Venom Characters in the Comics!

Spider-Man Black was Spider-Man upgraded with alien powers from his symbiote suit that he thought was working with him.  It was introduced in Amazing Spider-Man #252 (1984), entitled “Homecoming” by the way, by Tom DeFalco, Roger Stern, and Ron Frenz.   which took place after the Secret Wars limited series.  Peter Parker discovered the symbiote chronologically in Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #8 (1984) by Jim Shooter and Mike Zeck.  He takes it as a costume upgrade from a machine on the Beyonder’s Battleworld.  The entity took super heroes and villains there to fight and test them.  Eddie Brock played by Tom Hardy in the Venom movie and Topher Grace in Spider-Man 3 (2007) was a reporter at the Daily Bugle.  

He tries to find a serial killer named Sin Eater, but accuses the wrong person while Spider-Man swings in to take the actual killer.  Brock was introduced in Web of Spider-Man #18 (1986) from the team of David Michelinie and Marc Silvestri.  It was during Todd McFarlane’s re-energizing of Spider-Man that we got Venom. Reed Richards discovered the nature of the black costume, that it was parasitic and conscious, also that it was weakened by sonic attacks.  Spider-Man was able to remove it by clanging church bells.  The Venom symbiote escaped, it was revealed in Venom Super Special #1 (1995) by David Michelinie with art by Kyle Hotz, that they call themselves the Klyntar.  This was part of the “Planet of the Symbiotes” event that ran through different Spider-Man titles.  Peter discovers opening the door of his house Eddie Brock now known as Venom in Amazing Spider-Man #299 and then in full with #300 (1988).  This was from writer, David Michelinie, with art by Todd McFarlane.  

Eddie Brock already built himself up to take on Spider-Man enhanced by the symbiote, he was stronger than Spider-Man, had more powerful webbing, and since the symbiotic attached to Peter, it nullified his Spider Sense!  The ultimate Spider-Man super villain!  Still, Spider-Man was able to take on Venom.  He was imprisoned in The Vault and then Ryker’s Island Prison where the symbiote creates a spawn that bonds with serial killer Celtus Kasady to become Carnage.  The Venom film also features Ann Weying played by Michelle Williams.  She first appeared in Amazing Spider-Man #375 (1993) by David Michelinie and Mark Bagley.  Ann is the ex-wife of Eddie Brock, they seem to be starting their relationship in the movie, and is able to end the feud between Venom and Spider-Man.  The symbiote attaches to Ann to save her life in Venom: Sinner Takes All #2 and then becomes She-Venom in issue #3 (1995).  

The character played by Riz Ahmed, Carlton Drake, was introduced in Amazing Spider-Man #298 (1988) also by the team of David Michelinie and Todd McFarlane.  He runs the Life Foundation which we see in the movie is in San Francisco.  The Venom: Lethal Protector (1993) limited series had Venom move to San Francisco.  It written by David Michelinie with art by Mark Bagley, Ron Lim, and Sam DeLarosa. How the Life Foundation was able to find the symbiote is a mystery.  We see that Drake is exposing people to the symbiote and that Eddie may have been corrupted by accident.  We also know in the comic that Drake intends to have the Venom symbiote spawn more children.  One of them, Trevor Cole, becomes Riot.  He first appeared in Venom: Lethal Protector #4 (1993) with art by Ron Lim. The actor who plays Trevor Cole is unknown, but it is possibly Woody Harrelson.  The film is directed by Ruben Fleischer who directed the horror comedy Zombieland (2009).  The screenplay is by a writing team including Will Beall, Kelly Marcel,  Jeff Pinkner, and Scott Rosenberg.  Venom corrupts theaters on October 5th!   

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