Symbiotes are making a massive return in Spider-Man media, with Venom set to appear in Sony's Spider-Man 2, Venom 3, and possibly in a fourth installment of Tom Holland's Spider-Man franchise. As such, the next several years are sure to be filled with fun symbiote stories for audiences to sink their teeth into.
Symbiotes have a long and storied history in Marvel Comics, most notably with Spider-Man. Although the web-slinging superhero is usually at odds with the alien species, the Earth-616 version of Spider-Man has teamed up – and bonded – with various symbiotes throughout his comic book history, and will likely encounter even more in the Summer of Symbiotes event.
9 Spider-Man And Venom Bond In Secret Wars
Spider-Man's first encounter with the alien symbiote occurred during the 1984 Secret Wars crossover event. In Secret Wars #8, Spider-Man encountered an alien substance on Battleworld. Not realizing it was alive, Spider-Man donned the substance as his new black suit. Returning to Earth in The Amazing Spider-Man #252, Spider-Man made the symbiote suit his main costume.
Spider-Man wore the alien suit for several years thereafter as he slowly came to recognize that it was negatively affecting his actions. Spider-Man rejected it with the help of sonic vibrations from a nearby church bell. Unbeknownst to the superhero, this turn of events would eventually lead to the debut of one of Marvel's best villains, Venom.
8 Spider-Man Rejected The Symbiote
Spider-Man wasn't free of the symbiote suit after rejecting it the first time. In the first issue of Web of Spider-Man, Peter Parker believes that he has escaped the corrupting power of the Venom symbiote, but the alien eventually breaks out of its holding cell in the Baxter Building and hunts its former host down in a desperate attempt to bond with him once more.
With the help of Mister Fantastic, Peter eventually rejected the Venom symbiote a second time in Web of Spider-Man #1. The alien symbiote actually displays some affection for Peter in its final moments, knowing that it will die without a proper host. However, this love would quickly turn to hatred in later stories after the symbiote bonded with Eddie Brock to become Venom.
7 The Enigma Force
Spider-Man went cosmic for a brief period in Marvel Comics, beginning with 1989's Spectacular Spider-Man #158. After a laboratory accident, Peter Parker bonded with the Enigma Force to become Captain Universe, a being of intense power far beyond those of Spider-Man. After several issues, Spider-Man and the Enigma Force went their separate ways – but not forever.
The King in Black storyline revealed that the Enigma Force was an ancient counterpart to Knull, the god of the symbiotes. As such, the Enigma Force was retconned to be a symbiote itself, retroactively making each Captain Universe – including Spider-Man – a host to this alien symbiote.
6 The Venom Symbiote Virus
In 2008's Mighty Avengers #8, a lethal pathogen known as the Venom Symbiote Virus made its first appearance in Marvel Comics. This virus was concocted using a sample of the Venom symbiote and was capable of transforming regular humans into symbiote-like creatures. Doctor Doom spread the virus over Manhattan.
Like many other citizens of New York City, Spider-Man was caught in the Venom Symbiote Virus outbreak, transforming into one of the alien creatures. The remaining members of the Mighty Avengers and New Avengers cured the disease, saving Spider-Man and the other infected citizens.
5 An Unnamed Second Symbiote
Spider-Man became host to another unnamed symbiote in Marvel Comics during the events of 2015's Spider-Man and the X-Men #5. Spider-Man and a group of young X-Men take on a Brood of symbiote invaders attacking New York City. In the midst of the chaos, an unnamed symbiote bonds with Spider-Man.
Taking on an appearance quite similar to the Venom symbiote, Spider-Man eventually succumbs to the alien parasite's influence and begins to attack his students. Thankfully, Beast steps in just in time, blasting the symbiote off Spider-Man and saving the day. This unnamed symbiote has not appeared in any other storylines.
4 A Third Symbiote In Venomized
The 2018 Venomized storyline revealed that some symbiotes had been genetically altered to make them more dangerous to their human hosts. An unnamed symbiote from this breed, which had been enhanced to be nearly impossible to separate from its host, bonded with Spider-Man.
Spider-Man initially panics after learning that his new symbiote can't be removed as easily as Venom. However, this unnamed symbiote proved not to be as antagonistic as the hero had feared, saving his life in a battle with Poison Carnage before eventually being removed and allowed to roam free in space with its brethren.
3 Spider-Man And Venom Defeat Red Goblin
Although Spider-Man devoted a great deal of time and energy to ensuring that he would never again bond with the Venom symbiote, he was forced to go back on this vow when Norman Osborn bonded with the Carnage Symbiote to become the Red Goblin. Once more bonding with Venom, Spider-Man fought the Red Goblin in the 2018 "Go Down Swinging" storyline.
This marked the first time in decades that Peter Parker and the Venom symbiote joined forces, showing just how much of a threat the Red Goblin posed to the world. Spider-Man eventually defeats Osborn and separates himself from the Venom symbiote once more, returning it to Eddie Brock.
2 Miles Morales Became Captain Universe
Much like Peter Parker before him, Miles Morales served a brief term as Captain Universe during the 2018 Spider-Geddon event. In a strange series of events, Miles briefly inhabited the powers of Captain Universe after bonding with the Enigma Force, which was later revealed to be a symbiote during the King in Black crossover.
Miles Morales' adventures as Spider-Man have not been as heavily influenced by symbiotes as Peter Parker's were. However, using the Enigma Force would not be the last time that Miles hosted an alien symbiote.
1 Miles Morales Became Carnage
In the 2019 Absolute Carnage crossover event, Miles Morales forcibly bonds with the Grendel symbiote, which turns him into a Carnage doppelganger. Brainwashed by the malevolent parasite, Miles loses his free will and fights Venom and his other friends.
Fortunately for Miles, Eddie Brock was eventually able to weaken the Grendel symbiote long enough for the young hero to break free of its control. No longer host to a brainwashing symbiote, Spider-Man was able to fight alongside his friends once more to defeat Carnage and his doppelgangers.