Marvel Announces Hardcore Venom Redesign With Twisted Crown

Published Sep 25, 2026, 12:42 PM EDT

Nicolas Ayala is a Senior Writer for the Comics team at ScreenRant, with over five years of experience writing about Superhero media, action movies, and TV shows. 

Marvel's new era of Venom comics adds a new element to the symbiote's classic design. Venom's all-black symbiote body with the white spider emblem, the white jagged eyes, and the monstrous grin with a disturbingly long tongue create one of the most iconic designs in the whole Marvel Universe, instantly recognizable with nothing but a monochromatic palette and a towering physique. The fact that Venom has successfully tested his popularity as a villain, an anti-hero, and a hero only reinforces his status as an A-lister.

Despite how incredibly straightforward his basic design has always been, Venom’s look has undergone several major changes to reflect shifts in tone and storytelling. Early versions of the black symbiote emphasized his sleek figure, portraying him like a living shadow. Later artists exaggerated Venom's monstrous qualities with elongated jaws, dripping fangs, and a serpentine tongue. In the 1990s, Venom often appeared bulkier and more grotesque, and more recent depictions have experimented with more intricate textures and new ways to depict his symbiote tendrils.

The best opportunities to update Venom's design come when the symbiote changes hosts. However, even Eddie Brock can inspire Venom to adopt new physical traits when the symbiote comes back to his hands.

Venom Gets A Crown In His Upcoming Reboot

Venom #3; Written By Charles Soule; Art By Tommaso Bianchi; Cover By Davide Paratore

The era of Mary Jane Watson's All-New Venom officially ends after her greatest feat of power, transforming the entire Earth into Venomworld during the events of Queen in Black. After Venom #262 concludes this chapter in Mary Jane and the symbiote's history, Marvel launches a new era in the upcoming Venom #1, where Charles Soule and Tommaso Bianchi bring Marvel's most famous symbiote and Eddie Brock back together. Davide Paratore's cover for Venom #3 teases a small but significant addition to the classic duo: a symbiote crown floating above their head.

Venom's hovering crown hints at a potential major upgrade following Mary Jane Watson’s stint as the All-New Venom. Following Mary Jane's creation of Venomworld, it may be MJ herself who successfully overthrows the Queen in Black, passing on Hela's crown directly to the symbiote before Venom reunites with Eddie Brock. Speaking to CBR about the upgrade, series writer Charles Soule teased that "Venom doesn't wear that crown all the time in the book, but when they do, it counts." Is seems like it will only manifest whenever Eddie Brock and Venom tap into a heightened state.

Venom's Future Picks Up Speed After The All-New Era And Queen In Black

There Will Be More Than Enough Venom For Symbiote Fans

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Venom's immediate future promises an expansive roadmap that honors his roots. The symbiote's new era kicks off in October 2026 with Charles Soule and Tommaso Bianchi's new ongoing Venom series that focuses on re-establishing the classic codependent bond between Eddie Brock and Venom, with an Eddie Brock who's determined to prove himself as the ultimate host and the true hero he was always meant to be. In December, the five-issue limited series Venom: POV rewrites the rules by traveling back to the iconic Amazing Spider-Man era to retell Venom's villainous origin story entirely from the alien symbiote's perspective.

Mary Jane's time with the black symbiote doesn't end with her final battle wearing it. In November, Ashley Allen and Phil Noto's Friendly Neighborhood Mary Jane explores MJ's new status quo and her top-secret cosmic gift after relinquishing the black suit. Fred Myers continues his adventures with his own symbiote in Jordan Morris and Luke Ross' The Amazing Venom, and Jessica Drew will attempt to control Carnage himself in Dan Watters and Andrea Broccardo's Spider-Woman solo series.

Which Venom title are you looking forward to the most?

Venom #3 is available November 25 from Marvel Comics