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The idea for a new costume for Spider-Man (which would later become the separate character Venom) was conceived of by a Marvel Comics reader from Norridge, Illinois named Randy Schueller.[1] Marvel purchased the idea for $220.00 after then-editor-in-chief Jim Shooter sent Schueller a letter acknowledging Marvel's desire to acquire the idea from him in 1982. Schueller's design was then modified by Mike Zeck, becoming the "Symbiote" costume.[2]
Shooter came up with the idea of switching Spider-Man to a black-and-white costume with artists Mike Zeck and Rick Leonardi, as well as others, designing the black-and-white costume. It has been suggested this may have been influenced by the intended costume design for the new Spider-Woman.[3] However, writer/artist John Byrne states on his website that the idea for a costume made of self-healing biological material was one he originated when he was the artist on Iron Fist to explain how that character's costume was constantly being torn and then apparently repaired by the next issue, explaining that he ended up not using the idea on that title, but that Roger Stern later asked him if he could use the idea for Spider-Man's alien costume. Stern then plotted the issue in which the costume first appeared but then left the title. It was writer Tom DeFalco and artist Ron Frenz who had established that the costume was a sentient alien being and also that it was vulnerable to high sonic energy during their run on The Amazing Spider-Man.[4]
By mid-1984, Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz took over scripting and penciling Amazing Spider-Man. Issue #252 (May 1984) saw the first appearance in the title of Spider-Man's black costume, which the hero would wear almost exclusively for the next four years' worth of comics; issue #258 (Nov. 1984) revealed that the black costume is a living being, an alien of the Symbiote species. Al Milgrom took over scripting and art on sister title The Spectacular Spider-Man with issue #90 (May 1984) and worked on it through #100 (March 1985).[5] Upon taking a serious look at sales figures for Marvel Team-Up, which featured Spider-Man partnering with a rotating guest character, Marvel's editorial staff found that sales dramatically rose or fell with each issue depending solely on the popularity of that issue's co-star. Taking this into consideration, Shooter concluded that it would make more sense to have another Spider-Man solo series with guest stars appearing when the storyline and or promotional needs called for it, rather than a team-up series which unnaturally forced guest-stars upon the story.[citation needed]
Marvel Team-Up ended with issue #150 (February 1985), to be replaced by new series Web of Spider-Man. This was launched with an April 1985 cover dated issue by writer Louise Simonson and penciller Greg LaRocque[5] The first issue featured a cover painting by artist Charles Vess, and contained the return of the alien black costume, which attempted to rebond with Peter Parker. He managed to rid himself of the costume again using church bells and the alien was presumed to have died after that.[6]
Plot
Following the Secret Wars, Spider-Man returns to Earth from Battleworld wearing a black costume. He discovers the black costume creates its own webbing and can disguise itself as street clothes according to his mental commands. Meanwhile, the mob boss Rose orders the murder of football player Ray Nesters. Spider-Man stops Rose's henchmen, then raids Rose's warehouse prompting Rose to hire Puma to kill Spider-Man. They fight, and Spider-Man is injured when he protects bystanders from debris. Puma decides not to continue the fight until Spider-Man has healed. Later, Peter Parker's girlfriend Mary Jane Watson reveals she has known about his double life as Spider-Man for years. That night, the black costume slips over Spider-Man and takes him out for exercise while he continues to sleep. While out, Peter has a nightmare where his old costume fights the new one. When he wakes, Spider-Man realizes the black costume is leaving him tired.[volume & issue needed]
Spider-Man asks Mr. Fantastic for help, and tests reveal the suit is a living symbiote that has bonded mentally and physically with Spider-Man, and that it is sensitive to sound. When the symbiote tries to graft itself to Spider-Man's body permanently, Mr. Fantastic removes it from Spider-Man's body with a sonic blaster and locks it in a containment cell. Meanwhile, Rose hires the Hobgoblin to attack the Osborn Corporation and Spider-Man wears his old red-and-blue costume to stop him. During the fight, the symbiote escapes from the containment cell returns to Spider-Man's apartment. It disguises itself in such a way that Spider-Man puts it on again, then battles for control of him, before they are both ambushed by the Vulturions. During the course of the fight, Spider-Man makes his way to a church's bell tower, where he uses the sound of the bells to free himself. Before fleeing itself, the symbiote rescues Peter from the sonically lethal tolling of the bells. Awakening later on, he believes the symbiote to be destroyed.[volume & issue needed]
Aftermath
Following the symbiote's apparent destruction, Spider-Man starts wearing a cloth version of the black costume that was given to him by the Black Cat.[7] Later, it is revealed the symbiote survived and stays in the church until it bonds with disgraced Daily Globe reporter Eddie Brock, who blames Spider-Man for the demise of his career, and becomes Venom to seek revenge on Spider-Man. After defeating Venom, Spider-Man officially returns to his original red-and-blue costume.[8]
Collected editions
The Amazing Spider-Man #252–259 was printed into a graphic novel in 1988 called The Amazing Spider-Man: The Saga of the Alien Costume. Later, two trade paperbacks, titled The Amazing Spider-Man: The Complete Alien Costume Saga were released; they contained The Amazing Spider-Man #252–263, Marvel Team-Up #141–150, The Spectacular Spider-Man #90–100 and Web of Spider-Man #1. The Amazing Spider-Man #252-259 & Web of Spider-Man #1 were also reprinted in Spider-Man: The Birth of Venom which tell the origin of Venom.
Title
Material collected
Published date
ISBN
The Amazing Spider-Man: The Saga of the Alien Costume
The "Alien Costume Saga" was loosely adapted into the Spider-Man: The Animated Series three-part episode "The Alien Costume" which was later part of the direct-to-video Spider-Man: The Venom Saga.[9] Differences in the plot include the symbiote coming from the Promethium X asteroid instead of Battleworld like in the Secret Wars comic book. The symbiote also gave Spider-Man a more aggressive attitude instead of making him tired and drained, the first official media to do this approach to the symbiote. Instead of Mr. Fantastic as in the comic book, Spider-Man went to Curt Connors for help.
The "Alien Costume Saga" was loosely adapted into The Spectacular Spider-Man in three episodes; "Persona", "Group Therapy" and "Intervention". The symbiote makes Peter Parker tired and drained and slips onto Parker while he is sleeping before a battle with the Sinister Six. As in "Web of Spider-Man #1", Parker uses the church bell to force the symbiote off of him.
Film
The "Alien Costume Saga" was loosely adapted into Spider-Man 3. A meteorite lands at Central Park and an extra-terrestrial symbiote follows Peter Parker to his apartment. While Peter sleeps in his Spider-Man costume, the symbiote assimilates his suit. Peter later awakens and discovers his costume has changed and his powers have been enhanced; however, the symbiote brings out Peter's dark side. After accidentally attacking Mary Jane Watson at a nightclub, Peter realizes the symbiote is corrupting him. Retreating to the church tower, he discovers he cannot remove the suit but that the symbiote weakens when the bell rings. Peter removes the symbiote and it falls to the lower tower, landing on Eddie Brock and turning him into Venom. During the battle against Sandman and Venom, Peter uses a pumpkin bomb to destroy the symbiote while Brock dives after it, killing them both.[10]
