[[{“value”:”
Symbiotes are one of the most varied and interesting-looking characters born from Spider-Man lore, which is why it’s so disappointing that Marvel has seemingly forgotten one of the coolest-looking symbiotes that Spider-Man has ever seen. While every symbiote has a unique design that makes them stand out, Toxin had a design that truly made him look out of this world.
A symbiote is usually just a formless goop of varying colors. They don’t really get a unique form until they merge with a host. Then, depending on the host and which symbiote it is, that’s where the real interesting designs come out. When Peter Parker wore the Venom symbiote, it was just a regular black suit – but Toxin’s look seriously stands out.
When Eddie Brock bonded with the exact same symbiote as Peter, he became a hulking monster with razor-sharp teeth and an iconic tongue. This variance in design is true of all symbiotes, including Toxin, a character that Marvel needs to bring back sooner rather than later.
First Appearance: Venom vs. Carnage #2 by Peter Milligan, Clayton Crain, and Cory Petit
Symbiotes reproduce asexually, and when it’s time for them to reproduce, they just do it. They don’t really have a say in the matter. That was the case when the Carnage symbiote gave birth to an offspring, which bonded to Patrick Mulligan, a New York City cop. Because of Patrick’s status as a police officer, both Venom and Carnage realized that he was more likely to use his powers for good instead of evil, and they attempted to preemptively kill him before he could become a problem for them. This didn’t work out though, as Patrick, surprisingly, defeated both of them.
Related
Venom Did It First: Spider-Man’s Best Costume Ripped Off His Symbiote Foe
Marvel introduced Spider-Man’s best suits in the web-slinging heroes’ “last stand,” but in a twist, Peter Parker actually stole the look from Venom.
After that, Patrick abandoned his wife and newborn child, worried that he couldn’t control the symbiote and that he would put them in danger. He then set out into the world as he tried to learn how to control this new being he had bonded with. This led him on several adventures, such as helping Spider-Man and the Avengers recapture escaped convicts from the Raft, as seen in Toxin #1 by Peter Milligan and Darick Robertson. While Patrick wanted to be a hero, his run was cut short, as Patrick was murdered by the demon Blackheart. While the symbiote lived on, it never looked as cool as it did with Patrickas its host.
Toxin Was the Only Symbiote That Actually Looked Alien
That’s What Made Him So Visually Cool
When Spider-Man took on the Venom symbiote and gained his iconic black suit, it immediately mimicked Spider-Man’s original costume. While that’s great for the actual narrative, it didn’t really look alien. The symbiotes are an alien race, but often their designs seem to be anything but. Carnage in recent years has very clearly taken on a much more demonic appearance, with him even sporting devil-like horns. Even Venom doesn’t look all that alien these days, mostly just appearing as a muscular and dark-looking character – but not alien by any means, which is truly unfortunate.
It’s honestly an amazing design, and it demonstrated just how alien and foreign the symbiote designs could really look.
Toxin’s original design was killer because he truly looked like an alien. He had a mouth that unhinged at an impossible angle; his body was large and lithe; and he seemed to be constantly dripping blood due to the form his tendrils took around his chest. It’s honestly an amazing design, and it demonstrated just how alien and foreign the symbiote designs could really look. Venom, Carnage, and even Anti-Venom all look roughly the same. But Toxin immediately stands out and looks like something that should be hunting a crew aboard an abandoned spacecraft.
Spider-Man’s Symbiotes Just Aren’t as Alien-Looking Anymore
They Need an Extra-Terrestrial Look
Maybe because Carnage and Venom have spent so much time on Earth with so many different human hosts, they’ve simply lost their original alien looks. Maybe they’re so used to playing roles, like Carnage practically being a demon, that they’ve taken on looks to suit their roles. Whatever the reason, there’s no denying that symbiotes just don’t look as alien as they used to. Their designs aren’t nearly as horrifying or strange to look at. But that’s where Toxin’s design always excelled. He truly looks like something that does not belong on Earth.
Related
Marvel’s New Carnage Is Now a Hero But In the Darkest Way Possible: “Kill Someone”
Eddie Brock’s new team-up with Carnage sets the unlikely symbiotic duo on a heroic new mission – but Carnage still gets to let its violent ways loose.
Symbiotes are certainly still scary, as they’re capable of dealing an unbelievable amount of damage and death, and it’s always worrying when someone like Carnage shows up. But over the decades, they’ve definitely lost that alien fear factor. Even a major story like King in Black was more about an Eldritch God arriving on Earth than it was about the legion of symbiotes that he commanded. If Marvel ever decides to bring Toxin back into Spider-Man’s continuity, maybe that could be the beginning of symbiotes actually looking like aliens again.
Venom vs Carnage #2 and Toxin #1 are both available now from Marvel Comics!
“}]] Marvel needs to bring back this symbiote look. Read More