second mission, and again during a brawl with the Jack O'Lantern ending with the suit putting a grenade in Jack O'Lantern's mouth. While on a mission in the Savage Land, Flash finds himself being hunted by Kraven the Hunter who mistakes him for Spider-Man.
During Spider-Island, Venom is sent in to capture a spider-like beast that is fighting Firestar and Gravity. Venom manages to capture the Spider-King and discovers that he is an enslaved Captain America. Venom disguises himself as the Spider-King in order to track the infestation to its source. The Queen and Jackal send him to kill Anti-Venom because he is curing people who have gained spider-powers, but his superiors order him to take him to Mr. Fantastic to help develop a cure. Flash and the Venom-symbiote fight each other because Flash wants to bring Anti-Venom to Mr. Fantastic and the symbiote wants to kill Anti-Venom for previously rejecting it. This leads to Venom and Anti-Venom fighting. Venom wins the fight and delivers Anti-Venom to Mr. Fantastic. Venom teams up with Red Hulk, X-23, Ghost Rider, and Johnny Blaze to fight Blackheart.
He joins the Secret Avengers as Agent Venom. As an Avenger, Flash apprehends the Human Fly, but the Human Fly escapes via a prisoner transport to The Raft when the new Hobgoblin attacks the transport trying to kill the Human Fly for stealing money from the Kingpin. Flash tries to assassinate the third Crime Master for threatening his family, but Eddie Brock attacks him as he is about to fire. This causes the Crime Master to have his new Savage Six attack Flash and Betty Brant. While trying to protect Betty from Jack O'Lantern he reveals his identity to her. Thunderbolt Ross recruits Venom to be part of his Thunderbolts team.
Flash relocates to Philadelphia after fighting the U-Foes there. While trying to capture a serial killer infected with some of the alien technology the U-Foes were trying to sell, so Beast could try to cure the man, he is attacked by Eddie Brock/Toxin.
Flash returns to New York when Betty Brant contacts him with information that the Crime Master has resurfaced. Flash infiltrates and attacks Crime Master and his men until the Superior Spider-Man (Doctor Octopus' mind in Peter Parker's body) and his Spiderlings intervene. Crime Master then reveals himself to be a small-time hood who had purchased the name and mask from Hobgoblin and turns himself in. Superior Spider-Man then turns his attention to Agent Venom with the intent on destroying him. Flash escapes in a puff of smoke and hides in a hospital before going to Peter's apartment. Seizing opportunity, "Peter Parker" invites Flash to his company to give Flash prosthetic legs. After doing so, Superior Spider-Man detains the symbiote in a cage from which it soon breaks free and bonds to Superior Spider-Man, becoming the Superior Venom. The symbiote tries to flee back to Flash, but Superior Spider-Man keeps it for himself, even going as far as to injure Cardiac when Cardiac tries to separate them. Iron Man arrives to Parker Industries to assist both Cardiac and Flash in order to take him to the battle-zone and reunite him with the symbiote. The Avengers are starting to fall against the power of Superior Venom who boasts about his superiority until Iron Man arrives to distract him allowing Flash (who was wearing Iron Man's armor) attack from behind and attempt to retake the symbiote. With the unexpected assistance from Spider-Man's conscience, the Venom symbiote finally leaves Superior Spider-Man's body and reunites with Flash bonding together again. The Avengers are still in disbelief about Superior Spider-Man's argument until they ask Flash to check his mind-link with the symbiote to see anything wrong about Superior Spider-Man's motives. Flash replies that he sees "two different radio stations playing in the same frequency".
Following the conclusion of The Superior Spider-Man and returning of Peter Parker as Spider-Man, Spider-Man learns that his friend Flash is Venom and became angry at the Avengers that they did not tell him. The Avengers confess that because Flash was a good soldier and the secret identities in the Avengers' rules goes both ways.
Seeking to maintain a connection with the Guardians of the Galaxy, the Avengers placed Flash on said team as their new envoy.
Relationships
Thompson has had many romantic relationships. Some of his love interests have also dated Peter Parker:
- When Flash is first introduced he is going off on a date with a girl named Sally. She is later revealed to be Sally Avril in Untold Tales of Spider-Man. In that series her relationship with Flash is portrayed as less flirty and more friendly.
- In high school he dates Liz Allan. As time passed Liz grew more interested in Peter but continued to date Flash. After graduation Liz dumped Flash. Liz went on to marry Flash's former roommate Harry Osborn.
- Flash briefly dated Gwen Stacy before he went on his first tour of duty.
- Flash is briefly romantically involved with Mary Jane Watson in college. After he and Peter put their antagonism behind them and become friends, Flash serves as best man at Peter and Mary Jane's wedding.
- Flash had a long relationship with Sha Shan, a girl he met in Vietnam. They lived together for some time, but their relationship became distrustful and strained. Flash eventually cheated on her with Betty Brant. When Sha Shan learned the truth, Flash hit her and she left him. Years later she showed up as his physical therapist.
- He has a long, on-and-off relationship with Betty Brant. Ever since the 1980s, they have broken up and gotten together four times.
- Felicia Hardy dates him in order to make Peter jealous, but is surprised when she actually falls in love with him. She eventually proposed marriage to him but Flash breaks up with her, as he feels he cannot keep up with her high-speed lifestyle.
- He has started a relationship with fellow Secret Avenger Valkyrie.
Powers and abilities
The symbiote grows a pair of legs for him while he has on the suit. Due to his military training and former boxing career, Flash is an experienced hand-to-hand fighter and a trained marksman.
Other versions
House of M
In the House of M: Iron Man series, Flash is a commentator for 'Sapien Deathmatch'. This is where sentient beings fight violent battles for the entertainment of the mutant ruling class. In his first noted performance, Flash narrates a battle between a robotic Sentinel and the human Tony Stark.
MC2
In the MC2 continuity (the alternate future of Spider-Girl), Flash Thompson is now on the faculty of his old high school. He is the coach of the girls' basketball team. He married Felicia Hardy, but later divorced her, and they had two children, Felicity and Eugene Jr. He still is unaware of the fact that Peter Parker was Spider-Man, and is similarly unaware that Peter's daughter, May, is Spider-Girl. Felicity, on the other hand, is aware of all of this, and briefly assumed the identity of the Scarlet Spider in attempt to partner with Spider-Girl.
Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane
In Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane, Flash is the star football quarterback at Midtown High. Flash bullies Peter and refers to him as Puny Parker. Flash recently started dating Liz Allan again; this ended after she dumped him at homecoming for declaring his love to Mary Jane in front of the whole school.
Ultimate Marvel
The Ultimate Marvel incarnation of the character is Fred "Flash" Thompson, a high school jock who bullies Peter Parker and also hangs out with fellow student Kenny 'Kong' McFarlane. When Flash challenges Peter to a fight, Peter merely blocks a punch from Flash and manages to break his hand. When Peter joins the basketball team, Flash's attitude changes as he is loyal to his teammates. When Flash suddenly wants to talk to Peter alone for a moment on at least two occasions, Peter turns him down rather furiously, believing he just wanted to bully him in private. It was revealed after Gwen Stacy's death that he had a crush on her and was actually trying to ask Peter for help in approaching Gwen for a date. During the Silver Sable arc, Flash is kidnapped after being mistaken by the Wild Pack for Spider-Man who had only moments before disappeared into an alley Flash happened to be standing in. After realizing their mistake, the group considered killing him but Flash is able to escape. This experience gives Flash a new level of popularity within the school especially after a TV movie is made about his ordeal. Unlike most versions of the character, Flash does not idolize Spider-Man although Kenny does after finding out Peter is Spider-Man. After Spider-Man's death, Flash starts to idolize him.
What If?
- In "What If the Radioactive Spider Had Bitten Someone Else?", Flash is one of three characters - along with Betty Leeds and John Jameson - who is bitten by the radioactive spider which gave Spider-Man his powers, instead of Peter. After inadvertently killing the wrestler Crusher Hogan in the ring due to his underestimating his new strength, Flash begins to fight crime under the name "Captain Spider", but his career comes to a brutal stop when he fights the Vulture, is knocked out of the sky and - without any webshooters to save him - falls to his death. Only Peter bears witness to his demise.
- In "What If Peter Parker had to destroy Spider-Man?" a darker twist to the "Captain Spider" story is depicted, with Flash still possessing his aggressive, selfish bully attitude from his early appearances. As Peter witnessed the spider-bite, he becomes Flash's confidant, and Flash strong-arms him into making a costume and weapons. Not wanting Flash to harm anyone permanently, Peter devises the web-shooters, but Flash uses his powers to become a super-criminal called "The Spider". A pep talk from Aunt May and Uncle Ben inspires Peter to do something, using his scientific genius to create a robotic exo-skeleton (similar to Doctor Octopus' tentacles) and other methods which let him counter Flash's powers and incapacitate him. Later, Mr. Fantastic removes Flash's powers and remarks that Peter has a bright future ahead of him.
- In "What if J. Jonah Jameson adopted Spider-Man?", JJJ adopts Peter after Chameleon's attempt to hijack a NASA shuttle resulted in the deaths of Aunt May, John Jameson, and Chameleon himself. Jameson hires Flash to be Peter's bodyguard, writing off their antagonism as youthful energy. Because Jameson remains convinced that Spider-Man is to blame for the shuttle accident, he hires Spencer Smythe to create the Spider-Slayers, only for Peter to sabotage them in secret. At the demonstration, Flash notices that Smythe has also created the Scorpion suit and takes it for himself, hoping to protect Spidey and possibly become a hero in his own right. However, the serum affects Flash's mind, causing him to go berserk, and Peter (now maskless) goes to try to bring him down. Blinded by rage and addled by the serum, Flash refuses to believe that "Puny Parker" could be Spider-Man and attacks, nearly killing Peter until Jameson intervenes using a remote-controlled Spider-Slayer robot and shoots Flash with an antidote dart.
In other media
Television
Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends
The television show Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends was Flash Thompson's first animated appearance, voiced by Frank Welker. In the episode "Video-Man", he finds out that Angelica Jones is actually Firestar but he is unable to remember that in the end. In the episode "Spider-Man Unmasked", Sandman learns Spider-Man's true identity to which Firestar tricks Flash into wearing a Spider-Man costume to a party which successfully mislead Sandman into thinking he made a mistake. In the end, Flash tries to take some credit in Sandman's defeat but Peter Parker throws him some sand, scaring him.
Spider-Man: The Animated Series
Flash Thompson appeared in the 1994 Spider-Man: The Animated Series, voiced by Patrick Labyorteaux. This version tries to have a relationship with Felicia Hardy, which did not work out and he later found a new, more comfortable, relationship with the brainy Debra Whitman. Flash does not physically bully Peter Parker but insults him on various occasions. He is also a fan of Spider-Man as he did not believe J. Jonah Jameson's news when the Insidious Six were on the rampage when Spider-Man was framed by the Chameleon. Although Peter and Flash continue their rivalry, he is invited to Peter's wedding where he meets Felicia again. Flash tries to get along with other beautiful girls but always fails, sometimes being pushed back by Debra.
Spider-Man: The New Animated Series
Flash Thompson appeared in the Spider-Man: The New Animated Series episode "Flash Memory", voiced by Devon Sawa. This incarnation's dislike for Peter Paker that is actually pushed to a new extreme: Flash insults up front and is shown to be even willing to endanger Peter's life.
The Spectacular Spider-Man
Flash Thompson appears in The Spectacular Spider-Man, voiced by Joshua LeBar. He continues to bully Peter Parker, even when Peter already has his super powers and Flash is always trying to outsmart him but usually fails. He is similar to his original portrayal in the comics, dating Liz Allan until they break up in the episode "Reaction", seemingly due to Liz developing a crush on Peter. In the episode "The Uncertainty Principle", he had to be a cheerleader for Halloween due to a bet he lost to Peter in an earlier episode, but convinced the rest of the football team into also dressing as cheerleaders. He and Mary Jane Watson had also been voted the king and queen of the Fall Formal, which leads him to try asking out Mary Jane, but she denied Flash as she did not want an actual relationship. After seeing Peter in his Spider-Man costume (which Peter claims was his Halloween costume to protect his identity), he argued that Peter looked nothing like Spidey and he should have dressed up like the wall-crawler. After Peter becomes angrier and easily agitated from the symbiote suit, it is Flash that snaps Peter back into reality by reminding him that his friends only want to help. Flash later shows his more heroic side when he and his friends help save Gwen Stacy from falling to her death at the Thanksgiving Day Parade. In the episode "First Steps", it is revealed that he and Peter were best friends in Nursery School. Peter also gave Flash his trademark nickname because of his tendency to streak as a little boy. He is also shown to have an attraction to the show's version of Sha Shan who does not want anything to do with him. However, she eventually went out with him after he reported Harry Osborn's use of the Goblin serum on the team, feeling that it's better that he earn trophies fair and square.
Ultimate Spider-Man
Flash Thompson appears in the Ultimate Spider-Man cartoon series, voiced by Matt Lanter. Much like all of his previous television incarnations, this version is the typical bully who picks on Peter Parker yet idolizes Spider-Man but lacks the previous incarnations' redeeming quality and hot-headed bravour and is instead portrayed as a coward who deliberately leaves people behind and even once tried to use Peter as a diversion to save his life. His favorite 'school sport' is 'locker-knocker time' where he locks Peter in his own locker which is come back to him in kind when Spider-Man convinces Flash to lock himself in his own locker whenever Midtown High is attacked by supervillains. Throughout the first season, he sometimes becomes an accidental target for super-powered characters: Flash briefly becomes a host for the Venom symbiote in the episode "Venom", Taskmaster actually thought that Flash was Spider-Man in the episode "Why I Hate the Gym", and gets his first comeuppance when Wolverine transplanted into Peter's body by Mesmero gives him a sound pounding after trying to bully once more in the episode "Freaky". However, the episode "I Am Spider-Man" shows Flash given moral support by Peter during a Spider-Man play despite their enmity and the Trapster mistaking Flash for Spider-Man, showing signs of reforming his character. In the second season, Flash's positive development continues. In the episode "The Rhino", Flash realizes his bullying motivated Alex O'Hirn into becoming the Rhino to seek revenge but is saved by Spider-Man and Power Man. Realizing that bullying has consequences, Flash apologizes before Alex is taken into S.H.I.E.L.D. custody. Flash becomes Agent Venom in the third season and is training with S.H.I.E.L.D.
In "Agent Venom", Flash decides to become his own superhero: The Scarlet Spider. He "assists" Spidey in a battle with Scorpion, who was manipulated by Venom. After Scorpion's defeat, the symbiote is captured by S.H.I.E.L.D. and destroyed, although a tiny piece still exists and latches itself onto Flash's foot. The next day Beetle (hired by Taskmaster) attacks Midtown High to retrieve the symbiote. Spider-Man puts Flash into the janitor's closet to protect him. Inside the closet, the symbiote covers Flash and turns him into Agent Venom. Agent Venom battles Beetle and also learns of his new-found powers. In this show, Agent Venom has nearly all of Venom's powers (the only one missing is host control) and is even capable of doing something Venom was incapable of: he can absorb technology and use it for himself, considering he removed Beetle's missile launchers and parts of his armour and makes them part of his suit. He and Spider-Man battled Taskmaster and Beetle. At one point Beetle uses a sonic disruptor to remove Venom and Flash almost loses his mind to Venom, but much to Spidey's surprise, Flash resists Venom's control. He also defeats Beetle while Taskmaster retreats. Realizing the consequences of being a hero, Flash attempts to remove the symbiote with vocal commands (i.e. "Venom away"), but they fail and Flash and Spider-Man realize that the symbiote is stuck. At the Tri-Carrier, Dr. Connors informs that the symbiote has become impossible to remove, as it has chosen Flash to be its perfect host. Flash is then locked up, but Spider-Man persuades Nick Fury into releasing him (and later start the "New Warriors" program) and Agent Venom becomes Spider-Man's friend and the first new recruit of the New Warriors.
Film
- Flash Thompson appeared in the 2002 film Spider-Man, played by Joe Manganiello. He is depicted as Mary Jane Watson's boyfriend at the start of the film, and is a bully who torments Peter Parker and sometimes Harry Osborn. After Peter accidentally uses a web to splash Flash with a tray of food, a fight between them breaks out in the school's hallway which Peter wins albeit accidentally by discovering his new powers and sending Flash down with just one punch. Mary Jane later tells Peter that Flash was grateful to Peter for not hurting him more. At graduation, he and Mary Jane had broken up.
- Joe Manganiello reprises his role as Flash in a silent cameo at the end of Spider-Man 3 where he attends Harry's funeral.
- Chris Zylka portrays Flash Thompson in the 2012 reboot film The Amazing Spider-Man. This version is a basketball player rather than a football player and still picks on Peter Parker a great deal, even beating him up at lunch in front of everyone. Once Peter receives his powers, however, he humiliates Flash during a basketball practice session as retribution. Flash later starts acting nicer to Peter, starting by sympathizing with him after the murder of Peter's uncle. By the end of the film, Flash is implied to now be Peter's friend and expresses admiration for Spider-Man.
- Chris Zylka was confirmed to reprise his role in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, but was cut from the film, though he could make an appearance in a possible "Director's Cut" petitioned by fans.
- Chris Zylka has also expressed interest in having Flash become Venom in the Venom spin-off film.
Video Games
- Agent Venom appears as a playable character in the Facebook game Marvel: Avengers Alliance.
- Agent Venom is a playable character in Marvel Super Hero Squad Online.
Stage
Flash Thompson was originally portrayed by Matt Caplan in the 2010 Broadway production Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark.
Board games
- Agent Venom was added to the superhero-featuring board game Heroclix in 2013.
Collected editions
References
External links
- "Flash's Profile at Spiderfan.org". Retrieved September 29, 2010.Â
- "Flash Thompson on the Marvel Universe Character Bio Wiki". Retrieved September 29, 2010.Â