Comic Lore

Symbiotes 101: Klyntar, Knull & the Throne

Tied to: Venom (2026) #1 · Queen In Black (2026) #5 · Venom (2025) #262

The Venom symbiote first showed up as Spider-Man's mysterious black costume in The Amazing Spider-Man #252 (1984); Secret Wars #8 (1984) revealed Peter picked it up on the alien Battleworld. Peter learned it was a living creature and drove it off with the sound of church bells in Web of Spider-Man #1 (1985).

The symbiote then bonded with disgraced reporter Eddie Brock, and the two debuted as Venom in The Amazing Spider-Man #300 (1988) by David Michelinie and Todd McFarlane. Later stories named the species the Klyntar.

Donny Cates and Ryan Stegman's Venom (2018) introduced Knull, the ancient god who created the symbiotes. That led to the King in Black event (2020–21), where Eddie defeated Knull and took his place as the new King in Black.

Today: according to Marvel's 2026 solicitations, Eddie gave up that throne, which let Knull come back and Hela rise as the Queen in Black. Their war over the 'Throne of All' runs through Queen in Black, and Mary Jane Watson is Venom in the Venom (2025) series (see #262).

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The Books This Ties To