Though the Lethal Protector has become an anti-hero since the '90s, Venom is still widely regarded as one of Spider-Man's most well-known and iconic villains. Their feuds may now be the stuff of legend, not to mention numerous adaptations, but exactly why the two come to blows is a bit more esoteric. This is especially the case now that Venom is a "good guy" on the big screen, as well.
Venom debuted backed in the late 1980s, and it was here that he swore to destroy Spider-Man and Peter Parker. This led to countless battles between the two and the birth of another symbiote, and it all stems from sloppy journalism. Here's why Venom originally had it in for Spider-Man in the Marvel comic book universe.
Why Did Venom Originally Hate Spider-Man?
Officially debuting in The Amazing Spider-Man #298 and created by David Michelinie and Todd McFarlane, Eddie Brock was a man with a severely strict sense of guilt and morality. This saw him desperate to be punished for crimes that he had committed, as well as see others serve the same sentences. This hunger for the truth also saw him become a journalist, which eventually manifested in his hunt for the serial killer known as the Sin-Eater. Emil Gregg claimed to be the Sin-Eater and confessed to Brock as such, though this isn't the case. A serial confessor more so than a killer, Brock's exposé on his supposed crimes was revealed to not be factual when Spider-Man caught the real villain.
This incident ruined Eddie Brock's life and incredibly fragile psyche. His reputation as a journalist ruined, Brock could secure only the most classless of clients and assignments. Angry at his lot in life, and Spider-Man in particular, Brock's worsened mental state saw his wife Anne leave him. Down on his luck and without a way out, Brock would contemplate suicide when a serendipitous event took place. The black suit alien symbiote that had been bonded to Spider-Man was by that point forcibly rejected by him. Combining with the nearby Brock, the symbiote shared his hatred for Spider-Man, as well as mentally sharing with Brock its former host's secret identity of Peter Parker. From there, the two would be known as Venom, seeking violent retribution against the man who had wronged both of them. Brock would become extremely petty in how he tried to return the favor to Parker, stalking him, as well as his loved ones such as Aunt May and Mary Jane. What resulted from this quest for vengeance was a terror for Spider-Man, a truly ruined life for Eddie's ex Anne Weying and eventually, maximum Carnage for the Marvel Universe.
Do Spider-Man and Venom Still Hate Each Other?
Despite how grisly their clashes would become, Venom and Spider-Man would eventually bury the hatchet. This first happened when Venom moved away from New York to San Francisco, with Spider-Man having agreed to simply leave him be. Given that he was still theoretically a villain when they made this truce, this lapse of judgment was an example of how uncharacteristic Spider-Man had become leading into the events of the Clone Saga. As Venom became an actual anti-hero, however, the two would truly begin making up. In fact, as recently as the aftermath of King in Black, Peter Parker, and Eddie Brock even consider each other friends.
The initial reason for Eddie's hatred of Spidey, however, has been adapted in different media. The first of these was of course Spider-Man: The Animated Series, which changed things slightly to have Eddie report that Spider-Man (actually a fake) was a thief. This leads to his ruined life and career, and his later mental state when the Venom symbiote united with him. Spider-Man 3 would also use a version of the original origin story, though it would change Eddie to being a photographer like Peter. It's unknown how the two will eventually be positioned against each other in Sony's Spider-Man Universe, but even with an already anti-heroic Venom, he probably won't start out as Spider-Man's friend.