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Clearly, when Venom burst onto the scene in the '80s, he activated something in comic book fans. Even longtime Spider-Man fans became enamored by Eddie Brock and his alien symbiote suit. And while Secret Wars #8, the first appearance of Spider-Man’s black suit, is a highly sought-after issue in the comic book market, Venom co-creator Todd McFarlane wasn’t wild about having to draw Spider-Man in a black suit initially. 

At WonderCon 2025, Todd McFarlane revealed the unexpected origins of Venom’s look in a spotlight panel about him and his work.

“That’s why there’s a character called Venom. I did not want to draw that black costume… This is a page from [The Amazing Spider-Man #300]. The webbing was there, the pose was there, but I never felt like I was drawing Spider-Man, even though I was doing what would become my Spidey style.” 

It’s understandable why McFarlane wasn’t wild about drawing Spider-Man’s black suit. In contrast to his red costume with its black, web-shaped striations, the black suit is a much less dynamic-looking costume to draw on the page. That said, something is striking about the simplicity of Spider-Man’s black costume in the 1980s, especially with how the white lenses on his mask contrast with the darkness of the suit. 

Either way, we got the best of both worlds. McFarlane would go on to co-create a wildly popular antihero, and we got plenty of great stories with Spider-Man’s black suit. We can’t complain here! 

Get ready for what's next with our guide to upcoming comics, how to buy comics at a comic shop, and our guide to Free Comic Book Day 2025.