Venom Fact — October 22, 2026

Today's Fact

Verified against three independent sources. Issues cited below.

EDDIE BROCK SOLD VENOM FOR $100 MILLION — AND THE NEW VENOM LASTED ONE LEAP!

The Featured Fact

Eddie Brock tried to reform — and put the Venom symbiote up for auction, donating the money to charity. In Marvel Knights Spider-Man #7 (2004), Maggia boss Don Fortunato won it for $100 million — not for himself, but for his shy, bullied son Angelo, in the hope the alien would finally make a man of him. Eddie warned Angelo about the risks. Angelo ignored him.

Angelo bonded — and inherited the symbiote's memories, including Spider-Man's secret identity. He crashed Peter Parker's Midtown High reunion hunting Spider-Man, killed a Spider-Man impostor who was only posing for reward photos, and then discovered what happens when the real Spider-Man stops holding back. Beaten and terrified, Angelo turned and ran.

That was the mistake. Disgusted by Angelo's cowardice, the symbiote detached from him in mid-air, mid-leap between buildings, in Marvel Knights Spider-Man #8 (2004). Angelo fell to his death — Spider-Man could not save him, because Angelo had damaged his web-shooters in the fight. The $100 million Venom lasted exactly one outing. The symbiote's next choice tells you everything: in #9 it went looking for Mac Gargan, the Scorpion.

Why It's Obscure

Everyone remembers Eddie, Mac Gargan and Flash — almost nobody remembers the Venom who was bought, not chosen.

2004

The auction — A reformed Eddie Brock sells the symbiote at a supervillain auction and gives the money to charity, swearing off his old life.

2004

Marvel Knights Spider-Man #7 — Don Fortunato pays $100 million for the symbiote and gives it to his son Angelo, hoping it will toughen him up.

2004

Marvel Knights Spider-Man #8, “Venomous Part Four” — Angelo flees his fight with Spider-Man; the symbiote abandons him mid-leap and he falls to his death.

2004

Marvel Knights Spider-Man #9 — Rejected as unworthy, Angelo is replaced almost immediately: the symbiote presents itself to Mac Gargan, the Scorpion.

Trivia

Angelo was so forgotten that his return was as a corpse — years later his body was exhumed and his spine harvested for its symbiote codex during the lead-up to Absolute Carnage.

Gallery

Art from the actual series — no AI imagery, nothing mislabeled.

Marvel Knights Spider-Man #7 cover featuring Venom — **Marvel Knights Spider-Man #7 (2004)**The cover of the issue in which Don Fortunato's $100 million purchase puts Angelo Fortunato in the symbiote.

Angelo Fortunato as Venom in comic art — **Angelo Fortunato as Venom**Angelo in the symbiote his father bought him — all of Venom's power, none of Venom's nerve.

Venom art from the Venomous storyline in Marvel Knights Spider-Man — **The “Venomous” Storyline (2004)**Art from Mark Millar's four-part “Venomous” arc — the auction, Angelo's one night as Venom, and the fall that ended it.

Sources

Every claim above is verified against at least two of these independent sources.

Bullpen Bulletins

8 Deadly Venoms — Marvel.comDon Fortunato paid $100 million for the symbiote in Marvel Knights Spider-Man #7; disgusted by Angelo's fears, Venom released him between buildings and let him plummet to his death.
Angelo Fortunato (Earth-616) — Marvel FandomEddie auctioned the symbiote for charity; Don bought it to make a man of his son; the symbiote detached in mid-air after Angelo fled, and Spider-Man could not save him because Angelo had damaged his web-shooters.
The Worst Venom Ever — CBRFull retelling of the auction, Angelo's attack on Spider-Man, his flight, and the symbiote abandoning him mid-leap between buildings.