Warning! Contains Spoilers For Venom #37!
It’s pretty hard to come up with a character whose design is simpler and more easily recognizable thanVenom. He is a hulking monster in black goo with the iconic white eyes and chest symbol. Almost everyone even passingly familiar with comics will recognize Venom at a glance, andMarvel has just added a subtle detail, which makes him much cooler without sacrificing his basic appearance.
Marvel’s preview forVenom#37 – by writer Torunn Grønbekk and artist CAFU – reveals this new design, worn by atime-traveling version of Dylan Brock, who goes back in time to gather the materials he needs to create a super weapon. It’s here, when confronted by Spider-Man, that Old Man Dylan transforms into Venom, sporting the usual look, aside from a scar going down his eye.
The scar is a badass way to distinguishthis version of Venomfrom others, especially as the “Venom War” draws many past, present, and future symbiote hosts into the fray.
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The Future Version Of Dylan Brock’s Venom Gets A Gnarly Scar To Set Him Apart During The “Venom War”
Venom#37 – Written By Torunn Grønbekk; Art By CAFU & German Peralta; Color By Frank D’Armata; Lettering By Clayton Cowles
The scar is a great way to distinguish this version of Dylan Brock, who will not only encounter variants of his father as theVenom Warescalates, but also himself from the past.
This scar is a new element in Venom’s look, and it makes perfect sense why it would be there. While it’s not a major change by any means, and could potentially be overlooked by most fans, this subtle detail is actually a major element of how the Venom symbiote works when it bonds with people. Further,the scar is a great way to distinguish this version of Dylan Brock, who will not only encounter variants of his father as theVenom Warescalates, but also himself from the past.
Symbiotes are one of themost exciting aliens in the Marvel Universedue to their ability to bond with practically anyone or anything. Not only this, but symbiotes seem to always take on certain physical characteristics of their host, so multiple hosts of the same symbiote won’t look the same. This seems to be true of most symbiotes, as when theCarnage Symbiote bonded with Norman Osborn, they looked completely different from Carnage bonded with Cletus. Yet the Venom symbiote demonstrates this the best, as it’s had the most hosts over the years, and they’ve all looked different.
Old Man Venom’s Eye Scar Puts Emphasis On The “Symbiosis” Part Of Symbiote Lore
Venom#37 – Available August 04, 2025
Even something as simple as an eye scar, which comes from one of Old Man Dylan’s many injuries, is a perfect way to update the Venom symbiote’s design.
When the Venom symbiote was with Spider-Man, he was sleek and fairly simple. When it was with Eddie, it matched his body builder’s frame and was massive and muscular.With Mac Gargan, it almost had a feral appearance, and with Flash Thompson, it had a much more restrained and militarized look. It didn’t change much with Dylan, getting chains instead of the iconic webs. Now that Dylan is much older,the Venom symbiote matches some of the battle wounds he has, such as a scar across the eye.
With so many different Venom hosts over the years, Marvel has needed ways to make sure viewers can tell them apart. This has led to thefun trait of symbiotes taking on specific aspectsof their hosts. Even something as simple as an eye scar, which comes from one of Old Man Dylan’s many injuries, is a perfect way to update theVenomsymbiote’s design and make him instantly recognizable from the Eddie Brock or even the younger Dylan Brock variants.
Venom
Venom is a symbiotic alien entity bonded with various human hosts, notably Eddie Brock and later Flash Thompson. It grants superhuman strength, agility, and a shape-shifting black costume. Initially a Spider-Man villain due to its origins, Venom evolved into an antihero, battling both villains and his own dark impulses. The character embodies themes of duality and redemption within the Marvel Universe.
