The Best Venom Comics and Graphic Novels

Venom started as a Spider-Man villain: a disgraced reporter, Eddie Brock, bonded to the alien costume Peter Parker threw away. He grew into one of Marvel’s most bankable antiheroes and, eventually, the center of a cosmic mythology about a god of darkness. That range is why the best Venom comics can swing from pulpy 1990s action to body horror to universe-sized events. This guide sorts the books worth owning from the disposable ones, with a clear starting point for new readers and an all-ages pick for younger fans.

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How we chose: we compared the Venom collections currently listed on Amazon against our own reading of the runs. We favored in-stock Marvel editions, complete arcs over loose tie-ins, and books that work without a stack of prerequisites. Content note up front: most Venom comics are violent and full of teeth, and several are best for older teens and adults. Prices and stock change often, so the buttons show Amazon’s current price.

1. Venom by Donny Cates Vol. 1: Rex — Best overall

Best overall

Why we like it

• The best modern jumping-on point
• Rebuilds the symbiote origin from scratch
• Ryan Stegman's art is all teeth and motion
• Leads straight into the biggest Venom events

Specification	Details
Writer / Artist	Donny Cates / Ryan Stegman
Publisher	Marvel
Collects	The opening arc of the 2018 Venom series; exact issues not stated in listing
Pages	144
Format	Paperback
Reader age	Not stated in listing; graphic violence, older teens and up

Venom by Donny Cates Vol. 1: Rex — Cates and Stegman, Marvel, 144-page paperback

Donny Cates and Ryan Stegman's 2018 Venom is the run that redefined the character for a new generation. Eddie Brock is back with the symbiote, and both of them learn that its species has a creator: Knull, an ancient god of darkness who forged the first symbiote and has been waiting a very long time. The first arc mixes Eddie's messy life with a buried horror from the Vietnam era, and it moves fast.

What makes it the best starting point is that it needs no homework. Cates explains what you need, then builds a mythology that now underpins the whole symbiote corner of Marvel. Stegman's pages are kinetic and gruesome in the right amounts.

The run continues for six paperback volumes, all listed on Amazon, and the whole thing is also collected in the Venomnibus by Cates and Stegman. Start with this one; upgrade later if you're hooked.

Get Venom by Donny Cates Vol. 1: Rex on Amazon

2. Venom: Lethal Protector — Best classic 1990s Venom

Best classic

Why we like it

• Venom's very first solo series
• Mark Bagley art at his 1990s peak
• The version the films borrow most from
• Short, self-contained story

Specification	Details
Writer / Artists	David Michelinie / Mark Bagley, Ron Lim and others
Publisher	Marvel
Collects	The 1993 Lethal Protector miniseries (six issues)
Pages	144
Format	Paperback (new printing)
Reader age	Not stated in listing; action violence, teens and up

Venom: Lethal Protector — Michelinie, Marvel, 144-page paperback, 1993 miniseries

David Michelinie co-created Venom, and in 1993 he gave him his own book. Lethal Protector moves Eddie Brock to San Francisco, where he protects a community of homeless people living beneath the city while dodging Spider-Man and a ruthless corporation. It's the story that made Venom a "lethal protector" rather than a straight villain, and it set the template the films still follow.

It's pure period pulp: big guns, huge shoulders and the first symbiote offspring. The plot is simple, but it moves, and Bagley's Venom is the definitive 1990s look.

Read it as a fun, nostalgic six-issue romp rather than a masterpiece. If you love it, Marvel's Venom Epic Collections reprint the rest of the 1990s solo miniseries in order.

Get Venom: Lethal Protector on Amazon

3. Spider-Man: Birth of Venom — Best origin story

Best origin

Why we like it

• Shows the symbiote's whole early arc
• Includes Venom's first full appearance era
• Todd McFarlane's influential Venom design
• Explains Venom's grudge against Spider-Man

Specification	Details
Writers / Artists	Jim Shooter, Roger Stern, Tom DeFalco, David Michelinie and others / Todd McFarlane, Ron Frenz and others
Publisher	Marvel
Collects	1980s Spider-Man stories from the black costume to Venom; exact issues not stated in listing
Pages	352
Format	Paperback
Reader age	Not stated in listing; all ages to teens

Spider-Man: Birth of Venom — multiple creators, Marvel, 352-page paperback

Venom's true origin is spread across years of 1980s Spider-Man comics, and this collection gathers the key stretch. Peter Parker brings home a sleek black costume from the Secret Wars, discovers it's a living alien that wants to bond with him for good, and rips himself free in a church bell tower. Later, a ruined journalist named Eddie Brock finds the creature, and Venom arrives in the Amazing Spider-Man issues drawn by Todd McFarlane, culminating in the landmark #300.

Because it's a compilation, the tone shifts from creator to creator. That's part of the appeal: you watch a throwaway costume change grow into one of Marvel's great villains.

This is the right second book after Cates if you want to know where the grudge comes from. Spider-Man fans should also see our best Spider-Man comics guide.

Get Spider-Man: Birth of Venom on Amazon

4. Venom by Rick Remender: The Complete Collection Vol. 1 — Best fresh take

Best fresh take

Why we like it

• Gives Venom a new, sympathetic host
• Military espionage spin on the concept
• Strong character writing from Remender
• Complete Collection format, lots of pages

Specification	Details
Writer / Artists	Rick Remender / Tony Moore and others
Publisher	Marvel
Collects	The start of the 2011 Venom series; exact issues not stated in listing
Pages	320
Format	Paperback
Reader age	Not stated in listing; violence, teens and up

Venom by Rick Remender Vol. 1 — Remender and Moore, Marvel, 320-page paperback

Rick Remender's 2011 Venom bonds the symbiote to Flash Thompson, Peter Parker's old high-school bully, now a war veteran who lost his legs in combat. The government lets him wear the suit for short missions, with a kill switch if he holds on too long. It's a smart pivot that turns Venom into a story about addiction, trauma and control.

This was the era that later got its own name, Agent Venom, and it remains a fan favorite for readers who find Eddie Brock less interesting than the symbiote itself. Tony Moore's art keeps it grounded and grim.

If you finish this and want more, the Venom Modern Era Epic Collection: Agent Venom and The Savage Six continue the Flash era.

Get Venom by Rick Remender Vol. 1 on Amazon

5. King in Black — Best event

Best event

Why we like it

• Huge payoff to years of Cates setup
• Stegman draws apocalyptic scale well
• Main event only, no tie-in sprawl
• Eddie Brock gets a real climax

Specification	Details
Writer / Artist	Donny Cates / Ryan Stegman
Publisher	Marvel
Collects	The King in Black main series; exact issues not stated in listing
Pages	160
Format	Paperback
Reader age	Not stated in listing; violence, teens and up

King in Black — Cates and Stegman, Marvel, 160-page paperback

King in Black (2020–2021) is where Knull finally arrives, wrapping Earth in a symbiote shell and sending dragons against every hero Marvel has. It's big, loud and apocalyptic, and it lands best if you've read the Cates Venom run first.

This paperback collects the main event rather than every tie-in, which keeps it readable. If you want everything, the King in Black Omnibus is in stock as a new printing, but at over 1,500 pages it's strictly for completists.

For how the red symbiote fits into the same story, our Carnage reading order maps Absolute Carnage and its aftermath.

Get King in Black on Amazon

6. Venom by Al Ewing and Ram V Vol. 1: Recursion — Best follow-up to Cates

Best follow-up

Why we like it

• Two acclaimed writers on one book
• Bryan Hitch's widescreen art
• Builds smartly on King in Black
• Leans into cosmic horror ideas

Specification	Details
Writers / Artist	Al Ewing and Ram V / Bryan Hitch
Publisher	Marvel
Collects	The opening arc of the 2021 Venom series; exact issues not stated in listing
Pages	144
Format	Paperback
Reader age	Not stated in listing; teens and up

Venom by Al Ewing and Ram V Vol. 1: Recursion — Ewing, Ram V and Hitch, Marvel, 144-page paperback

After King in Black, Eddie Brock has become something much bigger than a vigilante, and the symbiote passes to his son, Dylan. Al Ewing and Ram V use that split to tell a stranger, more literary story, with time loops, a fractured legacy and plenty of the cosmic horror Knull introduced.

It's proof the character can carry genuinely ambitious storytelling, not just teeth and violence. Bryan Hitch's art gives it a cinematic scale.

Ram V left after the early volumes and Ewing continued through the Venom War crossover; the paperbacks through Vol. 8 are listed on Amazon. Read Cates first, or at least King in Black, so the status quo makes sense.

Get Venom by Ewing and Ram V Vol. 1 on Amazon

7. Spider-Man and Venom: Double Trouble — Best for kids

Best for kids

Why we like it

• The rare Venom book that's all-ages
• Gurihiru's bright, cartoony art
• Genuinely funny odd-couple comedy
• Short and self-contained

Specification	Details
Writer / Artist	Mariko Tamaki / Gurihiru
Publisher	Marvel
Collects	The Double Trouble miniseries; exact issues not stated in listing
Pages	112
Format	Paperback
Reader age	Not stated in listing; all ages

Spider-Man and Venom: Double Trouble — Tamaki and Gurihiru, Marvel, 112-page paperback

Almost every Venom comic is too violent for younger readers, which is why this one matters. Mariko Tamaki and the art team Gurihiru make Spider-Man and the Venom symbiote reluctant roommates and build the comedy from there. The result is a sitcom with super-powers, aimed squarely at kids and anyone who wants a laugh.

Gurihiru's art is expressive and clean, and the jokes land for adults too. It has nothing to do with continuity, so it's an easy gift.

If you're shopping for a young Spider-Man fan, this is the safe Venom book. Save Cates and Remender for when they're older.

Get Spider-Man and Venom: Double Trouble on Amazon

Venom picks at a glance

Book	Host	Tone	Read it if
Cates Vol. 1: Rex	Eddie Brock	Horror, mythology	You want the best start
Lethal Protector	Eddie Brock	1990s action	You like the films
Birth of Venom	Peter Parker, then Eddie	Classic Spider-Man	You want the origin
Remender Vol. 1	Flash Thompson	Military drama	You want something different
King in Black	Eddie Brock	Apocalyptic event	You finished Cates
Ewing and Ram V Vol. 1	Dylan Brock	Literary, cosmic	You want what's next
Double Trouble	The symbiote solo	All-ages comedy	You're buying for a kid

How to buy Venom without overspending

1. Start with one modern paperback. Cates Vol. 1 stands alone, so a first buy is low risk.
2. Read events after the runs. Absolute Carnage and King in Black make far more sense after the main Cates volumes.
3. Upgrade to the Venomnibus later. The Venomnibus by Cates and Stegman collects the whole run in one 1,352-page hardcover, which is great for confirmed fans and too much for a first try.
4. Use Epic Collections for the 1990s. The Venom Epic Collections (The Madness, Carnage Unleashed, The Hunger and more) reprint the old miniseries in order.
5. Skip the prose novels unless you want them. Amazon also lists Venom novels and art books; they're not comics, so check the format before you buy.

A related read we like: Zeb Wells and Clayton Crain's Carnage, U.S.A., in which Venom's murderous offspring takes over an entire town. It's gory, and strictly for adults. For the full chronological path, use our Venom reading order; if horror is what draws you in, our best horror comics list goes further.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best Venom comic to start with?

Venom by Donny Cates Vol. 1: Rex. It reboots the mythology cleanly, needs no prior reading and leads into the biggest modern Venom stories.

Where does Venom first appear?

The black costume arrives in the 1984 Secret Wars era, and Eddie Brock's Venom makes his first full appearance in Amazing Spider-Man #300 (1988) by David Michelinie and Todd McFarlane. Spider-Man: Birth of Venom collects that path.

Are Venom comics okay for kids?

Mostly no. The main runs feature graphic violence and body horror. Spider-Man and Venom: Double Trouble is the exception and is made for all ages.

Do I need to read Spider-Man first?

Helpful but not required. Cates' run works as a fresh start. For the connections, see our Spider-Man reading order, and for more Marvel antiheroes, our best Deadpool comics and the Marvel hub.

Who is Knull?

Knull is the god of the symbiotes, introduced by Donny Cates in 2018. He created the first symbiote and is the main villain of King in Black.

Do I need to read Donny Cates's Venom before King in Black?

You should read Donny Cates's Venom run before King in Black. The event is the climax of that run, and it leans on Knull, Eddie Brock's son Dylan and other setup from the series. Read cold, it works as spectacle but loses most of its emotional weight. If you only want the event, at least read Venom Vol. 1: Rex first.

Is Venom a hero or a villain?

Venom started as a Spider-Man villain in the late 1980s and has spent most of the time since as an antihero. Eddie Brock and the symbiote protect innocents, but with brutal methods and a grudge against Spider-Man that comes and goes. Modern runs like Donny Cates's treat him as a flawed hero. Other characters have worn the symbiote too, including Flash Thompson in Rick Remender's run.

What is the difference between Venom and Carnage?

Venom and Carnage are both symbiotes, but Carnage is the spawn of the Venom symbiote bonded to Cletus Kasady, a serial killer. Where Venom has a code and sometimes plays hero, Carnage is pure chaos and a straightforward villain. The two have been enemies since Carnage first appeared in the 1990s, and their clashes are a staple of Venom comics.

What order should I read Venom comics in?

You can read most Venom collections on their own, but a sensible order is Birth of Venom for the origin, Lethal Protector for the classic antihero, then Donny Cates's run leading into King in Black, followed by Al Ewing and Ram V. Our Venom reading order lays out every volume in sequence, including the tie-ins you can safely skip.

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