Earth-616
Eddie Brock
Eddie Brock blamed Spider-Man for the ruin of his career. The symbiote Peter Parker rejected found him, and the two became Venom.
First appearance Amazing Spider-Man #300 (1988)
Character guide
Venom
A reporter fused with the alien symbiote Spider-Man cast off. The two of them share a hatred of Peter Parker.
Find your first read
Venom: The Last Dance still via GamesRadar+ ↗
About Venom
Venom is Eddie Brock bonded to an alien symbiote. The creature first clung to Spider-Man as a black costume. Peter rejected it. Eddie, a reporter who blamed Spider-Man for destroying his career, bonded with it. David Michelinie and Todd McFarlane introduced that pairing in Amazing Spider-Man #300 (1988). The symbiote itself arrived earlier, during Secret Wars.
- Host
- Eddie Brock
- First appearance
- Amazing Spider-Man #300 (1988)
- Created by
- David Michelinie & Todd McFarlane
- Symbiote's first appearance
- Secret Wars #8 (1984); Amazing Spider-Man #252
- Opposite
- Spider-Man
- On screen
- Tom Hardy in the Sony Venom films
Venom Across the Multiverse
Earth-616
Mac Gargan
After Eddie loses the symbiote, it is sold to Mac Gargan, the Scorpion. Mark Millar's Marvel Knights: Spider-Man is where that Venom starts.
First appearance Marvel Knights: Spider-Man (2005)
Earth-616
Flash Thompson
Flash Thompson, Peter Parker's old classmate, bonds with the symbiote as a government weapon. Rick Remender and Tony Moore start that story in Venom #1 (2011).
First appearance Venom #1 (2011)
Earth-1610
Ultimate Venom
On Earth-1610, Eddie Brock is Peter's childhood friend, and the symbiote is a lab-made cure for cancer. Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley tell it in Ultimate Spider-Man #33 (2003).
First appearance Ultimate Spider-Man #33 (2003)
Earth-616
Dylan Brock
Eddie's son Dylan wears the symbiote in the 2022 Venom series, while Eddie is tied to the symbiote god instead of the streets.
First appearance Venom #1 (2022)
1 of 5
Required reading
7 stories from the guide
01 / 1984–88
Spider-Man: Birth of Venom
David Michelinie, Tom DeFalco & Todd McFarlane
View Trade Paperback on Amazon ↗Spider-Man wears the alien costume, rejects it, and meets the enemy it makes with Eddie Brock.
Collects The black costume and Amazing Spider-Man #300
Before you read None — start here
02 / 1993
Venom: Lethal Protector
David Michelinie & Mark Bagley
View Trade Paperback on Amazon ↗Eddie takes the symbiote to San Francisco and tries to be a protector. The city does not agree.
Collects Venom: Lethal Protector #1–6
Before you read Spider-Man: Birth of Venom
03 / 2018
Venom by Donny Cates Vol. 1: Rex
Donny Cates & Ryan Stegman
View Trade Paperback on Amazon ↗Eddie is pulled back to the symbiote, and something older than either of them wakes up.
Collects Venom (2018) #1–6
Before you read None
04 / 2004–05
Marvel Knights Spider-Man: Venomous
Mark Millar, Terry Dodson & Frank Cho
The symbiote is auctioned off, and Mac Gargan is the one who walks out wearing it.
Collects Marvel Knights: Spider-Man #5–8
Before you read None
05 / 2011
Venom #1 (2011)
Rick Remender & Tony Moore
Flash Thompson puts on the symbiote for the U.S. military.
Collects Venom (2011) #1
Before you read None
06 / 2003
Ultimate Spider-Man #33
Brian Michael Bendis & Mark Bagley
The Ultimate Universe's Eddie Brock meets a symbiote that was never Peter's costume.
Collects Ultimate Spider-Man #33
Before you read None
07 / 2022
Venom #1 (2022)
Al Ewing & Bryan Hitch
Dylan Brock is the Venom on the street in Al Ewing and Bryan Hitch's series.
Collects Venom (2022) #1
Before you read None
Collectibles & apparel
Film & TV
Film · 2007
Spider-Man 3
Topher Grace · Eddie Brock
View on IMDb ↗
Film · 2018
Venom
Tom Hardy · Eddie Brock
View on IMDb ↗
Film · 2021
Venom: Let There Be Carnage
Tom Hardy · Eddie Brock
View on IMDb ↗
Film · 2024
Venom: The Last Dance
Tom Hardy · Eddie Brock
View on IMDb ↗Poster artwork courtesy of TMDB.