10 Best Venom Designs, Ranked

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Every fan has their own favorite version of Venom, whether they read Venom’s first appearance in Amazing Spider-Man #300, fell in love with the character as a kid watching the ’90s Spider-Man animated series, or encountered the hulking monstrosity as the main Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 antagonist. Venom and the symbiote have taken many forms since their debut, and certain character designs stand above the rest.

Through movies, comics, TV series and video games, Venom has worn many skins, bringing a larger-than-life presence to Spider-Man comics. As a villain, anti-hero, and the star of his own book, Venom and its many hosts, from Eddie Brock to Flash Thompson, have certainly shown a skilled eye for fashion.

10

Tom Hardy’s Venom Lacks The Iconic Emblem

Sony’s Venom

The live-action Venom from the recent Sony Pictures films may be the most recognizable Venom to general audiences, but his design is also quite bland and leaves much to be desired, especially when compared to almost any other Venom.

Sony jumped through many hoops to bring this version of Venom to life, navigating clauses in their agreement with Marvel Studios and Disney. This Venom would not battle Tom Holland’s Spider-Man and, therefore, wore a symbiote design without his iconic white spider emblem. The alternative was white veins across Venom’s skin, but the lack of an emblem was noticeable, bringing the overall design down.

9

Gold Looks Good On Venom

All-New Venom

Who is the new Venom in Marvel Comics? Is it Dylan Brock, Eddie Brock’s son? It could be Luke Cage or even Robbie Robertson from the Daily Bugle. Regardless of who wears the symbiote, the All-New Venom title offers a slick redesign, favoring the blue symbiote many loved from Venom’s appearances in the original Marvel vs Capcom games with yellow highlights instead of white.

The All-New Venom shares many characteristics with its original counterpart, albeit with yellow eyes and a yellow emblem instead of white. This Venom is still large and imposing, though some readers may miss the black-and-white color scheme.

8

The First Live-Action Venom

Spider-Man 3

The first live-acton Venom who debuted in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 3 was certainly unconventional in nearly every sense. Topher Grace’s Eddie Brock was less of a bully and more of an annoying coworker. The Venom symbiote was an unexplained alien goo that fell in a single meteor, and Venom’s design was not smooth with a giant white emblem, but something born from the redesigned black suit that Spider-Man himself wore.

The departure from the comic look may be seen as a negative, but it was actually a great choice. It helped distinguish Spider-Man 3‘s Venom from comic versions and added those subtle webbing patterns many fans love from the Tobey Maguire Spider-Man suits.

7

Scorpion Bonds With The Symbiote

Venom (Mac Gargan)

Norman Osborn became more than a Spider-Man villain when he took over S.H.I.E.L.D. and started the Dark Avengers during the “Dark Reign” era. He became the Iron Patriot, standing in for Iron Man. Mac Gargan, previously known as the Scorpion, bonded with the Venom symbiote to become the new black-suited Spider-Man.

Many aspects of Gargan’s Venom match Brock’s that came before. However, the Scorpion/Venom was often depicted as a monstrosity, with detailed musculature and smaller, demonic eyes embedded in the iconic white Venom eyes that act more like large eye sockets for this design.

6

The Iconic Venom Of The 1990s

Spider-Man: The Animated Series

So many modern comic readers grew up watching Spider-Man: The Animated Series. Many of their first introductions to characters came in this series, and the three-part “Alien Costume” story arc perfectly introduced the symbiote and Venom.

Like many Spider-Man: The Animated Series designs, Venom is simple yet distinct from his comic counterpart. The animated venom has white eyes, but one small design change makes his eyes look more predatory and snake-like. The animated Venom suit also has blue and red highlights, possibly foreshadowing the Carnage offspring in the third season.

5

Flash Thompson Makes Venom A Hero

Agent Venom

No one would have ever expected the Venom symbiote to bond with Flash Thompson, but Marvel Comics surprised everyone with the reveal of Agent Venom. After serving in the military, Flash bonded with the symbiote––only temporarily––to avoid succumbing to the symbiote’s influence.

As Agent Venom, Flash became a hero and ultimately positively influenced the Venom symbiote, erasing its more corrupted nature. The Agent Venom design is the perfect amalgamation of Venom and modern warfare, with an armored bodysuit, large shoulder pads and white-rimmed eyes that look like goggles. Agent Venom beats many other traditional Venom designs for its creativity and in-world creation.

4

Venom Grows Wings In The “King In Black” Era

Venom Vol. 4

2018 revolutionized the symbiote lore and changed the Marvel Universe forever. Venom’s fourth comic volume debuted, and Eddie Brcok was back in the symbiote. Ryan Stegman was the lead penciler of the series, and he created a very traditional yet memorable Venom design.

At first glance, the Venom (vol. 4) symbiote looks very similar to Todd McFarlane’s classic Venom design… until it grows wings. Venom (vol. 4) helped launch the “King in Black” story arc and introduced Knull, god of the symbiotes, which completely changed the symbiote lore. They were no longer mindless aliens but an alien force with an agenda and a leader with ties to characters like Gorr and Thor.

3

The Birth Of Venom

Original Todd McFarlane

Todd McFarlane and David Michelinie created Venom ahead of his first full appearance in Amazing Spider-Man #300. The centennial issue is one of the best Spider-Man comics of all time and reads like a horror comic as Peter and Mary Jane cower at Venom’s might and terror.

The original Venom design was fairly simple––taking the black-suited Spider-Man design, bulking it up, adding sinister eyes and a wide grin full of sharp teeth. This Venom clung to the shadows and struck like a shark seeking blood. MacFarlane’s cover art featuring Venom remains some of the best Spider-Man covers ever.

2

The Perfected Venom In Marvel Comics

Erik Larsen’s Venom

Not long after Venom’s comic debut, Todd McFarlane left the series and Erik Larsen became the lead illustrator for Amazing Spider-Man. Larsen is best known for his work on story arcs like “Revenge of the Sinister Six” and “Venom Returns,” where fans first saw his slightly modified Venom design.

Larsen’s art is incredibly detailed, adding so much character and personality to faces. Hence, it’s understandable why he adjusted the Venom design, adding a long, slithery tongue, like a reptile, dripping in green slime, and adjusting Venom’s eyes to look more demonic. This Venom was even more terrifying than the original and felt like a beast hunting its prey (a.k.a. Spider-Man).

1

Venom Battles Both Peter Parker & Miles Morales

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

The Venom design in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 represents all the great versions of Venom that came before, smashed into one character model. Insomniac’s Venom is huge, as large and menacing as the Hulk. The spider emblem on his chest resembles the Venom emblem from Spider-Man: Web of Shadows (fitting, considering Spider-Man 2‘s third act heavily resembles that entire game).

Venom also has large teeth, angular eyes, and a large, reptilian tongue that reminds players of McFarlane and Larsen’s Venoms. Spider-Man 2‘s Venom can also sprout wings, just like Stegman’s. All the best visual aspects of the character rolled into one, Spider-Man 2 houses the best Venom design across Marvel media.

“}]] Fans have seen quite a few different versions and designs for Venom and its various hosts over the years, both in the comics and in adapted media.  Read More