Spider-Man: Venom Returns

In 1993, Marvel published a single, potent issue that brought the simmering hostility between Spider-Man and the alien symbiote Venom to a new, personal level. Written by David Michelinie with art from Erik Larsen and Mark Bagley, this one-shot pits the web-slinger against his most iconic dark mirror in a story that sharpened the emotional stakes of their rivalry. It stands as a defining moment for the character, a concentrated blast of early-'90s superhero storytelling that cemented Venom as a major threat rather than a one-off villain.