10 Best Times Superheroes Switched Sides

We’ve all seen the Tobey Maguire emo dancing in Spider-Man 3, but the comic that inspired the third movie managed to show off the symbiote’s influence through less cringeworthy means.

The Secret Wars arc was one of the most ambitious Marvel crossovers when it ran in the eighties, and is still the benchmark for many fans. Spider-Man 3... not so much.

Although the symbiote had appeared in the Spider-Man universe just prior to Secret Wars, this was the storyline that actually explained its origin. Having opened a mysterious container, Peter unwittingly frees the symbiote and it immediately bonds with him, soon passing on to Eddie Brock and paving the way for Venom.

Mr Fantastic helps free Spider-Man of his bonds, but while he’s still one with the symbiote Peter is nasty and cruel, a far cry from his usual happy go lucky self.

While Spidey wasn’t a villain for all that long and didn’t do anything particularly heinous, he’s such a pure, innocent soul that it’s a big step away from his usual personality. That, plus the fact it makes him directly responsible for the creation of Venom, is enough to warrant its entry here.