Venom (Eddie Brock)

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Venom (Eddie Brock)
Venom drawn by Steven Butler.
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Amazing Spider-Man #252 (alien symbiote) Web of Spiderman #18 (behind the scenes) Amazing Spider-Man #299 (partial appearance as Venom) Amazing Spider-Man #300 (full appearance as Venom)
Created by	David Michelinie Todd McFarlane
In story information
Alter ego	Edward Allan [1] Charles "Eddie" Brock
Team affiliations	Sinister Six Daily Globe
Abilities	Alien symbiote grants the host all of Spider-Man's powers as well other superhuman abilities; Superhuman physical attributes Wall-Crawling Organic Webbing Shape-shifting Accelerated Healing factor Immunity to Spider-Man's "spider-sense"

Venom is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by David Michelinie and Todd McFarlane in Web of Spider-Man #18 . Venom is the result of symbiosis between an extraterrestrial symbiote and a human host, Edward "Eddie" Charles Brock; a journalist who held a personal grudge against Spider-Man. After merging with Spider-Man and later being rejected and forceably removed due to the negative influence the alien had on him, the symbiote bonded with Eddie Brock to create Venom, granting Brock a host of superhuman abilities similar to those of the symbiote's previous host. Venom featured prominently throughout the decade following his inception in the 1990s, playing a role in several Spider-Man related events such as Maximum Carnage where he took on the role of an antagonistic ally rather than main villain.

The character has appeared in several Spider-Man related media, such as animated series and video games. Eddie Brock and Venom appeared in the feature film, Spider-Man 3 in which he is played by Topher Grace. Recently, on the Spectacular Spider-man Animated Series, the alien symbiote has bonded with Eddie Brock to form Venom.

[edit] Publication history

Writer David Michelinie and artist Todd McFarlane are generally credited with the character's creation, based on a number of plot ideas and concepts from various other creators, though the degree to which McFarlane should be credited with co-creating the character has been a source of dispute in the comic book industry. Venom's existence was first indicated in Web of Spider-Man #18 (Sept. 1986), when he shoved Peter Parker in front of a subway train without Parker's spider-sense warning him, though only Brock's hand was seen on-panel. (It would later be established that the alien symbiote, having once been grafted to Parker, did not trigger his spider-sense.) The next indication of Venom's existence was in Web of Spider-Man #24 (March 1987), when Parker had climbed out of a high story window to change into Spider-Man, but found a black arm coming through the window and grabbing him, again without being warned by his spider-sense. He then made a partial appearance on the final page of The Amazing Spider-Man #298 (April 1988), in which he was obscured by shadow, before making his first full appearance on the final page of #299 (May 1988).

The Amazing Spider-Man #316. Art by Todd McFarlane.

The question of who created the character of Venom became an issue of contention in 1993 when Michelinie wrote to the comic-book industry magazine Wizard, which had referred to Michelinie in issue #17 as "co-creator" of Venom. In his letter, printed in issue #21 (May 1993), Michelinie wrote that he was the character's sole creator, while saying also he believed that without McFarlane the character would not have attained the popularity it did. Michelinie pointed out that Venom's earliest appearances were in Web of Spider-Man #18 (Sept. 1986), written by Michelinie and drawn by Marc Silvestri; and Web of Spider-Man #24, plotted by Michelinie, scripted by Len Kaminski, and drawn by Del Barras.

The character would remain unseen and inactive until Amazing Spider-Man editor Jim Salicrup required a villain for that book's 300th issue, and Michelinie suggested a villain consisting of the alien symbiote grafted onto the body of a human female. Salicrup accepted the suggestion, but changed the character to a male. Michelinie then devised the Eddie Brock identity. Michelinie contends that the plots for issues #298-299, as well as the visual descriptions of the character, were written and bought by Salicrup before McFarlane was ever assigned to the book.

Writer Peter David corroborated Michelinie’s view in his "But I Digress" column in the June 4, 1993 Comics Buyer's Guide, in which he stated that Michelinie discussed the ideas behind the character with him at the time of its creation. At that time, David was the writer on The Spectacular Spider-Man and wrote the "Sin Eater" storyline from which Eddie Brock’s back story would be derived, well before McFarlane was assigned to the art duties on Amazing. Because artists who design the costumes or appearances of major characters and/or illustrate their first appearances are generally credited as co-creators, Venom represents a complex situation, because the costume from which Venom's appearance is derived was not designed by McFarlane. ^[2]

The Amazing Spider-Man #346. Erik Larsen, who followed McFarlane as artist on Amazing, added Venom's pointy teeth and tongue as well as the green drool to the character's appearance.

Erik Larsen responded to Michelinie's letter with one of his own that was printed in Wizard #23 (July 1993), in which he dismissed Michelinie's contributions to the character, arguing that Michelinie merely "swiped" the preexisting symbiote and its powers to place it on a character whose motivations were poorly conceived, one-dimensional, unbelievable, and clichéd. Larsen also argued that it was McFarlane’s rendition of the character that made it commercial.^[3]

The preexisting elements that dealt with the symbiote costume itself - to which Michelinie did not contribute - have also been noted. For example, editor Jim Shooter came up with the idea of switching Spider-Man to a black-and-white costume, possibly influenced by the intended costume design for the new Spider-Woman. Artists Mike Zeck and Rick Leonardi, as well as others, designed the black-and-white costume. Writer/artist John Byrne asserts on his website that the idea for a costume made of self-healing biological material was one he originated when he was the artist on Iron Fist to explain how that character’s costume was constantly being torn and then apparently repaired by the next issue, explaining that he ended up not using the idea on that title, but that Roger Stern later asked him if he could use the idea for Spider-Man's alien costume. Stern in turn plotted the issue in which the costume first appeared but then left the title. It was writer Tom DeFalco and artist Ron Frenz who had established that the costume was a sentient alien being and also that it was vulnerable to high sonic energy during their run on The Amazing Spider-Man that preceded Michelinie's.^[4] Regardless, Peter David's position is that Michelinie is the sole creator, since the idea of creating a separate character using the alien symbiote was Michelinie’s, as was Eddie Brock's backstory, and that without the idea to create such a character, the character would not have existed.^[5]

In an interview with Tom DeFalco,^[6] Mcfarlane claims that Michelinie did indeed come up with the idea of Venom and the characters basic design ("a big guy in the black costume"). However he contends that it was he (Mcfarlane) who gave Venom his monster-like features. He claims; "I just wanted to make him kooky and creepy, and not just some guy in a black suit."

This dispute arose at a time when artists such as McFarlane and Larsen were enjoying a great deal of popularity and clout with readers, and capitalizing on their popularity by publishing creator-owned books with their new company, Image Comics, and it is possible that this issue was a subtext of the greater debate over the importance of writers versus artists that was being waged in the industry at the time. Prior to McFarlane's departure from Marvel, the company stated that Venom was a creation of McFarlane's, and Michelinie shared credit as co-creator.^{[citation needed]} Regardless of the issues surrounding his creation, Venom was created under a work for hire contract and Marvel owns all rights to the character.

Throughout most of his career in print, Brock's sole motivation for hating Spider-Man was because the webslinger's capture of the villain Sin Eater exposed the man who had previously confessed to Brock to being responsible for the Sin Eater's crimes as a compulsive confessor, thus destroying Brock's credibility and reputation as a journalist. The symbiote was attracted to Brock's hatred. In 2003, writer Paul Jenkins, in the second volume of Spectacular Spider-Man, revealed Brock had cancer and the symbiote was attracted to it because it released adrenaline, which the symbiote fed off of. In the same comic, there were many victims (who were cancer patients) who suffered identical injuries - Venom sucked out their energy from the adrenal gland. The symbiote's feeding of the cancer kept Brock alive and his hatred of Spider-Man stemmed from the fear that Spider-Man would accept the symbiote back, leaving him to be taken by the cancer.

[edit] Fictional character biography

[edit] Early life

As a child, Edward Allan Charles Brock is raised in a Roman Catholic household in San Francisco. His father is cold and unloving towards him because he blames Eddie for his wife's death during childbirth. Eddie constantly attempts to obtain his father's approval, though even after excelling in school, he only receieves half-hearted encouragements. Though exceptional in athletics, Brock switches his major in college to journalism after reading an article on the Watergate scandal. Upon graduating, he moves to New York City and obtains a job at the Daily Globe. He proves himself to be highly talented, though even this does not get his father's approval.^[7] He eventually marries Anne Weying, who is attracted by his wit and gentility.

[edit] Bonding with the symbiote

After being diagnosed with terminal cancer, Brock decides to take his mind off it by burring himself in his work. He investigates the serial killer nicknamed Sin-Eater, and surprisingly finds someone actually confessing to the murders. Once the case is finally closed, it is revealed that the real killer was already caught by Spider-Man, and that Brock had been interviewing a compulsive confessor. Brock is fired from his job in disgrace, and his father practically disowns him. With no decent publishers willing to hire him, he is forced to work for sleazy tabloid magazines. Now with his fear of the cancer growing, Brock resumes his passion for athletics through weight training to reduce stress. Though his body grows to near-Olympic standards, his anger and depression remain, causing Anne to divorce him. With both his professional and personal life shattered, Brock contemplates suicide and goes to a church where he prays to God for forgiveness, unaware the symbiote Spider-Man has discarded is waiting for him.

Attracted by the adrenaline caused by his cancer, the symbiote bonds with Brock, feeding off the cancer and keeping him alive. Brock willingly accepts it due to stopping the cancer and the powers similar to those of Spider-man, though he learns that the symbiote thinks of him as second rate compared to Spider-Man. Brock, knowing that the symbiote could potentially go back to Spider-Man, leaving him to die, becomes determined to torment Spider-man and his family. The symbiote imparts him with the knowledge of Spider-Man's secret identity, and Brock names himself "Venom" in reference to what he is "paid to spew out these days." ^[8]

[edit] Progeny

After being rendered unconscious by Styx, the symbiote is removed, and Brock is incarcerated to await trail.^[9] The symbiote finds Brock, enabling him to escape from jail, though the symbiote reproduces at the same time. The offspring quickly bonds to Brock's cell mate, Cletus Kasady, creating Carnage. Soon after, Venom abducts Spider-Man, and takes him to a remote island where Spider-Man fakes his death. Venom, content with the outcome, resigns himself to life on the island.^[10] Once Spider-Man becomes unable to defeat Carnage, he enlists Venom's help to defeat Carnage and other supervillains.^[11] His willingness to kill the villains causes a deep rift with many of his allies, who only wish to subdue them.

Venom soon makes peace with Spider-Man after Anne is rescused by him, so he moves back to San Francisco, where he acts as the protector of an underground society descended from survivors of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. He is involved in conflicts with corrupt businessmen and a group of mercenaries known as 'Stalkers', who kidnap various members of the society, including two romantic interests of Brock. After rescuing them, Ben Reilly finds Venom, separating the symbiote from Brock after an intense battle. Taken in by the Life Foundation, they forcefully spawn five more symbiotes from Venom, and keep him prisoner. With the help of Spider-Man, he escapes the prison, managing to incapacitate the other symbiotes. After defecting from the foundation, they seek Venom's help to keep from becoming like Carnage, but he refuses to help. Their leader, Scream eventually goes insane and kills the other four, who eventually reform into Hybrid. Scream eventually enters a normal state of mind, and seeks to help Venom.

Brock soon abandons the symbiote, and its telepathically projected grief attracts other members of its species. They create a portal to their home world, allowing them to invade New York and take over its inhabitants. Brock eventually becomes Venom once again, working with Spider-Man to defeat the symbiotes. He manages to create a "psychic scream" designed to incapacitate them, though it ends up killing all of them.

[edit] Venom on Trial

Brock is captured in his sewer hideout and put on trial, with Matt Murdock acting in his defense,^[12] and his symbiote held in check with a chemical inhibitor. Carnage is called as a witness, but he overcomes his own inhibitor and attacks. Venom, Spider-Man, and Daredevil team up and subdue Carnage. However, before the trial can continue, Venom is unexpectedly taken into custody by a secret government organization who offered him amnesty if he joined them as an agent. Though Venom at first relished his new found immunities, he left after being abandoned during a dangerous mission.^[13] This would lead to Eddie Brock being given selective amnesia from a head wound and later being separated from the symbiote, which is presumed killed by the government Overreach Committee^[14].

The symbiote in fact survives and tracks down the amnesiac Brock, turning him into Venom again. Venom then infiltrates Ravencroft prison, slaughters the guards, and temporarily absorbs the Carnage symbiote. He joins the Sinister Six, but turns on the other members after they mock him, crippling Sandman and Electro before making peace with Spider-Man.

Like all prior agreements with Spider-Man, this peace is short-lived, as Venom's hatred for Spider-Man is renewed when Anne Weying, driven over the edge by fear of her husband, committed suicide after seeing Spider-Man in his black suit. Venom loses his chance for revenge when the powerful human/alien hybrid Senator Ward forcefully removes the symbiote from Brock once more.

The Carnage symbiote gives birth to the Toxin symbiote. Carnage attempts to kill the newborn Toxin, but Venom opposes him until he realizes that Toxin's policeman host would not ally with him. Venom calls a truce with Carnage in order to destroy Toxin, who is aided by Spider-Man. Spider-Man and Toxin drive Carnage and Venom away.^[15]

An alien race, secretly operating within the United States government, clones the Venom symbiote. Venom absorbs the clone, gains its knowledge, and decides to carry out the aliens' orders.^[16] Before he does, however, Brock knows that he will die if he does not permanently bond with the symbiote.^[17] The Symbiote rejects Brock, not desiring to be bonded with a diseased body anymore. Ultimately, Spider-Man tricks the symbiote into permanently merging with Brock.^[18]

[edit] Separation

A dying Eddie Brock separated from the Venom symbiote

After bonding once more with the symbiote, Brock has a religious awakening and decides against permanently merging with the symbiote. Brock instead chooses to sell the symbiote to crimelord Don Fortunato, intending to donate the $100 million received to charity before dying.^[19] Angelo Fortunato, the Don's son, became the second Venom for a brief period of time. However, Angelo began killing innocent people in his quest for glory and later proved to be a weak host for the Symbiote, being humiliated in a battle with Spider-Man. The symbiote abandons Angelo mid-leap, and the subsequent fall kills Fortunato. Upon hearing about this, Brock feels responsible and attempts to commit suicide by slitting his wrists, but survives.

The symbiote then becomes attached to Mac Gargan, better known as the Scorpion at the time, and is currently still with him as he is now a member of the Thunderbolts. When Peter Parker unmasks himself publicly as Spider-Man, Brock is among the millions of witnesses. He is shown in the hospital, rapidly succumbing physically to his cancer and experiencing hallucinations of the symbiote, representing his dark side. He spots Mary Jane Watson Parker watching over Aunt May, who has been seriously wounded by a bullet. Brock has no idea what to do, but his dark side then persuades him to order a black suit similar to Peter's and put it on.

Making a decision to go and try to murder Aunt May while she's in a coma, Brock orders a dress-up costume of Spider-Man's black costume and sets out to kill her, first murdering a nurse for getting in his way. At the last minute, however, he has a change of heart, finding he could not murder someone as innocent as Aunt May. Peter enters the room moments later to find Brock sitting on the shattered window, and having slit his own wrists dozens of times to get rid of Venom. He tells Peter that while he's done terrible things, he's not a terrible person, and asks for his forgiveness before jumping out the window. Peter breaks his fall by catching him with two strands of webbing. Awakening chained to his bed, Brock decides to take better control of himself in the short time he has left. He tells his dark side that it's all right if they are together forever, as long as they know that Eddie Brock is in charge.

Brock is reported to return in Amazing Spider-Man #568, which will be his first appearance since One More Day. There is speculation he is Anti-Venom.

[edit] Personality

The Venom symbiote and Eddie Brock bond together up to a certain point. They share many views, but each has their own say as Venom, leading to Venom referring to himself as using "We" instead of singular pronouns. The symbiote, having once bonded with Spider-man, holds a grudge against him. Along with Brock's own personal hatred, Venom is constantly out to kill and torture Spider-man, though he is often able to put this anger aside and form truces with Spider-man. Before Brock's religious re-awakening, Brock shows himself to be prone to extremely violent mood swings whenever separated from his other, showing none of the joviality displayed when fighting as Venom. He often broods over his crimes, expressing a great deal of guilt until once again being rejoined and once again becoming the lethal protector.^[20]

Venom has little interest in wealth, money, or power. He often fights against crime, though in contrast to Spider-man, he is fine with murdering the criminals. He finds this method much more efficient than Spider-man's method of justice. Venom makes little effort of hiding the obvious glee he experiences in terrifying and butchering those he considers guilty. Though, he sometimes is inconsistent, with the human side of Venom feeling saddened by his actions. Though he likes to stop the perpetrators, he is much more concerned about protecting the victims of crime. This has been used against him, as some of his opponents know he will let them escape in order to rescue an innocent civilian.

Brock's father didn't provide him with the affection he desired, so he is totally devoted to his wife Anne, even after their divorce. He tries to rekindle their relationship up until her suicide, which leaves him devastated. At one point, he tries to start a new relationship, but cuts it off because it is "too dangerous" to romantically commit himself. Upon his entry into hospital life, Brock becomes depressed while trying to fend off his murderous side. After murdering a nurse and almost attacking Peter Parker's aunt, he becomes overwhelmed by remorse and he is able to take control.

[edit] Powers and abilities

Main article: Symbiote (comics)

The symbiote provides Eddie Brock with various abilities similar to Spider-man, its former host, including superhuman strength, agility, and reflexes, webbing creation, and the ability to adhere to walls. It does not inherit the "Spider-sense", but it does allow him to bypass Spider-man's own senses. Due to Eddie Brock's muscular physique and natural physical strength from weight-training, his strength as Venom is superior to Spider-man's, though he lacks Spider-man's speed and reflexes. Venom's webbing is very similar to that of Spider-man, albeit from the back of the host's hand instead of the wrist. The webbing is created from the symbiote itself, so it is much stronger. This also creates an upper limit for the webbing, as overuse can slightly weaken the symbiote. It can also create tentacles and tendrils to grab enemies as well as webbing.

Venom's body is highly resistant to physical injury, and it can help its host survive in hostile environments by filtering air. It can also heal any injury or illness Brock suffers much more quickly than human medical care. The symbiote is very susceptible to high-pitched sonic frequencies and fire. The Venom symbiote contains a small 'dimensional aperture', allowing Brock to carry items without adding mass to the costume, and it is able to transform to mimic any human or become camouflaged with its surroundings. The symbiote shares all of its knowledge with Brock, and projects its own desires into his mind. It is also capable of psychically detecting its offspring; however, this ability can be blocked.

[edit] Other versions

Main article: Venom (comics)

Within the What If comic series, Venom is killed by the Punisher in the What If? The Punisher Kills the Marvel Universe. In the What If? Spider-Man Had Kept His Cosmic Powers story, Venom is easily beaten by Spider-man with his Captain Universe powers, and is forced to surrender to him. Venom later focuses on becoming a hero, his new arch-enemy becoming the Hobgoblin, who had his face accidentally turned into replica's of Peter Parker's face by Spider-man. The symbiote eventually loses its attraction to Spider-Man, telling Eddie Brock that Spider-man "wasn't the same man anymore." In Marvel Zombies series, Brock and Venom are easily killed by the zombie Spider-man.

[edit] Ultimate Venom

Ultimate Venom in as he appears in the end of the Venom story arc; Eddie Brock, Jr. having bonded with 'The Suit'. Art by Mark Bagley.

In Ultimate Spider-Man, Eddie Brock Jr. is Peter Parker's closest childhood friend. The Venom symbiote is a genetically-engineered protoplasmic "suit" designed by Peter's and Eddie's fathers as a medical tool to help cure cancer. Both scientists are killed, so Eddie continues the research. After Peter accidentally bonds with a sample, he is almost driven to murder, so he destroys it. Eddie is furious after learning of Peter's actions, so he also bonds with a sample. It manages to take over Eddie, transforming him into the large, strong, power-hungry, symbiotic monster known as Venom. He attacks Peter at his school, but eventually leaves after being electrocuted. He returns in Ultimates 3, attacking the Ultimates at their mansion looking for an unknown female. He is eventually repelled by the group.

In the Ultimate Spider-Man video game, which was intended to be canon^[21], the suit causes Eddie great pain. To alieve this pain, he consumes humans to sustain his life. He eventually learns that Peter Parker still has particles of the suit in his blood that want to rejoin with the main suit, causing Venom great pain and Peter's overloaded Spider-Sense. He eventually absorbs the particles, which completes the suit, relieving him of his pain and causing the suit to develop the white spider symbol on his chest. He then murders Bolivar Trask as revenge for his parents’ demise.

His powers are similar to the mainstream Venom's, excepting that this Venom is not immune to Spider-Man's "spider sense." He does, however, overload it, incapacitating Spider-Man. He also lacks chameleonic powers and psychic abilities. He also lacks the weaknesses to fire and sonics; instead he bears a weakness to electricity. In the video game, he is able to absorb the life force of humans in order to sustain his own.

[edit] In other media

[edit] Television

Venom appears in several of the Spider-man cartoon series. In Spider-Man: The Animated Series, Eddie Brock, voiced by Hank Azaria, joins with the symbiote and attempts to torment Spider-Man. Venom eventually helps Spider-Man and Iron Man defeat Dormammu, but ends up being sucked into a portal, as he saves a woman from Carnage. In the later series, Spider-Man Unlimited, Venom is voiced by Brian Drummond. He and Carnage attempt to conquer Counter-Earth with an invasion of symbiotes. Eddie Brock appears The Spectacular Spider-Man, voiced by Ben Diskin. He is a close friend of Peter, who is greatly interested in science. He begins to develop a hatred for Peter and Spider-man over time, and eventually becomes Venom and learns that Peter is Spider-man.

[edit] Film

Venom lunges at Spider-Man.

Venom's first appearance in a motion picture was originally planned for a titular film written by David S. Goyer and produced by New Line Cinema, in which Venom would have been portrayed as an anti-hero, and Carnage as the antagonist. Goyer said in an interview the film rights to Venom ultimately reverted to Sony.^[22] Producer and former Marvel Comics executive Avi Arad said in an interview that he plans to produce a Venom movie, although it is currently unknown if Topher Grace will reprise his role.^[23] Marvel is moving forward with the film, and the studio has met with several "A list" writers about it.^[24] Venom later appears in the 2007 feature film Spider-Man 3, played by Topher Grace. Eddie Brock Jr. is humiliated by Peter Parker after he reveals that Eddie sold Peter's photos as his own. After being fired, he travels to a church to pray for revenge. At the same time, Peter removes the symbiote from himself, and it bonds with Eddie. He attempts to take revenge with his new powers, but he and the symbiote are eventually caught in an explosion.

[edit] Video games

Venom is a playable character and boss character in a number of video games. He is a main character in Spider-Man and Venom: Maximum Carnage and Spider-Man and Venom: Separation Anxiety. Ultimate Venom is a main character in Ultimate Spider-Man. He is one of the playable characters in Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes, Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes,Marvel Nemesis: Rise of the Imperfects,and Marvel: Ultimate Alliance

[edit] References