Venom is now a very popular character due to the Tom Hardy-starring Sony films. Almost everyone knows that Eddie Brock and the symbiote are known collectively as Venom. However, if you don’t read comic books, then you may not know that there have been numerous Venom hosts. Eddie Brock was not even the first Venom host. Peter Parker was not the first Venom host. Here is a list of the seven most important Venom hosts.
1. Eddie Brock
Eddie Brock was the first Venom host – until he wasn’t anymore. Recently a whole new mythos about the Venom symbiotes was introduced in the comic books. The history of Venom was rewritten. So, Brock is now far from being the first Venom host.
However, he is probably the one of the most important human hosts. Brock and the symbiote fully bond together as one organism, as Venom, in a way the symbiote never did with Peter Parker.
In Venom By Donny Cates Vol. 1: Rex, Venom develops an infection. They slowly learn about their true celestial origins and undergo a shocking transformation that updates the Venom mythos in Marvel Comics. Buy the 144-page paperback for $16.73 at Amazon now.
2. Tel-Kar
Tel-Kar was the first human-like alien host for Venom in a long line of Venom hosts. So, Tel-Kar was a Kree soldier who bonds with the symbiote as a weapon to fight the Skrulls. If you don’t know Marvel Comics, the Kree and the Skrulls, alien shapeshifters, are feuding aliens. The Kree are the same race that developed technology that gave Carol Danvers, Captain Marvel, her powers.
After Tel-Kar loses his life due to the Kree-Skrull War, the symbiote bonds with an unknown alien and makes its way to Battleworld. Canonically speaking, these events occur around 1984.
Buy Venom: First Host, a 112-page paperback, for $19.51 at Amazon now.
3. Peter Parker
Speaking of Battle world, Marvel Superheroes Secret Wars was a 12-issue series in 1984 that took place on that alien world. The Beyonder, an omnipotent celestial God, transports Earth’s heroes and villains to Battleworld to fight.
In issue #8, Spider-Man sits down at a machine to repair his costume. A blob of black, alien goo sticks to him and becomes his new costume. The symbiote, who bonded with Tel-Kar previously, is now bonding to Peter.
Marvel Superheroes Secret Wars Omnibus is a 490-page collection of the series and other tie-in issues. Get it on Kindle now for $24.99. Now that RDJ has become Doom, the series is a collector’s item – the hardcover of this omnibus currently sells for $430!
4. Black Widow
Black Widow Natasha Romanoff recently became one of the newest Venom hosts. During a mission in a pharmaceutical warehouse Natasha became bound to a symbiote known as Silver. Natasha and Silver went on several missions, but after exposure to Anti-Venom, an experimental symbiote that repels traditional Venom symbiotes, the bond was broken.
Black Widow & Hawkeye: Broken Arrow is a 136-page paperback. It collects all four issues of the series and features two classic Iron Man stories showcasing the communist-era origins of Black Widow. Buy it for $14.45 now at Amazon.
5. Flash Thompson
Eugene “Flash” Thompson was the high school bully and later friend of Peter Parker. Unaware that Parker and Spider-Man were one and the same for a long time, Flash would bully Peter and publicly idolize Spider-Man. Flash became a soldier but lost his legs during a mission. He later became a volunteer in a secret government Venom experiment.
The American government had samples of the Venom symbiote for a long time. Soldiers would bond to the symbiote and go on secret missions. Flash would grow functional legs after bonding with the symbiote and become Agent Venom.
Venom Modern Era Epic Collection: Agent Venom collects the first 16 issues of the 2011 series and several tie-in issues. Buy the 496-page paperback for $26.99 now at Amazon.
6. Cletus Kasady (Carnage)
Cletus Kasady is a serial killer without a conscience. Soon, Cletus finds himself sharing a jail cell with Eddie Brock. Brock bonds with his symbiote and breaks out. Venom leaves behind a segment, an offspring symbiote, that bonds with Kasady. It turns Kasady into Carnage.
Absolute Carnage is a wildly popular event from 2020. Kasaday comes from back from the dead and wants to collect the energy of every person who has ever been a venom host. So as Carnage, he sets out to kill all Venom hosts from the past and present.
The 880-page hardcover costs $149.99 on Amazon. Or, you can get the Kindle version for $39.99.
7. Mary Jane Watson
Eddie Brock’s son, Dylan, was Venom for a while. However, the current All-New Venom, who now sports a gold spider logo on his body, has Mary Jane Watson as a host. Marvel spoiled the secret online, and fans were in an uproar. We’ll see if this odd choice for a Venom host is successful in the future.
All-New Venom: Who Is All-New Venom? is a 232-page paperback that collects the first 10 issues of the series. Pre-order it now for $29.99 at Amazon.
Most Important Venom Hosts
The Venom mythology is always expanding in Marvel Comics. Depending on who you ask, Deadpool might have had a bond with the symbiote before Peter Parker. The mythology about the Venom symbiote is no longer tied to Eddie Brock or Peter Parker.
Anyone can be Venom now. Whether or not that is a good thing is up to you. However, comic stories about Venom will never be boring from now on.
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