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Venom reading order

Venom's history from the alien costume in 1984 to the current series, focusing on the key Spider-Man stories and the Remender, Cates and Ewing/Ram V runs. New readers should start with Donny Cates's Venom (2018).

  1. The alien costume1984–1985

    4 issues · about 1.5 hours2 essential issues · about 40 min

    Spider-Man brings home a black costume from Battleworld and slowly learns it is alive. This is optional background, but it sets up everything that follows.

    Read this stretch in 1 book
    1. Spider-Man: Birth of Venom (2007)Covers Marvel Super-Heroes Secret Wars #8; The Amazing Spider-Man #252, 258; Web of Spider-Man #1Find it

    Fewest books first; newer printings are preferred because they're likelier to be in stock.

    1. Marvel Super-Heroes Secret Wars (1984)#8December 1984, optional

      Where Spider-Man first finds the costume; one issue of a 12-issue event series.

    2. The Amazing Spider-Man (1963)#252May 1984, optional

      First appearance of the black costume in Spider-Man's own series.

    3. The Amazing Spider-Man (1963)#258November 1984

      Spider-Man finds out what the costume really is.

    4. Web of Spider-Man (1985)#1April 1985

      The symbiote comes back for Spider-Man, which leads straight to Venom.

  2. Venom arrives1988–1991

    12 issues · about 4 hours12 essential issues · about 4 hours

    The rejected symbiote joins with disgraced reporter Eddie Brock, and together they become Spider-Man's most personal enemy.

    Read this stretch in 2 books
    1. Spider-Man vs. Venom Omnibus (2018)Covers The Amazing Spider-Man #300, 315–317, 332–333, 344–347Find it
    2. Amazing Spider-Man Epic Collection Vol. 18: Venom (2018)Covers The Amazing Spider-Man #298–299Find it

    Fewest books first; newer printings are preferred because they're likelier to be in stock.

    1. The Amazing Spider-Man (1963)#298–3003 issues
      1. #298March 1988
      2. #299April 1988
      3. #300May 1988

      Eddie appears briefly in 298–299; #300 is Venom's full debut.

    2. #315–3173 issues
      1. #315May 1989
      2. #316June 1989
      3. #317July 1989

      Venom escapes prison and goes after Spider-Man again.

    3. #332–3332 issues
      1. #332May 1990
      2. #333June 1990
    4. #344–3474 issues
      1. #344February 1991
      2. #345March 1991
      3. #346April 1991
      4. #347May 1991

      Introduces Cletus Kasady, Eddie's cellmate, ahead of Carnage.

  3. Carnage and Lethal Protector1992–1993

    9 issues · about 3 hours9 essential issues · about 3 hours

    The symbiote's offspring creates Carnage, and Eddie leaves for San Francisco to become an antihero.

    Read this stretch in 1 book
    1. Venom Epic Collection Vol. 2: Lethal Protector (2021)Covers The Amazing Spider-Man #361–363; Venom: Lethal Protector #1–6Find it

    Fewest books first; newer printings are preferred because they're likelier to be in stock.

    1. The Amazing Spider-Man (1963)#361–3633 issues
      1. #361April 1992
      2. #362May 1992
      3. #363June 1992

      Carnage's first story; Venom and Spider-Man have to team up.

    2. Venom: Lethal Protector (1993)#1–66 issues
      1. #1February 1993
      2. #2March 1993
      3. #3April 1993
      4. #4May 1993
      5. #5June 1993
      6. #6July 1993

      Venom's first solo series; this order leaves out the sprawling Maximum Carnage crossover.

  4. Rick Remender's Agent Venom2011–2012

    26 issues · about 8.5 hours22 essential issues · about 7.5 hours

    Flash Thompson, a soldier who lost his legs, wears the symbiote on government black ops and struggles to keep it in check.

    Read this stretch in 1 book
    1. Agent Venom Omnibus (2025)Covers Venom #1–13, 13.1, 13.2, 13.3, 13.4–22Find it

    Fewest books first; newer printings are preferred because they're likelier to be in stock.

    1. Venom (2011)#1–1313 issues
      1. #1May 2011
      2. #2June 2011
      3. #3July 2011
      4. #4August 2011
      5. #5October 2011
      6. #6October 2011
      7. #7November 2011
      8. #8December 2011
      9. #9January 2012
      10. #10February 2012
      11. #11February 2012
      12. #12March 2012
      13. #13April 2012

      Issues 6–8 tie into Spider-Island but read fine on their own.

    2. #13.1–13.44 issues, optional
      1. #13.1April 2012
      2. #13.2April 2012
      3. #13.3April 2012
      4. #13.4April 2012

      Circle of Four crossover with Ghost Rider, X-23 and Red Hulk; can be skipped.

    3. #14–229 issues
      1. #14May 2012
      2. #15June 2012
      3. #16June 2012
      4. #17July 2012
      5. #18July 2012
      6. #19August 2012
      7. #20September 2012
      8. #21September 2012
      9. #22October 2012

      Remender's run ends with #22; Cullen Bunn co-writes some later issues and takes over from #23.

  5. Start here

    Donny Cates's Venom: Rex to Absolute Carnage2018–2020

    25 issues · about 8.5 hours25 essential issues · about 8.5 hours

    Eddie and the symbiote are back together when an ancient symbiote god, Knull, begins to stir. Cates reworks the symbiotes' origins, and this is the best place for a new reader to start.

    Read this stretch in 1 book
    1. Venomnibus by Cates & Stegman (2022)Covers Venom #1–15; Absolute Carnage #1–5; Venom #16–20Find it

    Fewest books first; newer printings are preferred because they're likelier to be in stock.

    1. Venom (2018)#1–1515 issues
      1. #1July 2018
      2. #2August 2018
      3. #3August 2018
      4. #4September 2018
      5. #5October 2018
      6. #6November 2018
      7. #7December 2018
      8. #8January 2019
      9. #9February 2019
      10. #10March 2019
      11. #11April 2019
      12. #12May 2019
      13. #13June 2019
      14. #14July 2019
      15. #15August 2019
    2. Absolute Carnage (2019)#1–55 issues
      1. #1October 2019
      2. #2October 2019
      3. #3November 2019
      4. #4December 2019
      5. #5January 2020

      Carnage hunts everyone who has ever worn a symbiote; read this alongside Venom 16–20.

    3. Venom (2018)#16–205 issues
      1. #16September 2019
      2. #17October 2019
      3. #18November 2019
      4. #19December 2019
      5. #20January 2020

      #16 leads in and 17–20 are Absolute Carnage tie-ins that follow Eddie and Dylan.

  6. Donny Cates's Venom: King in Black2020–2021

    20 issues · about 6.5 hours20 essential issues · about 6.5 hours

    Knull finally reaches Earth, and Eddie has to face the symbiote god head on.

    Read this stretch in 1 book
    1. Venomnibus by Cates & Stegman (2022)Covers Venom #21–30; King in Black #1–5; Venom #31–35Find it

    Fewest books first; newer printings are preferred because they're likelier to be in stock.

    1. Venom (2018)#21–3010 issues
      1. #21February 2020
      2. #22March 2020
      3. #23April 2020
      4. #24May 2020
      5. #25July 2020
      6. #26September 2020
      7. #27October 2020
      8. #28November 2020
      9. #29December 2020
      10. #30January 2021
    2. King in Black (2021)#1–55 issues
      1. #1February 2021
      2. #2February 2021
      3. #3March 2021
      4. #4April 2021
      5. #5June 2021

      The main event; read Venom 31–34 between its issues.

    3. Venom (2018)#31–355 issues
      1. #31February 2021
      2. #32March 2021
      3. #33April 2021
      4. #34June 2021
      5. #35August 2021

      #35 is the 200th issue and closes Cates's run.

  7. Al Ewing and Ram V's Venom2021–2024

    34 issues · about 11 hours34 essential issues · about 11 hours

    Dylan Brock inherits the symbiote while Eddie is thrown out across time and space. This relaunch follows straight on from King in Black.

    Read this stretch in 6 books
    1. Venom by Al Ewing & Ram V Vol. 3: Dark Web (2023)Covers Venom #11–16Find it
    2. Venom by Al Ewing Vol. 6: Infiltration (2024)Covers Venom #26–30Find it
    3. Venom by Al Ewing & Ram V Vol. 2: Deviation (2022)Covers Venom #6–10Find it
    4. Venom by Al Ewing & Ram V Vol. 1: Recursion (2022)Covers Venom #1–5Find it
    5. Venom by Al Ewing Vol. 5: Predestination (2024)Covers Venom #22–25Find it
    6. Venom by Al Ewing Vol. 7: Exsanguination (2024)Covers Venom #31–34Find it

    Not in these books: Venom #17–21. Look for the single issues.

    Fewest books first; newer printings are preferred because they're likelier to be in stock.

    1. Venom (2021)#1–3434 issues
      1. #1December 2021
      2. #2February 2022
      3. #3February 2022
      4. #4March 2022
      5. #5April 2022
      6. #6May 2022
      7. #7June 2022
      8. #8July 2022
      9. #9September 2022
      10. #10October 2022
      11. #11November 2022
      12. #12December 2022
      13. #13January 2023
      14. #14February 2023
      15. #15March 2023
      16. #16April 2023
      17. #17May 2023
      18. #18June 2023
      19. #19July 2023
      20. #20August 2023
      21. #21August 2023
      22. #22September 2023
      23. #23September 2023
      24. #24October 2023
      25. #25November 2023
      26. #26December 2023
      27. #27January 2024
      28. #28February 2024
      29. #29March 2024
      30. #30April 2024
      31. #31May 2024
      32. #32June 2024
      33. #33July 2024
      34. #34August 2024

      Ram V co-writes the opening stretch; later issues are mainly by Al Ewing, with some by Torunn Grønbekk.

  8. Venom War2024–2025

    10 issues · about 3.5 hours10 essential issues · about 3.5 hours

    Eddie and Dylan fight over who gets to be Venom, and the conflict draws in much of the Marvel Universe.

    Read this stretch in 2 books
    1. Venom War (2025)Covers Venom War #1–5Find it
    2. Venom by Al Ewing Vol. 8: Venom WarCovers Venom #35–39Find it

    Fewest books first; newer printings are preferred because they're likelier to be in stock.

    1. Venom (2021)#35September 2024

      Prelude to the event.

    2. Venom War (2024)#1–55 issues
      1. #1October 2024
      2. #2November 2024
      3. #3December 2024
      4. #4January 2025
      5. #5January 2025

      The main event; read Venom 36–39 alongside it.

    3. Venom (2021)#36–394 issues
      1. #36October 2024
      2. #37November 2024
      3. #38December 2024
      4. #39January 2025

      Venom War tie-ins that finish this volume.

  9. All-New Venom and the current series2025–present

    23 issues · about 7.5 hours23 essential issues · about 7.5 hours

    After Venom War, a new host wears the symbiote and the story carries on as one continuous run under the legacy numbering.

    Read this stretch in 1 book
    1. All-New Venom: Who Is All-New Venom?Covers All-New Venom #1–10Find it

    Not in these books: Venom #250–262. Look for the single issues.

    Fewest books first; newer printings are preferred because they're likelier to be in stock.

    1. All-New Venom (2025)#1–1010 issues
      1. #1February 2025
      2. #2March 2025
      3. #3April 2025
      4. #4May 2025
      5. #5June 2025
      6. #6July 2025
      7. #7August 2025
      8. #8September 2025
      9. #9October 2025
      10. #10November 2025

      Written by Al Ewing; legacy numbers 240–249.

    2. Venom (2025)#250–26213 issues
      1. #250December 2025
      2. #251January 2026
      3. #252February 2026
      4. #253March 2026
      5. #254April 2026
      6. #255May 2026
      7. #256June 2026
      8. #257June 2026
      9. #258July 2026
      10. #259August 2026
      11. #260October 2026
      12. #261November 2026
      13. #262November 2026

      Picks up from All-New Venom at #250 with Al Ewing still writing, and is still running.

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