"Amid the Chaos... There Comes a Costume!": A History of Spider-Man's Black Suit

How a fan submission changed everyone's favorite Webhead forever.

It's likely the most iconic suit that Spider-Man has worn throughout his history (aside from the original, of course). The Black Suit, otherwise known as the Symbiote Suit, is a living, breathing entity now known as the Venom Symbiote. It's seen a storied history of its own, beginning with Spider-Man before taking its own shape with photojournalist Eddie Brock to become the fan-favorite anti-hero Venom. The symbiote has taken many hosts over its fictional tenure, but its story may not have been possible if not for its meeting with Spider-Man.

Let's take a look at the relationship between Peter Parker and this iconic, symbiotic costume.

In 1982, a Spider-Man fan named Randy Schueller sent in a submission to Marvel after the publication's announcement of a competition to come up with new ideas for its comic book universe. Schueller suggested a black, stealth-style suit that would enhance Spidey's abilities and would be designed by Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four as well as The Wasp. Marvel's Editor-in-Chief Jim Shooter loved Schueller's pitch and bought the idea for him for the sum of $220 (roughly $500 today).

Although the Symbiote Suit was now in Marvel's possession, it wouldn't make its appearance until two years later.

Introduction in Secret Wars

In 1984, Marvel Superheroes Secret Wars kicked off as a crossover event that featured many different Marvel heroes and villains together as they navigate a planet known as Battleworld, where they were teleported to by an otherworldly entity known as The Beyonder. Promising "all you could dream" to those who "slay their enemies." This led to a struggle between many members of The Avengers, the X-Men, and more than a few solo heroes against villains such as Doctor Doom, Kang the Conqueror, Doctor Octopus, Absorbing Man, and Ultron.

During the chaos, Spider-Man's suit was damaged on Battleworld. Discovering a machine he thought was a fabric creator, a black orb emerges from the machine, immediately covering Peter Parker in a strange sludge-like substance. To his surprise, the sludge began to form itself into a new suit, creating the Symbiote Suit that is now known and loved.

Debut in The Amazing Spider-Man

Earlier in the year, in The Amazing Spider-Man #252, the Symbiote Suit made its appearance in Spidey's own comic. The tagline to the issue read "The rumors are true. Introducing... The new Spider-Man!" confirming some fans' suspicions that Spider-Man was allegedly receiving a new costume. Some fans pushed to have the change reverted, not happy with the costume change. However, Marvel had already committed for the Symbiote Suit to appear in Secret Wars #8, and since that issue had yet to be published, Marvel's hands were tied.

Marvel began to formulate with its writers on a story that would see Peter shed the suit and return to his original costume in order to please the vocal fans. Writers eventually surmised that Peter might want to remove the suit due to its symbiotic nature and desire to bond with him permanently. As the short arc involving the Symbiote Suit continued over multiple issues until The Amazing Spider-Man #258, Peter struggled with his home life and the suit's desire to overtake his body. This led to Reed Richards and Johnny Storm (The Human Torch) discovering the symbiote's weakness to fire and sound waves. Reed would use a blasting gun to forcefully remove the symbiote from its host.

The symbiote was thought defeated, but later escaped the custody of the Fantastic Four and hid in Peter Parker's closet, masquerading as an ordinary Spider-Man costume. The suit makes its presence known as Peter dons the suit once again, and he immediately sets out to remove it in a panic. He swings over to a nearby church and uses the bell atop the building to separate himself and the symbiote. However, Peter passes out, but the symbiote decides not to bond with him again out of a sense of rejection, pulling him to the safety of the undercroft and leaving him alone.

Not far away, the symbiote spots Parker's rival, Eddie Brock, about to commit suicide. Sensing a kindred pain of rejection between them, the symbiote jumps and bonds to Brock, creating the iconic Venom known and loved by comic book fans worldwide. Venom would become a periodic villain (and occasional ally) to Spider-Man, becoming one of his most beloved foils.

Back in Black (2007)

Immediately after Marvel's massive Civil War crossover event, Peter Parker was dealing with a lot on his mind, having mixed thoughts throughout the battle over the Superhero Registration Act. To make matters worse, an assassin shoots Peter's Aunt May in a public setting. Mary Jane calls an ambulance, but Peter realizes there's no time to lose. Outside of his costume and under the threat of revealing himself, Peter uses his web-slinging to take May to the hospital.

Peter goes on a hunt to find May's shooter (still in civilian clothes), and is driven to more desperate and aggressive tactics. MJ is alerted that May has lost a lot of blood and tells Peter that the doctors don't believe May will survive. Peter, enraged, dons the cloth Black Suit again and sets out to find May's attackers.

The story eventually concluded in Spider-Man: One More Day, where after running out of options (including Doctor Doom and Dr. Strange) to help save May, Peter and Mary Jane agree to a deal with the demon Mephisto. In exchange for sparing May's life, history is forever changed, as Peter and MJ sacrifice their marriage in the bargain.

Spider-Man 3 (2007)

As part of Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy, the Symbiote Suit saw its big-screen debut. Spider-Man 3 used much of the original story of Spidey and the symbiote but changed a few minute details for convenience in the film's 2-hour and 19-minute runtime.

Instead of discovering the symbiote on another planet like Battleworld, a meteorite crash lands in New York close to a park where Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) and Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst) are stargazing. Attaching to Parker's motorbike, the symbiote follows him home. While Peter pursues a man named Flint Marko (Thomas Haden Church), who is revealed to have killed Peter's uncle Ben (Cliff Robertson), he falls asleep in his Spider-Man suit and awakens on top of a building. Almost immediately, Peter realizes that his suit has completely turned black and his powers have also been enhanced.

However, Peter's demeanor begins to change. He becomes more violent, more spiteful, pettier, and begins to alienate those he loves, including Mary Jane. She breaks things off with Peter, and begins to have feelings for his best friend Harry Osborn (James Franco), infuriating him further. Things spiral out of control, and Peter finally decides the symbiote's influence is changing his life for the worse.

Peter realizes the symbiote is prone to loud sounds, so he heads to a nearby church and uses the church bell to separate from the creature. Though he succeeds, rival photographer Eddie Brock (Topher Grace) is also at the church, pleading to God for help with his station in life. Much like in the comics, the symbiote finds and bonds with Brock, creating the villain known as Venom.

Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

Although the Symbiote Suit makes no actual on-screen appearance in the MCU's most recent Spider-Man outing, the film's post-credits scene heavily hints at it appearing in the future. In a bar in Mexico, Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) spends his time getting drunk with his symbiotic partner Venom. He attempts to understand the new universe he's in, asking about Thanos' invasion with an irritated bartender. Brock surmises that heading to New York and meeting Spider-Man might be high on his to-do list, but before he can leave the bar, Dr. Strange's spell sends him back to his universe.

However, a small sliver of the Venom Symbiote is left behind, likely setting up a fated encounter with the Marvel Cinematic Universe's wall-crawler.