Since he first debuted as the big bad of Donny Cates and Ryan Stegman’s Venom run, Marvel’s been giving symbiote god Knull a bigger spotlight. Between his King in Black event, being a seasonal villain in Marvel Rivals, and his appearance in Venom: The Last Dance, it’s clear the publisher wants to put him in the same tier as Green Goblin or Thanos. Now, in its biggest move to build the baddie up yet, the publisher is giving the gooey baddie a solo story ahead of a larger event on the horizon.
Spinning out of the character’s recent return in Al Ewing and Carlos Gomez’s Venom, Knull #1 from Ewing, co-writer Tom Waltz, and artist Juanan Ramirez sees the villain attempting to “amass new power…in the lead up to a symbiote epic coming in 2026.”
Currently imprisoned, Knull plans to break out and get a new villain that’ll allow him to get revenge on his enemies, which includes current Venom Mary Jane Watson and Eddie Brock as Carnage.
“The King in Black has once again risen up out of the void to cause delicious havoc and mayhem across the universe, and we’ve got surprises a’plenty in store,” teased Waltz. “Besides working alongside Al, who is an absolutely fantastic and steady talent, the kicker for me was getting to play with such an amazing character with such untapped potential as Knull. And just wait until everyone sees Juanan Ramirez’s darkly bombastic artwork!”
Expect Knull #1 to hit shelves January 14. As for that “symbiote epic” in 2026, news on that is sure to come before the year is out.
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