The Venom concept had a long history that came from the most unlikely of sources. It went from a costume design for the ever-popular Spiderman to a popular anti-hero that many have come to admire. Venom started originally as a comic reader’s idea. This particular reader was Randy Schueller of Norridge, Illinois.
Marvel purchased the concept from Randy in 1982 for $220. To give some perspective, that is $610 in 2020. The popular character, Venom, had his first appearance, or rather the symbiote that would later become Venom, in The Amazing Spider-Man #252 (May 1984).
History Of Venom
The initial story of how Spiderman obtains his new costume originates from Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #8 (December 1984), when he and the heroes were fighting Villains on an alien planet called Battleworld in which they are transported to by a villain named the Beyonder.
Spiderman’s original costume is ruined from the battle, and he is lead to a room by fellow heroes, Thor and the Hulk, to a room at their base. They inform him that there is a machine that can fabricate any clothing instantly. The device Peter Parker approaches creates a black sphere to appear, and it spreads all over his body, forming his new black and white costume.
In The Amazing Spider-Man series, it was established that the black costume was an alien symbiote who would take over Peter Parker’s body at night and fight crime. The symbiote was even handed over to the Fantastic Four, but it went back because he had bonded with the human, Peter Parker.
Finally, in 1988 the character of Venom would barge in with a new outfit and a new host. Now its new host was Eddie Brock. Venom was reintroduced as an alien/monster. The dark symbiote was also introduced as a villain/anti-hero constantly appearing in the Spiderman comics.
Eddie Brock’s character would turn out to be a disgraced reporter who faked Sin-Eater confessions, one of Spiderman’s big adversaries. After a depression streak, Eddie would one night seek comfort in a church, the same church where Spiderman would get rid of the symbiote, giving it to Eddie by accident.
Venom and Parker would face off against one another various times, with Parker being close to death on several occasions.
The symbiote would mimic Parker’s black and white costume when in its Venom form—making it an adaptable creature that is intelligent with a conscience and a mind’s eye.
In this instance, Eddie and Venom would keep on taking revenge against Parker at various times. Venom would ultimately grow to be a villain but would occasionally decide to protect and save the city’s innocent people.
After the symbiote came in possession of US senator Steward Ward and returned to Eddie Brock, Brock would reject the symbiote for its new bloodlust nature. The symbiote would later be sold in a Super Villain auction by Brock himself.
After Venom was sold at the Super-Villain Auction, it would go on to various hosts. Some are less unknown, and some are even bizarre. It would go to Mac Garagan first, known as Scorpion; then it would go to Flash Thompson, where Flash would “wear” the symbiote in project rebirth.
She-Venom
Anne Weining was Eddie Brock’s Ex-Wife and later also known as She-Venom.
Anne Weining would be one of the many mentioned hosts. As Eddie Brock’s ex-wife, she would become She-Venom. This happens after Sin-Eater shoots her, and the symbiote would bond with her to save her life. Eddie would ultimately fear her and worry about her.
Unfortunately, Anne would take her own life as she was traumatized by what she experienced and did when the symbiote took over her life.
Another host that it would bond with was Red Hulk after it barged through Flash’s apartment to recruit him. Ms. Marvel is one of them after fighting Mac Gargan when he and Venom were bonded with it. The famous and ever-loving Groot and Rocket would also bond with the symbiote on accident at one time.
The ever-loved character of Venom would have a few outings in its Cinematic adaptation stage. One of the attempts of adaptation stayed very faithful to the original story, the 2007 Spiderman 3. This would see Eddie Brock get the symbiote when visiting a church, the same church where Peter Parker dispels the symbiote when the church bells ring. In this case, Eddie would become a villain and fight against Peter Parker with The Sandman.
Venom Today
In 2018 Sony Pictures would release the new version of Venom in its film. It was announced back in 2016. Tom Hardy would be playing the very infamous Eddie Brock. Sony Pictures’ Venom film would turn out to be an R-rated film.
Some would describe it as taking inspiration from all the Venom appearances and works by David Cronenberg and John Carpenter. Filming began in 2017 and would be released in 2018 with a PG-13 rating to massive success.
A sequel would later be announced called Venom: Let there be Carnage. It will be released later in 2021. This sequel would feature the infamous Carnage symbiote.
Venom as a character has grown. Just like its symbiote, it had adapted itself in various forms and ultimately stuck to it as it grew from its unlikely source as of a reader’s mind. It went from Spiderman to a full-on dangerous and lovable anti-hero with the name, Venom.
