Marvel Unveils Its Adorable New Mascot’s Origin

Published Sep 13, 2026, 11:30 AM EDT

Jared is a writer, editor, and Communications Studies graduate who loves popular nerd culture (almost anything to do with Marvel, DC, Star Wars, or The Lord of the Rings) and the interactive storytelling medium. Jared's first console was the PS1, wherein he fell for Spider-Man, Spyro the Dragon, and Crash Bandicoot.

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Marvel is poised to crown its cutest mascot character ever in a new one-shot comic book. While Jeff the Land Shark and Wolvie-Kawaii are tough competition, writer Joe Kelly is right in stating that “there’s something intriguing about a symbiote in the Marvel universe that runs around without a host,” making Symbie “adorable and also oddly… sinister.”

Essentially, Symbie is Marvel’s ‘Baby Yoda.’ The hostless symbiote goop critter has recurred as a charming yet insignificant side character in Joe Kelly’s The Amazing Spider-Man run since joining Peter Parker’s motley crew in space and aimlessly accompanying them on their journey to Earth. Now, Marvel is finally diving a bit deeper with Symbie.

Symbie Is Getting The Backstory He Deserves

As per AIPT, Symbie’s origin story will finally be told in The Amazing Spider-Man: Symbie #1. And, with none other than the primordial god Knull on David Baldeón’s variant cover, it’ll be fascinating to see how Symbie is retroactively snuck into the last 42 years of developing symbiote lore. The solicitation for The Amazing Spider-Man: Symbie #1 reads as follows:

SECRET SYMBI-ORIGINS!

Spidey met the weird little monster in space but had no idea of the little glob’s history. Take a journey back to the very beginning of the Klyntar race that led to Venom and Carnage and see the journey Symbie has made. It may surprise you!

Symbie didn’t originate in comics, however. He first debuted in the Disney Jr. series Marvel’s Spidey and his Amazing Friends, and has had minor appearances here and there in comics beyond The Amazing Spider-Man, such as Timeslide #1 and Marvel Mutts Infinity Comic #17 and #18.

What Will Become Of Spider-Man’s Space Companions?

Funny enough, readers arguably already had the only backstory for Symbie that they ever needed, and nobody would’ve bat an eye otherwise. The Amazing Spider-Man #11 was a jam-packed issue, revealing that Norman Osborn and Ben Reilly had both individually taken it upon themselves to assume the Spider-Man mantle in the absence of the real Spider-Man, who had been flung into space following his first battle with Hellgate.

This issue explained how an emaciated Peter had been rescued on a desolate planet by Dr. Xanto Starblood, who was enticed by Peter’s unique genetics and agreed to help run tests in order for him to somehow “get stronger,” as Hellgate challenged. As for Symbie’s role in all this, he was discovered as one of many sentient lifeforms experimented on and held captive by Xanto and later freed by Peter.

Readers saw Symbie in the latest issue, The Amazing Spider-Man #35 (LGY #999), endearingly sobbing and hugging Peter with Raelith after Peter had a wonderful heart-to-heart with Aunt May—maybe the last one he’ll ever have with her, considering that preview pages for The Amazing Spider-Man #1000 suggest that she’s had a stroke and devastatingly forgotten who he is. The Amazing Spider-Man’s Raelith and Glitch have been excellent companion characters, even if they’re not nearly as focal as they were in space, and Raelith still has fantastic potential as a love interest.

Perhaps now we’ll be able to see how Marvel’s most adorable symbiote wound up in Xanto’s clutches. Either way, The Amazing Spider-Man: Symbie #1 presents Symbie with an opportunity to skyrocket in popularity.

The Amazing Spider-Man: Symbie #1 is scheduled to be released on December 9, 2026.

Venom is a symbiotic alien entity bonded with various human hosts, notably Eddie Brock and later Flash Thompson. It grants superhuman strength, agility, and a shape-shifting black costume. Initially a Spider-Man villain due to its origins, Venom evolved into an antihero, battling both villains and his own dark impulses. The character embodies themes of duality and redemption within the Marvel Universe.