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The Fantastic Four have a positive reputation due to their status as Marvel’s First Family, but they aren’t always so wholesome. Over the years, many members of the team have been infected by Venom and other symbiotes from Marvel lore, unlocking horrifying transformations that would keep anyone up at night.
This list compiles various Venomized iterations of past and present Fantastic Four heroes, including – but not limited to – the main four that fans know and love. Despite the team’s succinct name, many iconic characters throughout the Marvel Universe have earned membership in the Fantastic Four’s extensive roster, from Spider-Man to Wolverine. Now, without further ado, here are the 10 most nightmare-inducing transformations of Fantastic Four members.
10
Black Panther Received a Symbiote to Rule Wakanda
Venomverse Reborn #4 by Justina Ireland and Ken Lashley
The Black Panther of Wakanda is typically decided via battles for the crown to earn the favor of Bast, the Panther god, but one universe subverted that concept by adding symbiosis to the equation. In “Queens of Wakanda” by Justina Ireland, Ken Lashley, Romulo Fajardo Jr., and Travis Lanham, an alternate version of Wakanda granted its chosen rulers with a symbiote rather than standard Black Panther abilities.
The Dora Milaje competed to earn the title of Wakanda’s queen, and Okoye ended up winning and bonding with Venom. Her redesign as Black Panther stood out from most takes on this hero, as her body was covered in toothy Venom mouths that gave her an unsettling appearance. Without question, Okoye’s Black Panther was definitely the scariest yet.
9
Iceman’s Venomized Form Gave Everyone Chills
Venom #162 by Cullen Bunn, Edgar Salazar, and Ario Anindito
Iceman is one of the coolest X-Men – pun intended – and has pulled off many commendable feats over the years since founding the original roster. With that being said, Bobby Drake’s Venom overhaul put his original look to shame, as he traded his sleek appearance for a sharper, icier exterior that gave his abilities an extra edge.
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This revamped Iceman debuted when the entire X-Men team underwent Venomized makeovers after symbiotes broke out of containment during a mission with Venom and took over their bodies. This underrated Fantastic Four member looked seriously badass as a Venom variant while he fought alongside Cyclops and the others, with his powers being re-imagined as icy tendrils, though he himself wasn’t thrilled at the prospect of hosting a symbiote.
8
Ghost Rider Struck Fear as Venom’s New Host
Edge of Venomverse #3 by Simon Spurrier and Tigh Walker
Robbie Reyes’ iconic flaming skull is already a frightening sight in and of itself, but with a symbiote added to the mix, Ghost Rider can take an even more nightmarish turn. Ghost Rider, known in the Venomverse continuity as “Host Rider” due to his role as a symbiote host, received a nightmarish design upheaval that redefined the Spirit of Vengeance.
One of Ghost Rider’s key skills is his Penance Stare, which enables him to make targets experience the pain they’ve caused others with a single intense look. Host Rider, on the other hand, replaced that ability with “Penance Kiss”. Instead of inflicting the pain of their sins upon victims, Venomized Robbie Reyes could suck the sins out of someone’s soul entirely and consume them in a horrifying manner.
7
Reed Richards Was Crowned the New King in Black
Spider-Man: Spider’s Shadow #5 by Chip Zdarsky and Pasqual Ferry
Reed Richards’ stretchy abilities have never seemed all that unnerving on a surface level, but true Fantastic Four fans know that this hero has the potential to be one of Marvel’s most horrifying heroes when he pushes his limits. His King in Black transformation solidified this, as an alternate world where Spider-Man had kept his symbiote suit rather than discarding it led to the Fantastic Four getting infected by Venom.
As a host for the vengeful Venom, Mister Fantastic took on an eerie red form and unleashed his elongated limbs to attack heroes relentlessly. There’s no end to the possibilities of Reed Richards’ shapeshifting powers, and that became a far more alarming fact when he was under a parasite’s control while battling the Fantastic Four.
6
Devil Dinosaur Faced a Monstrous Transformation
Venomized #3 by Cullen Bunn and Iban Coello
Moon Girl holds the highly coveted status of being among the smartest heroes in Marvel canon, and where she goes, the Tyrannosaurus-like Devil Dinosaur follows. That closeness isn’t always for the best, however, as bringing Devil Dinosaur into battle once resulted in a dreadful symbiotic takeover that turned a reliable ally into a destructive beast that even she couldn’t gain control of with their psychic connection.
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The vast majority of Venom hosts tend to be humanoid in nature, which at least makes them manageable to deal with in most cases. In this nightmare scenario, Devil Dinosaur becoming Venomized resulted in a hulking, giant-sized creature that could crush its surroundings without difficulty. Marvel found its own Godzilla as Moon Girl’s accomplice was possessed by a symbiote, making Devil Dinosaur one of the most dangerous Venom variants to grace the comics.
5
Superior Spider-Man Became the Superior Venom
The Superior Spider-Man #24 by Dan Slott, Christos Gage, and Humberto Ramos
While Spider-Man has experienced several dark transformations throughout his history as a flagship Marvel hero, the Superior Spider-Man’s symbiotic fusion may very well be the darkest of all. This variant of Spider-Man was born when he swapped minds with Otto Octavius, otherwise known as Doctor Octopus, resulting in the villain seizing control over the hero. To make matters worse, he then encountered Venom and stole the symbiote from former host Flash Thompson.
Doctor Octopus’ control over Spider-Man has already given this take on the Wall-Crawler a more sinister appearance due to his added appendages, and adding Venom to the mix only furthered the horror. With slimy tendrils outstretched and ready to attack, Superior Venom’s silhouette alone could instill fear in the most stone-faced audiences.
4
Human Torch Turned Into a Flaming Nightmare
Fantastic Four #29 by Dan Slott and Ze Carlos
The Human Torch is a great hero despite his hot-headed nature – literally and figuratively. Unfortunately, as helpful as his flames are when contending with villains on the heroes’ side, they became his most horrifying asset when he was afflicted with a symbiote transformation. He was taken over by Knull when his love interest at the time, Sky, was taken over and afflicted him by extension due to their soulmate connection.
Fighting on behalf of the King in Black, Johnny Storm torched the Fantastic Four with reckless abandon. Though his appearance wasn’t changed too drastically since he was still encased in his trademark flames, the Human Torch’s destructive potential shot up without his noble nature holding him back from unleashing fire on everything that crossed his path.
3
Wolverine Was Marvel’s Most Indestructible Venom
What If…?: Venom #2 by Jeremy Holt and Tadam Gyadu
Wolverine’s reputation as the deadliest hero in the Marvel Universe was propelled to new heights when he and Venom joined forces in a What If…? story from beyond Marvel’s core continuity. In this frightening tale, Venom merged with Wolverine against his will after a confrontation with Sabretooth, and the symbiote began a violent rampage despite Logan’s protests from within their shared consciousness.
With his Adamantium claws that can slice through anything (or anyone), Wolverine is already a threat who can kill foes with ease. Moreover, his body is virtually indestructible thanks to his durability and advanced healing factor. These formidable qualities made the X-Men legend an ideal host for Venom, allowing the Lethal Protector to become more unstoppable than ever in Wolverine’s body.
2
She-Hulk Got Infected With a Zombie Symbiote
Venom War: Zombiotes #3 by Cavan Scott and Juan José Ryp
Gamma radiation has elevated She-Hulk to powerhouse status within Marvel lore, so it should go without saying that she’s a dangerous character to be exposed to a symbiote. To make matters worse, Jennifer Walters’ Venomized transformation differed from the rest, because hers was no ordinary symbiote. Instead, She-Hulk was infected with a Zombiote, a zombie-ified version of the alien.
Most symbiotes seek to consume others to nourish themselves, but Zombiotes push that concept to a deadly extent as their hunger becomes insatiable. Reverted to a mindless and monstrous entity, She-Hulk was at the mercy of her Zombiote upon being exposed to the virus that had plagued Earth. Her Venom form is easily one of the most disturbing in Marvel history, especially when compared to other Fantastic Four heroes’ redesigns.
1
The Thing Clobbered Marvel’s Heroes as Venom
Peter Parker: Spectacular Spider-Man #304 by Chip Zdarsky and Adam Kubert
As beloved as the Thing is by fans of the Fantastic Four, it can’t be denied that his capacity to destroy his surroundings and deal major damage would be scary if he wasn’t allied with the heroes. Spider-Man once found himself in an alternate reality where that chilling prospect came to pass, as the “Ever-Lovin’ Blue-Eyed” Thing was taken over by Venom, complete with a shocking change in appearance.
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Ben Grimm’s familiar orange exterior was replaced with Venom’s creepy black goo, and he sported spiky shoulder-pads to further illustrate how this wasn’t the Thing that Marvel readers know and love as he fought the heroes. Of all the entries on this list, the Thing’s Venom form sticks out due to how staggeringly it contrasts his usual demeanor in the Fantastic Four.
“}]] The Fantastic Four are terrifying when Venomized. Read More