Superman's Venom Form Officially Revealed in Marvel/DC Crossover

In a historic first that's been decades in the making, Superman just became the new host of Marvel's Venom symbiote. The latest crossover between Marvel and DC sees Superman and Spider-Man's villains unite to take them down.

Marvel/DC: Spider-Man/Superman #1 follows the heroes' recent crossover in (the confusingly named) DC/Marvel: Superman/Spider-Man #1. Like the first installment, the comic includes a bunch of back-up stories, with Wonder Woman allying with Jane Foster's Thor, and Miles Morales meeting Superman for the first time.

However, the headline story sees Lex Luthor and Norman Osborn launch an all-out assault on Spidey and Supes, bringing together all their greatest villains - including Venom.

Superman Is Venom's Latest Host

In Marvel/DC: Spider-Man/Superman #1's first story 'Our Kryptonite' - from Brad Meltzer, Pepe Larraz, Matthew Wilson and Clayton Cowles - Spider-Man and Superman are trapped underground as Luthor and Osborn bombard them, attacking Superman with a Kryptonite-packed Goblin Bomb.

Once the Man of Steel is weakened, the Venom symbiote attacks, strengthened by the dark science of Superman and Spider-Man's nemeses. Superman bursts from the ground as an ichor-covered symbiote, his logo merging with Venom's own spidery design.

Superman's cloak is transformed into symbiote goo and his hands become claws, however he retains a far more human form than most symbiote hosts. Because Superman is so badly weakened, Venom is the one in charge, using his strength and speed to try and kill Spider-Man, who barely stays alive thanks to his Spider-Sense and enhanced agility.

Thankfully, Superman's willpower allows him to fight back, first using his heat vision to weaken Venom, then using a sonic clap to dispel the symbiote. The heroes partner up against their villains, saving the day. It's an awesome victory - and one fans have wanted for decades...

Venom and Superman's History Explained

This May Be the First Time They Merged, But It's Not the First Time They Met

This might be the first time that Superman has been host to Venom, but it's not the first time they've met. Their first encounter took place in 1996's DC/Marvel: All Access (from Ron Marz, Jackson Guice, Josef Rubinstein, Lee Loughridge and Bill Oakley.)

In that story, the Marvel and DC Universe were merged together, and the Man of Steel took on the Lethal Protector. At the height of Venom's popularity, the two were depicted as a surprisingly equal match, with Venom blinding Superman with webbing and landing some solid hits.

While Venom ultimately lost this clash, it wasn't because Superman won out. Instead, Spider-Man and Access (a reality-hopping hero owned simultaneously by Marvel and DC, with the mission of preventing their worlds from permanently combining) appeared with a sonic weapon that saved the Man of Steel.

That makes Superman's victory over Venom in Marvel/DC: Spider-Man/Superman #1 particularly significant, as he wins this match-up after thirty long years - a clash which few fans would claim should ever have been close in the first place.

Superman and Venom Combining Justifies Marvel and DC's New Crossovers

While fans were elated to learn that Marvel and DC would once again be publishing crossover stories in comics like Spider-Man/Superman and Batman/Deadpool, it's moments like this that really justify the choice.

Fans don't just want to see Marvel and DC characters together - they want to see the lore of these massive universes combine and clash in ways that are only possible in an official crossover. Superman combining with the Venom symbiote is exactly that - a unique experience for the Man of Steel that can only take place in the unique circumstances of this crossover.

Marvel/DC: Spider-Man/Superman #1 is available now from Marvel Comics.