Spider-Man is one of my favorite superheroes, and I've been a fan since I was a kid. But there's another character in the Spider-Man universe that's just as cool: Venom. He has an amazing backstory, and he's always played an important role in Spidey's life. So if you're curious about this seemingly evil symbiote, read on!
Venom Comics - The History of the Lethal Protector
The History of Venom Comics
Venom was created by David Michelinie and Todd McFarlane, who both served as writers for Marvel Comics. Venom made his first appearance in Amazing Spider-Man #300 (May 1988). He was one of many characters who were based on the work of Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. The character was an antagonist to Spider-Man, but he later evolved into an antihero. Venom became one of the most popular villains in comics history and has been featured in several films since his debut appearance on screen in 2007's Spider-Man 3.
Cates' Venom Comics Run
Cates' run on Venom was a huge success, even being called the most successful run on Venom ever. What made it so popular? In my opinion, it's because of the emotional depth that he brought to the character. The story begins with Eddie Brock as an ex-convict who just wants to go back home, but is unable to do so because of his own self-doubt and paranoia. As he travels through space on his way back home, he meets two other characters who have their own issues: Anne Weying, who has been turned into She-Venom by her husband; and Lee Price—a government agent who has lost both his arms in battle but has been given cybernetic replacements from Roxxon Oil—and together these three must try and stop a new threat known only as "the Life Foundation."
Explore the History of Venom in Comics
So, who is Venom? Well, he's a guy—or rather, it's a symbiote. A parasitic alien life form that bonds with its host in a way that gives them incredible powers and abilities. Unlike most superheroes who would fight against an enemy like this and try to contain it or destroy it, Spider-Man chooses to embrace his new power and use it for good.
Though the symbiote's first appearance was actually in Marvel Super Special #15: The Alien Costume Saga in 1984 (written by David Michelinie with art by Todd McFarlane), most people associate Venom with how he was portrayed in Spider-Man 3 (and later as part of The Amazing Spider-Man 2). In both movies, Venom became friends with Peter Parker and worked alongside him as a crimefighting duo against bigger threats—but eventually things took a turn for the worse when both men discovered that they couldn't control their dark sides when they wore their respective costumes together.
All Venom Comics
If you don’t know where to start with Venom Comics, we’ve got you covered.
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The best way to get started with Venom Comics is by reading the comics in Marvel Unlimited or Comixology. These platforms have a huge selection of Venom Comics available for free and can be accessed from any device using an internet connection.
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If you have a comic book store near you, they will likely carry some sort of Venom merchandise and comics for sale as well! Check out their website for more information on what they offer.
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You might also want to consider purchasing your favorite issues in print form if they aren't already available digitally through one of our partners above (like Marvel Unlimited). This is especially helpful if there are important details that need highlighting while reading - like notes written in the margins which only exist in printed versions!
Early Marvel Adventures With Venom
Venom first appeared in Amazing Spider-Man #300, but it wasn't until five years later that he was paired with Eddie Brock. The two were created by David Michelinie and Todd McFarlane.
Venom is the result of a symbiote attaching itself to Eddie Brock. The alien costume gave him superhuman strength, allowed him to regenerate health quickly and even acted as his costume (it would only come out when Venom put on his mask). It also gave him some dark powers such as super jumping abilities, webbing production and using others as hosts for its spawn.
Eddie Brock was an investigative reporter who went undercover at a science facility where they attempted to create artificial life from cellular samples from the Venom alien symbiote that had been left behind after being defeated by Spider-Man during the events of Secret Wars II. After being exposed to some chemicals during this time period, Eddie became bonded with the symbiote costume and became Venom himself!
Venom's First Movie Appearance
Venom first appeared in Spider-Man 3, but he wasn't exactly the villain we expected. In fact, he was just a minor character who really wasn't the main villain of the movie at all. A lot of people didn't even know who Venom was before going into that movie, so when it came out and Venom was revealed to be kind of lame and not very threatening, fans were disappointed. If you watch Spider-Man 3 again today and see how Topher Grace plays his role as Eddie Brock/Venom—he's kind of awkward (and not in a cool way).
The Modern Take on Venom, Movies, and Comics
So, what are you waiting for? If you’re not a comic book aficionado, now is the time to start reading. Just remember to make sure that any comics you read have been approved by a teacher or other adult before checking them out from the library!
Venom has a long history in comics and movies that you should explore.
Venom has been around in comics since the '90s, when Marvel Comics introduced him as an enemy of Spider-Man. In that time, Venom has starred in many comics and movies. These include Lethal Protector by David Michelinie and Mark Bagley (1993), Planet of the Symbiots by David Michelinie, Mike Zeck and Todd McFarlane (1994), Amazing Spider-Man #300 by David Michelinie and Ron Frenz (1992), Venom: Dark Origin by Zeb Wells and Clayton Crain (2009) and Venom/Carnage: Family Feud by Zeb Wells, Patrick Olliffe and Clayton Crain (2010).
Venom also appeared on screen for the first time in Spider-Man 3 (2007) where he was played by Topher Grace as Eddie Brock, who bonded with a symbiote that transformed him into Venom. A sequel to this film was planned but never released due to poor critical reception from fans who felt that it didn't do justice to either character's story arcs from their respective comics
Conclusion
If you're looking to start reading Venom comics, there are plenty of places you can start. We recommend starting with the first volume of "Venom: Lethal Protector" and reading all the way through "Planet of Symbiotes." If you want more information on the character's history before Marvel Studios' recent Bryan Singer movie hit theaters, then check out some classic runs like "The Death of Captain America."