Warning: Contains potential spoilers for All-New Venom #3!The identity of Marvel’s new Venom may still be a mystery, but the symbiote’s latest host has already started to use their powers in unique and exciting ways that even Eddie Brock couldn’t fathom. Trading alien-enhanced brutal brawling for sleek symbiote-crafted weapons, Venom and its new host offer up a twist on the formula, totally changing the hero’s usual fighting style and creatively evolving their power-set.

The preview for All-New Venom #3 – written by Al Ewing, with art by Carlos Gómez – features the redesigned and reinvigorated Venom going up against the villain Chance and a couple of AIM henchmen. Getting crafty with symbiote power, Venom creates and brandishes golden wrist guns to fire back at their attackers.

Though other symbiotes have managed to biologically manifest weapons like knives or spears, that wasn’t really a technique that Eddie Brock used during his time as Venom’s host. However, it seems Venom will be trying new things as somebody else takes the reins underneath their updated shiny black-and-gold exterior.

Marvel's Mysterious Venom Pulls Out Some Powerful "All-New" Tricks As Their Golden Era Ramps Up

All-New Venom #3 – Written By Al Ewing; Art By Carlos Gómez; Colors By Frank D’Armata; Lettering By VC’s Clayton Cowles

Eddie Brock may have mustered up a pair of symbiote wings here and there, but even that was after years as Venom, so it’s impressive that the new host is immediately proving to be more inventive with the otherworldly powers they’ve unlocked. Assembling intricate constructs was never Eddie’s thing, and while he’s easily Venom’s most iconic host of all time, his life has been notoriously messy - and even his form as the symbiote-powered superhero reflected that in some ways. All-New Venom’s glossy gold redesign emphasizes that this Venom is solid, put together, and possibly even more powerful.

All-New Venom #3’s preview shows the symbiote hero manifesting gold guns that mirror the ones that Chance is armed with, only bigger and better, and this could prove to be something that only this version of Venom can do as a result of their flashy new color scheme. Just three issues in, the duo are able to reach unexpected heights and come up with innovative uses for symbiote power, like their self-made weaponry. This Venom is only just getting started, and is already outpacing Eddie Brock’s understanding of their powers, so more bold moves could still be on the horizon.

A Change In Fighting Technique Proves That The Venom's Symbiote’s Latest Host Is Truly An Innovative Take

Eddie Brock Never Had Fun, Or Flare, Like This

In the aftermath of Venom War, the Eddie and Venom break-up could be the best thing that ever happened for the symbiote, especially as its new host begins to experiment with their powers. While Eddie still has to deal with Carnage, All-New Venom sees the symbiote hero at its most refined and already breaking out skills that it wouldn’t with its previous host. Though he also occasionally had some fun antics, Eddie’s life was mired in drama, and Ewing and Gómez’s series allows Venom to fully realize their powerful potential in thrilling new ways, without being weighed down.

There are even theories swirling that this version of Venom could be acting without a single host, either moving from person to person or some other trick that means there isn’t just one human host ushering in the All-New Venom era. That would be pretty shocking, especially since Marvel Comics has been pushing a big reveal of one unknown person underneath the symbiote form, but the possibility speaks to the fact that this version of the hero is doing things a different way this time around. It’s likely that there is still one host as usual, but they’re undeniably unique.

Marvel Might Be Making The Right Choice, Establishing "All-New Venom" As A Distinct Character Before Revealing The Host's Identity

A Shrewd Creative Maneuver

As much as fans are eager to find out which pre-existing Marvel character has taken on the identity of Venom for this new era, becoming the symbiote's latest host, the publisher has seemingly made a calculated effort to ground the action of All-New Venom and establish its eponymous hero as a distinct character first. As the series continues, this decision continues to pay dividends, and All-New Venom has quickly confirmed that the appeal of the book is more than just the mystery of who Venom's new host is, or the novelty of having a heroic Venom that isn't Eddie Brock.

With the potential for even more unique uses of this power moving forward, Venom’s newest host is quickly becoming the gold standard.

The preview for All-New Venom #3 seems to scratch one name off the potential suspect list, taking Luke Cage out of the running as the latest host. With characters like Madame Masque, Rick Jones, Robbie Robertson, and perhaps even more viable candidates, the mysterious host will continue to prove themselves in action before the big reveal in All-New Venom #5. Already proving their creativity with symbiotic wrist guns, with the potential for even more unique uses of this power moving forward, Venom’s newest host is quickly becoming the gold standard.

All-New Venom #3 is available now from Marvel Comics.