He’s way over-exposed, but the initial idea was fascinating. What Spiderman 3 got wrong is that the symbiote isn’t supposed to be Jekyll and Hyde – the symbiote doesn’t change who you are – but rather that it’s an obsessive lover. Initially, the costume is super-handy: unlimited web-fluid, don’t have to rely on flexing the wrist, don’t have to worry about laundering your costume, don’t have to worry about changing out of civilian garb. (Note, it’s not about becoming more powerful, it’s just more useful…)

But then the suit starts acting on its own to remain close to Peter – it doesn’t want to be taken off, it starts wearing him at night, it gets aggressive towards potential rivals for his affections, etc. And then when Peter realizes it’s alive and tries to get rid of it, it lashes out with the resentful fury of a lover scorned, trying to wrap him up, subsume him, merge the two FOREVER. (Note the subtext of the heteronormative fear of male penetration…) And of course, eventually it hooks up with someone on the rebound who shares its love/hate for Peter and becomes this haunting evil presence in Peter’s life, his dark inamorata.

If it remained at this level, it would be an all-time great villain. But then they just over-used Venom, brought in Carnage and succeeding photocopies, tried to make Venom a protagonist, and on and on.