I like the Spider-Man/Venom idea, that would make a compelling mini series.
About a decade ago I actually had a whole series of What Ifs in mind for some fanfiction, though only one of them ever got far enough to write in part down. Here's a couple of their intros...
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There exist parallel worlds beyond our own. Within these worlds, each living being faces turning points in their existence, and a choice must be made at every one of these points – choices that will affect their own destinies, and perhaps that of their own world or even the universe itself. Call it the ‘road not taken’ – the chance missed, the decision deferred... of what might have been, what could have happened – but for the invisible workings of an incomprehensible fate. Call it...
WHAT IF...?
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What Happened in SECRET INVASION
In the aftermath of the Avengers role in the Kree-Skrull War, the mysterious and secret Illuminati –Mr Fantastic, Namor, Professor X, Dr Strange, Iron Man and Black Bolt - order the Skrull Emperor and his shape-shifting race never to threaten their world again. They are captured and studied, and though they manage to escape the Skrull race has learnt much of Earth in the process...
Years later, Spider-Woman brings the body of a Skrull Agent posing as Hand Member Elektra to Director of SHIELD and Iron Man, Tony Stark, who in turn presents it to the now divided Illuminati. The revelation brings to light questions on how long this apparent infiltration of heroes has been going on. Black Bolt is revealed to be a Skrull Agent and tries to kill the other members unsuccessfully. The group parts ways, realizing they cannot trust each other if one could be a Skrull.
Some weeks later a Skrull Prison Ship appears to crash in the Prehistoric Savage Land, prompting both the New and Mighty Avengers to investigate. Out step a number of well known heroes, many in dated costumes and several long thought dead, even themselves – all claiming to be the real thing and having escaped Skrull captivity. The two sides battle amongst the confusion, not knowing who to trust. Spider-Woman is revealed to be the Skrull Empress Veranke and places her divine claim over Earth along with fellow infiltrators who have passed as Camp Hammond Director and Founding Avenger Hank Pym, Avenger Butler Jarvis, SHIELD Agents and several others.
Ultimately however the Avengers are able to discern that the supposed prisoners are all brain-washed Skrull Agents and defeat them before heading to battle and defeat the main Skrull Army in Central Park, New York. In the aftermath the replaced heroes are located upon a Skrull Prison Ship by Tony Stark. He and SHIELD are judged as too compromised to continue protecting the world, leaving Thunderbolts Director - and the former Green Goblin - Norman Osborn as appointed Director of the newly created HAMMER by the President of the United States. For the next few months, Osborn will hold the super-human community in thrall as he oversees a Dark Reign of Super Villians.
But suppose those heroes who exited the Prison ship- including Captain America, Jean Grey, Spider-Man and Invisible Woman – had really been escapees? Suppose the Skrull Invasion had been going on for much longer, and this crash landing was a fatal flaw in their plan? How would these lost heroes adjust to a greatly changed world; and those on Earth to the stunning truths it would bring? Indeed, what if...
WHAT IF THE OCCUPANTS OF THE SKRULL PRISON SHIP HAD ALL BEEN REAL INSTEAD OF SKRULLS?
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There exist parallel worlds beyond our own. Within these worlds, each living being faces turning points in their existence, and a choice must be made at every one of these points – choices that will affect their own destinies, and perhaps that of their own world or even the universe itself. Call it the ‘road not taken’ – the chance missed, the decision deferred... of what might have been, what could have happened – but for the invisible workings of an incomprehensible fate. Call it...
WHAT IF...?
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What Happened in SECRET WAR
Nick Fury - Director of the World Peace-Keeping Organisation SHIELD (Strategic Hazard Intervention Espionage Logistics Directorate) – is aware that several middle-level tech-based Super-Villains are supplied by Phineas Mason, aka the Tinkerer. It is only recently however via several interrogations of such captured criminals that it has become clear that Mason himself has financial backing from an unlikely source; the liberated Latveria. Formerly under the control of despot Doctor Doom, the country has fallen under the command of supposedly American-Sympathetic leader Lucia von Bardas. In reality Lucia has been funding Mason’s work, effectively meaning that she has been committing acts of international terrorism through the American Tech Super-Villain population. Fury presents this Intel to the American Government, but they are unwilling to see Bardas removed from power.
Electing to deal with Bardas covertly, Fury seeks and gains the services of several key American Super Heroes, including Spider-Man, Captain America, Luke Cage, Daredevil and Wolverine to join him, trusted SHIELD Agent Black Widow and Daisy Johnson – a previously unknown female agent of Fury’s possessing the ability to produce Earthquakes- in an unauthorized invasion of Latveria . Bardas is apparently killed in the destruction of Castle Doom while Fury brain washes the heroes - barring the two SHIELD Agents - in forgetting their role in the so-called ‘Secret War’.
Exactly one year later a group of attacks is unleashed on the mission’s participants. Luke Cage is beaten into a coma whilst the others are attacked by several tech-based Super-Villains including Shocker, Scorcher, Wizard, Diamondback and Lady Octopus. Several heroes band together to fight the team before they are confronted by the alive and cybernetic enhanced Lucia. Enraged at losing her home one year previously, she turns the Super Villain tech into a huge human bomb. Only the intervention of Daisy Johnson and her powers prevents her from causing untold destruction. With angry inquests into his role on Latveria from both Super Hero and SHIIELD forces, Nick Fury is forced into going on the run, leaving Maria Hill to be appointed as new Director of SHIELD and an uncertain future for all Super-Humans with the Organization.
But there is more to know.
Tasked with the responsibility of planning the Secret War himself, Nick Fury needed to select himself who would most suit the campaign against Latveria. In doing so he created a back-up plan; a set of super-powered warriors he trusted to be more than capable of unleashing hell on Lucia’s forces should his infiltration team be caught or killed. Men and Women he knew could tear Latveria apart. To this proposed operation he would place his full trust in Countess Allegro De Fontaine – then Deputy Director of SHIELD – from the grave if needed.
Fortunately this mission was not required – Fury’s Plan A was thankfully a success. But suppose it had not had been? Suppose for all his planning Nick Fury and his team of Secret Warriors had fallen to the forces of Von Bardas? Indeed, what if...
WHAT IF NICK FURY’S SECRET WAR HAD FAILED?
(A What If Inspired by Brian Michael Bendis’s ‘Secret War: From The Files Of Nick Fury’)