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The Venomverse: A guide to Marvel’s Main Symbiote Characters

by Fabien
Updated on June 7, 2023
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For a long time, there was only one symbiote: Venom. Today, there are apparently more than 40 known symbiotes in the Marvel Universe. But who’s counting?

Introduced into the Marvel Universe during the 1985 Secret Wars event, the “black costume” was more than a new look for Spider-Man. This was an alien creature that bonded with the superhero and started to influence him. When Peter Parker realized that his new clothes were in fact a conscient being that was changing him not in a good way, he got rid of him… But that was just the beginning.

After that, the symbiote found a new host and was officially named Venom. He instantly became one of Spider-Man’s archenemies. That said, as writers explored the creature from outer space, it evolved as well as its mythology. Venom also had children, some really deadly ones! All had different hosts and powers, but all are vulnerable to intense heat and sonic vibrations.

Also, we are calling them the Symbiotes, but Venom is a member of the extraterrestrial species known as Klyntar. As we learned during the last few years, they were created by Knull, a malevolent god, a primordial Deity–and certainly one of Marvel’s most powerful supervillains –read the King in Black storyline for a better understanding of the menace he represented–, and creator of All-Black the Necrosword.

We are not here to talk about Knull (this is a subject for another article), but to speak about his creations. From Venom and Carnage to Rascal, here is a guide to the major symbiotes that appeared in the Marvel Universe during the last three decades.

Spider-Man Family: A Guide to the Spider-Verse Members

by Carole
Updated on November 13, 2025

There is more than one Spider-Man out there! It’s no secret, especially since the release of the animated movie Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, where a whole new universe of spider heroes swung into the limelight, introducing the large Spider-Family to a new public.

At the center of the web, we naturally find the original and most well know Spider-Man/Peter Parker, created by Stan Lee and Steve Dikto in 1962. Between the comic books and the adaptations on the big screen, Peter Parker’s story is quite known today: When everything started, he was a nerdy high school student from Queens, New York, and an orphan raised by his Uncle Ben and Aunt May. After being bitten by a radioactive spider at a science exhibit, Peter acquired the agility and proportionate strength of an arachnid! At first, he decided to exploit his heightened athletic abilities to make money. But when the robber he refuses to stop becomes responsible for his Uncle Ben’s murder, Peter learns a painful lesson: “With great power there must also come—great responsibility!”

The world of Spider-Man only expanded from there, at first in the mainstream universe with all those clones and the introduction of Jessica Drew as the first Spider-Woman. Then , with all thos different incarnations of the character in alternate universes. From Miles Morales from the Ultimate Universe to the futuristic Miguel O’Hara and more extravagant versions like Spider-Ham, there’s no shortage of Spider-people in the large Marvel Comics Multiverse.

Though most arachnids evolved separately from each other, they had to come together with the event Spider-Verse, and its sequel Spider-Geddon, to defend the multiverse. Such stories are always great occasions to explore old forgotten characters as well as create new ones such as Spider-Gwen. The Spider-Verse is always evolving and growing!

What follows is not an exhaustive Spider-People Guide as there are too many of them out there for that. But you’ll find the most important Spider-Men and Spider-Women, the ones you should know, some fun characters and newly additions to the Spider-Verse in order for you to find your way across the multiverse!

The Story of Claire Voyant: The First Black Widow of Marvel Comics

by Carole
Updated on February 23, 2024

Natasha Romanoff made her first appearance in 1964 as the Black Widow of the modern mainstream Marvel Comics. If she is, without a doubt, the most famous Black Widow, she is not the only Marvel character to have taken on the codename. Yelena Belova also used it.

And before Natasha and Yelena was Claire Voyant. The Black Widow of the Golden Age is also considered the first Marvel’s superheroine. She was created by writer George Kapitan and artist Harry Sahle in the pages of Mystic Comics #4 (August 1940) published by Timely Comics, which will later become Marvel Comics.

She was not a spy, but a small-time medium who was given by Satan the ability to kill with a single touch. Like all Black Widow, Claire Voyant was a mysterious and deadly woman…

25 Best Marvel Comic Books to Read: Our selection of the best Marvel Comics

by Carole
Updated on October 23, 2024

From Spider-Man to Captain America, the world has become quite familiar with Marvel Superheroes. Before becoming iconic characters on the big screen, those heroes were already living great adventures on paper for several decades.

If you are unfamiliar with the Comic Book World, getting into Marvel can look daunting. As the Marvel Universe is continuously growing, there are new stories to discover as well as old ones to explore. And you can’t read everything as it is obviously the sort of mission only reserved for Ethan Hunt’s team (meaning: impossible!)

To help you find some of the best Marvel stories out there, Comic Book Treasury has made a selection of 25 of the Best Marvel Comics to read. This is not an exhaustive list, and there are easily more greatest stories from Marvel out there.

Whether you are a new reader, an old one, or someone who read Marvel Comics for some past decades and wants to reconnect with the characters, we hope you’ll find something you want to read or re-read in this list.

As said above, this is not an ultimate list, so don’t hesitate to leave your own suggestions of the best Marvel Comics in the comments below!

Here is our selection of what we consider 25 of the best Marvel comics to read (in chronological order):

Batman Origin Stories: Explore Bruce Wayne’s tragic past in the comics

by Fabien
Updated on April 24, 2023

In 1938, the success of Superman prompt the company now called DC Comics—it was National Comics Publications at that time—to launch another one. Editor Vin Sullivan was tasked to do exactly that in the pages of Detective Comics.

The writer and artist Bob Kane came up with an idea based on Sherlock Holmes, Zorro, and other pulp heroes (like The Phantom), but also, apparently, a Leonardo da Vinci sketch of a bat-winged flying machine. He took all this to the writer Bill Finger who added his own inspiration like the Dracula movie (the one from 1931) and the 1926 silent film The Bat. He then suggested a new costume as Kane’s was then basically Superman with a mask and bat wings (the Da Vinci inspiration). Finger suggested a cape, a cowl, and a gray bodysuit. As a result, The Bat-Man silhouette really looked like a bat.

The Two Arno Starks: from Iron Man 2020 to Earth-616

by Carole
Updated on April 17, 2023

Once upon a time, 2020 was to be an apocalyptic future. To be more precise, creators Tom DeFalco and Herb Trimpe created Earth-8410 in 1984, an alternate reality set in the then-future of 2020.

It wasn’t a glorious future, but one of those realities taken over by megacorporations. Many heroes disappeared in the 1980s, virtual realities became the main form of entertainment, the working class was replaced by robots, and humans were reduced to being slaves, except for the small upper class.

This earth was the homeworld of Iron Man 2020, a certain Arno Stark…

The Story of The Hulk: From Gamma Radiation to World-Breaking Power

by Fabien
Updated on April 3, 2023

The Story of The Hulk

The year was 1962. Stan Lee and Jack Kirby were changing the face of the comics industry with the Fantastic Four—even if they probably didn’t suspect up to what point at the time. Of course, when it was time to find a replacement for the recently canceled Teen-Age Romance, the team came up with something that didn’t really have anything romantic in it: The Hulk.

Who is the Hulk? The story goes like this: Bruce Banner is a brilliant scientist who was exposed to gamma radiation during an experimental “accident.” As a result, he can transform into a massive, green-skinned (or gray!), superhuman creature with incredible strength and durability known as The Hulk.

The problem is that Banner struggles to control the transformation and as the unpredictable Hulk, he often causes widespread destruction in his wake. But not always. In fact, through the years, the Hulk has not always been a destructive rageful monster, his nature evolved as well as his relationship with the puny Banner.

Kang the Conqueror: Everything You Need to Know About the Infamous Marvel Villain

by Fabien
Updated on March 20, 2023

Kang the Conqueror

Since his first appearance in Avengers #8 in 1964 (he was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby), Kang the Conqueror has been established as a Marvel Comics supervillain, a recurring enemy of the Avengers and other superheroes. “Established” may be a strong word as even his villainy can be debated (rarely, though) as his motivations are not always purely malevolent.

In fact, Kang the Conqueror is a time traveler from the future who has appeared in various forms throughout Marvel continuity, and this led the character to develop a complex and convoluted history. Even his true identity and origins have been the subject of much debate and speculation over the years.

When you’re talking about Kang the Conqueror, starting with “it’s complicated” is the best way to resume the characters’ apparitions through the years.

Who is Black Manta? The Origins of Aquaman’s iconic villain

by Carole
Updated on March 15, 2024

Black Manta is one of the most fearless supervillains in the DC Universe, and one of the pettiest there is – next to Eobard Thawne aka Reverse Flash. He just hates Aquaman, pure and simple, and wants to destroy the Atlantean world.

Why Black Manta is so fixated on making Arthur Curry’s life hell? That’s the question you could ask yourself. And one that didn’t find an answer for a long time in the comic book pages of the DC Universe.

Black Manta was created by Bob Harney and Nick Cardy and made his debut in Aquaman #35 in September 1967. Though Aquaman’s nemesis made his first appearance here, it was not the first time the two characters fought, as the story made it clear they clashed before – in untold stories. But Manta was not given clear motivation at all.

The readers would have to wait more than 25 years to discover Black Manta’s first proper origin story and more so to discover his real name. His complete name, David Milton Hyde, was given only in 2020 in Aquaman Vol. 8 #62. Proof that you don’t need a (solid) backstory to ruin the life of a superhero and become an iconic villain!

Who is Kraven the Hunter?

by Fabien
Updated on April 10, 2024

Spider-Man’s rogues’ gallery is composed of animal-themed characters like the Vulture, Doctor Octopus, the Lizard, the Scorpion, and plenty more, but also of people who altered—voluntarily or not—their bodies to become super-powered or who built some kind of devices to commit crimes like Sandman, Electro, Shocker, Hammerhead, Hydro-man, and of course, the Green Goblin.

Kraven the Hunter found its place in the middle of that. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko in the pages of The Amazing Spider-Man #15 (see our Spider-Man Reading Order to find the story), Kraven came to New York wanting to hunt Spider-Man. This Russian is after “the most dangerous game.”—like another famous fictional Russian big game hunter, General Zaroff.