Edward Charles Allan "Eddie" Brock is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by David Michelinie and Todd McFarlane, making a cameo appearance in Web of Spider-Man #18 (September 1986), before making his first full appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man #300 (May 1988) as the most well-known host of the Venom symbiote. The character has since appeared in many Marvel Comics publications, including Venom. He has endured as one of Spider-Man's most prominent villains, and is regarded as one of his three archenemies, alongside the Green Goblin and Doctor Octopus. He later evolved into an antihero, slowly distancing himself from his initial goal to ruin Spider-Man's life to instead do good.
In the original version of the story, Eddie Brock is a journalist who publicly exposes the identity of a man he believes is a serial killer, the Sin-Eater, only to find his reputation ruined when Spider-Man captures the real killer. Disgraced and suicidal with a growing irrational hatred for Spider-Man, Brock comes into contact with an alien symbiote, rejected by Peter Parker. The symbiote bonds with him and they become Venom, together seeking out revenge against their mutual enemy. Though he repeatedly comes into conflict with Spider-Man, he also attempts to operate as a hero, albeit a violent one, seeking to save those he deems "innocent" and avoid any collateral damage in his clashes with Spider-Man. In 2008, after being separated from the Venom symbiote, he serves as the anti-hero host of the Anti-Venom symbiote which is sacrificed to help cure the "Spider-Island" epidemic during the 2011 storyline. In 2012, he was bonded to the Toxin symbiote, reuniting with the Venom symbiote in 2018. Though Brock is a human with no powers, the Venom symbiote suit bestows upon him a range of abilities including many of Spider-Man's powers.
Debuting in the Modern Age of Comic Books, the character has featured in various Marvel-endorsed products outside of comics, including feature films, animated television series, and video games; and merchandise such as action figures, and trading cards. Topher Grace portrays Eddie Brock/Venom in Spider-Man 3 (2007), while Tom Hardy portrays the character in Sony's Spider-Man Universe's films Venom (2018) and Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021) as well as a post-credits scene in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021).
One of Spider-Man's most famous rogues and a fan-favorite character, the Eddie Brock incarnation of Venom was rated 33rd on the 50 Greatest Comic Book Characters by Empire, and ranked 22nd on IGN's list of 100 Greatest Comic Villains of All Time. Comics journalist and historian Mike Conroy writes of the character: "What started out as a replacement costume for Spider-Man turned into one of the Marvel web-slinger's greatest nightmares".
