Iconic Spider-Man Villain Is Officially Marvel's New Venom

Published Jul 29, 2026, 3:30 PM EDT Nicolas Ayala is a Senior Writer for the Comics team at ScreenRant, with over five years of experience writing about Superhero media, action movies, and TV shows. Sign in to your ScreenRant account Marvel transfers the Venom symbiote to a famous Spider-Man villain who had never had the chance to bond to the black goo. Although Peter Parker permanently established its connection to Spider-Man's mythology, Eddie Brock is, and almost certainly always will be, Venom's definitive host. The Venom identity truly took shape only after the symbiote bonded with Eddie, and their shared resentment toward Spider-Man transformed Venom into one of Marvel's most recognizable characters. Throughout the decades, Eddie and the symbiote have evolved together through countless reinventions, from lethal antihero to cosmic protector and more recently, separate but closely connected individuals following Eddie's departure from the symbiote. Venom has nevertheless developed a rich host history. Peter Parker wore the symbiote first during the original Secret Wars before Eddie Brock transformed it into Venom. Years later, Mac Gargan carried the symbiote during the Dark Reign era as Norman Osborn's brutal enforcer, and Flash Thompson reinvented the mantle as Agent Venom. More recently, Mary Jane Watson briefly became Venom's principal host in Earth-616, opening an entirely new chapter in the character's history. Beyond these primary hosts, the symbiote has bonded with dozens of notable Marvel characters across the multiverse, including Deadpool, Cosmic Ghost Rider, Hulk, Doctor Strange, Groot, Ms. Marvel, and Godzilla himself. As Venom and Eddie Brock reunite on Earth-616, Marvel reveals a new version of the symbiote, who chooses a different Spider-Man enemy to bond to. Kraven The Hunter Is Marvel's New Venom What If...? Spider-Man #1; Written By J.M. DeMatteis; Art By Yildiray Cinar & Alex Sinclair What If...? Spider-Man #1 "What If Kraven Survived His 'Last Hunt'?" presents a timeline where Peter Parker comes out of the events of Kraven's Last Hunt with severe psychological side effects, while Sergei Kravinoff chooses to continue his path as a Spider-Man impostor. While Kraven enjoys a successful career as a brutal Spider-Man, defeating multiple classic Spidey rogues, regret starts to weigh down on him. Most importantly, Kraven's black suit happens to be the real symbiote this time around, and Kraven redeems himself by ingesting special herbs that kill it before it can take over Peter Parker and weaponize his own psyche against him, dying a hero. What If...? Spider-Man #1's version of Venom sports red eyes and a red symbol, with sharper tendrils than his traditional counterpart. Marvel's 2026 What If...? Spider-Man is perhaps one of the closest What If...? stories in relation to its original story. Kraven's change of heart, Peter Parker's PTSD, and Venom's presence flip the outcome of Kraven's Last Hunt, all of which makes Kraven's final decision seem like something the villain would actually do in regular Marvel Comics canon. Instead of ending his life's journey as a villain after successfully hunting Spider-Man, Sergei Kravinoff would live long enough to realize that he would be an effective Spider-Man, gaining a final chance to go out as a selfless hero and directly giving back Peter Parker his mantle. Kraven The Hunter Is A Top Five Spider-Man Villain Kraven's Last Hunt Shouldn't Be Sergei Kravinoff's Only Major Storyline Kraven's reputation still rests disproportionately on a single masterpiece published nearly forty years ago. Kraven's Last Hunt earned its legendary status due to its detailed exploration of Sergei Kravinoff's obsession with proving himself superior to Spider-Man and its unforgettable conclusion, but it also established a benchmark that few later stories have seriously attempted to match. Kraven has everything he needs to be just as influential as Doctor Octopus, Venom, and even the Green Goblin. His hatred of Spider-Man is intensely personal, and his reliance on human skill gives every confrontation a grounded intensity that contrasts with the supernatural or goofy powers of Spider-Man's other villains. After Kraven's Last Hunt, Sergei spent a significant portion of the following decades dead. Then, although stories like Grim Hunt and Hunted have reinforced his importance, none has elevated him into the centerpiece of a prolonged comic era or a major crossover comparable to Doctor Octopus' Superior Spider-Man, Venom's transformation into one of Marvel's flagship heroes, or Green Goblin's recurring role in Spider-Man's gallery of foes. What If...? Spider-Man #1's alternate take on Kraven's Last Hunt serves as a reminder of how flexible Kraven can be, as he can be a twisted villain, a troubled anti-hero, and an ultimately selfless hero What If...? Spider-Man #1 is now available from Marvel Comics Created By Stan Lee, Steve Ditko First Appearance Amazing Fantasy Alias Peter Parker, Ben Reilly, Otto Octavius, Yu Komori, Kaine Parker, Pavitr Prabhakar, William Braddock, Miles Morales, Kurt Wagner Alliance Avengers, Fantastic Four, X-Men, Secret Defenders, Future Foundation, Heroes for Hire, Mighty Avengers, New Avengers, Web-Warriors Race Human Franchise Marvel, Spider-Man Spider-Man is the name given to several individuals who have employed a spider-moniker throughout Marvel Comics. Typically gaining their powers through a bite from a radioactive spider, the different Spider-Man heroes employ super-strength, agility, and intellect while utilizing webbing to swing and tangle up their foes. The most notable of these Spider-Men is Peter Parker, who remains one of the most popular superheroes throughout the world. Created By David Michelinie, Todd McFarlane First Appearance The Amazing Spider-Man Alias Eddie Brock Alliance Vigilante Race Klyntar (Symbiote species) Franchise Marvel, Spider-Man, Venom Venom is a symbiotic alien entity bonded with various human hosts, notably Eddie Brock and later Flash Thompson. It grants superhuman strength, agility, and a shape-shifting black costume. Initially a Spider-Man villain due to its origins, Venom evolved into an antihero, battling both villains and his own dark impulses. The character embodies themes of duality and redemption within the Marvel Universe.