Marvel Confirms Black Widow's Official New Romance With The Last Hero Anyone Expects

Published Oct 18, 2026, 9:00 PM EDT

Since 2019, Kevin Erdmann has been one of Screen Rant's Senior Staff Writers, covering all kinds of Superhero and Star Wars media with Easter egg breakdowns, theory pieces, breaking news, and more. A huge Star Wars & MCU fan, Kevin also loves Batman (because he's Batman), but could talk for hours about why Nightwing is DC's greatest hero. 

With 8 years of total experience covering entertainment and pop culture, Kevin has gotten the chance to interview top creatives and talent, and has also attended major media events like Disney's D23 convention.

Majoring in Cinema Studies with a minor in Comics and Cartoon Studies from the UofO, Kevin lives in Oregon with his wonderful wife, adorable dog, and sinister cat who is no doubt currently plotting his demise.

Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Venom #1 (2026)

Currently, Yelena Belova's Black Widow is one of the MCU's most beloved characters. She's also an active hero in the comics, receiving a brand-new romance that's all kinds of unexpected (and not just because of who she's with).

Written by Charles Soule with artwork by Tommaso Bianchi, the relaunch of Marvel's new Venom series reunites Eddie Brock and Venom as they intend to defend New York's Alphabet City as the Lethal Protector once more. However, this new return to form also comes with some major new developments to the status quo, one very few people likely saw coming. After all, the new Venom #1 ends with the shocking reveal that Yelena Belova and Venom are now dating.

Even based on what little we know about the relationship so far, this brand-new Marvel Comics relationship is already quite strange, yet also has some solid potential for both Venom and Yelena's Black Widow.

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Yelena Belova's Black Widow Is Now Dating Eddie Brock's Venom

Without a doubt, Venom #1's ending provides one of Marvel's most unexpected romance debuts in recent memory. Earlier in the issue, Eddie Brock and Venom confront Mayor Luke Cage and multiple Avengers, making their intentions known to protect New York and Alphabet City regardless of what anyone thinks, warning them all to stay out of their way as they seek to open a new chapter of their lives and be a hero on their own terms.

However, it also seems as though this new chapter involves a brand-new romance with Yelena Belova...and she's not just dating Eddie Brock. Based on comments and interviews with writer Charles Soule, it seems Yelena Belova is romantically involved with both Eddie and the Venom symbiote as a package deal, a surprising reveal for multiple reasons. Wanting to explore a complex and mature relationship that hasn't previously been explored, it seems as though Soule has some pretty big plans for the pair as this new Venom series continues.

Overall, Yelena Belova should prove to be quite the fascinating and dynamic romantic partner to both Eddie and Venom, while also serving as a more than capable ally in the issues to come. However, we don't yet know how Venom and Black Widow got together in the first place.

When Did Yelena & Venom Become A Thing?

Naturally, the biggest question following the surprise ending of Venom #1 is how exactly Yelena became romantically involved with Eddie and his classic symbiotic alien partner. However, it's already been confirmed that readers won't have to wait long for answers about how and when the duo got together.

Based on comments from Charles Soule and the synopsis for Venom #4 releasing in January, the upcoming issue will largely serve as a flashback story revealing how Yelena and Venom's new relationship first began. As such, it should offer new insights into how Yelena entered their lives, and how exactly this new relationship works.

There's also the question of Yelena Belova's implied asexuality that's been established in past comics. After all, becoming involved with Venom is a major first for Yelena when it comes to romantic relationships on the page in general. During a panel at NYCC, Soule teased how this new romance with Venom will relate to that aspect of Belova's character on the page, describing the new status quo as some pretty unfamiliar territory for all three individuals. After all, asexuality doesn't automatically preclude romantic relationships. However, it was also suggested that the past might not necessarily dictate what's now happening with this new relationship.

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For the time being, Marvel Comics has debuted what is undeniably one of the most surprising and bizarre new romances. With future issues of Venom set to dive deeper and explore the relationship's origins further, it will no doubt be a wild ride to see how Black Widow's new relationship with Eddie Brock and Venom progresses as this new series from Soule and Bianchi continues.

Venom #1 is on sale now from Marvel Comics.