Anti-Venom Makes Surprise Return to Marvel Continuity, As a New Era Begins for Marvel's Symbiote Characters

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Anti-Venom

Warning! Spoilers for Venom War #4!Eddie Brock has had many different identities over the years, but he's most popularly known as Venom. But for a time in Marvel's comics, Eddie wasn't Venom - he was Anti-Venom. Now, that identity has returned just in time to help save New York City from a nearly unstoppable threat.

New York City has been overrun by terrifying Zombiotes, dead symbiotes that are merging with either dead bodies or living people. The zombiotes have already managed to take over several heroes and villains. They're a massive threat, yet Eddie Brock defeats them easily with the return of an old identity in Venom War #4 by Al Ewing and Iban Coello.

Eddie Brock Becomes Anti-Venom Once More

Seeing the zombiotes running wild in New York, Eddie Brock uses his King in Black powers to pull Anti-Venom from Flash Thompson, taking the powers for himself and becoming Anti-Venom once again. Combining his Anti-Venom and King in Black powers, Eddie is able to "touch" all zombiotes with Anti-Venom, instantly destroying them and saving the day.

Eddie Brock Briefly Transforms into Anti-Venom, One of His Most Powerful Forms

Venom War #4 by Al Ewing, Iban Coello, Frank D'Armata, and Ariana Maher

Eddie has a long and complicated history with symbiotes. During a period when Eddie was suffering from cancer and wasn't bonded with the Venom symbiote, he decided to work at F.E.A.S.T., helping others before he eventually died. While there, he was touched by Martin Lee, who most fans know as Mr. Negative. Using his healing touch, Martin Lee not only destroys the cancer in Eddie's body but also causes the lingering parts of the Venom symbiote in his body to bond with his white blood cells, creating a brand-new symbiote known as Anti-Venom.

With a simple touch, Anti-Venom can burn the influence of any symbiote it comes across.

This Anti-Venom form was one of Eddie's best as he sported a color-inversed Venom design. Not only did it look cool, it was also deadly to any other symbiote. With a simple touch, Anti-Venom can burn the influence of any symbiote it comes across. Combined with Eddie Brock's King in Black powers, Eddie Brock is capable of forcing any symbiote he has control over to come into contact with Anti-Venom, completely obliterating them in the process. Unfortunately, Eddie was quickly forced out of this Anti-Venom form by Carnage, making this return short-lived.

Anti-Venom's Return Is Unfortunately Short-Lived in Current Marvel Lore

Eddie Brock Will Likely Take on a Different, Darker Identity in Coming Stories

Unfortunately, Eddie Brock wasn't able to remain as Anti-Venom for long - likely because it would make solving the intense Venom War conflict far too easy. As Eddie Brock fights over his right to the Venom identity, it was nice to see another of his identities return, even if only for a little bit. While Venom War continues to push Eddie and his family to the limit, fans will just have to tune in to see if Eddie Brock will ultimately return to his Venom identity or if he'll be taking on a different identity in the future.

Venom War #4 is available now from Marvel Comics!

Venom

Venom is a symbiotic alien entity bonded with various human hosts, notably Eddie Brock and later Flash Thompson. It grants superhuman strength, agility, and a shape-shifting black costume. Initially a Spider-Man villain due to its origins, Venom evolved into an antihero, battling both villains and his own dark impulses. The character embodies themes of duality and redemption within the Marvel Universe.

First Appearance The Amazing Spider-Man

Alias Eddie Brock

RELATIONSHIPS Eddie Brock (primary host and ally), Peter Parker/Spider-Man (initial enemy, later uneasy ally), Anne Weying (former wife of Eddie Brock and occasional host), Cletus Kasady/Carnage (offspring of the Venom symbiote and a deadly enemy)

Alliance Vigilante

Race Klyntar (Symbiote species)

Video Games The Amazing Spider-Man 2 , Spider-Man: The Video Game , Ultimate Spider-Man , Spider-Man: Web of Shadows

POWERS Superhuman strength, speed, agility, and endurance, Ability to cling to surfaces, Shape-shifting abilities (forming weapons, shields), Regeneration and healing factor, Immunity to Spider-Man's spider-sense, Enhanced senses, Able to produce webbing, Bonding with a host to share or amplify powers, Immunity to all Earthly diseases

HISTORY The Venom symbiote is an alien organism that first bonded with Peter Parker (Spider-Man) during the "Secret Wars" storyline. After Parker rejected the symbiote, it found a new host in Eddie Brock, a disgraced journalist. The symbiote and Brock bonded over their mutual hatred for Spider-Man, becoming the anti-hero known as Venom. Over time, Venom has evolved from a villain to an anti-hero, often fighting alongside other heroes to protect innocents, though his methods remain brutal.

NAME Venom (Symbiote), Eddie Brock (most prominent host)

Age Ancient

Height Around 6'3" (190 cm) when bonded with Eddie Brock

Comic Books Venom #1 , Marvel's Venom: Lethal Protector #1 , Venom: Lethal Protector II #1 , Venom: Space Knight #13 , Venomized #1 , King in Black #1

Summary

When a sentient alien symbiote merges with Eddie Brock, the result is the supervillain Venom, a classic and fan-favorite addition to Spider-Man's rogues gallery. Though Brock is not the only human that the Venom symbiote has bonded with, he is the most well-known and popular, in part due to his appearances in the Spider-Man as well as standalone films. Since his introduction, Venom has gone from villain to antihero, facing down the serial killer Cletus Kasady and his symbiote, Carnage.

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