Marvel Reveals New Venom Symbiote Hosts

Five Marvel superheroes will bond with the sinister symbiote in What If?... Venom.

By Cameron Bonomolo - January 16, 2024 02:45 pm EST

What if... other Marvel superheroes bonded with the Venom symbiote? In the years since an inky black alien joined with Spider-Man in the classic Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #8 and was forcibly separated from its host in Web of Spider-Man #1, the symbiote merged with human hosts Eddie Brock, Mac Gargan/Scorpion, and Flash Thompson/Agent Venom. There have been other superhero hosts, too: a "Venom Bomb" once Venom-ized New York's mightiest heroes — including the Avengers, Echo, and Wolverine — when a symbiotic virus spread across the city way back in Mighty Avengers. But what if... those symbiotic bonds were never broken?

That's the question in What If?... Venom, the new five-issue limited series from writer Jeremy Holt (Marvel's Voices: Spider-Verse) and artists Jesús Hervás (Marvel Unleashed), Tadam Gyadu (Spider-Man: India), Manuel Garcia (X-Men: Days of Future Past – Doomsday), and Diogenes Neves (Realm of X). The series will ask "what if" the Venom symbiote possessed Doctor Strange, Loki, Wolverine, She-Hulk, and Moon Knight after its separation from Spider-Man.

What If?...Venom "will put a bold twist on the Venom symbiote's origin as it's rejected by Peter Parker and tossed around on a thrilling trip through the Marvel Universe," according to the official synopsis. "This amazing unearthly power will be given to the likes of She-Hulk, Wolverine, Doctor Strange, Loki, and Moon Knight, each of whom will be equipped with insane new designs as the symbiote shatters the limit of the rage, darkness, violence, hubris, and mischief within these five iconic characters. The saga will explore how all these characters grapple with their newfound gifts and reveal who the symbiote will ultimately seek control of!"

"Having the opportunity to play within the Venom sandbox is cool. Having the opportunity to bond five iconic heroes to the alien parasite is cooler," Holt said. "In doing so within the What If…? concept, I've had an absolute blast crafting a linear revisionist history that's provided me the latitude to introduce distinct versions of the anti-hero that we've all come to love."

Marvel Comics has unveiled new interior art and character design sheets from the series (below), which hits stands with What If?... Venom #1 on February 28.

WHAT IF?... VENOM #1 (OF 5)
Written by JEREMY HOLT
Art by JESÚS HERVÁS
Cover by LEINIL FRANCIS YU
On Sale 2/28

Years ago, in a familiar church tower, the Venom symbiote was spurned by Peter Parker and found a willing host in the vengeful and wrathful Eddie Brock! Or, at least, that's the story you know! Get an all-new look at what makes the Marvel Universe's most sinister symbiote tick, starting with a journey that reimagines its earliest days bonded to a host with a rage and temper entirely different from those of Eddie Brock!