WARNING! Spoilers for All-New Venom #5

The identity of Marvel’s latestVenomhost is ready to be unveiled at long last, and new variant covers offer one last chance for readers to guess who has bonded with the iconic symbiote. A version of Venom unlike any Marvel readers have seen before has been running around these past few months, and the mystery of who this symbiote’s new partner is will finally be solved soon.

All-New Venomby Al Ewing and Carlos Gómez has been teasing the identity of the new Venom host’s identity throughout its run, as Dylan Brock has sought to uncover the secret. Now, the fifth issue has been confirmed to feature a reveal of who is truly behind the symbiote, andMarvelhas released new variant covers for this groundbreaking installment that showcase the key suspects.

All-New Venom #1, All-New golden Venom appears in broken window

The suspects in question are Robbie Robertson, Madame Masque, Rick Jones, and Luke Cage.Clayton Crain’s art depicts each of these four characters getting unmasked as the new golden Venom ahead of the issue’s highly anticipated reveal.

Marvel Doubles Down On Its Four Main Suspects for Its All-New Venom

Madame Masque, Robbie Robertson, Luke Cage, and Rick Jones Are the Key Contenders

While Venom typically sticks with Eddie Brock or his son Dylan, he’s switched gears after he split between the two of them during the events ofVenom War. Now, he has suddenly appeared with an unknown host and an eye-catchinggold redesigninAll-New Venom. In the series' first issue, Marvel presents four major suspects who could be hiding beneath the symbiote’s exterior. Some seem more obvious than others, but each of them could make for a compelling host to Marvel’s most well-known symbiote, and seeing them all as Venom only further proves that they’re all likely possibilities.

Venom Has Courted Different Hosts, But His New Partner Is the Most Creative Yet

In the All-New Venom’s golden era, the new host shows off just how creatively they can use their symbiote powers - in ways that Eddie never dreamed.

With that being said, one option has potentially been ruled out. InAll-New Venom#2, Venom has to contort his body to evade a bullet.Luke Cage’s powersmake him bulletproof, so he would have no reason to resort to such maneuvers if he were the one in control of the symbiote. Still, Luke remains a suspect alongside the others, as anything is possible with a symbiotic partnership. Aside from him,Rick Joneshas stood out as an obvious choice due to his history of teaming up with monsters like the Hulk, though Madame Masque and Robbie Robertson could easily be hosts as well.

Venom shooting blast from wrist in All-New Venom art by Iban Coello

Venom’s Mysterious Host Might Not Be One of Marvel’s Proposed Candidates

One Wild Fan Theory Suggests That Paul Is The All-New Venom

Even though Marvel is pushing these candidates, they aren’t the only options for Venom’s partner. In addition to the four variant covers by Clayton Crain, a fifth variant by Martín Cóccolo has been announced, but it’s labeled as a “Spoiler Variant”. The character on this cover may be the actual host instead of the others. Moreover, aviral theoryhas hinted that Paul - Mary Jane Watson’s love interest and acontroversial character among Spider-Man fans- could be this secret suspect due to his prominent role in the story thus far. In any case, every question will be answered soon enough when Marvel Comics finally unmasksVenom.

All-New Venom#5will be available on April 2nd, 2025 from Marvel Comics!

All-New Venom #3 cover art by Adam Kubert with Dylan Brock reflected in eyes + Paul and MJ hug in art by John Romita Jr.

Venom in David Baldeon Comic Cover Art