Spider-Man's costume is one of the most iconic superhero looks out there, but that hasn't stopped occasional attempts at improving perfection. Spider-Man's most famous replacement costume is his iconic black suit. Blue and red give way to jet black, with a much larger, pure white spider-symbol on the costume's torso.
The black suit's alien origin, its sentience, and turn to evil as Venom (a story fittingly retroactively titled "The Alien Costume Saga") have been adapted many times in Spider-Man stories – leaving a trail of history in its wake.
10 The Black Suit Debuted 20+ Years Into Spider-Man's Publication
While central to one of the most famous Spider-Man stories, the Black Suit only debuted in 1984 (The Amazing Spider-Man #252, followed by a belated origin in Secret Wars #8). This was a full 22 years after Spider-Man's debut, extra-shocking since Spider-Man (1994), The Spectacular Spider-Man, and Ultimate Spider-Man all had the Black Suit Saga play out in their first seasons.
9 The Black Suit Was Inspired By Julia Carpenter's Spider-Woman Costume
Secret Wars saw the debut of a new Spider-Woman – Julia Carpenter. Compared to the bright red-and-yellow patterned costume worn by Jessica Drew, Julia's costume was black with a white spider-symbol and limbs. In short, practically the same color scheme as the Black Suit. When Peter first receives the Black Suit and is unbeknownst to its true nature, he wonders if his mind was influenced by Spider-Woman's suit.
Of course, the real reason is that both Julia and the Black Suit were designed by the same artist, Mike Zeck. This means that even though Julia has no real ties to Venom, her costumes all bear similarities to the symbiote, even when she ditched the Spider-Woman identity for Arachne.
8 Reed Richards Helped Spider-Man Figure Out What The Black Suit Was
Whenever cartoons adapt the Alien Costume Saga, it's Peter himself who realizes the symbiote's true nature after it starts influencing his behavior. In the original comic's telling of the tale, however, he had some outside help – namely, Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four. The symbiote was even briefly contained in the Baxter Building before escaping.
It's a good thing Peter listened to Reed – recent What If... mini-series Spider-Man: Spider's Shadow (Chip Zdarsky & Pasqual Ferry) shows what would've happened if he hadn't. Spider-Man 3 adapted the idea of Peter consulting an esteemed scientist about the suit. This was in the days before cinematic universes, though, so Peter visits Curt Connors instead of Reed.
7 There Was A Long Gap Between The Black Suit's Disappearance And Venom's Debut
The Alien Costume Saga officially ends in 1985's Web Of Spider-Man #1 (Louise Simonson & Greg LaRocque), when Peter separates himself from the escaped symbiote and believes it destroyed. Three years later, in Amazing Spider-Man #298 (David Michelinie & Todd McFarlane), Mary Jane opens the door to a smirking, muscle-bound figure wearing the suit – the next issue reveals this to be, of course, Venom. However, this wasn't just Venom's debut, but Eddie Brock's – his backstory and animosity with Peter (fired from his reporting job after a story of his was disproven by Spider-Man) were a retcon.
No other iteration of the story has had such a long gap between the Symbiote's disappearance and Venom's debut. Most of the time, Eddie is introduced ahead of time while also being given a more personal connection to Peter. These are understandable changes, since movies/animation don't have the same luxury time comics do, but they do have the fore-knowledge of Venom's existence to set him up from the start. Plus, the vengeful symbiote returning with a new host is simply a logical third act.
6 Spider-Man Always Gets Rid Of The Black Suit In A Bell Tower
Many details from the Alien Costume Saga have been changed in the the story's various adaptations. There's one sequence that's always included, with little difference between the versions. The moment in question is the climax of Web Of Spider-Man #1, where Peter pries the symbiote from his body after weakening it with the ringing of a church bell. This scene featured in Spider-Man (1994), Spider-Man 3, and Spectacular Spider-Man – it is, after all, an easy to render scene which plays to Venom's weakness to sonics across all versions.
5 The Black Suit Copied Spider-Man's Powers Onto Itself
While the symbiote was bonded to Spider-Man, it copied unique genetic structure onto itself – his superhuman nature is the very reason the suit was drawn to him. This means that any of the symbiote's hosts not only receive a facsimile of Spider-Man's abilities, but some enhancements as well, The symbiote can form webbing without the use of web-shooters, for instance. There's another bonus – due to their bonding, Peter's Spider-Sense doesn't register the symbiote as a threat, something Venom has taken advantage of many times.
4 In The Ultimate Universe, The Black Suit Was Designed To Cure Cancer
Ultimate Marvel tried to be more grounded than the mainstream Earth-616 Marvel universe. For this reason, the Venom symbiote was not an alien, but instead had a more terrestrial origin – albeit one that was still heavily sci-fi flavored. The Ultimate symbiote was designed by Richard Parker and Edward Brock Sr. as a cure for cancer – the suit would bond with the host and heal their body.
Peter and Eddie had been childhood friends, but drifted apart after the death of their parents. Reuniting after Peter has become Spider-Man, Eddie has the remaining "suit" fluid in his possession. Despite this vastly different set-up, the story from there plays out much the same.
3 In Spectacular Spider-Man, The Black Suit's Design Evolves
Spectacular Spider-Man adapted the Alien Costume Saga over four episodes in the last stretch of Season 1 and finale "Nature Vs Nurture" featured the climactic clash between Spider-Man & Venom. The series utilized a visual cue to signal the suit's influence on Peter. When Peter first acquires the suit in "Persona," it resembles the webbed, silver spin on the design from Spider-Man 3. Over the course of the episodes, the suit darkens and the webbing pattern disappears entirely, making it instead resemble Zeck's original Black Suit design.
2 The Black Suit Is Basically Spider-Man's Bitter Ex
It's a tale as old as time. Two parties, one wants to stay together forever, the other disagrees and ends the relationship. From there, the one who was dumped can react in many ways. The symbiote chose "bitter and vindictive." Bonding with Eddie and attempting to ruin Peter's life in any number of ways can't be seen as anything but the spite of "if I can't have you, no one can!"
Spectacular Spider-Man makes this subtext most explicit. Unable to defeat Venom conventionally, Peter feigns a desire to reunite with the symbiote. Beckoning his call, the symbiote rejects Eddie for its "first love."
1 In One Universe, The Black Suit Went Back To Peter
For a special What If... one-shot, Peter David and Khoi Pham tell an alternate version of Spider-Man storyline "The Other." Peter rests in a cocoon after his battle with Morlun, but this time around the symbiote senses his current state. Deserting its then-current host, Mac Gargan, the symbiote infests the cocoon and bonds with Peter, creating a new being – Poison.
Poison appears at Avengers' tower to kidnap MJ – Peter's feelings for his wife having survived the transformation. After MJ rejects him, Poison flees and pays a visit to the cemetery. Proving that one never forgets their first love, Poison excavates Gwen Stacy's body and cocoons it. The last panel of the story is a Carnage-like hand breaking free from the cocoon.