Comic book creator Todd McFarlane has revealed that Venom’s creation was unintentional during his time working on Spider-Man. Like many iconic inventions, the symbiotic supervillain was an accident.
Now known as one of Spider-Man greatest foes, Venom has transcended the wall-crawling superhero, despite maintaining the spider emblem on his chest. Evolving past Peter Parker, Eddie Brock has become an antihero in mainstream comics. Before he was a phenomenon, Venom was conceived by David Michelinie and Todd MacFarlane in The Amazing Spider-Man #300 (1988). As an extension of Spider-Man’s black symbiotic suit, Venom’s real world backstory shares the connection.
In an interview with newsnationusa.com, co-creator Todd MacFarlane revealed that he first drew Venom as the black symbiote costume being worn on a different character. Originally instructed by Marvel to illustrate Spider-Man in a black costume, he felt reluctant to the pitch. During the interview, MacFarlane said:
“Venom was a complete accident. Marvel wanted me to draw Spider-Man in a black costume, but I didn't want to because I grew up with him in a red and blue costume. So we decided to put the black costume on another character. I did some designs, created this big monster, and we went there. I wish I had more happy billion-dollar accidents like that.”
MacFarlane, who is the sole creator of Spawn, apparently hasn’t had any original characters come together so naturally. The organic creation of Venom speaks to his genius, and gives credence to why he is such a great antagonist to Spider-Man. At the time, he elevated the black suit storyline from a personal premise into a physical one for Peter Parker. The hulking monster was unlike anyone who Spider-Man had ever fought. The sentient suit became more than a cool alternate costume, and turned into a real threat in New York City.
Due to MacFarlane’s creative compromise with Marvel, he was able to construct a new villain outside of the iconic rogues gallery that Spider-Man had known since his earliest comics. Previously a challenge imposed on the creative duo of writer David Michelinie and artist Todd MacFarlane, they managed to make the most of it. As Spider-Man eventually returned from his black suit to his original red and blue costume, he encountered Venom and learned life wasn’t going to be any easier.