Venom Did It First: Spider-Man's Best Costume Ripped Off His Symbiote Foe
Spider-Man's "Last Stand" outfit gave fans one of the coolest Spider-Man costumes in Marvel history, and while both the story and his threads were incredible, Peter Parker’s best superhero costume actually ripped off his symbiotic villain, Venom. Peter Parker has made many changes to his iconic blue and red superhero suit on numerous occasions, but "Last Stand" Spider-Man proves Spider-Man’s best looks come from his greatest adversaries.
The Amazing Spider-Man #500 – written by J. Michael Straczynski, with art by John Romita Jr. – depicts an older, potential future version of Peter Parker in a sleek red leather cross-body jacket as he takes his final stand in front of Aunt May’s grave before being taken down by a battalion of NYPD. The scene, accompanied by Spider-Man’s outfit, creates an intensely memorable moment, however, this wasn't the first time this iconic suit graced the panels.
In The Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #375, Eddie Brock is seen rocking a black Venom jacket very similar to Spider-Man’s ‘Last Stand' costume.
Peter Parker’s "Last Stand" Look Was Cool, But Eddie Brock Wore It Better Years Earlier
Spider-Man Has Always Taken Inspiration From His Foes
Though Last Stand Spider-Man popularized the look, with it going beyond the panels and appearing in external media such as video games, Eddie Brock wore the jacket much earlier in a moment heralded as Spider-Man and Venom’s “final confrontation.” The darker leather costume suits Eddie Brock and Venom’s edgy and fierce nature more than classic Spidey, but Last Stand Spider-Man was a variant of Peter Parker that was much darker as an anti-hero who killed Kraven and Doctor Octavius. The clear inspiration from Venom makes considerable sense when examining this future variant of Spider-Man adapting morally gray ethics.
Spider-Man's black venom suit was so positively received that Marvel continued to dawn Peter in black and introduce more darkly-clad Peter Parker variants...
Peter Parker has worn many incredible costumes for varying reasons, but Spider-Man’s greatest suits are often due to a villainous upgrade, with Spider-Man’s first time sporting a black spider-suit existing as a pivotal moment in comic history.Peter Parker’s black suit was not only incredibly popular, but its existence also prompted the birth of Venom and the symbiotes, one of Spider-Man’s most famous enemies. Spider-Man's black Venom suit was so positively received that Marvel continued to put Peter in black and introduce more darkly-clad Peter Parker variants such as "Last Stand" Spider-Man.
Heroes Like Spider-Man May Be the Good Guys, But Venom Proves Villains Have Unparalleled Style
Spider-Man’s Black Costume Revolutionize Superhero Attire
The Spider-Man "Last Stand" costume was an invigorating departure from Spider-Man’s classic blue and black, with Spider-Man instead sporting black and red. Less surprisingly, its origins stem from a similarly stylish jacket Eddie Brock and Venom were depicted in years prior. While Spider-Man’s bright colors show his heroic disposition, villains like Venom are able to branch out into more elaborate and fashionable ensembles. Spider-Man’s "Last Stand" outfit, taking heavy inspiration from Eddie Brock, highlights how Venom was the original trendsetter and is more over, both directly and indirectly responsible for Spider-Man’s best looks.
Marvel Made Captain America The Reason Spider-Man's Suit Is Blue And Red & I Can't Believe How Much Sense It Makes
Marvel's latest TV series changed the origin behind Spider-Man's suit colors, and it may be the most logical change Marvel has ever made.
The Amazing Spider-Man #500 is available now from Marvel Comics.
- Created By
- Stan Lee, Steve Ditko
- First Appearance
- Amazing Fantasy
- Alias
- Peter Parker, Ben Reilly, Otto Octavius, Yu Komori, Kaine Parker, Pavitr Prabhakar, William Braddock, Miles Morales, Kurt Wagner
- Alliance
- Avengers, Fantastic Four, X-Men, Secret Defenders, Future Foundation, Heroes for Hire, Mighty Avengers, New Avengers, Web-Warriors
- Race
- Human
- Franchise
- Marvel, Spider-Man
- Created By
- David Michelinie, Todd McFarlane
- Cast
- Tom Hardy, Topher Grace
- First Appearance
- The Amazing Spider-Man
- Alias
- Eddie Brock
- RELATIONSHIPS
- Eddie Brock (primary host and ally), Peter Parker/Spider-Man (initial enemy, later uneasy ally), Anne Weying (former wife of Eddie Brock and occasional host), Cletus Kasady/Carnage (offspring of the Venom symbiote and a deadly enemy)
- Alliance
- Vigilante
