10 Most Underrated Venom Characters Marvel Fans Really Need to Know

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Within the last few years alone, Marvel has introduced dozens of new symbiotes into the Venom franchise. While symbiotes like Venom and Carnage are by far the franchise’s most popular characters, there are far more symbiotes that deserve more attention than they get from Marvel fans. These living globs of alien goop aren’t just powerful, they’re more entertaining than anyone gives them credit for.

When Venom first debuted as Peter Parker’s mysterious alien costume in Amazing Spider-Man #252 (1984) – by Randy Schueller, Jim Shooter, and Mike Zeck – he had yet to develop any personality of his own, until he later bonded with Eddie Brock and the two officially became “Venom.” Now, Marvel’s catalog of symbiotes has grown considerably from Venom’s vast family to extra-dimensional variants, as major events continue to pump up the franchise alongside series like Venomverse. But among Marvel’s rich collection, these ten underrated Venom characters need some serious love.

10

Sleeper

Debuted: Venom: First Host #4 (2019) by Mike Costa and Mark Bagley

Sleeper is the second-to-last of Venom’s natural spawns and is by far the most unique and diversely powerful of all Venom’s children, only second to Dylan Brock. Sleeper can produce a wide variety of bio-chemicals, ranging from acids to pheromones, which he can then emit in a gaseous or liquid form. These chemokinetic powers allow Sleeper to manipulate the minds and emotions of his prey alongside his gruesomely corrosive attacks.

What makes Sleeper especially unique is that, despite his young age, he is one of the few symbiotes who can exist in a humanoid form without a host. In addition to his ability to create remote-piloted offshoots, Sleeper truly is Marvel’s most tactical symbiote. Currently, Sleeper is bonded to Rick Jones and has secretly transformed the forever sidekick into Venom’s perfect “Sleeper” agent. Thankfully, All-New Venom may actually give Sleeper the attention he deserves.

9

Tyrannosaurus

Debuted: Venom #1 (2018) by Donny Cates and Ryan Stegman

During the bloody terror of the American/Vietnam War, the US government extracted multiple offshoots from the frozen body of the symbiote dragon Grendel. One of these forced spawns was bonded to a soldier named Rex Strickland, and together, the two became the Tyrannosaurus. Tyrannosaurus initially proved difficult to control as the creature’s mind warped under Knull’s control. However, Wolverine’s and Rex’s noble natures helped inspire the symbiote to do good.

Following Rex’s death, Tyrannosaurus continued on, masquerading as his former host. This symbiote not only possesses the ability to assume a humanoid form but can fully adopt the features of its previous hosts as its own. Tyrannosaurus also ranks among an even smaller group of symbiotes who are resistant to the symbiotes’ psychosomatic weaknesses to extreme heat and sonic waves. It may not be the most powerful symbiote, but it is certainly one of Marvel’s most durable.

8

Toxin

Debuted: Venom Vs. Carnage #2 (2004) by Peter Milligan and Clayton Crain

As Carnage’s first spawn, Toxin is a relatively well-known symbiote among the franchise’s fans, but that doesn’t seem to be the case with Marvel. Toxin is the 1000th in his genetic line, which, according to the Venom franchise’s lore, means he should be the strongest of them all. Yet, Toxin has done nothing so far to prove that’s the case. However, the character itself shouldn’t be judged for this fault.

Practically speaking, any of the amazing feats that Venom or Carnage have pulled off, Toxin should be able to do with ease. Much like the Hulk, the more furious the Toxin symbiote becomes, the stronger it grows. Likewise, the size of his poisonous claws and fangs increase alongside his anger. Like its father, Toxin is highly resistant to heat and sonic waves, making him one of the franchise’s most durable symbiotes yet.

7

Flexo

Debuted: Mystic Comics #1 (1940) by Will Harr and Jack Binder

Flexo is a particularly unique symbiote in that when it debuted, it wasn’t considered a symbiote at all. During World War II, a meteor crash-landed on Earth with a semi-organic material inside that was dubbed “living rubber.” The brothers who discovered the symbiote constructed a cute yet incredibly dorky-looking robot for the alien to possess. Flexo has rarely shown a personality of its own, often simply doing what humans order it to.

After the symbiotic robot was deployed into action during World War II, its brutalistic natural tendencies began to show. However, these actions would force Flexo to be placed in stasis until its return during the Venom War. Aside from the traditional mix of symbiote abilities, Flexo often unleashes a specialized move where it violently rotates its body at maximum speed, eviscerating anybody nearby with its secretly obscured claws and fangs.

6

Void Knight

Debuted: Silver Surfer: Black #2 (2019) by Donny Cates and Tradd Moore

Void Knight is one of the King in Black Knull’s first prototypes for what would become the modern symbiotes. This terrifyingly monstrous creature’s demonic form strikes fear upon first glance, and its unwavering dedication to Knull’s mission only cemented what its appearance had already confirmed. While the proto-symbiote didn’t have much time in the comics, it was strong enough to successfully and forcibly bond with the Silver Sufer, transforming the cosmic hero into one of Knull’s greatest weapons.

However, a desperate plea from the Silver Surfer summoned Ego the Living Planet, who promptly unleashed an incinerating beam upon the blackened Surfer, immolating the proto-symbiote and freeing the hero. Despite its relatively short time in the comics, that doesn’t mean there aren’t other Void Knights that Knull released to further his plans. Knull has even claimed that Void Knight was one of his favorite creations, even if its lifespan was cut short.

5

Big Mother

Debuted: Captain Marvel #20 (2001) by Peter David and ChrisCross

While symbiotes like Carnage may come close, there is no symbiote more terrifying than Big Mother. When Knull successfully forged his first true symbiotes, the dark god released a multitude of symbiote dragons across the universe to further his infernal conquest. Among the many dragons, the one that would be later known as Big Mother landed on 6th century Earth where it unleashed a terror unlike anything humanity had seen before.

Because the dragon ranks among Knull’s first creations and because it was born from the eldritch god’s blood, the symbiote, also known as “Grendel’s Mother,” is one of the most powerful of its kind, rivaling the likes of both Venom and Carnage. In addition to the standard symbiote dragon powers, Big Mother possesses a great degree of magical aptitude, which it often uses to manifest an all-encompassing flame breath, incinerating all who come near.

4

Silence

Debuted: Extreme Carnage: Lasher #1 (2021) by Clay McLeod Chapman, Chris Mooneyham, and Danilo Beyruth

After the death of the Scream symbiote, one of Venom’s forced Life Foundation spawns, its host Andi Benton, alongside Alchemax, revitalized remnants of the symbiote and fused it with the Anti-Venom serum to create an ultimate weapon against Carnage’s dark takeover. Like Anti-Venom, Silence has the power to “purify” symbiotes by disconnecting them from the Hive-Mind and, therefore, disconnecting them from any sinister influences, such as Knull or Meridius, that the Hive may present.

However, unlike Flash Thompson’s Anti-Venom symbiotes, Silence still possesses a mind of her own. In addition to the Anti-Venom powers, Silence has retained Scream’s trichokinetic powers, allowing her to control her “hair” in a similar fashion to the Inhuman’s Medussa. Neither Silence nor Andi have been seen since the Extreme Carnage event, meaning that Marvel still has an opportunity to bring back the eerily silent character with the same brand of purifying terror she showed off against the Carnage-possessed Phage symbiote.

3

Serpent

Debuted: Thor #28 (2022) by Al Ewing and Slavador Larroca

Frankly, every day Marvel doesn’t resurrect this symbiote for a Venom or Thor storyline, it’s missing a golden opportunity. Serpent is an especially unique symbiote spawned from an offshoot of the temporally displaced Bedlam symbiotes. The infant living void was fused with a dark-natured mythical metal from Limbo known as Promethium, which greatly increased the symbiote’s dark-void characteristics. Likewise, the symbiote became charged with mystical energies that would exponentially grow once it found its first host.

In the wake of a disastrous battle between Thor and Bedlam’s Child, the Serpent symbiote slithered between the cracks of Asgard until it reached the roots of Yggdrasil, where Thor’s previous mortal avatar, Donald Blake, is currently imprisoned. Previously, the avatar rebelled against Asgard but was ultimately defeated and sentenced by Loki to endure a serpent’s acid dripping in his eyes for eternity. The infant symbiote then mixed with the venom and Yggdrasil’s incredible magic before bonding with Donald Blake. However, the symbiote has yet to be seen since.

2

Venom Bloom

Debuted: Extreme Venomverse #4 (2023) by Peach Momoko

Admittedly, this multiversal offshoot is a bit of an honorable mention, but it’s far too amazing to be left off this list. Venom Bloom is a Venom variant from writer and artist Peach Momoko’s various feudal Japan-themed universes. When this universe’s Venom Oni discarded a piece of itself onto a flower, the spawn slowly infested itself into the ground, spreading to other nearby plants. An unfortunate, wandering fairy found itself too close to the symbiote’s maw and was soon consumed by the infant spawn.

Now imbued with mythical new powers, the spawn assumed a humanoid form covered in beautiful yet sickly-looking flowers. The symbiote went on a monstrous rampage, slaughtering as many fairies as it could. However, this plant-based creature didn’t stop in the forest. After dispersing itself into the sky, Venom Bloom interspersed itself into the clouds, where it successfully rained a slurry of black sludge onto a nearby town, leaving all to be transformed into hideous, parasitic monsters.

1

Plague

Debuted In: King in Black: Planet of the Symbiotes #1 (2021) by Frank Tieri and Danilo Beyruth

Plague is by far Marvel’s most unknown modern symbiote, but it’s entirely unfair to the character. Long before Cletus Kasady and the Carnage symbiote waged a bloody war against the world to summon the dark god Knull, his ancestor Cortland was easily Knull’s most devoted mortal servant. When Knull arrived on Earth, he revived Cortalnd and bestowed upon his follower the Plague symbiote.

Seemingly, Plague is one of Knull’s direct creations, meaning it could very well be one of the eldritch god’s most innately powerful minions. Admittedly, while the symbiote hasn’t had much time to show its full powers, it is the only symbiote with the power to teleport. Following Knull’s invasion, Plague and Clayton teleported away from the fray and have yet to be seen again. However, this type of evil is never too far away.

“}]] These symbiotes deserve more recognition.  Read More