to defeat Blackheart and the forces of hell (which are encroaching on earth). His performance results in Captain America recruiting him for the Secret Avengers in Secret Avengers #23 (April 2012) (also written by Remender). In Venom #15 (June 2012), Thompson had bonded with the symbiote to the point of lying for greater access to it. The 2012 story "The Savage Six" sees the return of a symbiote-less Eddie Brock, who is intent on exterminating all of the symbiotes (resulting in the deaths of Scream and Hybrid). Crime Master forms the Savage Six: a team including Jack O'Lantern, Death Adder, Megatak and the Human Fly. Brock is involuntarily recruited onto the team after being possessed by the Toxin symbiote which Thompson stole for Crime Master in Venom #12. The Savage Six is sent after Thompson and his loved ones after he tries to murder Crime Master, resulting in Betty's learning Thompson's secret identity. Crime Master is ultimately unmasked as Betty's brother, Bennett Brant. Venom immolates Toxin and Brock, defeating Crime Master's remaining forces; Betty shoots Crime Master dead to save Venom. Venom later confesses his covert actions to the Secret Avengers. Jack O'Lantern escapes and goes on a killing spree to torment Venom, abusing his father's body; he is eventually defeated and incarcerated by Venom. According to DCD, Remender's Venom #1 was the 128th-bestselling single issue of 2011 (based on an estimated 65,600 issues shipped). Venom #2 was number 389; sales dropped for each successive issue for the year, finishing at number 802 with Venom #11 (based on an estimated 28,700 issues shipped). Venom #22 (October 2012), Remender's final issue, sold an estimated 26,734 issues. The trade paperback Venom Volume 1 (Venom #1-5) was the 134th-bestselling trade paperback of 2012, followed by Circle of Four at number 359 and Savage Six at number 407. Venom #6-9 appeared in the Spider-Island trade paperback, which was listed at number 466. Monsters of Evil (#23–42) Writer: Cullen Bunn Penciler: Thony Silas Inker: Nelson Decastro Following Remender's departure from the series, co-writer Cullen Bunn took over beginning with issue #23. Bunn's tenure began with the "Monsters of Evil" arc explaining a villainous turn by Daimon Hellstrom in Bunn's Fear Itself: The Fearless, and continued a plot thread from Remender's "Circle of Four" arc which saw Venom, Hulk, X-23 and Ghost Rider unknowingly branded with Mephistos mystical symbol (marking them as Mephisto's potential heirs). The