Venom is a fictional character from Marvel Comics, created by writer David Michelinie and artist Todd McFarlane. The character first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #300 in 1988. Venom is an alien symbiote that first attaches to Spider-Man before merging with Eddie Brock, a disgraced journalist seeking revenge on the wall-crawler.
As Venom, Brock gains immense strength and agility, as well as the ability to create webs and mimic Spider-Man's abilities. However, the symbiote also affects his mental state, driving him to seek vengeance against those he perceives as wronging him.
Over time, Venom has become an anti-hero, sometimes working with Spider-Man and other heroes to combat greater threats. Venom has also been featured in his own solo series and has become a popular character in the Marvel Universe.
In addition to Eddie Brock, the Venom symbiote has also attached to other hosts, including Flash Thompson, who served as Venom during his time as a soldier in the Iraq War, and most recently, Eddie Brock's son, Dylan.
