Marvel.com has unveiled a new look for Venom. The duds make their debut in today's "Guardians of the Galaxy" #23, an issue that finds Flash Thompson's symbiote superhero moving away from his previous heavily-armed look to a heavily-armored one. The redesign, courtesy of "Guardians" artist and Marvel Young Gun Valerio Schiti, incorporates a heavy-duty helmet and armored plating as well as the familiar Guardians insignia on each shoulder. Schiti's concept art, which can be seen in full below, also includes a look at what Flash Thompson looks like when he's not Venomed-up. Fittingly for the series' outer space setting, the heavy pants and padded gloves have an astronaut vibe to them.

The new look makes its debut as part of the "Planet of the Symbiotes" storyline from writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Valerio Schiti. The arc has found Flash Thompson returning to the planet that spawned the Venom symbiote, thus revealing a secret that the Marvel Universe has kept since the alien organism's initial debut thirty years ago.

Marvel interviewed Schiti about the costume change, and the artist revealed that writer Brian Bendis used the Venom model from the video game Disney Infinity as a jumping off point.

"I wanted to do give him a brand-new look but somehow classic," said Schiti. "My idea was that he should look more like he was in his first appearance. In effect I tried to make 'my' Venom closer to the first Venom than to Agent Venom; ironically the new version should look like the oldest version. There are two reasons for this choice. The first reason is logical: I supposed that when we saw Venom for the first time, in 'Amazing Spider-Man' #299, the symbiote suit was still a bit functioning. So, if I had to do imagine a 'healthy' version of the costume, why not use that first and powerful image as reference? The second reason is a sentimental one: I started reading Spider-Man more or less when they published that run here in Italy in 1992, so it was some kind of homage to what I used to love when I was a kid."

"Guardians of the Galaxy" #23 is on sale now.