Venom Wrapped Around a Lamppost

About this drawing

Venom on a lamppost looks unstoppable, but this Marvel villain has two famous weaknesses: very loud sounds and fire. Spider-Man discovered them during his early run-ins with the black suit and has used them many times since.

Venom is created when a person bonds with a symbiote, an alien creature that clings to the body like a living costume. The symbiote gives its host huge strength, the power to climb walls and the ability to change shape, forming claws, tendrils or rows of sharp teeth.

Powerful sound waves, though, make the symbiote twist and peel away from its host. In one well-known comic, Spider-Man used the booming bells of a church tower to shake the suit loose. Flames work in a similar way and force the creature to pull back.

Over the years, Venom has gone from straight-up villain to a sometimes antihero who protects innocent people in his own rough way. That mix of monster and protector has made him a fan favorite in comics and on the big screen. On the big screen, Venom even has a funny side, bickering with Eddie Brock like an odd roommate who is always hungry.

• venom
• marvel
• symbiotes
• villains