WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Venom #26 by Donny Cates, Iban Coello, Juan Gedeon, Jesus Aburtov and VC's Clayton Cowles, available now.
For some time now, it's been common knowledge that a character named Virus would soon join the Venom comic series. However, details were scant: Readers knew Virus would debut wearing a War Machine-like armor marked with the Venom crest and a few other details painted in green to make it look similar to the symbiote. For a brief time, it was believed Eddie Brock would be the one getting this armor, but it was later revealed the armor was reserved for someone else.
In Venom #26, Virus finally blasts onto the page. He goes right after Eddie, cementing a rivalry between the two. Who is this mysterious Virus? For the time being, the identity of the character is kept a secret, but the issue does reveal a bit more information that might narrow things down.
Eddie Brock takes his son Dylan to another one of the Maker's secret labs. While they are traveling across town, Virus is already following them. Eddie hopes the evil Reed Richards from an alternate dimension will be able to provide more answers about Dylan and his powerful connection to the symbiotes and their god, Knull.
However, once they get there, the Maker reveals he has no more interest in helping them. Instead, he's ready to travel back home, with his very own symbiote. A fight quickly erupts between Eddie and the Maker, but they are both taken by surprise when a mysterious third player makes an explosive entrance: Virus.
The biggest surprise about the new villain isn't his War Machine armor -- it's the old Goblin Glider he's using to fly, a piece of equipment that was kept hidden in Marvel's promotional material advertising the character's debut. The Glider isn't the only Green Goblin weapon Virus is using: He's also armed with plenty of pumpkin bombs, which he throws around to keep both Venom and the Maker back.
What is most noteworthy about Virus' design is that the weapons he carries are old and broken. On both the War Machine armor and the Goblin Glider, pieces of wire and tape are visibly holding the equipment together. What's more, the use of the Glider to fly around implies that the Iron Man suit's flight abilities are not functional.
Therefore, Virus isn't some billionaire inventor or a super-smart scientist or engineer. Whoever is hiding under that armor is simply using whatever they could find to piece together a supervillain identity. There's the War Machine armor, Green Goblin weapons, and the Venom crest. All of these elements are pieces to the puzzle that is Virus' identity. But who is he?
Virus may not reveal who he is yet in Venom #26, but his dialogue informs readers that he has an ax to grind with Eddie Brock. "You ruin my life, and you think you get to just walk away?" he says, attacking Venom. It's clear he wants to kill Eddie. But why? Which life did Eddie ruin? The character himself would argue there isn't a single life he didn't ruin in some form or another, but Virus has been driven to a murderous rage.
Right now, all readers have are guesses as to who he could be. Virus could end up being Eddie's own father, who kept Dylan hidden from him for years. It could also be someone who has worn the symbiote before -- but that's a relatively long list, as revealed in Absolute Carnage.
Finally, Virus could always end up being someone who's yet to be introduced. During their confrontation, Virus was more than willing to reveal his identity, but he was cut off. Chances are, next time they meet, Eddie will learn the identity of this new enemy.