Spider-Man. The House Of Venom

‘Playdude, Super Stars Edition.’

Photos and interviews by M. Alisson

When I took this assignment, I honestly will admit I had no hope to meet an actual superhero. I expected a young woman, maybe still in college, who could levitate coffee cups, or turn blue. What I got, however, blew my preconceptions out of the water.

We have interviews and shots of five heroes. Forty turned up for the shoot. Not to take part but for support. I saw some famous faces. Storm, the African Augment with the power to control the weather. Jean Gray, renowned AIM scientist and Augment rights activist. Women with real power.

Seeing an opportunity, I politely asked, and they obliged. The photographs I took will be available for sale. All proceeds will go to two charities. One is for Augment Rights, a charity covering legal and medical fees. The other is for a children's charity. Providing funds to those who have lost their parents or been injured in villain attacks.

'The group, lined up neatly in rows, stood proud, with the five heroes featured at the front. Some make peace signs or pull faces, and some have their faces blanked out.'

I felt in awe that these individuals could come together for such a cause. One normally denigrated by society. A strange attitude to have, as I work for the magazine, but one I wholly reject. It takes courage to come forward and ignore society's rules. It takes courage to fight against insurmountable odds. It takes courage to do what these women do.

⁂

‘Yukio, A woman with a certain spark.’

We start with the youngest, and I will admit, fairly unknown, Yukio. She decided not to give her surname. And no code name?

Not everyone has one. I choose not to make my powers known, and so, I am just Yukio.

Is it polite to ask, but what are your powers?

Normally it is not. We can learn a lot from a person by what their powers are. and it also gives us a small advantage. You can counter many just by knowing how some things work.

Ahh, my apologies then.

Yukio laughs. It is fine, I control electricity.

I am stunned as lightning, yes actual lightning crackles around her hand. I can feel the hairs on my arm raise, and the tang of ozone in the air. That is impressive.

I can also see the future. You have. (Sorry dear readers but this part was actually personal. Needless to say, she was right, and it did happen. I avoided a very large problem by following her advice.)

I can imagine seeing the future makes life a little dull.

Yukio smiles. Not at all. I watch movies over and over, the future is not as set, but it did lead me here.

You had a vision in which you did a photo shoot?

I see a lot of dull things. Seeing the future is not always 'ohh a big nasty thing will happen'. I once saw a surprise sale on at Macy's and got a very nice jacket for fifty per cent off.

I can't help but laugh. Yukio is not what I expected. She smiles, a lot and it is infectious. And your plans for the future? Or do you already Know?

Oh, I do. I am working on my PhD in Quantum Theory, with an internship with Olivia Octavius. Her particle lab is the only one set up to test and explore my powers.

So you already know?

I do, I will admit she did have a smug little grin as she said this, but I still have to earn my PhD. A degree in physics and mathematics is not enough.

I can tell that I am being put in my place. I assumed seeing the future meant it was a guarantee. That our fates were already written. Yukio just reminded me that she needed to do the work to make it happen. The future is unwritten and only exists as brief images in the minds of those who can see them.

Yukio poses completely naked. Each picture captures her small delicate frame, toned and healthy. The camera captures the electricity as it arcs from one hand to the other, in a perfect semi-circle. As she moves, an aura surrounds her, making her look like an angel. It expands in the next picture, and she is covered in the aurora borealis.

⁂

‘Ghost Spider. The private life of a celebrity.’

My next interview is with a rather public figure. I cannot reveal her name or identity, but I will admit that I was shocked to see her here.

So, if I cannot use your name, what do I call you?

I went by the name Poison, but for now, it's Ghost Spider.

I am told another hero now uses that name, and not to confuse them. Their costumes are similar, however the young woman underneath is not the same. A black hoodie, adorned in white with a pink band. This is apparently as the creature known as a Symbiote, moved from one host to another.

So, you retired?

The Symbiotes need a host to survive. But while they grow and learn with us, I was unsuitable for the one I got. We got along, but it wasn't great.

It's not just armour then?

Oh no, They are a race called the Klyntar. Their leader, called Monarch, arrived on Earth with. (Sorry again dear reader. The family of the individual served us with a gag order, and I cannot legally reveal the person's name.) From there, they spread and a few of us ended up hosts, before we knew what was happening.

Happening?

They uh. (Ghost goes a very lovely shade of red at this point). They live off our brain chemistry. What makes us feel good, makes them feel good.

Ahh, You do not need to explain. And it interfered with your work?

She hated it. It was one of the issues we had. Can't go out and fight when you're studying or uh, yeah, the uh, other thing. But, she's a person, a living breathing thing, not just a weapon or armour. The host has a lot to answer for, but the Klyntar can make mistakes and screw up just like we can.

And their feelings on the Nova Corp. Surely having an alien's view on other aliens would make things simpler.

Ahh, uh, our Klyntar never met the Nova, and the ones that did were treated as hostile. They hated them, kept them on their planet, for fear of, well, just in fear I guess. A Klyntar can't really do much without a host.

So, in fact, the Klyntar were subjugated by the Nova Corp and kept prisoner on a single planet.

Uh, yeah. But Monarch was an asshole, I mean look at what he did to New York. Like I said, just like people, some good, some bad.

And that is part of the Augment Rights movement is it not? Making sure that a villain or use of powers is properly dealt with.

Oh yeah. I mean, we know someone, a hero, who was abused, and she's a sweetheart. Having powers doesn't make you an asshole, being an asshole does that.

Thank you for your thoughts on that Miss Ghost. The phrase Power maketh the man comes to mind, but to hear it, a hero or villain is not their power. It can be used as an excuse, but the decision to use them ultimately lies with them.

It is obvious from her pictures that Ghost Spider was a dancer. Her toned but thick thighs tense as she stretches into various poses. She bends and pirouettes through various ballet stances, ending with her en point, her arms in an arch above her head. Shot in black and white Ghost Spider is shown, captivating with beauty and grace.

**Ghost Spider posed for a second series of pictures. To see her full portfolio, go online to playdude(.)com, and sign up for a free account.** 

**Over eighteens only, terms and conditions apply.**

⁂

‘Black Cat. Sex Kitten or Clawed Tiger?’

Of my five guests, this one was the most mysterious. Black Cat, aptly named as her headwear had small ears, sat, almost angrily in the guest room. Everyone else relaxed, made coffee, and we chatted while I took notes.

Black Cat paced.

If you don't want to do this, we can leave it. We always have a strict policy of consent.

Yeah I know but, I uh. I am doing this because, you know, we do everything together.

You mean some of the others.

Ghost Spider and I were friends in High School, so yeah.

That still doesn't mean you have to answer my questions or take part. Not everyone wants to do a photo shot and not everyone is comfortable taking their clothes off.

Are you?

I had to laugh. In most of my years, very few people asked me if I'd ever consider doing this myself, and I did, for a time. But age and a love of chicken wings put that idea to bed many years ago. Nobody wanted to see that, but it did make her laugh and she sat on the couch, making coffee.

So, is this where you ask me some deep philosophical questions, and I make myself sound really smart? Or, you know, I just get my clothes off?

I will be honest, Black Cat. I have taken pictures of some of the most beautiful women in the world that would be outsmarted by a rock. How we do this, and what we do are entirely up to yourself.

Did, uh, Did Ghost go all the way?

A full spread, so to speak?

She laughed again, Yeah.

She did, she was insistent in fact.

Black Cat leaned back as I told her that.

I don't want to do that. I mean, My doc sees it, my boyfriend, and my girlfriend, but pictures, across the world, nope. not happening.

And nobody will make you. You signed a waiver allowing us to publish nude shots, but not genitalia. I think the last time an editor missed a picture, the lawsuit was fourteen million dollars. And we lost.

I will admit that Black Cat relaxed more after that. It is often I find that some young women want to do these things, but are put off by family or friends.

It's stupid you know, I mean, I can jump off a building, defuse a bomb but this, this is just weird.

I feel that you aren't a typical hero. Are the rumours in the news true? Were you once a. I had to check my notes on what JJ once called her. A feminist fueled man hater on a mission to seek vengeance for imagined slights?

What? That jackass wouldn't know feminism if it kicked him in the ****.

I will edit this part, as Black Cat took umbrage at JJ, and did in fact rant quite spectacularly on the subject.

No. I was not a man-hater. I just got tired of rapists and scumbags thinking they could assault a woman and have Daddy pay it off.

And the pictures?

Black Cat laughs. You know I kicked Spider-Man in the nuts. It was him. He was taking my photos and selling them to the Bugle.

An interesting angle. That a superhero, one dedicated to fighting crime also profited from it.

Yeah well, it's not like we could use our powers in the open. Spider-Man apologised, but he had to eat. If crime doesn't pay, neither does crime fighting.

It is my turn to smile, And I thought there would be no deep philosophy here. But it is rather apt. Crime fighting, without pay, even through fear of injury, and as we have seen death. Do you think it's wrong to get a little payment on the side?

On the side? Sure. He was only taking pictures. I mean, he didn't follow me into a bathroom stall or anything. I just got tired of seeing a grainy picture of my ass in the paper each morning, and some jerk off complaining about it.

Your costume is a little tight, is it intentional or...

Loose clothing catches on things. When you have invulnerable skin, being able to move is better than not. Tight form-fitting armour works in places that are vulnerable. Having your boobs out isn't great, but restricted breathing is worse. It can be a choice, but a lot of the time, it's practicality. Plus, can you afford armour plates? Can you even get them without anyone realising what you need them for? Buying a catsuit, even if it's a bit skanky, is easier.

And harder to track. Superhero fashion. Who knew it was so complicated.

The pictures of Black Cat seem awkward. She looks stiff and uncomfortable in the first picture. The next snap is taken after someone says something and she is laughing. After that, her face lights up and her whole demeanour changes. As the shots progress, her outfit changes, showing off more and more skin until her large chest is bare. The last picture shows Black Cat, stretching back, baring herself to the camera. The angle shows her large breasts and toned thighs, but nothing else.