Now that Spider-Man 2 has been officially announced, it's time to take a longer look at the characters that are going to be in the game. While the official reveal and then some screenshots shed light on Spider-Man 2's characters, it's not clear just how much of a backstory there will be on one villain in the game. Venom is someone, or more accurately, multiple "someones" that Spider-Man comic fans have quite a bit of familiarity with. However, for those whose understanding of the friendly neighborhood web-slinger comes from the first Insomniac Games title, there is a lot of existing comic book lore behind the monstrous-looking creature.

It's hard to know exactly how Venom will be portrayed in Spider-Man 2. He's had an interesting and winding road of a story, being part-man and part-alien symbiote. For a time, the character was only a villain and was one of the most deadly villains Spider-Man ever faced. There was also the time when the symbiote was actually a part of Spider-Man. Later in life, the character transitioned from being a straight-up villain to a kind of anti-hero that tried to do more good than harm, though Venom's approach wasn't always the most hopeful.

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Venom's Beginnings And How He Might Appear In Spider-Man 2

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While the symbiote that would eventually become Venom was originally attached to Spider-Man, Peter Parker was eventually able to expel it. That's when it went from sort of evil, to full-on villain as it attached itself to Daily Bugle photographer Eddie Brock. Brock was not fond of Parker, and obviously the symbiote wasn't either. If this particular version of Venom is the one that will be in Spider-Man 2, then he's obviously going to be one of the "big bads" in the game.

Another character well known to comic book fans that took on the role of Venom is Flash Thompson. Flash was someone who went to school with and bullied Peter Parker back in the day, but once he took over the mantle of Venom, he became a bit of an anti-hero. In fact, in one particular storyline, Flash lost the use of his legs while serving in the armed forces. When he bonded with the symbiote, he was able to walk again and use his newfound powers to fight evildoers. While still not a "friend" of Parker, this particular version of Venom in Spider-Man 2 could be the one that would allow players to take on the role of the anti-hero.

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Venom's Continued Role And What That Might Mean For Spider-Man 2

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While Brock and Thompson are the two men that are best known as Venom, the symbiote that helps people become that particular creature has actually bonded with all kinds of different characters in the Marvel universe. One of the most interesting of those bondings was when the symbiote ended up partnering up with Mac Gargan, otherwise known as The Scorpion.

He too was a hated enemy of Spider-Man for many years before he bonded with the symbiote. It's unlikely that he'll be in Spider-Man 2 as Venom, but it would be an interesting twist if the story did have the symbiote move from one "host" to another. It's not known whether Insomniac has even considered the possibilities in that regard.

So far, all that's really known about Venom's role in the game is that he's presumably the main villain. There hasn't been any kind of gameplay released just yet, so it's impossible to know whether he's going to be a reluctant ally or a powerful foe. What the voice actor who will help bring life to the character has said is that Spider-Man 2 is going to be massive. That could allow for the game to explore some of Venom's lore.

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