uu27itu: carnage vs venom

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In the original version of the story, Brock is a journalist who exposes the identity of a serial killer only for the real killer to be caught by Spider-Man, Brock having accused the wrong man. Disgraced and suicidal, Brock comes into contact with an alien Symbiote, rejected by Peter Parker. The Symbiote bonds with Brock becoming Venom and together they seek out revenge against their mutual enemy. Though Brock repeatedly comes into conflict with Spider-Man, he also attempts to operate as a hero, albeit a violent one, seeking to save those he deems "innocent". In 2008, after being separated from the Venom Symbiote, Brock gains a new Symbiote and becomes the anti-hero Anti-Venom. Though Brock is a human with no powers, the Symbiote suit bestows upon him a range of abilities including many of the powers belonging to Spider-Man, the Symbiote's original host.

Debuting in the Modern Age of Comic Books, the character of Eddie Brock has featured in other Marvel-endorsed products such as animated television series; video games; a feature film and merchandise such as action figures and trading cards. Eddie Brock's incarnation of Venom was rated 33rd on Empire's 50 Greatest Comic Book Characters, and was the 22nd greatest villain on IGN's 100 Greatest Comic Villains of all time. Comics journalist and historian Mike Conroy writes of the character: "What started out as a replacement costume for Spider-Man turned into one of the Marvel web-slinger's greatest nightmares."

Erik Larsen responded to Michelinie's letter with one of his own that was printed in Wizard #23 (July 1993), in which he dismissed Michelinie's contributions to the character, arguing that Michelinie merely "swiped" the preexisting symbiote and its powers to place it on a character whose motivations were poorly conceived, one-dimensional, unbelievable, and clichéd. Larsen also argued that it was McFarlane's rendition of the character that made it commercial.

This dispute arose at a time when artists such as McFarlane and Larsen were enjoying a great deal of popularity and clout with readers, and capitalizing on their popularity by publishing creator-owned books with their new company, Image Comics, and it is possible that this issue was a subtext of the greater debate over the importance of writers versus artists that was being waged in the industry at the time. Prior to McFarlane's departure from Marvel, the company stated that Venom was a creation of McFarlane's, and Michelinie shared credit as co-creator.[citation needed] Regardless of the issues surrounding his creation, Venom was created under a work for hire contract, and Marvel owns all rights to the character.