View source for Symbiote (comics)

{{Short description|Fictional race in Marvel Comics}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2020}}
{{Infobox comics species
<!--Wikipedia:WikiProject Comics-->
|species = Klyntar<br />{{small|Symbiotes}}
|image = Venom vs. carnage.jpg
|imagesize = <!-- default 250 -->
|caption = Two most enduring symbiotic characters, [[Venom (character)|Venom]] (below) and its offspring [[Carnage (character)|Carnage]] (above), battling each other in the textless cover of ''[[Venom vs. Carnage]]'' #1 (July 2004). Art by [[Clayton Crain]]
|publisher = [[Marvel Comics]]
|debut = ''Black Costume'', ''[[The Amazing Spider-Man]]'' #252, ''[[The Spectacular Spider-Man]]'' #90, and ''[[Marvel Team-Up]]'' #141 ''Symbiote'', ''[[The Amazing Spider-Man]]'' #258
|debutmo = May
|debutyr = 1984
|creators = [[Roger Stern]], [[Tom DeFalco]], [[Mike Zeck]], [[David Michelinie]]
|deities = [[Knull]]
|homeworld = [[Gorr the God Butcher|Gorr]]'s unnamed planet; later moved to Klyntar
|members = See [[#List of symbiotes|List of symbiotes]]
|powers = Symbiosis with a host provides superhuman strength, speed, agility, and endurance; gains characteristics of host; amplifies original powers and traits of hosts (like sight, hearing, smell, strength)
|subcat = Marvel universe
|altcat    = Marvel Comics alien species
|sortkey = Symbiote
|et = y
}}
The '''Klyntar''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|k|l|ɪ|n|t|ɑr}}), [[Colloquialism|colloquially]] and more commonly referred to as '''[[Symbiosis|symbiotes]]''', are a fictional [[species]] of [[extraterrestrial life|extraterrestrial]] [[Parasitism|parasitic]] [[Outline of life forms|life forms]] appearing in [[American comic book]]s published by [[Marvel Comics]], most commonly in association with [[Spider-Man]]. The symbiotes, as their alternative name suggest, form a [[Symbiosis|symbiotic]] bond with their [[Host (biology)|hosts]], through which a single entity is created. They are able to alter their hosts' personalities and/or memories, often influencing their darkest desires, along with amplifying their physical and emotional traits and personality and thereby granting them super-human abilities. The symbiotes are also weakened when in range of extreme sounds or sonic frequencies. There are more than 40 known symbiotes in the [[Marvel Universe]].

The first and most well-known symbiote is [[Venom (character)|Venom]], who originally attached itself to Spider-Man during the 1984 ''[[Secret Wars]]'' miniseries. After Spider-Man rejected it upon discovering its alien, parasitic nature, the symbiote bonded with his rival, [[Eddie Brock]], with whom it first became Venom, but still possessed the powers of Spider-Man. The character has since endured as one of Spider-Man's [[archenemy|archenemies]], though he has also been occasionally depicted as an [[antihero]]. Other characters have later merged with the Venom symbiote, including the villain [[Mac Gargan]], and [[Flash Thompson]], who became the superhero [[Agent Venom]]. Other well-known symbiotes are [[Carnage (character)|Carnage]], an offspring of Venom who, when merged with its most infamous host, [[Cletus Kasady]], has served as an enemy of both Spider-Man and Venom; and [[Anti-Venom]], which originated when the Venom symbiote re-merged with Brock after being separated from him for a long time, gaining a new white appearance and additional powers as a result of [[Mister Negative|Martin Li]] using his powers on Brock to cure his cancer.

Since their conception, the symbiotes have appeared in various media adaptations, including films, television series, and video games. Venom has been the most featured one, appearing in the 2007 film ''[[Spider-Man 3]]'', and as the titular protagonist of the 2018 film ''[[Venom (2018 film)|Venom]]''. Carnage also made its cinematic debut in the film ''[[Venom: Let There Be Carnage]]'' (2021). Additional symbiotes were debuted in the 2024 film ''[[Venom: The Last Dance]]''.

==Publication history==
The first appearance of a symbiote occurs in ''[[The Amazing Spider-Man]]'' #252, ''[[The Spectacular Spider-Man]]'' #90, and ''[[Marvel Team-Up]]'' #141 (released concurrently in May 1984), in which [[Spider-Man]] brings one home to Earth after the [[Secret Wars]] (''Secret Wars'' #8, which was months later, details his first encounter with it). The concept was created by a Marvel Comics reader;<ref>{{cite news|url=http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2007/05/16/randy-schuellers-brush-with-comic-history/ |title=Comic Book Urban Legends Revealed Extra: Randy Schueller's Brush With Comic History &#124; Comics Should Be Good! |newspaper=Comics Should be Good @ CBR | publisher=ComicBookResources.com |date=16 May 2007|access-date=2010-04-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190521201414/https://www.cbr.com/comic-book-urban-legends-revealed-extra-randy-schuellers-brush-with-comic-history/|archive-date=21 May 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> the publisher purchased the idea for $220. The original design was then modified by [[Mike Zeck]], at which point it became the Venom symbiote. The concept would be explored and used throughout multiple storylines, spin-off comics, and derivative projects.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://m.ign.com/articles/2019/03/01/the-impact-of-venoms-grand-new-origin|title=The Impact of Venom's Grand New Origin|publisher=[[IGN]]|date=2 March 2019|access-date=2019-03-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190306111820/https://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/01/the-impact-of-venoms-grand-new-origin|archive-date=6 March 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Depiction==
===Fictional history===
[[File:Secret Wars 8.jpg|thumb|150px|right|The cover of ''[[Secret Wars]]'' #8, which details [[Spider-Man]]'s first encounter with the black costume. Pencil art by Mike Zeck.]]

Symbiotes were originally created by an ancient malevolent primordial deity named [[Knull]]. When the [[Celestials]] began their vast plan to evolve the universe, Knull, seeing that his "Kingdom" was being touched, retaliated by constructing All-Black, the first symbiote, and subsequently cut off a Celestial's head. The other Celestials then banished Knull, along with the severed Celestial head, deeper into space. After that, he started using the head's cosmic energies as a forge for the symbiotes, which is how they developed the weaknesses to [[sound]] and fire. The head would later become interdimensional crossroads and laboratory [[Knowhere]].<ref>{{cite tweet|number=1022604840051109888|user=Doncates|title=Yep! The severed celestial head in VENOM #4 would someday erode and decay and become Knowhere! Good catch!<!-- full text of tweet that Twitter returned to the bot (excluding links) added by TweetCiteBot. This may be better truncated or may need expanding (TW limits responses to 140 characters) or case changes. --> |access-date= 27 July 2018|date= 26 July 2018 }}</ref> Knull then embarked on a campaign of genocide against the other gods.<ref name=Ve4>{{Cite comic|writer = Donny Cates |penciller = [[Ryan Stegman]]|inker = JP Mayer|colorist = Frank Martin|letterer = VC's Clayton Cowles|editor = Devin Lewis|title = Venom|story = Rex|volume = 4|issue = #4|date = 25 July 2018|publisher = Marvel Comics|location = United States}}</ref> During a battling with the gods, he crashed on a desolate planet where All-Black left him and went to [[Gorr the God Butcher|Gorr]], drawn to his murderous hate, who tried to kill Knull.<ref>{{Cite comic|writer = [[Jason Aaron]] |penciller = [[Esad Ribic]]|Inker = Tom Palmer|Colorist = Ive Svorcina|Letterer = VC's Joe Sabino|title = Thor: God of Thunder|volume = 1|issue = #6|date = June 2013 |publisher = Marvel Comics |location = United States}}</ref> Knull later reawakened <!--FROM WHAT? --> and created an army of symbiotes, which he used to conquer planets and destroy entire civilizations, establishing the Symbiote Imperium in the process. <!--WHAT'S THAT? --> However, when a dragon-like creature journeyed to the medieval Earth, [[Thor (Marvel Comics)|Thor]] defeated it and destroyed the connection between Knull and the symbiotes. Subsequently, the symbiote hive-mind began to explore notions of honor and nobility as they bonded to benevolent hosts. The symbiotes subsequently rebelled against their god, imprisoning him at the heart of an artificial planet in the [[Andromeda Galaxy]] they called Klyntar, from which they derived the name of their species. Ashamed of their dark past, the symbiotes desired to spread and maintain peace throughout the Cosmos by seeking out worthy hosts from various species to create an organization of noble warriors.<ref name=Ve4/> However, these [[Altruism|altruistic]] goals were imperfect, as the Klyntar symbiotes could be corrupted by hosts with harmful chemical imbalances or problematic personality traits, turning them into destructive parasites that would spread lies and disinformation about their own kind to make other peoples fear and hate the Klyntar species as a whole.<ref>{{Cite comic|writer = [[Brian Michael Bendis]]|penciller = Valerio Schiti|inker = Valerio Schiti|title = Guardians of the Galaxy|volume = 3|issue = 23|date = 21 January 2015|publisher = Marvel Comics|location = United States}}</ref>

The corrupted Klyntar became more widespread than their benevolent counterparts, establishing a spacefaring culture dedicated to infecting and overtaking whole planets and reestablishing the Imperium. These symbiotes forced their hosts to perform death-defying feats to feed off of the resulting surges of [[hormone]]s, like [[adrenaline]] and [[phenethylamine]]. These [[Host (biology)|host]]s would die quickly, either because of the wear from constant stress and exertion or as a result of the inherent danger of the stunts performed.<ref>{{Cite comic|writer = David Michelinie|penciller = Kyle Hotz|title = Venom Super Special|issue = #1|date = 1 August 1995|publisher = Marvel Comics|location = New York City}}</ref>

At some point it was believed that a symbiote-run planet was devoured by [[Galactus]]. Due to their hive-mind's memory, all symbiotes now loathe both Galactus and his former herald, the [[Silver Surfer]].<ref>{{Cite comic|writer = [[Tom DeFalco]]|penciller = Joe Bennett|inker = Bud LaRosa|story = Savage Rebirth!/The Carnage Cosmic|title = The Amazing Spider-Man|volume = 1|issue = #430-431|date = 1998 January–February|publisher = Marvel Comics|location = United States}}</ref><ref>''Silver Surfer: Black'' #2</ref> ZZZXX, a symbiote with a predilection for eating brains, was also captured by the [[Shi'ar]], and imprisoned and studied for years until it was released and employed as a Praetorian Guard by [[Vulcan (Marvel Comics)|Gabriel Summers]].<ref>{{Cite comic|writer = [[Christopher Yost]]|penciller = Dustin Weaver|inker = Victor Olazaba and Jaime Mendoza|title = X-Men: Kingbreaker|volume = 1|issue = #2|date = 2009 March|publisher = Marvel Comics|location = United States}}</ref> The corrupted symbiotes had invaded the [[Microverse]] and tried to absorb the [[Captain Universe|Enigma Force]], but they were defeated by the avatar of the force, after they had caused destructive effects on this world and its [[Micronauts (comics)|people]].<ref>{{Cite comic|writer = Christopher Yost|penciller = Reilly Brown and Khoi Pham|inker = Tom Palmer|colorist = Edgar Delgado|title = Scarlet Spider|volume = 2|issue = #11|date = 7 November 2012|publisher = Marvel Comics|location = United States}}</ref> The symbiote would arrive on the [[Savage Land]], where it remained trapped for years to the point of madness and bonded to [[Conan (Marvel Comics)|Conan]] during a confrontation between the [[Savage Avengers]] and [[Kulan Gath]].<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=[[Gerry Duggan (writer)|Gerry Duggan]]|artist=[[Mike Deodato Jr.]]|colorist=Frank Martin|letterer=Travis Lanham|editor=[[Tom Brevoort]], [[Alanna Smith]] and [[Shannon Andrews]]|title=Savage Avengers|story=Death Proof|issue=#2|date=June 2019|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref>

During the [[Kree-Skrull War]], the [[Kree]] wanted to replicate the [[Skrull]]'s shapeshifting abilities; they acquired a newborn symbiote which had been outcast from its species on the planet where Knull had created them.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.marvel.com/articles/comics/donny-cates-responds-to-a-venom-fan-theory-on-marvel-live?linkld=66527269|title=Donny Cates responds to a Venom Fan Theory|website=[[Marvel Comics]]|date=24 April 2019|access-date=April 28, 2019|archive-date=October 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201030020807/https://www.marvel.com/articles/comics/donny-cates-responds-to-a-venom-fan-theory-on-marvel-live?linkld=66527269|url-status=live}}</ref> They recruited the [[Kree]] Tel-Kar to be bonded to the young symbiote, and modified both Tel-Kar and the symbiote so that he could have full control over it. He infiltrated the Skrulls using the symbiote's shapeshifting ability, but was discovered. He deleted the symbiote's memories and separated himself from it.<ref>{{Cite comic|writer = [[Mike Costa]]|penciller = [[Mark Bagley]]|inker = Andrew Hennessy|colorist = Dono Sánchez-Almara|letterer = VC's Clayton Cowles|editor = Devin Lewis, Lauren Amaro and Nick Lowe|title = Venom First Host|issue = #1-3|date = 29 August 2018|publisher = Marvel Comics|location = New York City}}</ref> The symbiote then reunited with the parasitic symbiotes, retaining little memory of its first host. When the corrupted symbiotes found out that this symbiote wanted to commit to its host rather than exploit it as they tended to do, they decided that it was insane and trapped it in a canister to be condemned to die on a planet that would later become part of [[Beyonder]]'s Battleworld.{{citation needed|date=November 2020}} There, it would be encountered by [[Spider-Man]] in the 1984 miniseries ''[[Secret Wars]]''. In that story, which saw the heroes of Earth transported to this planet to battle their archenemies,<ref name=MSSecretWars#1>{{Cite comic|writer = [[Shooter, Jim]]|penciller = [[Zeck, Mike]]|inker=Beatty, Mike|story=The War Begins|title = [[Marvel Superheroes Secret Wars]]|issue = #1|date =May 1984|publisher = [[Marvel Comics]]|location = New York City}}</ref> [[Spider-Man]] sought to repair or replace his tattered costume, which had been damaged in battle, and was directed by Thor and [[Hulk]] to a device inside the alien compound that they had come to use as headquarters. Mistaking the device in which the symbiote was imprisoned for the device Thor and Hulk mentioned, Spider-Man activated it, freeing the symbiote, which appeared before him as a black sphere that enveloped his body and took on the form of a black version of his costume that could respond to his mental commands. Spider-Man assumed that the device produced clothing designed to do this.<ref>{{Cite comic|writer = [[Shooter, Jim]]|penciller = [[Zeck, Mike]]|inker=Beatty, John; Abel Jack; Esposito, Mike|story=Invasion!|title = [[Marvel Superheroes Secret Wars]]|issue = #8|date = December 1984|publisher = [[Marvel Comics]]|location = New York City}}</ref> He did not know that [[Deadpool]] had already briefly bonded with the symbiote and had corrupted it with his unstable personality.<ref name="deadpoolsecretwarsv1no3">{{Cite comic |Artist=Lolli, Matteo |Writer=Bunn, Cullen |Colorist=Redmond, Ruth |Letterer=VC's Joe Sabino |url=https://www.marvel.com/comics/issue/51715/deadpools_secret_secret_wars_2015_3 |Title=Deadpool's Secret Secret Wars |Volume=1 |Issue=3 |Date=2015-09 |Publisher=Marvel Characters, Inc.}}</ref> Spider-Man returned to Earth with the symbiote, where, after discovering that it was an alien lifeform that wanted to bond with him, he managed to separate himself from it by using sound waves to hurt the creature, which took refuge in a church's bell tower. It later bonded with [[Eddie Brock]], who went to the church, despondent and vengeful after his journalism career was destroyed because he incorrectly identified the serial killer known as Sin-Eater as a man who later turned out to be a compulsive confessor; he blamed this turn of events on Spider-Man. Having bonded with the symbiote, the two became the being known as [[Venom (character)|Venom]].<ref name=asm350>{{cite comic|writer=[[David Michelinie]]|artist=[[Todd McFarlane]]|story=Venom|title=The Amazing Spider-Man|issue=300|date=May 1988|publisher=Marvel Comics}}</ref> During this time, it spawned seven offspring and a clone; its first child later had three of its own, producing the symbiotes Carnage, [[Scream (character)|Scream]], [[Lasher (comics)|Lasher]], [[Phage (comics)|Phage]], [[Agony (comics)|Agony]], and [[Riot (comics)|Riot]].{{citation needed|date=November 2020}}

The Venom symbiote eventually becomes too much for Eddie to handle, and he separates himself from it. This separation causes a telepathic scream that is heard by the other corrupted symbiotes, who then invade Earth. Eddie, Spider-Man and [[Ben Reilly|Scarlet Spider]] team up against the invasion. The battle comes to an end when Eddie rebinds with Venom, causing another scream which results in the symbiotes committing suicide.

While bonded to [[Flash Thompson]] as part of [[Weapon Plus#Weapon V|Project Rebirth]], who originally struggled to control it, the symbiote developed a slight affection for him.<ref>{{Cite comic|writer = [[Rick Remender]]|penciller = [[Tony Moore (artist)|Tony Moore]]|inker = Crimelab Studios|colorist = John Rauch|letterer = VC's Joe Caramagna|editor = Alex Alonso|title = Venom|volume = 2|issue = #4|date = 29 June 2011|publisher = Marvel Comics|location = United States}}</ref> It is later established that the host's mental state affects the symbiote just as much as the other way around:<ref>{{Cite comic|writer = [[Robbie Thompson]]|penciller = Kim Jacinto|colorist = Java Tartaglia|letterer = VC's Joe Caramagna|editor = Jake Thomas and Kathleen Wisneski|title = Venom: Space Knight|volume = 1|issue = #8|date = 8 June 2016|publisher = Marvel Comics|location = United States}}</ref> Venom's first child, the [[Carnage (character)|Carnage]] symbiote, is as psychotic as its host, [[Cletus Kasady]], and the Venom suit's explosiveness worsened after bonding with Angelo Fortunato and [[Mac Gargan]], both of whom are career criminals. Likewise, the various symbiotes bonded to heroes are not shown to be as twisted, though they do occasionally struggle with aggression.

A swarm of [[Brood (comics)|Brood]] that had been overtaken by symbiotes later invade the [[S.W.O.R.D. (comics)|S.W.O.R.D.]] satellite and possess all of its inhabitants, including [[Deathbird]] and her unborn child, to expand the symbiote Imperium. However, Spider-Man, bonded to a second symbiote, defeats the symbiotes with help from his class at [[Wolverine and the X-Men (comics)|Jean Grey's School]].<ref name=smatxm>{{Cite comic|writer = Elliott Kalan|penciller = Marco Failla|inker = Marco Failla|colorist = Ian Herring|letterer = VC's Clayton Cowles|editor = Katie Kubert|title = Spider-Man and the X-Men|volume = 1|issue = #5|date = 15 April 2015|publisher = Marvel Comics|location = United States}}</ref>

The Klyntar were later raided by the [[List of alien races in Marvel Comics#P|Poisons]] with help from Haze Mancer, a symbiote poacher, resulting in the apparent death of the Agents of the Cosmos and the abduction of all the symbiotes.<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=[[Cullen Bunn]]|penciller=Ario Anindito and Edgar Salazar|inker=Alan Martinez|colorist=Dono Sanchez-Almara|letterer=VC's Clayton Cowles|editor=Edward Devin Lewis|story=Poison X|title=Venom|volume=1|issue=#163|date=7 March 2017|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref> The abducted symbiotes were later modified by the Poisons so they could be used on the superheroes on Earth, in order for the Poisons to consume. After the defeat of the Poisons, the surviving symbiotes were returned to Klyntar.<ref name=viz15>{{Cite comic|writer=Cullen Bunn|penciller=Iban Coello|colorist=Matt Yackey|letterer=VC's Joe Caramagna|editor=Edward Devin Lewis|title=Venomized|issue=#1-5|date=4 April 2018|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref>

When the body of Grendel, the dragon-like composite symbiote defeated by Thor, is discovered on Earth,<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Donny Cates|penciller=Juanan Ramirez|title=Web of Venom|story=Ve'nam|volume=1|issue=#1|date=29 August 2018|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref> this reawakens Knull enough to allow him to control the creature. It is subsequently stopped by the combined efforts of Venom and [[Miles Morales]],<ref>{{Cite comic|writer = Donny Cates|penciller = Ryan Stegman|inker = JP Mayer|colorist = Frank Martin|letterer = VC's Clayton Cowles|editor = Edward Devin Lewis|title = Venom|story = Rex|volume = 4|issue = #3|date = 27 June 2018|publisher = Marvel Comics|location = United States}}</ref> and is later incinerated by Eddie, denying Knull the chance to escape Klyntar.<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Donny Cates|penciller=Ryan Stegman|inker=JP Mayer|colorist=Frank Martin|letterer=VC's Clayton Cowles|editor=Edward Devin Lewis|title=Venom|volume=4|issue=#6|date=19 September 2018|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref>

After some months, a cult had gotten hold of Cletus's damaged body inside a chamber and had planned to revive him by using the Grendel's remnants, which they stole from [[Maker (character)|Maker]].<ref name='V8'>{{Cite comic|writer=Donny Cates|penciller=Iban Coello|letterer=VC's Clayton Cowles|editor=Edward Devin Lewis|title=Venom|story=Project Oversight|volume=4|issue=#8|date=14 November 2018|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref> This cult, who worships Knull and Carnage as Knull's prophet, was led by [[Scorn (Marvel Comics)|Scorn]]. They implanted the remnants inside Cletus, reviving him, and at first he resembled Ancient Venom (Venom possessed by Knull), until the Carnage pieces were absorbed by the ancient symbiote and acquired Scorn's remnants by killing her. When Cletus came in contact with Knull, he got a new purpose: to free Knull. The only way left to do this was to acquire every single Codex – the symbiote remnants containing the genetic information of the host – left inside the bodies of every single host, dead or alive, who came into physical contact with the symbiotes on Earth, to overload the symbiote hive mind and scatter the Klyntar.<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Donny Cates|penciller=Danilo S. Beyruth|colorist=Cristiane Peter|letterer=VC's Clayton Cowles|title=Web of Venom|story=Carnage Born|volume=1|issue=#1|date=21 November 2018|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref>

===Culture===
The symbiotes, when they were originally created, were used as tools by [[Knull]] to conquer the universe. At the time, they had a symbiote dialect.<ref>''Venom'' Vol 4 #1. Marvel Comics.</ref> When they were freed from Knull's control and began learning about compassion, they established the lie about their nature to redeem themselves. They formed the Agents of Cosmos, symbiotes bonded to benevolent hosts, forming noble warriors who try to maintain peace across the universe. However, some symbiotes were corrupted by malevolent hosts, turning them back into monsters and reestablishing the symbiote Imperium first formed by Knull; these symbiotes were cut from the Klyntar hive mind. The symbiote Imperium would conquer planets and infect their inhabitants to drain and consume them.

The symbiotes in general don't have an actual culture. As seen with Venom and Carnage, the symbiote's personality and psychology depends largely on the host's nature, as the link between the host and the symbiote is what gives the symbiote a purpose and meaning to their life.<ref>''Venom'' Vol 3 #3. Marvel Comics.</ref>

As for the Nameless, a group of Kree explorers infected by the Exolon parasites, after being infected by the parasites which consumed their souls, they lost all sense of time and sentience and started engaging in gruesome self-inflicted pain rituals to remember their past lives.<ref>''Annihilation: Conquest Wraith'' #2. Marvel Comics.</ref>

===Biology===
[[File:Symbiote Marvel.JPG|thumb|right|The symbiote bonding with a host, which it needs to survive]]
The symbiotes are an alien species of inorganic,<ref>''Venom'' #12. Marvel Comics.</ref> [[amorphous]] and [[multicellular]]<ref>''Venom Lethal Protector'' #5. Marvel Comics.</ref> [[Symbiosis|symbiotic]] [[Parasitism|parasite]]s formed from Knull's "Living Abyss". They record the genetic material of each of their hosts in a genetic codex. They also empower a host's natural abilities to the point that they far exceed that of normal members of the host's species. {{anchor|Powers and abilities}}These abilities include the following:

* Superhuman strength (strong enough to lift 50 tons or more), speed, endurance, agility, healing powers, and intelligence<ref>''Spider-Man: Brand New Day Yearbook''-2008. Marvel Comics</ref>
* Genetic memory, allowing them to recall information from previous hosts.<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Mike Costa|artist=Gerardo Sandoval|colorist=Dono Sánchez-Almara|letterer=Clayton Cowles|editor=Devin Lewis and Allison Stock|title=Venom|volume=3|issue=1|date=January 2017|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref> They also leave traces of themselves, called codex, attached to the host's DNA, to send information to the hive mind.<ref name="V8" />
* The ability to negate damage caused by terminal illnesses and permanent injuries. While symbiotes can somewhat heal their hosts, they generally seek to force their hosts to depend on them in order ensure their own survival. For example, Eddie Brock was able to survive indefinitely with terminal cancer,<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Paul Jenkins|penciller=Humberto Ramos|inker=Wayne Faucher|story=The Hunger: Part 5|title=The Spectacular Spider-Man|volume=2|issue=#5|date=December 2003|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref> and [[Hybrid (Scott Washington)|Scott Washington]] was able to walk despite being paraplegic.<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Evan Skolnick|penciller=Patrick Zircher|inker=Greg Adams|story=Fusion|title=Venom: Along Came a Spider|issue=#2|date=February 1996|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref> Similarly, [[Flash Thompson]] and [[Cletus Kasady]] had received "legs" when bonded with the [[Venom (character)|Venom]] symbiote and [[Carnage (character)|Carnage]] symbiote even though they had lost their legs. [[Wraith (Zak-Del)|Wraith]] was able to use his Exolon powers to cure the Kree who were infected by the [[Phalanx (comics)|Phalanx]].<ref>''Annihilation Conquest'' #6. Marvel Comics.</ref><ref>''Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z Update'' #1. Marvel Comics.</ref>
* They can reproduce [[Asexual reproduction|asexually]] with a limited number of seeds inside their mass. For example, Venom gave birth to seven "children", and its first child Carnage had three.<ref name="TASM3612" />
* Senses that extend over its entire surface, enabling hosts to "see" what is behind them or otherwise not in their line of sight (like a Spider-Sense).<ref name="TASM3612" /><ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Tom DeFalco|penciller=Mark Bagley and Ron Lim|inker=Sam de la Rosa and Jim Sanders III|colorist=John Kalisz|letterer=Chris Eliopoulos|editor=Danny Fingeroth and Mike Lackey|story=Maximum Carnage|title=Spider-Man Unlimited|issue=#2|date=August 1993|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref>
* The ability to change shape and size at will. This ability functions regardless of the host's actual stature and bodily dimensions, as the symbiotes are living [[tesseracts]]. This includes expanding to any size as long as they have something to grow on, such as a host or an object.<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Zeb Wells|artist=Clayton Crain|letterer=Clayton Cowles|editor=Stephen Wacker|title=Carnage, U.S.A.|issue=#1|date=February 2012|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref><ref>{{cite comic|writer=[[Daniel Way]]|penciller=Francisco Herrera|inker=Carlos Lobo Cuevas|title=Venom|story=Patterns. Part 2|issue=12|publisher=Marvel Comics|date=2003}}</ref> Symbiotes can form multi-layered shields against powerful attacks<ref>''Venom The Mace'' #2. Marvel Comics</ref> and fit inside of small areas, such as electric wires and the insides of cars, to completely disable them.<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Larry Hama|penciller=Joe St. Pierre|inker=Randy Emberlin|colorist=Tom Smith|letterer=Susan Crespi|editor=Tom Brevoort|title=Venom: Along Came A Spider|issue=#2|date=February 1996|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref><ref>''Nova'' Vol. 3 #7. Marvel Comics</ref> This shapeshifting allows the symbiote to change its color and texture, which allows it to blend into the environment as a form of camouflage, or to change the host's outward appearance (including mimicking the appearances of other beings).<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Tom DeFalco and Roger Stern|penciller=Ron Frenz|inker=Brett Breeding|colorist=Glynis Wein|letterer=Joe Rosen|editor=Danny Fingeroth|story=Homecoming|title=Amazing Spider-Man|issue=#252|date=May 1984|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref>
* The ability to sense the thoughts and will of the host. When Spider-Man was originally selected, he had been thinking about [[Julia Carpenter|Spider-Woman]]'s costume in the Secret Wars. The symbiote acted on this and formed a similar costume to hers and Knull's emblem, which is the one seen on Spider-Man and Venom.<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Jim Shooter|penciller=Mike Zeck|inker=John Beatty, Jack Abel and Mike Esposito|colorist=Christie Scheele|letterer=Joe Rosen|editor=Tom DeFalco|title=Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars|issue=#8|date=December 1984|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref>
* The ability to excrete matter that enters in its body, like bullets, turning them into the green saliva<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Donny Cates|artist=Iban Coello|colorist=Andres Mossa|letterer=Clayton Cowles|editor=Devin Lewis, Lauren Amaro and Nick Lowe|story=Project Oversight|title=Venom|volume=4|issue=#7|date=December 2018|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref>
* Immortality, as evidenced by [[Venom 2099]], which was still alive in the year 2099,<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Peter David|penciller=Andrew Wildman|inker=Stephen Baskerville|colorist=Megan McDowell, Foodhammer! and Malibu Color|letterer=Ken Lopez|editor=Joey Cavalieri and Lia Pelosi|title=Spider-Man 2099|issue=#35|date=September 1995|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref> and All-Black, which was created in the beginning of the universe and was still alive in [[Alternative versions of Thor (Marvel Comics)#King Thor|King Thor]]'s timeline.<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Jason Aaron|artist=Esad Ribic|colorist=Ive Svorcina|letterer=Joe Sabino|editor=Wil Moss and Jon Moisan|title=Thor: God of Thunder|issue=#23|date=August 2014|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref>
* The ability to merge with other symbiotes or otherwise absorb one another. This is similar to how Hybrid was formed, or when Carnage absorbed another symbiote from the [[Negative Zone]], regenerating itself.<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Howard Mackie|penciller=Graham Nolan|inker=Scott Koblish|colorist=Mark Bernardo|letterer=Benchmark Productions|editor=Ralph Macchio|story=The Time Before|title=Web-Spinners: Tales of Spider-Man|issue=#14|date=February 2000|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref> The symbiote can also absorb the codices of other symbiotes, obtaining their genetic memory - for example, when Spider-Man bonded to two other symbiotes, they absorbed the Venom's codex, allowing then to appear exactly like Venom.<ref name="V8" /><ref name="smatxm" /><ref name="viz15" /><ref>{{Cite tweet|user= cullenbunn|number= 984434003636875264|date= 12 April 2018|title= Cullen Bunn on Twitter: "ascha-vovina said: I've noticed a lot of writers seem to treat the current Carnage symbiote as the same...}}</ref>
* The ability to force their hosts into a comatose state, as shown with Zak-Del<ref>''Annihilation Conquest - Wraith'' #2-3. Marvel Comics.</ref> and Eddie Brock<ref>''Venom'' Vol 4 #10. Marvel Comics.</ref>
* The ability to prolong their host's life by replacing their failing organs with simulacrums manifested from their living abyss - however, they cannot do this indefinitely

Because they record the genetic material of each of its hosts, there are also additional powers that have been demonstrated, but are not necessarily universal to all symbiotes:
* The ability to block parts of the host's mind - Venom and all its descendants possess the ability to bypass Spider-Man's Spider-Sense; because the original symbiote was attached to Peter Parker (Spider-Man) first, it took his genetic information and spider-powers by using its Parasitic Inheritance. This means that battles between Peter and Venom or any of its descendants would essentially be a fight between Peter and his black-suited self, which wouldn't set off his Spider-Sense<ref name="asm350" /><ref name="TASM3612" /> (during the ''Clone Saga'', this became complicated, as Venom did set off [[Ben Reilly]]'s Spider-Sense; however, this has been attributed to Ben being cloned from Peter prior to his first encounter with the Venom symbiote).<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Terry Kavanagh|penciller=Steven Butler|inker=Randy Emberlin|colorist=Kevin Tinsley|letterer=Steve Dutro|editor=Eric Fein and Danny Fingeroth|title=Web of Spider-Man|issue=#118|date=November 1994|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref>
* The ability to form fangs or simple bladed weapons out of their limbs. The first appearance of this was the [[Carnage (character)|Carnage]] symbiote.<ref name="TASM3612"/>
* The ability to form tendrils and tentacles of various lengths from their body<ref name="VLP">{{Cite comic|writer=David Michelinie|penciller=Mark Bagley|inker=Sam de la Rosa and Al Milgrom|colorist=Marie Javins|letterer=Richard Starkings|editor=Danny Fingeroth|title=Venom Lethal Protector|issue=#1|date=February 1993|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref>
* The ability to form wings, as shown when Venom came into contact with Knull and grew a pair of web-like wings;<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Donny Cates|penciller=Ryan Stegman|inker=JP Mayer|colorist=Frank Martin|letterer=Clayton Cowles|editor=Devin Lewis, Lauren Amaro and Nick Lowe|title=Venom|volume=4|issue=#5|date=October 2018|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref> in some cases the symbiote has also been shown to form gliding wings.
* In the case of the purified Klyntar, [[cosmic awareness]], which allows the Agents of Cosmos to sense people in need<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Robbie Thompson|artist=Ariel Olivetti|colorist=Ariel Olivetti|letterer=Joe Caramagna|editor=Jake Thomas, Kathleen Wisneski and Tom Brevoort|title=Venom: Space Knight|issue=#2|date=February 2016|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref>
* The ability to project the surface of the symbiote to attack at a distance<ref name="VLP"/>
* The ability to sustain its humanoid body even without a host, but only for a certain period of time<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Donny Cates|artist=Joshua Cassara|colorist=Rain Beredo|letterer=Clayton Cowles|editor=Devin Lewis, Lauren Amaro, Danny Khazem and Nick Lowe|story=Abyss|title=Venom|volume=4|issue=#12|date=May 2019|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref>
* The ability to stick to walls (adapted from [[Spider-Man]])
* The ability to produce acid, toxins, and venoms, like the venomous bite Venom delivered to Sandman<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Howard Mackie|penciller=John Romita Jr.|inker=Scott Hanna|story=Cliché|title=Spider-Man|volume=2|issue=#16|date=April 2000|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref> (see Venom, Agony, and [[Venom 2099]])
* The ability to produce webbing from its own mass (adapted from Spider-Man)<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Cullen Bunn|penciller=Edgar Salazar and Ario Anindito|inker=Edgar Salazar and Ario Anindito|colorist=Dono Sánchez-Almara|letterer=Clayton Cowles|editor=Devin Lewis, Thomas Groneman, Nick Lowe, Christina Harrington, Chris Robinson, Darren Shan and Mark Paniccia|story=Poison-X|title=Venom|issue=#162|date=April 2018|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref>
* The ability to sense the presence of other beings within a certain distance<ref name="TASM3612">{{Cite comic|writer=David Michelinie|penciller=Mark Bagley|inker=Randy Emberlin|story=Savage Alliance|title=The Amazing Spider-Man|issue=#361-362|date=April–May 1992|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref>
* The ability to protect hosts from [[Ghost Rider]]'s Penance Stare<ref>{{Cite comic|writer= Howard Mackie|penciller= Adam Kubert|inker= Bill Reinhold|colorist= Gregory Wright|letterer= Michael Heisler|editor= Bobbie Chase|story=Spirit of Venom|title=Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance|issue=#5|date=December 1992|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref> and the [[Inheritors (comics)|Inheritors]]'s Life Absorption Touch<ref>{{Cite comic|writer= Christos N. Gage and Dan Slott|penciller= Jorge Molina|inker= Jay Leisten, Craig Yeung and Roberto Poggi|colorist= David Curiel|letterer= Travis Lanham|editor= Nick Lowe and Kathleen Wisneski|title=Spider-Geddon|issue=#2|date=December 2018|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref>
* The ability to generate and manipulate an ice-like substance (adapted from [[Iceman (Marvel Comics)|Iceman]]), use telepathy and telekinesis (adapted from [[Jean Grey|Marvel Girl]]), create powerful kinetic blasts (adapted from [[Cyclops (Marvel Comics)|Cyclops]]), increase strength and intelligence (adapted from [[Beast (Marvel Comics)|Beast]]) and grant the host with the ability to fly (adapted from [[Warren Worthington III|Angel]])
* The ability to create storage portals inside of themselves (this allowed Peter Parker to stow and access his camera)<ref>{{Cite comic|writer= Tom DeFalco andRoger Stern|penciller= Ron Frenz|inker= Brett Breeding|colorist= Glynis Wein|letterer= Joe Rosen|editor= Danny Fingeroth|title=Amazing Spider-Man|issue=#252|date=May 1984|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref>
* The ability to filter breathable air for its host, allowing them to breathe underwater (seen in ''Vengeance of Venom''), inhale poisonous fumes, and even survive in the vacuum of space<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Zeb Wells|artist=Clayton Crain|letterer=Clayton Cowles|editor=Stephen Wacker and Alejandro Arbona|title=Carnage|story=Family Feud|issue=#4|date=June 2011|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref>
* The ability to transfer symbiote traits to its host - for example, when Carnage ate Karl Malus and he became a symbiote-human hybrid<ref>'{{Cite comic|writer=Nick Spencer|artist=Daniel Acuña and Mike Choi|letterer=Joe Caramagna|editor=Tom Brevoort, Katie Kubert and Alanna Smith|title=Captain America: Sam Wilson|issue=#3|date=January 2016|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref>
* In the case of the Venom symbiote, the possession of empathic abilities, and the ability to project desires and needs into the thoughts of its host or potential hosts; this ability can also aid Venom in detecting the truth from those he interrogates.<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=David Michelinie|penciller=Joe St. Pierre|inker=Greg Adams|colorist=Tom Smith|letterer=Bill Oakley and NJQ|editor=Tom Brevoort and Danny Fingeroth|title=Amazing Spider-Man Super Special|issue=#1|date=July 1995|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref>
* In some realities, the symbiote feeds on the emotions of its host, creating an increasingly hostile personality. The longer the host is exposed to the symbiote, the more overpowering this state of mind becomes.<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Robbie Thompson|penciller=Gerardo Sandoval|inker=Gerardo Sandoval|colorist=Dono Sánchez-Almara|letterer=Joe Caramagna|editor=Jake Thomas and Kathleen Wisneski|title=Venom: Space Knight|issue=#12|date=November 2016|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref>
* Each symbiote has its own unique abilities: Venom has a venomous bite; [[Toxin (character)|Toxin]] can change its shape and form into a Spider-Man-like build (slim, but strong) and Venom-like build (big and muscular) depending on its mood; Scream can use its web-like hair as a weapon; Agony can spit acid and manipulate matter; Phage can create bladed weapons; Lasher can create tendrils on its back; Riot can use bludgeoning weapons and agility; Payback can produce electricity; Scorn can fuse itself with technology; All-Black can grant its host immortality; and Sleeper possesses chemokinesis, the ability to manipulate chemicals, providing limited telepathy and excellent cloaking abilities through pheromones.
* Some symbiotes are immune to sonic attacks and fire through modification, like Anti-Venom, [[Carnage (comics)#Red Goblin (Norman Osborn)|Red Goblin]],<ref name="asm7998" /> Mayhem,<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Jeff Christiansen, Mike O'Sullivan, Michael Hoskin, Sean McQuaid, Madison Carter, Rob London, Kevin Garcia, Gabriel Shechter, Ronald Byrd, David Wiltfong, Chris Biggs, Jeph York and Matt Forbeck|penciller=Gus Vazquez|inker=Tom Chu|colorist=Tom Smith|editor=Jeff Youngquis|title=Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z Update|issue=#5|date=February 2011|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref> Payback,<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Cary Bates|penciller=Paul Gulacy|inker=Paul Gulacy|colorist=Rain Beredo|letterer=Dave Lanphear|editor=Molly Lazer and Bill Rosemann|title=True Believers|issue=#1|date=September 2008|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref> and Grendel.
* The ability to change the mood of its host by manipulating their brain chemicals<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Donny Cates|penciller=Ryan Stegman|inker=JP Mayer|colorist=Frank Martin|letterer=Clayton Cowles|editor=Devin Lewis, Lauren Amaro and Nick Lowe|title=Venom|volume=4|issue=#4|date=September 2018|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref>
* The ability to replicate itself, as seen with Carnage<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Ryan Stegman|penciller=Kyle Hotz and Juan Gedeon|inker=Marc Deering, Scott Hanna, Livesay, Roberto Poggi, Victor Olazaba and Juan Gedeon|colorist=Dan Brown, Matt Yackey, Andrew Crossley and Carlos Cabrera|letterer=Clayton Cowles|editor=Devin Lewis, Lauren Amaro and Nick Lowe|title=Web of Venom|story=Unleashed|issue=#1|date=March 2019|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref> and All-Black<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Jason Aaron|artist=Esad Ribic|colorist=Ive Svorcina|letterer=Joe Sabino|editor=Lauren Sankovitch|title=Thor: God of Thunder|issue=#2|date=January 2013|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref> in the mainstream universe and [[Alternative versions of Venom#Spider-Man Reign|Venom]] in ''Spider-Man Reign''

{{anchor|Weaknesses}}However, the symbiotes also possess weaknesses that can be fatal. Some of these weaknesses include:
* A natural weakness to [[acoustics|sonic]] attacks and heat-based attacks, which Knull unintentionally gave them while they were being forged. However, symbiotes have a growing resistance to sound and fire due to their evolution. Still, there has not been an invulnerable symbiote in mainstream continuity, because the newest breeds can be harmed by incredible amounts of sonic waves and heat.<ref>{{cite comic |writer=[[Tom DeFalco]] |penciller=[[Ron Frenz]] |inker=[[Josef Rubinstein]] |story=The Sinister Secret of Spider-Man's New Costume |title=[[The Amazing Spider-Man]] |volume= |issue=#258 |date=November 1984 |publisher=Marvel Comics}}</ref> Symbiotes, like Krobaa, are also seemingly vulnerable to light. The symbiotes in [[Ultimate Marvel]] are only vulnerable to the heat produced by high voltage electricity.
* Vulnerability to chemical and biological attacks - for example, [[Iron Man]] created a cure to a virus-like bio-weapon based on the Venom symbiote that was created by [[Doctor Doom]].<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Brian Michael Bendis|penciller=Mark Bagley|colorist=Justin Ponsor and Stephane Peru|inker=Danny Miki, Allen Martinez and Victor Olazaba|letterer=Dave Lanphear|editor=Tom Brevoort|title=Mighty Avengers|issue=#8|date=30 January 2008|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref> Venom and Carnage have shown susceptibility to chemical inhibitors.<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=[[Larry Hama]]|penciller=[[Josh Hood]]|inker=Derek Fisher|story=On Trial : Part 1 – Law & Order|title=Venom|issue=#1|date=March 1997|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref> Whether a symbiote can mutate and reduce the effect of these weaknesses is unknown.<ref>{{cite comic|writer=David Michelinie|penciller=[[Erik Larsen]]|inker=Mike Machlan|story=Stalking Feat!|title=The Amazing Spider-Man|issue=#333|date=July 1990|publisher=Marvel Comics}}</ref>
* Potential hosts with advanced healing factors, such as [[Wolverine (character)|Wolverine]], have shown resistance to symbiosis.<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=[[Jeff Lemire]]|penciller=Humberto Ramos|inker=Victor Olazaba|colorist=Edgar Delgado and Dono Sánchez-Almara|letterer=Joe Caramagna|editor=Daniel Ketchum, Chris Robinson and Mark Paniccia|story=Apocalypse Wars|title=Extraordinary X-Men|volume=1|issue=#12|date=27 July 2016|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref>
* In some incarnations, the symbiote is depicted as requiring a certain chemical (most likely [[phenethylamine]]) to stay sane and healthy, which has been said to be found abundantly in two sources: chocolate and human brain tissue. Thus, the host is forced to either consume large amounts of chocolate or become a cannibal who devours the brains of those they kill. This peculiar trait has only been witnessed in the Venom symbiote.<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Len Kaminski|penciller=Ted Halsted|inker=Scott Koblish|colorist=Tom Smith|letterer=Ken Lopez|editor=Tom Brevoort|title=Venom the Hunger|issue=#1|date=August 1996|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref> However, both [[Carnage (character)|Carnage]] and [[Toxin (character)|Toxin]] have threatened their enemies with aspirations to "eat their brains", as well as various other body parts. When Toxin teamed up with Spider-Man and [[Black Cat (Marvel Comics)|Black Cat]], he struggled to keep himself together, but told Spider-Man that he was only "joking" about eating the robbers' brains. Similarly, the Exolons feed on the immortal soul of the hosts, making the hosts immortal; however, this causes the host to descend into madness, as well making them forget all of their old memories unless they inflict pain to themselves in an attempt to keep their memories for longer (see [[Wraith (Zak-Del)|Zak-Del]] and the Nameless).<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=[[Javier Grillo-Marxuach]]|penciller=[[Kyle Hotz]]|inker=Kyle Hotz|colorist=Gina Going|letterer=Cory Petit|editor=Bill Rosemann|title=Annihilation: Conquest - Wraith|issue=#2|date=October 2007|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref>
* On at least one occasion, Spider-Man was able to exhaust the Venom symbiote by taking advantage of the fact that it made its webbing out of itself; after the symbiote had already used a great deal of webbing to bind him to a bell, Spider-Man forced Venom to use further webbing so that it would exhaust itself, like blood dripping from a wound (although the sheer amount of webbing that the symbiotes would need to use for this weakness to be exploited makes its use in a fight limited).<ref name=asm350 />
* The inability to bond to more than one host, as shown when Venom tried to bond to both Eddie and Peter at the same time<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=David Michelinie|penciller=Todd McFarlane|colorist=Bob Sharen|letterer=Rick Parker|editor=[[Jim Salicrup]]|title=Amazing Spider-Man|volume=1|issue=#317|date=July 1989|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref> and again with Flash and Eddie<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Dan Slott and Mike Costa|penciller=Ryan Stegman|colorist=Brian Leber|letterer=Joe Caramagna|editor=Devin Lewis, Nick Lowe, Allison Stock and Thomas Groneman|story=Venom Inc Alpha|title=Amazing Spider-Man and Venom|issue=#1|date=6 December 2017|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref> (although the Carnage symbiote did not display this weakness when bonding itself to people in Doverton, [[Colorado]])
* Susceptibility to feelings - in the storyline ''[[Planet of the Symbiotes]]'', [[Eddie Brock]] releases a cry of pain and agony so great that the entire symbiote race commits mass suicide,<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=David Michelinie|penciller=Steve Lightle|inker=Bill Oakley|colorist=Marie Javins|letterer=VC's Jonathan Babcock|editor=Bob Budiansky|story=Planet of the Symbiotes; Growing Pain|title=Web of Spider-Man Super Special|volume=1|issue=#1|date=October 1995|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref> but how they kill themselves is not clear.
* The '''{{visible anchor|Xenophages}}''', a race of extraterrestrial shapeshifters which prey on symbiotes, generate an unknown incendiary chemical that can paralyze them.<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Larry Hama|penciller=Duncan Rouleau|inker=John Stangeland|colorist=Tom Smith and Malibu Color|letterer=VC's Ken Lopez|editor=Tom Brevoort|story=He who Eats|title=Venom: The Hunted|issue=#1-3|date=May 1996|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref>
* Numerous occasions have shown that when a corrupted symbiote remains bonded to a host for too long, the symbiote will eventually consume the body of the host, leaving the host a dead husk (see the soldiers who were bonded to the Grendel symbiotes<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Donny Cates|penciller=Ryan Stegman|inker=JP Mayer|colorist=Frank Martin|letterer=Clayton Cowles|editor=Edward Devin Lewis|title=Venom|issue=#2|volume=4|date=13 June 2018|location=United States|publisher=Marvel Comics}}</ref> and with Peter Parker in two ''What If?!)''<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=[[Danny Fingeroth]] | penciller=Mark Bagley|inker=[[Keith Williams (comics)|Williams, Keith]] | story=What if the Alien costume had possessed Spider-Man?|title=[[What If (comics)|What If]] | volume=2|issue=4|date=October 1989|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref><ref>{{Cite comic|writer=[[Jay Faerber]]|penciller=[[Gregg Schigiel]]|inker=Jose Marzan Jr.|colorist=Paul Tutrone|letterer=Chris Eliopoulos|editor=[[Frank Pittarese]]|title=What If...|story=What if the heroes had remained on Battleworld?|volume=2|issue=#114|date=November 1998|location=United States|publisher=Marvel Comics}}</ref>
* When Eddie Brock was diagnosed with cancer, [[Mister Negative|Martin Li]] used his Lightforce healing ability to cure him, accidentally producing [[white blood cells]] in Eddie's blood which combatted the Venom's symbiote remnants; this created a new, non-sentient symbiote called [[Anti-Venom]]. This symbiote had the ability to cure every sickness (including Spider-Man's powers) and it was also [[corrosive]] to the symbiotes, as shown when Eddie and Flash nearly killed Venom,<ref>{{Cite comic |writer=[[Dan Slott]] |penciller=[[John Romita Jr.]] |inker=[[Klaus Janson]] |colorist=Dean White |letterer=Cory Petit|editor=Tom Brennan, Stephen Wacker and [[Tom Brevoort]] |story=New Ways To Die, Part Two: The Osborn Supremacy |title=[[The Amazing Spider-Man]] |volume=1 |issue=#569 |date=October 2008 |publisher=[[Marvel Comics]] |location=New York, NY |page=}}</ref> Mania,<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Dan Slott and Mike Costa|penciller=Ryan Stegman and Gerardo Sandoval|inker=Jay Leisten|colorist=Brian Leber|letterer=VC's Joe Caramagna|editor=Nick Lowe|story=Venom Inc Omega|title=Amazing Spider-Man and Venom|issue=#1|date=17 January 2018|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref> the Poisons<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Cullen Bunn|penciller=Iban Coello|colorist=Matt Yackey|letterer=VC's Joe Caramagna|editor=Edward Devin Lewis|title=Venomized|issue=#3-4|date=18 April 2018|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref> and [[Carnage (comics)#Red Goblin (Norman Osborn)|Red Goblin]].<ref name="asm7998">{{Cite comic|writer=Dan Slott|penciller=Nick Bradshaw, [[Humberto Ramos]], [[Stuart Immonen]] and [[Mike Hawthorne]]|inker=JP Mayer, Victor Olazaba, Wade Von Grawbadger, Marcos Martin and Cam Smith|colorist=Marte Gracia, Jordie Bellaire, Javier Tartaglia, Muntsa Vicente and Edgar Delgado|letterer=VC's Joe Caramagna|editor=Nick Lowe|story=[[Go Down Swinging (comic book)|Go Down Swinging]]|title=Amazing Spider-Man|volume=1|issue=#799-800|date=30 May 2018|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref> There have been no symbiotes shown to be immune to Anti-Venom.
* Vulnerability to the abilities of telepaths<ref name=smatxm/><ref>''X-Men: Blue Annual'' #1. Marvel Comics</ref>
* A new and still mysteriously extraterrestrial race known as '''Poisons''', apparently nature's answer to the symbiotes, prey on them through direct contact infection, which forms an unstoppable one-sided union that the symbiote wants no part of.<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Cullen Bunn|penciller=Iban Coello|colorist=Matt Yackey|letterer=VC's Joe Caramagna|editor=Devin Lewis|title=[[Venomverse]]|volume=1|issue=#1|date=6 September 2017|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref>

==List of symbiotes==
===Major symbiote characters===
The following symbiotes have appeared throughout several years of Spider-Man's history, appeared in multiple media such as film and video games, and were main characters/villains in story arcs.
<!--ORDERED BY APPEARANCE-->
{| class="wikitable"
|- "
! style="width:13%;" | Name !! style="width:20%;" | First appearance !! style="width:20%;" | Notable host !! style="width:67%;" | Description
|-
| rowspan="5" | '''[[Venom (character)|Venom]]''' || rowspan="5" | ''[[The Amazing Spider-Man]]'' #300 (April 1988) || [[Spider-Man|Peter Parker]] (Spider-Man) || rowspan="5" | Chronologically introduced in ''[[Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars]]'' #8, merged with Spider-Man, and notably [[Eddie Brock]]. [[Mac Gargan]] then went on to be the symbiote's host for a while. Later it was acquired by the government and was being used by [[Flash Thompson]] under the alias Agent Venom, until it separated from Flash and moved on to Lee Price, only to eventually return to Eddie Brock. It is revealed in ''Venom: First Host'' that a [[Kree]] soldier named Tel-Kar is chronologically the first to wear the suit, before Spider-Man. He is ranked by [[S.H.I.E.L.D.]] as one of the biggest threats along with [[Magneto (Marvel Comics)|Magneto]], [[Doctor Doom]], and [[Red Skull]].<ref>{{cite comic|writer=[[Mark Millar]]|penciller=[[Terry Dodson]]|inker=[[Rachel Dodson]]|title=Spider-Man Ultimate Collection|publisher=Marvel Comics|date=December 2011}}</ref>
|-
| [[Eddie Brock]]
|-
| [[Mac Gargan]]
|-
| [[Flash Thompson]] (Agent Venom)
|-
| [[Dylan Brock]]
|-
| rowspan="4" | '''[[Carnage (character)|Carnage]]''' || rowspan="4" | ''[[The Amazing Spider-Man]]'' #361 (April 1992) || [[Cletus Kasady]] || rowspan="4" | A child-spawn of Venom bonded to serial killer Cletus Kasady through his bloodstream. The symbiote would occasionally be separated from Cletus and bond to other hosts, such as [[Ben Reilly]] and [[Karl Malus]], only to be reunited with Kasady again. Some time later Cletus was separated from Carnage and [[Norman Osborn]] was bonded to the Carnage symbiote to defeat Spider-Man.
|-
| [[Ben Reilly]] (Spider-Carnage)
|-
| [[Karl Malus]] (Superior Carnage)
|-
| [[Norman Osborn]] (Red Goblin)
|-
| '''[[Scream (character)|Scream]]'''
|rowspan="5"| ''[[Venom: Lethal Protector]]'' #4 (May 1993)
|rowspan="5"| Various
|rowspan="5"| In an attempt to create "super-cops" to police their new Utopia, the [[Life Foundation]] probed the Venom symbiote and extracted the last five of its "seeds", the materials used to create its spawn. These were cultured and bonded to five of the Life Foundation's best security personnel to form the Guardians: Donna Diego (Scream), Carl Mach (Phage), Leslie Gesneria (Agony), Trevor Cole (Riot), and Ramon Hernandez (Lasher).
|-
| '''[[Lasher (comics)|Lasher]]'''
|-
| '''[[Phage (comics)|Phage]]'''
|-
| '''[[Agony (comics)|Agony]]'''
|-
| '''[[Riot (comics)|Riot]]'''
|-
| '''[[Hybrid (Scott Washington)|Hybrid]]''' ||''Venom: Along Came A Spider'' #1 (January 1996)|| Scott Washington ||The character was introduced as the fusion of four symbiotes (Lasher, Phage, Agony and Riot), bonded to prison guard Scott Washington. Years later, Scream and Hybrid were hunted and killed by Eddie Brock, who was eliminating the "evil" of the symbiotes from the Earth.<ref name="Venom2#15">{{Cite comic|writer=[[Rick Remender]]|penciller=Lan Medina|inker=Nelson DeCastro and Terry Pallot|colorist=Andres Mosa|letterer=VC's Joe Caramagna|editor=Tom Brennan|title=Venom|volume=2|issue=#15|date=4 April 2012|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref> The Hybrid symbiote was able to survive and was taken in by the US Government, forcibly separated, and bonded to four soldiers to battle Carnage: Rico Axelson (Phage), James Murphy (Agony), Howard Ogden (Riot), and Marcus Simms (Lasher).<ref name="Carnage U.S.A. #2">{{Cite comic |date=11 January 2011 |title=Carnage U.S.A. |issue=#2 |volume=1 |publisher=Marvel Comics |location=United States |writer=[[Zeb Wells]] |artist=[[Clayton Crain]] |letterer=VC's Clayton Cowles}}</ref><ref name="Venom16">{{Cite comic| writer=Rick Remender| cowriters=|penciller= Lan Medina | inker= Nelson Decastro| copencillers=| coinkers=Terry Pallot| story=Home Again | title=Venom |volume=| issue=15| date = June 2012| publisher=Marvel Comics| id=}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="3" | '''[[Toxin (character)|Toxin]]''' || rowspan="3" | ''[[Venom vs. Carnage]]'' #2 (September 2004)|| Patrick Mulligan || rowspan="3" | A spawn of Carnage in the 1,000th generation that bonded with police officer Patrick Mulligan, becoming a hero. This was the first symbiote that Spider-Man considered an ally and it became something of a mentee of Spider-Man. It was later forcibly bonded to Eddie Brock by the [[Crime Master]] sometime after Patrick was killed by [[Blackheart]].<ref name="Venom16" />
|-
| [[Eddie Brock]]
|-
| Bren Waters
|-
| rowspan="2" | '''[[Anti-Venom]]''' || rowspan="2" | ''[[The Amazing Spider-Man]]'' #569 (October 2008) || [[Eddie Brock]] || rowspan="2" | A hybrid symbiote created accidentally when the codexes of the Venom symbiote in Eddie Brock's body were combined with his [[white blood cells]] by the mystical energies of [[Mister Negative]]. Unlike other symbiotes, Anti-Venom is completely mindless and Eddie Brock is in full control of his actions. Anti-Venom possesses healing powers and other powers that differ from the Venom symbiote, such as the ability to produce antibodies that can cure any known disease and remove any other impurities within a human body. Its touch is corrosive to other symbiotes.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.formspring.me/DanSlott/q/211473938167919799 |title=Dan Slott's Formspring account |publisher=Formspring.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121007202856/http://www.formspring.me/DanSlott/q/211473938167919799 |archive-date=2012-10-07 }}</ref>
|-
| [[Flash Thompson]] (Agent Anti-Venom)
|-
| rowspan="3" | '''[[Mania (character)|Mania]]''' || rowspan="3" |''[[Venom (comic book)|Venom]]'' (vol. 2) #38 (July 2013)|| Patricia Robertson (Venom) || rowspan="3" | An unstable clone of Venom created by the Arat corporation. Mania bonded to [[Patricia Robertson (comics)|Patricia Robertson]], who became the second She-Venom, but she was defeated by Eddie and Mania was absorbed into Venom. Eugene Thompson's neighbor in Philadelphia, Andi Benton, bonded with the clone to save her from [[Jack O'Lantern (Marvel Comics)#Crime Master's Jack O'Lantern|Jack O'Lantern]]. In "Venom Inc", Lee Price, who was bonded to Venom, stole Mania and became Maniac. He was later defeated by Spider-Man, Venom, [[Black Cat (Marvel Comics)|Black Cat]] and Agent Anti-Venom, but the weakened clone remained bonded to Lee, leaving Andi without a symbiote. Eventually, Cletus Kasady absorbed the symbiote after killing Lee.
|-
| Andi Benton
|-
| Lee Price (Maniac)
|-
| '''[[Knull]]''' || ''[[Venom (comic book)|Venom]]'' (vol. 4) #3 (August 2018) || No host ||A primordial god of darkness who manifested the first symbiote from his shadow to kill a [[Celestial (comics)|Celestial]] and used the head's cosmic properties to form a suit of symbiote-armor while embarking on his deicidal crusade. While stranded on [[Gorr the God Butcher|Gorr]]'s desolate world, Knull discovered he could infect "lesser creatures" with the living abyss, creating the symbiotes to conquer the universe.
|-
| rowspan="2" | '''[[Sleeper (Marvel Comics)#Symbiote|Sleeper]]''' || rowspan="2" | ''Venom: First Host'' #3 (September 2018) || Tel-Kar || rowspan="2" |Sleeper is Venom's child, who was born while he was imprisoned at [[Alchemax]]. After the Venom symbiote is stolen by its first host, Tel-Kar, Sleeper bonds to Eddie to help him save Venom. In the battle against Tel-Kar, Sleeper briefly bonds to M'Lanz, and her and Eddie return to Earth with Venom, where she leaves them. When Tel-Kar returns to Earth and tries to kill Eddie, Sleeper intervenes and bonds with Tel-Kar, lobotomizing him in the process. In ''[[All-New Venom]]'', Sleeper is revealed to have bonded with [[Rick Jones (character)|Rick Jones]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dudas-Larmondin |first=Austin |date=2025-03-12 |title=They Got Us: Marvel's New Venom Is Not the Hero Everybody Bet On |url=https://screenrant.com/new-venom-not-rick-jones-sleeper/ |access-date=May 10, 2025 |website=[[Screen Rant]] |language=en}}</ref>
|-
| [[Rick Jones (character)|Rick Jones]]
|-
| '''[[Meridius]]''' || ''Free Comic Book Day 2021: Spider-Man/Venom'' #1 (August 14, 2021) || No host || The main villain of the 2021 Venom series, he is a time traveling King in Black with a grudge against Eddie Brock. He is eventually revealed to be a future version of Eddie Brock along with the other Kings in Black.
|-
| '''The Eventuality''' || ''Venom'' (vol. 5) #1 (November 2021) || No host || The seventh and final future incarnation of Eddie Brock.
|-
| '''Rascal''' || ''Red Goblin'' #1 (February 8, 2023)|| [[Normie Osborn]] || Introduced during the "[[Dark Web (Marvel Comics)|Dark Web]]" storyline, Harry Osborn's son Normie receives a piece of a symbiote from Dylan Brock in his journey to find his father [[Eddie Brock|Eddie]]. Taking inspiration from his grandfather [[Norman Osborn]] when he possessed Carnage, Normie uses Rascal to reclaim the Osborn name and clean up the mess Norman left from the "[[Go Down Swinging]]" storyline. Rascal differs from other symbiotes since its recent creation does not have the knowledge of the Klyntar or Knull. Normie sees his relationship to Rascal as a challenge since the two are not bonded, with Normie comparing the symbiote to a puppy he has difficulty training with. The "[[Venom War]]" storyline reveals that the Rascal symbiote was created by [[Kang the Conqueror]] using a fragment of Bedlam.
|}

===Other symbiote characters===
The following symbiotes have made only a few other appearances in comic books and are usually excluded from adaptations in other media.

<!--ORDERED BY APPEARANCE-->
{| class="wikitable"
|- "
! style="width:13%;" | Name !! style="width:20%;" | First appearance !! style="width:67%;" | Description
|-
| '''Mister E''' || ''Marvel Spotlight'' (vol. 2) #9 (November 1980) || A symbiote who previously fought Steve Coffin when he was briefly [[Captain Universe]]. It later resurfaced in the "[[King in Black]]" storyline, where it fought Spider-Man and [[Black Knight (Dane Whitman)|Black Knight]].
|-
| '''Dreadface''' || ''[[Fantastic Four (comic book)|Fantastic Four]]'' #360 (January 1992) || A symbiote capable of mind-controlling subjects by touch. The alien was captured aboard the ship of [[Devos the Devastator]] but escaped during an altercation between Devos and the [[Fantastic Four]]. Dreadface is presumed destroyed.
|-
| '''Rune-Venom''' ||''Rune vs Venom'' #1 (December 1995)|| A leftover symbiote from the ''Planet of the Symbiotes'' arc, who bonded with the vampiric '''Rune''' and tried to frame Venom for murdering civilians. He was later defeated by Venom, after Rune consumed his symbiote due to its influence.
|-
| '''Krobaa''' ||''Venom: Seed of Darkness'' #1 (July 1997) || This symbiote was bonded to a scientist who drove him mad and went on a destructive rampage across the city. Eddie used his camera's flash to defeat the creature.
|-
| '''Big Mother''' || ''Captain Marvel'' (vol. 4) #20 (June 2001) || A Symbiote that would become the alleged mother of Grendel.
|-
| '''Neo-symbiote'''||''[[Spider-Man Family]]'' (vol. 2) #3 (August 2007)|| When Mac Gargan encountered [[Scorpion (Carmilla Black)]], he was outraged after finding out she was using the Scorpion name and attacked her. However, Carmilla used her stinger to create a neo-symbiote from Venom's webbing, which proved to be harmful to the Venom symbiote. In the end, the symbiote died because Camilla's body was too toxic to sustain it.
|-
| '''Exolon'''||''[[Annihilation: Conquest]]: Wraith'' #2 (October 2007)|| The Exolon – created by Knull<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=[[Donny Cates]]|penciller=[[Geof Shaw]]|colorist=Marte Gracia|letterer=Cory Petit|editor=Darren Shan, Danny Khazem and Lauren Amaro|title=Guardians of the Galaxy|volume=5|issue=3|date=May 2019|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref> – are parasites which feed on the [[souls]] of living creatures. These parasites infected some [[Kree]] explorers, turning them into the Nameless and inhabiting The Exoteric Latitude thousands of years ago. [[Wraith (Zak-Del)|Zak-Del]] is eventually infected and becomes one of them.
|-
| '''Venom Symbiote Virus'''||''[[Mighty Avengers]]'' #7 (January 2008)|| When [[Doctor Doom]] got a sample of the Venom symbiote, he created a virus-like symbiote bio-weapon, but it accidentally spread into New York and bonded to various civilians, as well as heroes such as [[Spider-Man]], [[Veranke|Spider-Woman]], [[Black Widow (Natasha Romanova)|Black Widow]], [[Wolverine (character)|Wolverine]], [[Doctor Strange]], [[Hawkeye (Clint Barton)|Hawkeye]] and [[Wasp (character)|Wasp]]. [[Iron Man]] eventually finds a cure and frees everyone from the symbiote virus.
|-
| '''Payback''' ||''[[True Believers (comics)|True Believers]]'' (September 2008) || Bonded to a more evolved cousin of normal race of symbiotes. Is currently a vigilante and head of the True Believers.
|-
| '''ZZZXX''' ||''[[X-Men: Kingbreaker]]'' #2 (March 2009)|| It is a unique brain-eating member of the symbiote species that was discovered several years ago by [[Shi'ar]] Emperor [[D'Ken]]. Unlike other symbiotes, ZZZXX was a [[Mutants (Marvel Comics)|mutant]] symbiote<ref>''Marvel Fact Files'' #18. Marvel Comics.</ref> and did not bother to ask permission from or care to know his host. After being experimented and tamed, it bonded to [[Raza Longknife]] and became a Praetorian Guard. Then the [[Nova Corps]] captured and surgically removed it from Raza. The symbiote was then used as a weapon against an evil version of [[Alternative versions of Professor X#Cancerverse|Charles Xavier]] from the [[Cancerverse]], who became a planet-size brain, which proved to be a feast for the symbiote.
|-
| '''[[Scorn (Marvel Comics)|Scorn]]''' ||''[[Carnage (comics)|Carnage]]'' #5 (August 2011)|| Originally a piece of Carnage recovered after his apparent destruction by [[Sentry (Robert Reynolds)|Sentry]]. The piece was used to develop an advanced prosthetic arm used by Tanis Nieves. After she rejected its attempt to bond with her, it became attached to [[Shriek (character)|Shriek]] but grew fearful of her. Nieves accepted its desire to return to her and bonded with the symbiote to become Scorn.
|-
| '''Symbiote Warriors''' || ''Venom'' (vol. 2) #13 (April 2012) || Four clones of [[X-23]] created by Blackheart and bonded to symbiote pieces – seemingly from Toxin. They are all killed by Laura.
|-
| '''Black Berserkers''' || ''[[Thor (comic book)|Thor: God of Thunder]]'' #1 (January 2013) || Creatures created by Gorr using All-Black to help him in his quest to kill all of the universe's gods.
|-
| id="All-Black_the_Necrosword" | '''[[All-Black the Necrosword]]''' || ''[[Thor (comic book)|Thor: God of Thunder]]'' #2 (January 2013) || The first symbiote ever created from the shadow of the evil deity Knull and tempered using the divine power of a slain [[Celestial (comics)|Celestial]] head. It takes the form of a sword made from living darkness and responds to intense negative emotions, often corrupting its user into committing divine atrocities. After taking The All Black from Knull, [[Gorr the God Butcher|Gorr]] was corrupted by the symbiote and continues the "God killing spree" started by Knull, becoming '''Gorr the God Butcher'''.
|-
| '''Marcus''' ||''[[Deadpool (comic book)|Deadpool]]: The Gauntlet'' #8 (February 2014)|| An ancient [[centaur]]/[[werewolf]] hybrid bonded to a black symbiote, Marcus was hired by [[Dracula (Marvel Comics)|Dracula]] to be a member of the New [[Frightful Four]].
|-
| '''Endo-Sym Armor''' || ''Superior [[Iron Man (comic book)|Iron Man]]'' #1 (November 2014)
|| When [[Iron Man|Tony Stark]]'s personality was switched during the "[[AXIS (comics)|AXIS]]" storyline he created the [[Iron Man's Armor|Armor Mark 50]] or The Endo-Sym Armor. This armor was an artificial symbiote based on the Venom symbiote, but it lacked traditional symbiote weaknesses. Tony controlled the artificial symbiote through a device which it reads his thoughts. This symbiote didn't have a mind of his own like the original symbiotes. When Tony's mind returned to normal following the "[[Secret Wars (2015 comic book)|Secret Wars]]" storyline, he got rid of this armor.
|-
| '''Agents of the Cosmos''' ||''[[Guardians of the Galaxy]]'' #23 (March 2015)|| An organization of noble warriors from various species that were sought out by symbiotes to act as champions, dedicated to protecting those in need and capable of maintaining peace across the universe. [[Flash Thompson]] was formerly a member of this organization when he possessed the Venom symbiote. Following the departure of Agent Venom and Tarna from the organization, the Agents of the Cosmos were attacked and killed by the Poisons.
|-
| '''[[Karl Malus]]''' ||''[[Captain America (comic book)|Captain America]]: [[Falcon (comics)|Sam Wilson]]'' #3 (November 2015) || Somehow surviving within the Carnage symbiote after being consumed by it during the events of ''Superior Carnage'', Malus later emerged from it as a symbiote/human hybrid.
|-
| '''Tarna''' || ''Venom Spaceknight'' #2 (February 2016) || A female [[Skrull]] who was part of the Agents of Cosmos and was bonded to a purple symbiote. She assisted Flash Thompson with Venom and after an argument, Venom nearly killed the purple symbiote. The symbiote would be separated from Tarna to be bonded to another host.
|-
| '''Raze''' || ''[[Carnage (comics)|Carnage]]'' #10 (September 2016) || Spawned by Carnage and bonded with former FBI special agent Claire Dixon as part of a ritual involving the [[Darkhold]]. The symbiote was eventually absorbed into the Toxin symbiote so that it could defeat the newly resurrected [[Chthon (Marvel Comics)|Chthon]].
|-
| '''Scorpion''' || ''Amazing Spider-Man'' #792 (December 2017) || An offshoot of the Venom Symbiote created when Lee Price had a sample of the Venom symbiote merge with [[Mac Gargan|Scorpion]].
|-
| '''Killer Thrill''' || ''[[X-Men Blue]]'' #21 (February 2018) || A woman who bonded with a sadistic symbiote after purchasing it from a poacher. Before becoming Killer Thrill, she had come into conflict with [[Drax the Destroyer]]. She led her team of bounty hunters on a mission to kidnap the Starjammers and sell them to the highest bidder. Killer Thrill enjoyed torturing her captives with her symbiote powers, which enhanced her telepathic abilities and allowed them to become more powerful when she got excited. She was defeated during a battle with Venom and the X-Men and was killed when her symbiote was taken over by a Poison.
|-
| '''[[X-Men Blue]]''' || ''[[X-Men Blue]]'' #21 (February 2018) || When [[Cyclops (Marvel Comics)|Cyclops]]' father and the [[Starjammers]] were captured by symbiote-bonded bounty hunters, the young X-Men forced Eddie Brock to help them, since he was bonded to Venom. After going to space, they found a poacher who had sold the symbiotes to the bounty hunters and, during the fight that ensued, the X-Men accidentally became bonded to symbiotes. When they started fighting the bounty hunters, Poisons arrived and consumed them. The X-Men survived and gave their symbiotes to the Starjammers to send them to their home.
|-
| '''Symbiote Dragons''' || ''Venom'' (vol. 4) #1 (May 2018) || Dragon-like Symbiotes created by Knull.
|-
| '''[[Grendel (Marvel Comics)|Grendel]]''' || ''[[Venom (comic book)|Venom]]'' (vol. 4) #1 (May 2018) || Grendel is an ancient Symbiote Dragon created by Knull to destroy gods and civilizations. When Grendel arrived on Earth, it was defeated by [[Thor (Marvel Comics)|Thor]] and trapped in ice. Years later, [[Nick Fury]] frees Grendel and uses it to create symbiote-enhanced supersoldiers, dubbed Sym-soldiers, to fight in the [[Vietnam War]].
|-
| '''Tyrannosaurus''' || ''[[Venom (comic book)|Venom]]'' (vol. 4) #2 () || Tyrannosaurus is among the symbiotes created by Nick Fury upon having a Symbiote sample extracted from Grendel and bonded to soldier [[Rex Strickland]]. Following Strickland's death, Tyrannosaurus assumes a form resembling him.
|-
| '''[[Erik Killmonger#Intergalactic Empire of Wakandas|N'Jadaka]]''' || ''[[Black Panther (comic book)|Black Panther]]'' (vol. 7) #4 (September 2018)
|| 2,000 years in the future, '''N'Jadaka''' – a man named after [[Erik Killmonger]]'s real name – and his team were exploring the other planets to expand the [[Wakanda]] Empire in the Galaxy. While exploring a planet, they were attacked by the Between. He and his men were trying to survive when he encountered a symbiote. He bonded to the symbiote because they hated the current Wakandan Emperor who had sent N'Jadaka to be killed, because he had rendered the symbiotes an endangered species. With its power, he killed the Shadow People and the Emperor and became the new ruler of Wakanda. He and the symbiote then killed the current Avatar of [[Bast (Marvel Comics)|Bast]] and became the new Avatar.
|-
| '''Magic Venom''' || ''Venom'' (vol. 4) #13 (June 2019) || During "[[The War of the Realms]]" event after Eddie Brock was separated from Venom, he with his son Dylan were approached by one of [[Malekith the Accursed|Malekith]]'s War Witches. She gave Eddie one of the [[Elves (Marvel Comics)#Dark-Elves|Dark Elves]]' Dreamstones, in the hope of recruiting Eddie into Malekith's army. The Dreamstone turned into an artificial symbiote, similar to Venom but without a mind of its own. Eddie eventually bonded pieces of the suit to civilians to save them from the invasion.
|-
| '''Void Knight''' || ''[[Silver Surfer (comic book)|Silver Surfer]]: Black'' #2 (September 2019) || During a confrontation between Knull and the Silver Surfer, Knull infected the Surfer with his Abyss, turning him into his Void Knight. However, [[Ego the Living Planet|Ego]] freed the Silver Surfer from Knull's control, destroying the symbiote and allowing him to escape.
|-
| '''Extrembiote''' || ''King in Black'' #2 (December 2020) || Iron Man used a sample of [[Extremis]] on a Symbiote Dragon that formed this new Symbiote while also merging with the Iron Man Model 70 armor.
|-
| '''Plague''' || ''King in Black: Planet of the Symbiotes'' #1 (January 2021) || A symbiote used by Knull to bond with the long dead serial killer '''Cortland Kasady''', Knull's most faithful servant, reanimating Cortland in the process.
|-
| '''Silence''' || ''Extreme Carnage: Phage'' #1 (July, 2021) (Unnamed) ''Extreme Carnage: Lasher'' #1 (August, 2021) || Following the death of the Scream symbiote, '''Dr. Steven''' tried to revitalize the symbiote by harvesting samples from the skin and blood of its host, Andi Benton. However, when the process proved unsuccessful, Steven combined the remains of the Scream symbiote with a sample of Anti-Venom Serum, creating a new symbiote. When Andi was mortally wounded by Phage on the orders of Carnage, she bonded with the symbiote, thinking it was Scream. Dubbing itself Silence and characterizing itself as the absence of Scream, the symbiote took over Andi's body and handily defeated Phage using a version of Anti-Venom's cleansing touch, disconnecting it from the symbiote hive-mind.
|-
| '''[[Bedlam (comics)#Symbiote version|Bedlam]]''' ||rowspan="4" |''Venom'' (vol. 5) #1 (November, 2021) || A large red-colored King in Black who acts as Meridius's encoforcer. He is a future version of Eddie Brock who relapsed into his rage state.
|-
| '''Wilde''' || A future version of Eddie Brock who is cynical and makes jokes to cope with his fate.
|-
| '''Tyro''' || A future version of Eddie Brock who is subservient to Meridus.
|-
| '''Finnegan''' || A future version of Eddie Brock who is shocked and depressed.
|-
| '''Skreem''' || ''Union'' #1 (briefly; December 2020) & #4 (full issue; May 2021) || An alias of The Choir before she joined [[The Union (Marvel Team)|The Union]] and after the symbiote took control of her.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lurie |first=Jordan |date=January 19, 2021 |title=King in Black Reveals the Super-Villain Origin of Marvel's Newest Hero |url=https://screenrant.com/king-black-union-choir-skreem-villain-revealed-knull/ |website=[[Screen Rant]]}}</ref>
|-
| '''Urinal Cake''' || ''Damage Control'' (vol. 4) #2 (September 2022) || A slovenly hedonistic Symbiote. It was later eaten by Rooster the Flerken.
|-
| '''Serpent''' || ''Thor'' (vol. 6) #28 (October 2022) || A Symbiote that was a fusion of promethium and the Symbiote matter of Bedlam's Child.
|-
| '''Princess''' || ''Deadpool'' (vol. 9) #1 (November 2022) || A clone of the Carnage symbiote created by Harrower. It later developed a monstrous hyena-like shape when it was adopted by Deadpool.
|-
| '''Misery''' || ''Cult of Carnage: Misery'' #1 (May 2023) || A fusion of the Carnage symbiote and the Anti-Venom symbiote that merged with '''[[Liz Allan]]'''.
|-
| '''[[Madness (comics)|Madness]]''' || ''Cult of Carnage: Misery'' #2 (June 2023) || The Symbiote samples of Phage, Riot, Scream, Agony, Lasher, and Toxin merged into a new seven-headed gestalt form upon them combining with Corwin Jones, a disgruntled former Alchemax Guardsman who allowed it to happen on Carlton Drake's orders. As Madness, he is imbued with all their powers and rage.
|-
| '''Sliver''' || ''Venom'' (vol. 5) #23 (July 2023) || A symbiote spawned by either the Toxin symbiote or the Venom symbiote when they were attempting to rescue an Alchemax employee abducted by a man called No One who had a grudge against the corporation for the death of his son. In the wake of No One's warehouse burning down, [[Black Widow (Natasha Romanova)|Natasha Romanoff]], who was conducting her own investigation into the group to which No One belonged, encountered the newly spawned symbiote amidst the wreckage and bonded to it. The symbiote would later take on the name of Sliver during the ''Venom War'' storyline.
|-
| '''Zombiote''' || ''Venom'' (vol. 5) #33 (May 2024) || Meridius manipulated Alchemax scientists into fusing the Mania traces in Lee Price's zombie form and the K-Formula to make the K-44 formula that turns anyone living or dead into Zombiotes. The Zombiotes are vulnerable to the usual Symbiote weaknesses and anything containing the Anti-Venom symbiote like the Misery symbiote and the Silence symbiote.
|-
| '''Arachniote''' || ''Venom War: Spider-Man'' #1 (August 2024) || A legendary Symbiote monstrosity with a lethal touch that is so dangerous that even Knull feared it.
|-
| '''Flicker''' || ''Venom War: Lethal Protectors'' #1 (September 2024) || A symbiote either claimed or created by [[Alchemax]]. It given to the new member of the [[Wild Pack]], Lina Abbas, to be used in their mission to retrieve [[Shriek (character)|Shriek]].
|}

==Other versions==
{{Further|Alternative versions of Venom}}

===Ultimate Marvel===
In the [[Ultimate Marvel]] universe, the '''Venom suit''' is a man-made creation born of an experiment by [[Richard and Mary Parker#Ultimate Marvel|Richard Parker]] and [[List of Marvel Comics characters: B#Carl Brock|Edward Brock Sr.]], who were hoping to develop a protoplasmic cure for severe illnesses. [[Bolivar Trask#Ultimate Marvel|Bolivar Trask]], who was funding the research, intended to weaponize it. It used Richard's DNA as the starting base; thus, himself and [[Spider-Man (Ultimate Marvel character)|Peter]] are "related" to it. When bonding to a host, the organic matter that comprises the suit envelops the host, regardless of resistance, and temporarily blinds it, before encasing itself in a hard casing, similar to a [[pupa]]. When the host emerges, the suit then shifts its appearance and function to assist its host, such as creating eyes for it to see through; if bonded with an incompatible host, it tries to take it over, inducing a homicidal rage in the suit's attempt to feed itself. When bonded with a host and forcibly removed, the suit leaves trace amounts of itself in their bloodstream, which attracts other samples of Venom and allows it to overload Peter's spider-sense. In the video game ''[[Ultimate Spider-Man (video game)|Ultimate Spider-Man]]'', absorbing the trace amounts in Peter's blood allowed Eddie to take complete control of the suit, giving him a greater ability to talk and adorning him with a spider symbol on his chest.

Venom's only known weakness is electricity. Larger amounts of the suit will need more electricity to kill, as varying amounts of the suit will be stunned or vaporized by electric shocks. This was first seen in ''Ultimate Spider-Man'' #38, when an electric wire got tangled around Venom's foot. An electrocution from live power-lines vaporized the smaller amount on Peter, while a similar amount disabled Eddie. Note that in the video game ''Ultimate Spider-Man'', when [[Electro (Marvel Comics)#Ultimate Marvel|Electro]] electrocutes Venom during a cutscene, the suit is not affected by the shock like it was by the live power-line in the "Venom" arc. The suit can take the [[Shocker (comics)#Ultimate Marvel|Shocker]]'s vibro-shocks, and can protect its host from a bullet, which feels like nothing more than a relaxing vibration. When worn by a host other than Richard's son Peter, the host is compelled to take the life energy of other human beings or else have their own be consumed by the suit. The original Spider-Man (Peter Parker) was able to control the suit to a greater extent than anyone else because of his powers and because the suit was designed for his father.<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Brian Michael Bendis|penciller=Mark Bagley|inker=Art Thibert and Rodney Ramos|colorist=Transparency Digital|letterer=VC's Chris Eliopoulos|editor=Ralph Macchio, Brian Smith, [[C.B. Cebulski]] and Stephanie Moore|title=Ultimate Spider-Man|volume=1|issue=#33-36|date=April 2003|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref>

The '''Carnage symbiote''' also appears in the Ultimate universe as a parasite genetically engineered by [[Lizard (character)#Ultimate Marvel|Curt Conners]] and [[Ben Reilly#Ultimate Marvel|Ben Reilly]] from Peter's DNA based on Richard's research. Traces of the Venom suit remaining in Peter's blood give Carnage similar properties to those of the Venom suit. It also devours people, but does not require a host. When first introduced, the organism was a blob of instinct, with no intelligence or self-awareness, its only aim to feed on the DNA of others, including that of [[Gwen Stacy#Ultimate Marvel|Gwen Stacy]], to stabilize itself. After feeding on multiple people, Carnage turns into a damaged form of Richard and Peter, with the memories of itself as Spider-Man. Carnage tries to absorb Peter so it can become whole, but Peter throws Carnage into a smokestack, burning the beast, although it is revealed that the organism had survived and turned into a replica of Gwen's form with Gwen's memories.<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Brian Michael Bendis|penciller=Mark Bagley|inker=Scott Hanna and John Dell|colorist=J.D. Smith|editor=Ralph Macchio|letterer=Virtual Calligr|title=Ultimate Spider-Man|volume=1|issue=#62|date=7 July 2004|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref> During an encounter with Eddie Brock, the Venom suit absorbs the Carnage suit into itself, making itself complete and leaving Gwen a normal human being.<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Brian Michael Bendis|penciller=Stuart Immonen|inker=Wade Von GrawBadger|colorist=Justin Ponsor|letterer=Cory Petit|editor=Mark Paniccia and Lauren Sankovitch|story=War of the Symbiotes|title=Ultimate Spider-Man|volume=1|issue=#128|date=26 November 2008|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref>

===Spider-Gwen===
In [[Spider-Woman (Gwen Stacy)|Spider-Gwen]]'s universe, Dr. Elsa Brock creates a cure to [[Harry Osborn#Spider-Gwen|Harry Osborn]]'s Lizard DNA by using Spider-Gwen's radioactive isotopes, given to her by S.I.L.K. Leader [[Silk (comics)#Earth-65|Cindy Moon]]. When Gwen injects the isotopes into Harry, the Lizard serum combines with the Spider isotopes and transforms into Venom. Venom then bonds to Spider-Gwen, which gives her her powers back and she becomes ''Gwenom''. This symbiote, in its natural form, is made up of some spiders working together and is weak to sonic attacks only when bonded to a host; without a host, it is not susceptible to this weakness.<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=[[Jason Latour]]|penciller=Robbie Rodriguez|letterer=Clayton Cowles|editor=Nick Lowe, Kathleen Wisneski and Devin Lewis|story=Predators|title=Spider-Gwen|volume=2|issue=#24|date=27 September 2017|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref>

===Amalgam Comics===
In the [[Amalgam Comics]] universe, the [[Project Cadmus]] facility which created [[Alternative versions of Spider-Man#Amalgam Comics|Spider-Boy]] started experimenting on a substance that they obtained from an alien spaceship. They inadvertently created a crystalline symbiote named '''Bizarnage''' (amalgamation of Carnage and [[Bizarro (comics)|Bizarro]]). It had the powers of Spider-Boy and started attacking everyone, until Spider-Boy defeated it.<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=[[Karl Kessel]]|penciller=[[Mike Wieringo]]|inker=Karl Kessel|colorist=Joe Rosas|letterer=Bill Oakley|title=Spider-Boy|issue=#1|date=April 1996|publisher=[[Amalgam Comics]]|location=United States}}</ref>

===MC2===
In the alternate universe of the [[Marvel Comics 2]], or MC2 imprint, [[Norman Osborn]] obtained Eddie's blood (he was still bonded to Venom at the time) and extracted the symbiote codex. Norman then combined the codices with May's DNA and created a symbiote/human hybrid clone of [[Mayday Parker]]. The clone stayed in stasis inside a chamber until Peter, with Norman's mind, became Goblin God and awoke the hybrid. When Peter returned to normal, the hybrid, under the alias '''Mayhem/Spider-Girl''', went to live with the Parker family, naming herself April Parker.<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Tom DeFalco and [[Ron Frenz]]|penciller=Ron Frenz|inker=Sal Buscema|colorist=Bruno Hang and Impacto Studios|letterer=Dave Sharpe|editor=Molly Razer|title=Amazing Spider-Girl|volume=1|issue=#20|date=July 2008|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref>

In a later timeline, Mayhem accidentally killed the real Spider-Girl and became a murderous vigilante after killing [[American Dream (comics)|American Dream]]. The government, in an attempt to stop her, used pieces of the dead Carnage symbiote (after it had been killed by Mayday) to create living weapons dubbed '''[[Carnage (comics)#MC2|Bio-Predators]]'''. The Bio-preds ran wild, decimating the world and its defenders. Mayhem, seeing the error of her ways, went back in time and sacrificed herself to stop her past self from killing Spider-Girl, ensuring the events that led to the Biopreds' creation never occurred, even though she may have survived.<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz|penciller=Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz|inker=Sal Buscema|colorist=Bruno Hang and Sotocolor|letterer=Dave Sharpe|title=Spider-Girl: The End|date=25 August 2010|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref>

==="Spider-Verse"===
During the 2014 "[[Spider-Verse]]" storyline, in [[Spider-Punk]]'s universe, V.E.N.O.M, also known as '''Variable Engagement Neuro-sensitive Organic Mesh''', was created by [[Oscorp]] and was worn by the Thunderbolt Department, the police and fire department of President Osborn, so that he could have full control over the city. However, they are all subsequently defeated by Spider-Punk using his guitar.<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Dan Slott and Kathryn Immonen|penciller=Giuseppe Camuncoli|artist=[[Mark Brooks (comics)|Mark Brooks]] and [[David Lafuente]]|title=Spider-Verse|volume=1|issue=#2|date=14 January 2015|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref>

==="Spider-Geddon"===
During the 2018 "[[Spider-Geddon]]" storyline, in the universe of Peni Parker, aka [[SP//dr]], '''VEN#m''' is a giant mech-suit, powered by a '''Sym Engine''' and created to serve as back-up in case the SP//dr failed. It was piloted by Addy Brock until, in a battle against a technological monster named [[Morbius the Living Vampire#"Spider-Geddon"|M.O.R.B.I.U.S.]], the suit gained a conscience and went rogue. Though SP//dr is able to defeat VEN#m, she is too late to stop it from consuming Addy, as well as her version of [[Aunt May#Spider-Verse|Aunt May]], who flew in to fix the problem manually.<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=[[Loonie Nadler]], [[Zac Thompson]] and [[Gerard Way]]|artist=[[Alberto Jimenez Alburquerque]]|title=Edge of Spider-Geddon|issue=#2|date=29 August 2018|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref>

===What If...===
====...Spider-Man had rejected the Spider?====
"''What if?: The Other''", set during "[[Spider-Man: The Other|The Other]]" storyline, features an alternative version of Peter who abandons the Spider when given the choice. Some time afterward, the [[Venom (Marvel Comics character)|Venom symbiote]] leaves its current host [[Mac Gargan]] and merges with Peter, who was inside a [[cocoon (silk)|cocoon]] to become [[Alternative versions of Venom#...Spider-Man had rejected the Spider?|Poison]]. Poison, now calling himself "I", chooses [[Mary Jane Watson|Mary Jane]] to be his companion. He fails to gain her affection and digs up the grave of [[Gwen Stacy]] instead. The last images reveals Poison watching over a new cocoon like his own, as it bursts forth showing a hand similar to Carnage's, even though the normal symbiotes are unable to bond with dead hosts.<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=[[David, Peter]]|penciller=Pham, Khoi|inker=[[Florea, Sandu]]|story=What if Spider-Man had rejected the Spider? - Poison Selves|title=What If|volume=3|issue=2|date=November 2006|publisher=[[Marvel Comics]]|location=New York|page=|panel=}}</ref>

===="Age of Apocalypse"====
In a "What if?" "[[Age of Apocalypse]]" reality, in which both [[Professor X|Charles Xavier]] and [[Magneto (Marvel Comics)|Eric Lensherr]] were killed, Apocalypse is served by clones of a symbiote Spider-Man, although the clones seem to be more symbiote than man.<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Rick Remender|artist=Dave Wilkins|colorist=Anthony Washington|letterer=Nate Piekos|editor=Mark Paniccia and Nathan Cosby|story=...What If Legion Had Killed Xavier and Magneto?|title=What If? X-Men Age of Apocalypse|issue=#1|date=February 2007|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref>

===Spider-Man: India===
In ''[[Spider-Man: India]]'', the symbiotes are parasitic demons with outward tusk-like fangs, who had ruled the world in the past but got trapped inside an amulet. The amulet was eventually found by Nalin Oberoi and transformed him into the Green Goblin. During a fight with Spider-Man, the Green Goblin releases a [[Alternative versions of Venom#Spider-Man: India|demon]] to possess Spider-Man, but is expelled. After the defeat of Green Goblin, the amulet is thrown into ocean, leaving Venom the only demon alive.<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Suresh Seetharaman, Sharad Devarajan and Jeevan J. Kang|colorist=Gotham Entertainment Group|title=Spider-Man: India|issue=#1-4|date=17 November 2004|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref>

===What The--?!===
In the ''[[What The--?!]]'', the [[Beyonder|Bee-Yonder]] gives [[Spider-Ham]] a version of the black uniform, but Spider-Ham likes his classic suit more, so he gets rid of it.<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=[[Mike Carlin]]|penciller=Joe Albelo|inker=Pierre Fournier|colorist=Juliana Ferriter|letterer=Janice Chiang|editor=Larry Hama|story=Pig's Out|title=Spider-Ham|issue=#17|date=September 1987|publisher=Star Comics|location=United States}}</ref> In #20, Pork Grind, a pig version of Venom, is introduced as an enemy of Spider-Ham.

===Contest of Champions===
In the 2016 ''Contest of Champions'' series, where [[Maestro (Marvel Comics)|Maestro]] and [[Collector (comics)|Collector]] use the heroes of different worlds to battle with each other, when this version of Venom was killed by [[Punisher 2099]], the remnants fused with the remains of the [[Sentry (Robert Reynolds)|Void]], creating the Symbioids.<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=[[Al Ewing]]|penciller=[[Paco Medina]]|editor=Mark Paniccia|title=Contest of Champions|issue=#6|date=23 March 2016|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref>

===Earth X===
In the universe of [[Earth-9997]] / [[Earth X]], the symbiotes, like all sentient life, were created by the Celestials as "antibodies" to protect the embryos which resided in the core of the planets. Like the [[Asgardians (comics)|Asgardians]] and [[Mephisto (comics)#Universe X|Mephisto]], the symbiotes eventually reached the third stage of metamorphosis and apotheosized into metaphysical entities, given physical form by what others believed them to be and required of them.<ref>''Earth X'' #X. Marvel Comics.</ref><ref>''Universe X'' #2. Marvel Comics.</ref> The Venom symbiote was given form by Spider-Man, who believed it to be a symbiotic living costume; after being bonded to Eddie Brock for years, it bonded to Peter's daughter [[May Parker (MC2)|May Parker]], who managed to tame and rehabilitate it to start her career as the superhero Venom.<ref>''Earth X'' #1. Marvel Comics.</ref>

===Spider-Man Unlimited===
In the ''[[Spider-Man Unlimited (comics)#1999 series (vol. 2)|Spider-Man Unlimited]]'' series, a '''Synoptic''' is introduced. Synoptics are parasites that can control organic beings via touch. Venom and Carnage, who act as double agents to the [[High Evolutionary]], are able to revive the Synoptic.<ref>''Spider-Man Unlimited'' Vol 2 #½. Marvel Comics.</ref>

===Spider-Man: Spider's Shadow===
In the 2021 miniseries ''Spider's Shadow'', the symbiote manages to form a stronger bond with Peter after the [[Hobgoblin (comics)|Hobgoblin]] kills May Parker, which leads to Peter succumbing to its influence and killing several of his familiar rogues before the FF are able to expel the symbiote from him. Unfortunately, the symbiote is able to escape captivity and bond with Reed Richards, allowing its subsequent spawn to be altered so that they are immune to most of its traditional weaknesses. Despite these symbiotes managing to bond with various Avengers, X-Factor, and the rest of the FF, Peter and Johnny Storm are able to trick the original symbiote into trying to re-bond with Peter, only to reveal that it was pursuing Johnny while he was using an image inducer. The death of the prime symbiote destroys all of its spawn (although it kills Reed before its defeat).<ref>''Spider-Man: Spider's Shadow''#1</ref>

===Marvel Adventures===
In the ''[[Marvel Adventures]]'' continuity, primarily aimed at younger readers, this universe's Spider-Man comes into contact with the Black Suit at [[Phineas Mason|the Tinkerer's]] junkyard. While trying to take down the combined efforts of [[Stilt-Man]], [[Rocket Racer]], and [[Leap-Frog (comics)|Leap Frog]], Spider-Man comes into contact with a "stealth fabric", a liquid alloy that can quickly adapt to the user's body. Sometime later, Reed Richards of [[the Fantastic Four]] analyzes the suit, concluding that it is using Spider-Man's body to power itself and will eventually drain him of his energy.

==In other media==
===Television===
* The [[Venom (character)|Venom]] and [[Carnage (character)|Carnage]] symbiotes appear in ''[[Spider-Man: The Animated Series]]''.
* The Venom and Carnage symbiotes appear in ''[[Spider-Man Unlimited]]''.
* The Venom symbiote appears in ''[[The Spectacular Spider-Man (TV series)|The Spectacular Spider-Man]]''. Additionally, Carnage was also set to appear before the series was cancelled.
* The Venom, Carnage, and [[Anti-Venom]] symbiotes appear in ''[[Ultimate Spider-Man (TV series)|Ultimate Spider-Man]]''.
* A gamma variant of the Venom symbiote appears in the ''[[Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H.]]'' episode "The Venom Within".
* The Klyntar, Venom and Carnage symbiotes, and the Exolons appear in ''[[Guardians of the Galaxy (TV series)|Guardians of the Galaxy]]''. This version of the Klyntar's homeworld was destroyed by [[Thanos]], who took them to Planet X to weaponize them by altering their genealogy.
* The Venom, Anti-Venom, [[Scream (character)|Scream]], [[Scorn (Marvel Comics)|Scorn]], and [[Mania (character)|Mania]] symbiotes, the Klyntar, and Grendel appear in ''[[Spider-Man (2017 TV series)|Spider-Man]]'' (2017).
* An original symbiote named '''Syphon8r''' appears in the ''[[Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur]]'' episode "The Borough Bully". Upon detecting a boy named Angelo (voiced by [[Josh Keaton]]) who was envious of [[Moon Girl (Marvel Comics)|Moon Girl]] and [[Devil Dinosaur]] for upstaging him, Syphon8r bonds with him, takes on the form of a four-armed troll with four tentacles for legs, and becomes an [[internet troll]] to feed off of his and Moon Girl's anger. While attempting to destroy the [[George Washington Bridge]] to increase his popularity, Moon Girl depowers the symbiote before she and Devil defeat it, forcing it to retreat and abandon Angelo.

===Film===
* The Venom symbiote appears in ''[[Spider-Man 3]]''.
* The Venom symbiote makes a cameo appearance in trailers for ''[[The Amazing Spider-Man 2]]'', but was replaced with the [[Rhino (character)|Rhino]]'s armor in the theatrical cut.

====Sony's Spider-Man Universe====
The Symbiotes appear in [[Sony's Spider-Man Universe]]:

* The [[Venom (Sony's Spider-Man Universe)|Venom]] and [[Riot (comics)|Riot]] symbiotes appear in ''[[Venom (2018 film)|Venom]]''.<ref>{{cite web |last=Couch |first=Aaron |date=July 20, 2018 |title='Venom' Unveils Villain at Comic-Con |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/venom-villain-will-be-riot-tom-hardy-reveals-at-comic-con-1128276 |access-date=July 20, 2018 |website=hollywoodreporter |archive-date=July 21, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180721065937/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/venom-villain-will-be-riot-tom-hardy-reveals-at-comic-con-1128276 |url-status=live }}</ref> Additionally, a blue symbiote designated '''SYM-A02''' and a yellow symbiote designated '''SYM-A03''' make minor appearances.<ref>{{cite tweet|number=1267481210915348482|user=thevenomsite|title=Fun fact: The practical effects team that worked on the blue and yellow symbiotes for the 2018 Venom movie referr…<!-- full text of tweet that Twitter returned to the bot (excluding links) added by TweetCiteBot. This may be better truncated or may need expanding (TW limits responses to 140 characters) or case changes. -->|date=June 1, 2020}}</ref>
* The Venom and Carnage symbiotes appear in ''[[Venom: Let There Be Carnage]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Sandwell |first1=Ian |last2=Geisinger |first2=Gabriella |last3=Armitage |first3=Hugh |date=2021-08-10 |title=Venom 2: Release date, cast, plot and everything you need to know about Let There Be Carnage |url=http://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a860043/venom-2-release-date-cast-plot-trailer-spoilers-spider-man-tom-hardy/ |access-date=2021-08-27 |website=Digital Spy |language=en-GB |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210825195529/https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a860043/venom-2-release-date-cast-plot-trailer-spoilers-spider-man-tom-hardy/ |archive-date=2021-08-25 |url-status=live}}</ref>
* The Venom, [[Toxin (character)|Toxin]], [[Lasher (comics)|Lasher]], Lava,<ref name="Frei">{{Cite web |last1=Frei |first1=Vincent |date=2024-11-18 |title=Venom – The Last Dance: John Moffatt and Aharon Bourland – Production VFX Supervisors |url=https://www.artofvfx.com/venom-the-last-dance-john-moffatt-and-aharon-bourland-production-vfx-supervisors/ |website=Art of VFX |language=en-GB |access-date=November 28, 2024 |archive-date=November 18, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241118175402/https://www.artofvfx.com/venom-the-last-dance-john-moffatt-and-aharon-bourland-production-vfx-supervisors/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Animal,<ref name="Frei" /> Tendril,<ref name="Frei" /> Phage<ref name="Frei" /> and [[Agony (comics)|Agony]] symbiotes, and [[Knull]] appear in ''[[Venom: The Last Dance]]''.

====Marvel Cinematic Universe====
{{See also|Necrosword (Marvel Cinematic Universe)}}
Elements of symbiote-related characters serve as inspiration for media set in the [[Marvel Cinematic Universe]] (MCU):

* Exolon monks appear in the live-action film ''[[Guardians of the Galaxy (film)|Guardians of the Galaxy]]'' as followers of [[Ronan the Accuser (Marvel Cinematic Universe)|Ronan the Accuser]].<ref>{{cite comic|writer=Mike O'Sullivan, Rob Bock, Anthoney Cotilletta, Pat Duke, Mike Fichera, Daron Jensen, Rob London, Chris McCarver, Jacob Rougemont and Stuart Vandal|penciller=Wellinton Alves, Simone Bianchi, Nick Bradshaw, Sal Buscema, John Byrne, Roberto Castro, Paul Catling, Jim Cheung, Gene Colan, Gabriele Dell'Otto, Steve Ditko, Andrea Di Vito, Jack Dudman, Anthony Francisco, Javier Garrón, Adi Granov, Bob Hall, Scott Hepburn, Dave Johnson, Gil Kane, Jack Kirby, Nic Klein, José Ladrönn, Bob Larkin, Aaron Lopresti, Jorge Lucas, Chris Marrinan, Francesco Mattina, Mike Mayhew, Steve McNiven, Gray Morrow, Rudy Nebres, Ariel Olivetti, Paul Pelletier, George Pérez, Keith Pollard, Olivier Pron, Joe Quinones and Humberto Ramos|title=Guidebook to the Marvel Cinematic Universe - Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy|issue=1|date=September 2016|editor=Mark D. Beazley, Jennifer Grunwald, Sarah Brunstad, Jeff Youngquist and Alex Starbuck|publisher=Marvel Comics|location=United States}}</ref>
* A Necrosword inspired by All-Black appears in the live-action film ''[[Thor: Ragnarok]]'' as [[Hela (Marvel Cinematic Universe)|Hela]]'s primary weapon.<ref name="All-Black">{{Cite web |date=13 April 2017 |title=Thor: Ragnarok: What Is Hela's Sword? |url=https://comicbook.com/marvel/2017/04/11/thor-ragnarok-hela-sword |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190511175534/http://comicbook.com/marvel/2017/04/11/thor-ragnarok-hela-sword/ |archive-date=May 11, 2019 |access-date=2017-11-13 |publisher=Comic Book }}</ref>
* Two Necroswords appear in the [[Disney+]] animated series ''[[What If...? (TV series)|What If...?]]'' episode "[[What If... T'Challa Became a Star-Lord?]]", wielded by an alternate reality version of the [[Taneleer Tivan (Marvel Cinematic Universe)|Collector]].
* The SSU incarnation of the Venom symbiote makes an uncredited cameo appearance in the mid-credits scene of ''[[Spider-Man: No Way Home]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Couch |first=Aaron |date=2021-10-19 |title=Marvel's Kevin Feige Talks 'Eternals' Ambition and That 'Venom' Surprise |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/kevin-feige-eternals-venom-spider-man-1235033550/ |access-date=2022-01-01 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US |archive-date=October 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211019191002/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/kevin-feige-eternals-venom-spider-man-1235033550/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Spider-Man: No Way Home Writers Reveal How Venom Traveled to MCU Even if Eddie Brock Didn't Know Peter Parker |url=https://comicbook.com/marvel/news/spider-man-no-way-home-writers-reveal-how-venom-traveled-to-mcu-even-if-eddie-brock-didnt-know-peter-parker/ |access-date=2022-01-01 |website=Marvel |date=December 30, 2021 |language=en}}</ref>
* A non-symbiote Necrosword appears in ''[[Thor: Love and Thunder]]'', wielded by [[Gorr (Marvel Cinematic Universe)|Gorr the God Butcher]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-12-11 |title=Here's the Marvel Villain Christian Bale Is Playing in 'Thor: Love and Thunder' |url=https://collider.com/thor-love-and-thunder-gorr-the-godbutcher-christian-bale/ |access-date=2022-04-20 |website=Collider |language=en-US |archive-date=December 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201211015313/https://collider.com/thor-love-and-thunder-gorr-the-godbutcher-christian-bale/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-02-21 |title='Thor: Love and Thunder' Toy Offers First Look At Gorr & The Necrosword |url=https://fullcirclecinema.com/2022/02/21/thor-love-and-thunder-toy-offers-first-look-at-gorr-the-necrosword/ |access-date=2022-04-20 |website=Full Circle Cinema |language=en-us}}</ref>
* A symbiotic alien appears in ''[[Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man]]'', voiced by [[Kellen Goff]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Macias |first=Patrick |date=January 30, 2025 |title=You're Not Imagining It: Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man Hides a My Hero Academia Connection |url=https://screenrant.com/your-friendly-neighborhood-spider-man-anime-my-hero-academia/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250201150343/https://screenrant.com/your-friendly-neighborhood-spider-man-anime-my-hero-academia/ |archive-date=February 1, 2025 |access-date=January 30, 2025 |website=[[Screen Rant]]}}</ref>

===Video games===
* An infinite number of symbiote clones created by [[Doctor Doom]] serve as the collective final boss of ''[[Spider-Man: The Video Game]]''.
* The Venom, Carnage, Scream, Agony, Riot, Lasher, and Phage symbiotes appear in ''[[Venom/Spider-Man: Separation Anxiety]]''.
* Clones of the Carnage symbiote created by [[Doctor Octopus]], in addition to the original, appear in ''[[Spider-Man (2000 video game)|Spider-Man]]'' (2000).
* The Venom symbiote appears in the ''[[Spider-Man 3]]'' film tie-in game. Additionally, an unidentified symbiote bonded to [[Shriek (character)|Shriek]] appears in the [[PlayStation 2|PS2]], [[PlayStation Portable|PSP]], and [[Wii]] versions of the game.
* The Venom symbiote, Klyntar, '''Snatchers''', '''Zombies''', '''Berserkers''', '''Grapplers''', '''Slashers''', '''Electrolings''', '''Vulturelings''', and '''Symbiote Pods''' appear in ''[[Spider-Man: Web of Shadows]]''.
* The Ultimate Marvel incarnations of the Venom and Carnage symbiotes appear in ''[[Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions]]''.
* The Anti-Venom symbiote appears in ''[[Spider-Man: Edge of Time]]''.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ign.com/wikis/spider-man-edge-of-time/Chapter_5:_Pro_and_Anti-Venom | title=Chapter 5: Pro and Anti-Venom - Spider-Man: Edge of Time Guide | date=October 27, 2011 }}</ref>
* The Venom, Scream, Anti-Venom, and [[Hybrid (Scott Washington)|Hybrid]] symbiotes appear in ''[[Marvel: Avengers Alliance]]''.
* The Venom symbiote appears in ''[[Lego Marvel Super Heroes]]''.
* A nanite-based incarnation of the Venom symbiote appears in ''[[The Amazing Spider-Man 2]]'' film tie-in game.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://matt-in-the-hat.com/2021/09/30/the-carnage-killer-story-dissecting-the-amazing-spider-man-2-game-story/ | title=The Carnage Killer Story: Dissecting the Amazing Spider-Man 2 game story | date=September 30, 2021 | access-date=October 31, 2023 | archive-date=October 31, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231031150807/https://matt-in-the-hat.com/2021/09/30/the-carnage-killer-story-dissecting-the-amazing-spider-man-2-game-story/ | url-status=live }}</ref>
* Numerous symbiote-related characters appear in ''[[Spider-Man Unlimited (video game)|Spider-Man Unlimited]]'' (2014). Additionally, a "Symbiote Dimension" appears as a stage.
* Clones of the Venom symbiote created by the [[Norman Osborn|Green Goblin]] and [[Mysterio]] appear in ''[[Disney Infinity 2.0]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://gamerant.com/disney-infinity-marvel-heroes-spider-man-play-set/|title='Disney Infinity 2.0: Marvel Super Heroes' Spider-Man Play Set Reveals New Characters|last=Connolly|first=Denny|date=June 10, 2014|access-date=November 4, 2023|website=Gamerant|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150429080622/https://gamerant.com/disney-infinity-marvel-heroes-spider-man-play-set/|archive-date=April 29, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>
* The Venom, Carnage, and Anti-Venom symbiotes as well as symbiotes merged with [[Super-Adaptoid|Adaptoids]] called '''Symbioids''' appear in ''[[Marvel: Contest of Champions]]''.
* The Venom and Carnage symbiotes as well as original symbiotes '''Carrier''', '''Horror''', '''Demolisher''', and '''Mutation''' appear in ''[[Marvel Puzzle Quest]]''.
* The Klyntar appear in ''[[Marvel Avengers Academy]]''.
* The Venom symbiote, several unnamed symbiotes, and a giant, unnamed symbiote appear in ''[[Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite]]''. [[Jedah Dohma]] uses the [[Infinity Gems#Description|Soul Stone]] to steal a million souls from Earth and feed them to the giant symbiote in addition to giving pieces of it to [[Advanced Idea Mechanics|A.I.M.]][[Umbrella Corp|brella]], who bond them to virus-infected subjects to stabilize them. Spider-Man, [[Chris Redfield]], [[Frank West (Dead Rising)|Frank West]], and [[Mike Haggar]] defeat Dohma, but he unleashes the creature on New Metro City. Nonetheless, the [[Avengers (comics)|Avengers]] and heroes from the Capcom universe gather three of the [[Infinity Gems|Infinity Stones]] and use them to destroy the giant symbiote.
* The Venom and Carnage symbiotes, along with a hybridization of them called '''Carnom''', appears in ''[[Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2]]''.
* The Venom symbiote makes a cameo appearance in the ending of ''[[Spider-Man (2018 video game)|Marvel's Spider-Man]]'' (2018).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/who-is-venom-marvels-spider-man-2/ |title=The identity of Venom in Marvel's Spider-Man 2 could be lurking in Insomniac's previous games |date=September 23, 2021 |last=Arrant |first=Chris |website=GamesRadar |access-date=November 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230906143811/https://www.gamesradar.com/who-is-venom-marvels-spider-man-2/ |archive-date=September 6, 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref>
* The Venom symbiote makes a cameo appearance in the mid-credits scene of ''[[Spider-Man: Miles Morales]]''.
* The Venom,<ref>{{Cite web|last=Good|first=Owen S.|date=September 9, 2021|title=Marvel's Spider-Man 2 coming to PS5 in 2023, bringing Venom with it|url=https://www.polygon.com/22665222/marvel-spider-man-2-game-release-date-insomniac-games-ps5|access-date=September 10, 2021|website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210909232131/https://www.polygon.com/22665222/marvel-spider-man-2-game-release-date-insomniac-games-ps5|archive-date=September 9, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref> Scream, and Anti-Venom symbiotes as well as several unnamed symbiote foot soldiers and Symbiote Behemoths created by Venom appear in ''[[Spider-Man 2 (2023 video game)|Spider-Man 2]]''.

===Miscellaneous===
* The [[Scream (character)|Scream]] symbiote appears in ''[[The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man]]''.
* The Carnage symbiote appears in ''[[Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark]]''.
* On October 10, 2022, Marvel Comics announced the Summer of Symbiotes upcoming event for [[New York Comic Con]] in summer 2023.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.cbr.com/summer-of-symbiotes-introduce-slew-superheroes-event-marvel/|title=Marvel Is About to Introduce a Slew of New Symbiote Superheroes|first=Brandon|last=Schreur|date=October 10, 2022|work=[[Comic Book Resources]] }}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.thevenomsite.com List of Venom Comics] at TheVenomSite.com
*{{Marveldatabase|Klyntar_(Race)|Klyntar}}
*[https://comicvine.gamespot.com/symbiotes/4060-56880/characters/ symbiotes] at Comic Vine
*[https://m.ign.com/articles/2018/10/19/venom-movie-marvels-most-powerful-symbiotes-ranked Marvel's most powerful symbiotes] at IGN
*[https://screenrant.com/symbiotes-stronger-weaker-venom/ 16 symbiotes More Powerful Than Venom (And 9 Weaker)] at Screenrant

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