Venom will have an unexpected new host (and a welcome change of pace)

It's been a crazy few years for Eddie Brock. From finding out there's a symbiote god that wants to destroy the universe as a whole to going face-to-face with his son, Dylan Brock, over dark visions of the future. The events of Venom (2018), King in Black, and more recently Venom War (2024) have been quite a lot to handle. So it only seems fair he gets a bit of rest and passes the Venom mantle to someone else.

In December 2024, All-New Venom will take the spotlight and introduce a huge (but welcome) change of pace for the character. The new series by Al Ewing and Carlos Gómez will feature the Lethal Protector in the middle of a grounded detective story. It's a complete shift from the many cosmical and larger-than-life horrors he has faced in his latest series. And as if that wasn't enough, a different (and unexpected) host will also come into the picture.

The Venom symbiote finds a new host

All-New Venom will have four candidates to be the symbiote's new host: Rick Jones, Luke Cage, Robbie Robertson, and Madame Masque. This unnerving mystery will be at the front and center of the series (though fans have speculated Luke is the most likely answer). But independent of who takes Eddie Brock's place, this new iteration of Venom will be presented as an all-out superhero as revealed by writer Al Ewing in an interview with IGN:

"Even as a hero, Venom was always the Lethal Protector... what does it look like when he is an honest-to-goodness hero? Does it look like the most ostentatious coping mechanism this side of Matt Murdock?"

- Al Ewing

Even if Venom is known to protect the innocent and those who can't defend themselves... his methods are a bit questionable. Besides, there's the fact that he's acted as a straight-up supervillain in the past, especially to Spider-Man. Eddie Brock has attempted to be a good man and father on many occasions, but there are instances where he simply falls short. So it looks like someone new will be needed to make Venom a true hero.

Over the years, many different characters have bonded with the Venom symbiote, including Tel-Kar, Peter Parker, Anne Weying, and Flash Thompson (among others). And in December that list will grow a little bit bigger. Let's hope this new iteration of the character offers something completely new from what readers have seen before.

A perfect entry point

Sometimes it can be pretty difficult to get into the comic book world because of how many different stories and issues there are. A commonly asked question is: "Where could I start?". Fortunately, All-New Venom is shaping up to be the perfect place to do so:

"If you want to start fresh with `Who is Venom in the comics, anyway?`; Well, this is a #1. And like all good #1s, it tells you everything you need to know about where the comic iteration is at."

- Al Ewing

With Venom: The Last Dance just around the corner, Donny Cates' Venom (2018) is a perfect saga to read and get to know more about the symbiote mythos and the relationship between Eddie Brock and his son, Dylan. The story then continues in the ongoing Venom War (2024), which will come to an end on November 27, 2024 - leaving the door open for someone else to bond with the symbiote in the process. However, it's not necessary to have read any of these series to dive right into All-New Venom, which is a huge plus.

Are you excited about this new chapter in the Lethal Protector's story? Let us know on our social media pages! And stick around with Whatever A Spider Can for everything Spider-Man-related.