Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Venom #36! Venom is no stranger to being the deciding factor when it comes to whether the world will meet a violent and grisly end, as he very recently saved the planet from Knull in The King In Black. However, in the upcoming Venom War event, it seems Venom himself will be the threat – at least, if the symbiote doesn’t bond to the correct host. That’s why a version of Venom from the future dubbed ‘Old Man Venom’ has traveled back in time to ensure the correct choice is made, and in doing so, will transform Marvel’s entire future.
In the official solicitation for Venom #36 by Torunn Grønbekk and CAFU released by Marvel Comics, readers are given a first-look at this upcoming issue. With this, fans get the issue’s description, a look at the cover art (done by CAFU), and the identity of ‘Old Man Venom’ himself: Dylan Brock.
VENOM WAR rages on! As Eddie and Dylan Brock’s father/son war breaks out, another Dylan Brock is on a mission to make sure things go the way they’re supposed to. And he’s an older Dylan Brock. That’s right—Old Man Venom is jumping through time to guarantee the correct victor in the Venom War—starting with a jaunt that takes him right into Spider-Man’s history!
So far, all fans know about the Venom War is that it will be a conflict between father and son, Eddie Brock vs Dylan Brock, over who is the one true Venom. The result of that conflict will then decide the fate of the entire planet, making it all the more imperative that the wrong host doesn’t come out on top. Could Old Man Venom be attempting to make sure his younger self wins? Or will he realize that Eddie should have been the true Venom all along?
While either option is possible, there’s also a third host in this Venom War that fans may not have accounted for, one Old Man Venom is taking a shot at on this very cover: Spider-Man.
Old Man Venom Goes Back in Time to Kill Spider-Man – Theory Explained
After taking a look at all the Venom War tie-in comics, one will learn that Spider-Man is a potential host for Venom alongside Eddie and Dylan Brock. In fact, Peter Parker is even shown wearing the symbiote once again on the cover of the upcoming Venom War: Spider-Man #1. In other words, Spider-Man is a contender in the Venom War, making him (at least temporarily) the enemy of both Eddie and Dylan.
THE SPIDER-MAN IN BLACK! Eddie Brock wants the symbiote, Dylan Brock wants the symbiote… but they’re forgetting about the first host to ever wear the black… PETER PARKER! That’s right – Spider-Man is back in black again, and this time, he’s liking how it fits him! Maybe the winner of the Venom War could be the OG!
Again, readers don’t yet know exactly what will happen to the world if the wrong host ends up with Venom or why, but it seems like a safe bet that the ‘true Venom’ isn’t Spider-Man, meaning the web-slinger could inadvertently cause the end of the world. With that in mind, along with the fact that Spider-Man wears the Venom symbiote later in the Venom War, plus what fans can see on the cover of Venom #36, and it seems Old Man Venom has gone back in time to make sure Spider-Man doesn’t win the Venom War – by any means necessary.
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Old Man Venom May Be Here to Stay, & 1 Iconic X-Man Proves It
The idea of a soldier from the future coming back in time to ensure a better tomorrow is not a new one in Marvel canon. In fact, an entirely different character fits that description perfectly: Cable. Cable is a time-displaced warrior who decides to make the ‘present day’ his home, even though his younger self currently exists in the same time period. There are two Cables in Marvel Comics, one young, one old, and they even go on adventures together from time to time. If it can work with Cable, then perhaps the same can be applied to Dylan Brock.
While the prospect of Old Man Venom being here to stay is admittedly a long shot, the idea that he’s here to kill Spider-Man in order to keep the web-head from winning the Venom War is far more likely. Of course, most of this is total speculation, as fans simply don’t yet have enough information. However, what is known is that Old Man Venom is about to fight in the upcoming Venom War, which may reshape Marvel’s entire future.
Venom #36 by Marvel Comics is available August 14, 2024.
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Venom
Venom is the name of an alien lifeform in the Marvel Comics canon that first premiered as a formless symbiote alien in “The Amazing Spider-Man” comic series. Initially a villain, Venom continued to bond with hosts such as Spider-Man and Eddie Brock, who affected his personality and eventually evolved into an antihero known as “The Lethal Protector.”
