Venom’s Son Is Marvel’s Best Symbiote – Yes, Better Than Venom Himself

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There are so many symbiotes in the Marvel Universe, and many people often say that Venom is the coolest of them all. But honestly, the rarely-talked-about child of Venom, Sleeper, might just be a bit cooler. While Venom is certainly iconic, Sleeper has a lot of unique abilities that would make him a great main character if Marvel would give him the chance.

When it comes to symbiotes in the Marvel Universe, it’s hard to name one more popular or influential than Venom. The Venom symbiote was the first symbiote seen in the Marvel Universe and nearly all popular symbiotes are derived from it. For example, Carnage is Venom’s offspring.

The Venom symbiote has had several offspring – seven, to be exact – and it’s a real shame that none of them have managed to reach the popularity of Carnage. There are a lot of cool symbiotes in the pages of Marvel Comics, with Sleeper being by far one of the most interesting.

Sleeper Has Everything He Needs to Be a Main Character

Venom #165 by Mike Costa, Mark Bagley, Scott Hanna, Dono Sanchez-Almara, and Clayton Cowles

Sleeper made its first appearance in Venom #165 by Mike Costa and Mark Bagley, and then was properly named in Venom: First Host #4 by Costa and Bagley again. When a symbiote is born, it needs a host, and that host will almost always define what the symbiote becomes. For example, the Carnage symbiote was born from Venom and might not have turned into the monster it is without having been bonded to Cletus Kasady, one of the worst serial killers in comic book history.

Likewise, Sleeper very nearly bonded to a villain as well, as the first suitable host he found was Mac Gargan. Worried that bonding with a villain at such a young age would have adverse side effects on it, Eddie Brock managed to separate the two and left Sleeper in the care of Alchemax, insisting that Sleeper only be studied in a non-invasive manner. This is where the thing that truly makes Sleeper unique was first discovered. It’s not unusual for symbiotes to have an affinity for certain skills, such as Carnage and his blades, and Sleeper also has a major unique ability.

Unlike Venom, Sleeper Has Chemokinetic Abilities

An Ability No Other Symbiote Has

One of the most fascinating things about Sleeper is that it controls most forms of chemicals and is even capable of secreting pheromones that grant it a host of advantages. While most symbiotes have camouflage, Sleeper’s is on another level, as it can use camouflage in addition to its pheromones to become completely invisible to both sight and scent. Not only that, but its control over pheromones is so strong that it can even be used as low-level telepathy, allowing it to inject its thoughts into other people’s minds, allowing it to communicate discreetly.

Sleeper is also capable of secreting corrosive chemicals and can even create chemicals to simulate rocket propulsion, allowing it to travel through space unaided. These powers are really unlike those of any other symbiote, and they open the door for Sleeper to have a bunch of different adventures. While the Venom symbiote has been to space, space travel has always required it to use a ship or a host that could travel through space. Meanwhile, Sleeper can just travel through space naturally, even without a host.

Venom has always been an iconic symbiote, but it’s really hard to argue with the fact that Venom can’t really do anything. Venom was the first symbiote shown in Marvel, and as such, it became the baseline for what symbiotes can do. Venom can shapeshift, camouflage, and Venom can even redirect electricity. But other than that, the iconic symbiote doesn’t have any unique powers. Carnage has demonstrated the ability to eat people and absorb their powers, recreate human matter, and control people like puppets. Venom can do none of this.

Most of Sleeper’s Marvel Comics Relatives Have Gotten Spin-Offs

So Why Not Sleeper Himself?

It seems that every time the Venom symbiote gives birth, the offspring gains a host of abilities that Venom itself doesn’t have. This is why it would work so well for Sleeper to have its own spin-off comic, as it certainly has both the powers and the motivation to carry the book. Sleeper is often portrayed as an arrogant and confident being who also has a great desire to help others. Combine that with its ability to traverse space freely and its unique abilities, and it’s a wonder that Marvel hasn’t signed off on a cosmic adventure for one of the most interesting symbiotes around.

Almost all of Sleeper’s relatives have gotten spin-offs of their own. Toxin got his very own comic, Carnage has gotten many comics, and Dylan Brock, Sleeper’s technical brother, was the star of his own comic as well. It seems odd that Marvel hasn’t decided to give Sleeper more attention when just about every other symbiote has gotten the chance to stand on its own. Sleeper is even going through an iconic Agent Venom phase with Sleeper Agent, an offshoot of Sleeper who is bonded with Rick Jones. There are really endless directions that Marvel could take this symbiote.

But for whatever reason, Marvel has been content to simply have Sleeper appear as a supporting character in the stories of other symbiotes. Sleeper has been a great friend to Dylan Brock and has interacted with him more than perhaps any other symbiote, barring Venom. When Carnage was on the loose and gathering codexes for the return of Knull, it was Sleeper who came to Dylan’s aid and helped defend him. When Dylan was kidnapped by the Life Foundation, it was once again Sleeper who came to the rescue, always playing the hero in someone else’s story but never in his own.

Sleeper Even Has a Marketable and Adorable Form That Rivals Jeff the Land Shark’s Cuteness

No One Would Ever Suspect Sleeper in This Form

When Sleeper is not bonded to a host, which is most of the time, it instead takes the form of a really cute cat. While it’s confusing exactly who Sleeper thinks it is fooling with a multi-eyed black and yellow striped cat form, it’s still no less adorable. It also perfectly fits with the time Venom used to take the form of a pitbull while protecting Dylan Brock. But if cats aren’t to people’s liking, which has never been the case, Sleeper also has an incredibly cool wolf form that he took on in Venom #19 by Donny Cates and Iban Coello.

Overall, it makes sense that Marvel can’t give every symbiote a solo book, considering there are just so many. But the publisher has certainly given a lot of symbiotes their own books, and Sleeper deserves his own. He has more than enough unique abilities to make for an interesting main character, and his personality is compelling enough to get him into plenty of trouble. A mixture of genuinely wanting to be a hero and being incredibly arrogant and overconfident is always a great mix for conflict. That’s why, as iconic as Venom is, Sleeper deserves to be in the spotlight more right now.

Venom #165 is available now from Marvel Comics!

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