Ever had one of those outfit that, no matter how bad it clings to you, you can’t seem to throw it away. That was exactly what it was like for Spider-man when he first encountered the alien symbiote that would become known as Venom. Introduced in Amazing Spider-Man #252 (1984) and then in Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #8 (1984) by Randy Schueller (a Marvel fan), Jim Shooter and Mike Zeck, Spider-man first donned the costume when his classic outfit was damaged on Battleworld. He happened to noticed that Thor had used a machine to repair his clothes and thought to do the same. However, it spat out a black liquid orb, which soon cover Spidey in his now classic Black Costume. (If you believe the Deadpool Secret Wars storyline, it was actually Deadpool who bonded with the symbiote first). Returning to Earth, he wore the costume for many months until he notice that he was having moments where he would black out and the symbiote would take him over and ran around the city. Spidey went to Reed Richard who informed him that it was actually a living being that was trying to permanently bond with him. With the help of the F4, he was separated from it but it eventually escaped and tracked down Spidey which lead to a fight for control in a bell tower. Using the bell’s ringing, Spidey managed to break free from the symbiote.

Unbeknownst to Spidey, The Symbiote bonded with Deadpool again, before bonding with a down on his luck Eddy Brock. Both Eddy and the Symbiote swore revenge on Spidey, the symbiote for abandoning him and Eddy for making him lose his job. They took on the name Venom and secretly started attacking Spidey. Eventually he went to Spidey’s apartment to treaten Mary Jane which lead to a battle with the two. Thus began a long running feud between the two, which they would team up a few time to battle villain too great for one to fight like Carnage.

Brock later discovered that he was dying of cancer and auctioned off the Symbiote to a group of villains, using the money for charity. A gangster son receive it but was killed after a defeat by Spidey. The Symbiote then bonded with Mac Gargan, AKA the Scorpion, who worn the suit for a while as both a member of the Thunderbolts and later the Dark Avengers as that team’s Sinister Spider-man. After Osborn’s defeat during Siege, the government took possession of the Symbiote and tried to control it by bonding it to the now paraplegic Flash Thompson, who wore the suit for quite a while as Agent Venom and later as a Space Knight. The Symbiote would eventually arrive back home and bonded with Lee Price before returning to Eddy Brock again.

As one of Spider-man’s most popular villains (be it comic, cartoons or movies), Venom has had no shortage of figures over the years. He has had a number of Spider-man version over the years as well as Eddy Brock. He also has had a couple of figures of Mac Gargan and Flash Thompson as well as obscure version of Deadpool and Doc Ock.

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Have

Peter Parker

Recommend Figure: Hasbro Marvel Legends Sandman wave – Symbiote Spider-man

• Background:
  • You can’t talk about Venom without first talking about Spider-man. The first host of the symbiote, Spidey began wearing this costume during the first Secret War, where he received it from a machine. He wondered where the pattern came from but believes it was influenced by Julia Carpenter’s Spider-woman outfit. When he separated from the Symbiote, he wore a cloth version from Black Cat.
• Why you need it for your collection?:
  • If you are any sort of Spider-man fan this is an absolute most. It is also an absolute most for any Venom fans as for many this is his first appearance costume.
• Does it need a remake?:
  • No. Just got remade.

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Eddy Brock

Recommend Figure: Hasbro Marvel Legends Absorbing Man wave – Venom or Hasbro Marvel Legends Venom Monster Venom Wave Venom OR Fan Channel Exclusive Marvel Legends Venom

• Background:
  • When people think of Venom, they usually think of this version. The most popular and famous version of the character, he has worn it for the longest. While he did give it up eventually, he returned to it recently.
• Why you need it for your collection?:
  • This Venom is something that every Spider-man collectors need in their Spider-man’s Rogue Gallery, alongside Green Goblin and Doc Ock. While there have been a few version of him, each have been done using version artist as a base. As for which one you should get, if you already have the Absorbing Man wave then the Venom wave might be a pass (or you could use that one for Pork Grind). Both come with a number of heads but the Venom wave one is on a slightly better build with an unmasked head (that looks to be too big). Either one will work fine in your collection. However if you want a much bulkier version, then I recommend the Fan Channel exclusive.
• Does it need a remake?:
  • No.

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Mac Gargan I

Recommend Figure: Hasbro Spider-man Classic Venom

• Background:
  • While Eddy Brock had sold off the symbiote to a gangster for his son, Mac Gargan had been free from the Scorpion suit and was working with Norman Osborn in order to help him escape imprisonment by tricking Spider-man into breaking him out. When Spidey went to do so, Gargan went to get ready in a new Scorpion costume, when they Symbiote track him down and bonded with him.
• Why you need it for your collection?:
  • This figure is a hard to find figure that unfortunately uses a older Toybiz mold. Unless you can get it cheap, then this can be skipped.
• Does it need a remake?:
  • Yes. Maybe on a bigger build.

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Mac Gargan II

Recommend Figure: Hasbro Spider-man Heroes and Villains wave 4 – Venom

• Background:
  • While he was Venom at the time he was a member of the Thunderbolt, Gargan’s years of the Scorpion would sometimes influenced the Symbiote, giving the villain a working tail.
• Why you need it for your collection?:
  • This was made during the ending of the Dark Days of Marvel Legends, so trying to find this figure alone is near impossible. Would recommend skipping unless you want to complete the Thunderbolts.
• Does it need a remake?:
  • Yes. Maybe in slightly bigger build.

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Mac Gargan III

Recommend Figure: Hasbro Marvel Legends Venom Monster Venom Wave Monster Venom BAF

• Background:
  • While he was chasing down some unregistered heroes during the Civil War as a member of the Thunderbolts, Gargan would lose control of the Symbiote and bulk up into a monster size beast. To keep him from killing the rest of Osborn’s Thunderbolts, he would be fed people.
• Why you need it for your collection?:
  • Many people believe Venom should be hulking over Spider-man. This is a figure made for them. The only thing that might have made this obsolete would have been if he was just a Eddy Brock version.  This is a nice addition to any collection and looks like a great figure.
• Does it need a remake?:
  • No.

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Mac Gargan IV

Recommend Figure: Hasbro Fan Channel Exclusive Marvel Legends exclusive Venom

• Background:
  • The artwork of Mac Gargan version of the Venom was really inconsistent most of the time, with various artist drawing his unique Venom look differently. Some artist however, seem to forget that Gargan had his own design and instead gave him Eddy Brock’s version instead.
• Why you need it for your collection?:
  • Well, you could get this for Gargan, but you should have him for Brock. Unless you are a Scorpion fan, then this should only be collected for the Spider-man Rogues Gallery or Venom collections (as Eddy Brock)
• Does it need a remake?:
  • No.

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Mac Gargan V

Recommend Figure: Hasbro Marvel Legends Sandman wave – Symbiote Spider-man

• Background:
  • When Osborn came into control of the Super human world, he set about creating his own Avengers team. Needing his own Spider-man, Osborn approached Gargan and gave him a medicine that allowed him to control the Symbiote better and letting him look like Spider-man’s Black Suit. However he would still prowl the streets and attack people.
• Why you need it for your collection?:
  • Many people would be using this figure as their Dark Avengers Spider-man. It’s a nice idea however, this version is actually bigger then the regular Spider-man (just look at how they did it in the MU line). You can use it for that but it will be too short and skinny to be accurate.
• Does it need a remake?:
  • Yes, in slightly bigger build.

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Flash Thompson I

Recommend Figure: Hasbro Walgreens Exclusive Marvel Legends Agent Venom

• Background:
  • After Osborn’s defeat, the government took the Symbiote and modified it to control it better. They then bonded it with Flash Thompson who had lost his legs during a tour of duty, but the symbiote allowed him to walked again. He then began taking on missions for the government. He eventually was invited to join the Secret Avengers after he rescued Cap during the Spider-island arc.
• Why you need it for your collection?:
  • The first ever exclusive to the now successful Walgreen’s program, this is an absolute most for any collections. Needed for Spider-man, Venom, Avengers, Secret Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy and Thunderbolt’s collection
• Does it need a remake?:
  • No.

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Otto Octavius

Recommend Figure: Hasbro Marvel Legends Rhino wave – Superior Venom

• Background:
  • When Doc Ock was in Spider-man’s body as Superior Spider-man, he fought and captured Agent Venom. Taking him to his lab he separated the Symbiote from Flash and planned to use the Symbiote. However it broke out and bonded Ock to create this. He then went on a rampage but was stopped thanks to the Avengers and Flash rejoined with it.
• Why you need it for your collection?:
  • Okay guys. I cannot justify getting this. It was only seen for 2 issues. The figure itself is good but it was so obscure that even I can’t get excited for it. Get it for the Rhino part and if you have to, for your Venom collectioin.
• Does it need a remake?:
  • No.  I even say it was a waste of a slot but that’s me.

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Flash Thompson II

Recommend Figure: Hasbro Marvel Legends Space Venom wave – Space Venom (BAF)

• Background:
  • While touring the galaxy with the Guardian’s, Flash arrive on the Symbiote’s home world, where it was discovered that the Venom Symbiote was actually insane and was considered a criminal. He allowed his race to fix the Venom Symbiote, which eventually lead to this version of Agent Venom as he became a Space Knight.
• Why you need it for your collection?:
  • This is a nice figure that I would recommend getting for GOTG collection as well as Venom collections. It is the BAF so getting him single might be hard. But the figure in that wave are mostly most haves.
• Does it need a remake?:
  • No.

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Wade Wilson

Recommend Figure: Hasbro Gamestop Exclusive Marvel Legends Back In Black Deadpool

• Background:
  • If you believe Deadpool’s account of things, he was actually the first person to bond with the Venom Symbiote. It was also thought that he bonded with it again after separating with Spidey and before Brock. He recently rebonded with it. The reason this is last and not first is that most of that might not be canon.
• Why you need it for your collection?:
  • This is currently readily available at Gamestop (in the US at least). If you are a Deadpool fan then this is a nice addition but otherwise, being an almost repaint / kitbash, it can be skipped.
• Does it need a remake?:
  • No.

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Flash Thompson III

Recommend Figure: Hasbro Marvel Legends Venom Monster Venom Wave Monster Venom BAF

• Background:
  • Just like Gargan, whenever Flash Thompson would go berserk, he would transform into a bulky monster. This is sometimes similar to Brock’s version or Gargan’s version. He has recently return to this form in a Venom Annual.
• Why you need it for your collection?:
  • Many people believe Venom should be hulking over Spider-man. This is a figure made for them. The only thing that might have made this obsolete would have been if he was just a Eddy Brock version.  This is a nice addition to any collection and looks like a great figure.
• Does it need a remake?:
  • No.

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Peter Parker II

Recommend Figure: Hasbro Marvel Legends Spider-man Kingpin Wave Black Suit Spider-man

• Background:
  • When Norman Osborn combined with Carnage symbiote and became Red Goblin, Spider-man had a extremely tough time with him. Even with the help of his friends like Agent Anti-Venom and Venom, Eddy Brock offered to give Spider-man the Venom Symbiote in order to defeat Red Goblin. Instead of going with the classic version, we got this newer version of the Black Suited Spider-man.
• Why you need it for your collection?:
  • This is another one of those suits that if you want to have every Spider-man you have to get this. If you buy the Red Goblin figure, then you will need this to recreate that fight. Spider-verse collector may need this, but otherwise it can be skipped.
• Does it need a remake?:
  • No.

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Needs

Below you will find a gallery of suits that still need to be made. I have included what I think are the possibilities of them being made. Note that these are my personal opinions and not fact. Please let me know if I have missed anything.