Subject: Venom
Culture: American comics fandom
Setting: Marvel Comics
Context (Event Photos, Primary Sources, Secondary Sources, Field Notes)
* Misiroglu ed. 2004 p463
"The serpent-tongued, shark-toothed creature known as Venom is truly the stuff of nightmares. He was brought to eerie life by writers David Michelinie and Tom DeFalco, writer-artist Todd McFarlane, and artists Ron Frenz and Brett Breeding in the late 1980s, a time when supervillains were becoming darker, grittier, and more vicious than ever before. After Spider-Man shreds his costume during the Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars crossover mini-series (May 1984 through April 1985), he adopts a new jet-black costume that turns out to be a sentient alien life-form that feeds on his adrenaline. Spidey wears the costume for the next several months, taking advantage of its convenient ability to transform itself into civilian clothing. Spidey's subsequent discovery of the alien costume's desire to bond permanently with him leads him to ditch it. The jilted costume later joins with the suicidal ex-Daily Globe reporter Eddie Brock, who hated Spider-Man for ruining his career with the revelation that his biggest news story -- which purported to reveal the identity of the late murderer known as the Sin-Eater -- was a fraud. United in their antipathy toward Spider-Man, Brock and the alien symbiote costume begin a rampage through New York as the grisly, violent composite creature called Venom.
"Seeing Spider-Man as evil, Venom believes himself to be 'protecting' innocent people from the hero's depredations. Venom also finds himself at odds with Carnage, an even more horrible, violent creature who comes into being after a piece of the alien symbiote bonds with a criminal named Cletus Kasady, who made his debut in 1992 in Amazing Spider-Man vol. 1 #361. Though he actually behaves in a heroic fashion on several occasions, Venom's belief that people he regards as 'evil' (including Peter Parker) should be killed places him squarely in the 'villain' column."
* Marvel Lunatics 2024-07-24 online
"Venom, one of Marvel’s most enigmatic and complex characters, has captivated fans since his inception. Known for his fearsome appearance, twisted morality, and deep connection to Spider-Man, Venom’s journey from a villain to an anti-hero is a fascinating tale of evolution and redemption.
"Origins: The Birth of Venom The character of Venom was born out of a collaboration among several creative minds at Marvel Comics. The concept began in the mid-1980s when a fan named Randy Schueller proposed a new black costume for Spider-Man, which Marvel purchased for $220. This idea evolved into the alien symbiote that first appeared in “The Amazing Spider-Man” #252 (1984) as Spider-Man’s new suit. However, it was writer David Michelinie and artists Todd McFarlane and Mike Zeck who truly brought Venom to life by introducing Eddie Brock as the symbiote’s host in “The Amazing Spider-Man” #300 (1988).
"Eddie Brock: The First Venom Eddie Brock, a disgraced journalist, became the first and most iconic host of the Venom symbiote. Brock’s deep resentment towards Spider-Man, combined with the symbiote’s rejection by Peter Parker, created a powerful and vengeful entity. Venom’s debut was marked by his terrifying appearance and his relentless pursuit of Spider-Man, making him one of the web-slinger’s most formidable foes.
"Venom’s Evolution: From Villain to Anti-Hero Initially introduced as a villain, Venom’s character soon evolved into a more complex anti-hero. This transformation began with the 1993 limited series “Venom: Lethal Protector,” which explored Brock’s history and motivations. In this series, Venom relocates to San Francisco and becomes a protector of the innocent, albeit through violent means. This marked the beginning of Venom’s journey towards a more nuanced characterization."
"There's so much more to Venom than simply being the black-suit-wearing, street-strutting alter ego of Peter Parker. Venom actually comes from a whole race of symbiotes who hail from the planet Klyntar. In fact, there are actually over 40 different types of symbiote, and Venom was the 998th generation to have been born on Klyntar.
"Symbiotes need to bond with hosts if they want to survive, and are more inclined to protect their host rather than destroy them, all of which ends up making Venom a master of puppets, toying with its hosts and partly driving them insane while still acting as a kind of internal bodyguard."
Costume
*
