Venom War: Black Widow Reveals the Official Name of Her Symbiote Form

Summary Black Widow helps her symbiote, christened "Sliver," find its identity through training, paving the way for the recent addition to Marvel canon to play a major role in the upcoming Venom War event.

Black Widow's partnership with the fledgling symbiote has been an exciting dynamic for her character – though the Venom War could ultimately tear them part.

Sliver's character development in Black Widow: Venomous #1 sets them up as a potential key player in the future of the Marvel Universe.

Warning: Contains spoilers for Black Widow: Venomous #1!Black Widow is helping her symbiote partner find their own identity, in a prelude to Marvel’s Venom War. To improve their combined strength in the field, Natasha Romanoff discovers that the symbiote she is hosting needs to undergo some extensive training. As Natasha puts them through many of the training methods that made her Black Widow and some soul-searching, she helps the young symbiote discover their own unique self.

Black Widow: Venomous #1 – written by Erica Schultz, with art by Luciano Vecchio – works as a new superheroic origin for Widow’s symbiote, complete with a training montage filled with mighty Marvel costars. At the end of their self-discovery journey, the symbiote takes on the name of “Sliver”.

The Sliver name perfectly complements host Black Widow’s elite spy status. Meaning a small, thin cut or slice, the new name speaks to the Widow’s stealth in espionage and sharp precision. Though Natasha and the symbiote collectively go by just Widow, Sliver finding an identity is important as they join the Venom family.

Related Black Widow Debuts Her Official New Codename as a Venomized Hero Black Widow just merged with her very own symbiote in the latest issue of the ongoing Venom series, and in doing so, debuts her Venomized codename.

Marvel Reveals The Name Of Black Widow's Symbiote: SLIVER

Black Widow: Venomous #1 – Written By Erica Schultz, Luciano Vecchio, David Curiel, and VC’s Ariana Maher

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Though Silver is still fairly fresh and could still evolve over time, the character development in Black Widow: Venomous #1 sets them up to be an exciting presence in the Marvel Universe moving forward.

To properly ensure that they are ready for the Venom War, Natasha is instrumental in helping Sliver become their own hero, as part of their symbiosis with Black Widow. For them to work as a team, Sliver must first find their own individuality and learn to fight. Sliver undergoes Red Room training with Natasha and one-on-one lessons with some of her superhero and spy friends, including Jessica Drew, Nick Fury, and more. The Black Widow: Venomous one-shot succeeds at emphasizing Black Widow as Marvel’s most dangerous spy, while prioritizing making the symbiote Sliver an interesting character in its own right.

First discovered when they were newly-spawned by the Venom symbiote, Sliver’s memory absorption powers made them inextricably tied to Natasha when they bonded. Though Silver is still fairly fresh and could still evolve over time, the character development in Black Widow: Venomous #1 sets them up to be an exciting presence in the Marvel Universe moving forward. As Sliver joins the ranks of Marvel’s other named symbiotes, like Scream, Silence, and Carnage, they stand apart as one that not only works with an already full-fledged superhero but gets trained by some of the best.

Sliver's Expanded Role Comes As Black Widow Prepares for Marvel's VENOM WAR

Venom War #1 – Written By Al Ewing, Art By Iban Coello; Available August 7, 2024

Bonding with the young symbiote Sliver has given the character of Black Widow a brand-new trajectory since they first appeared.

Future tie-ins to the main Venom War event will see Widow team up with other symbiote heroes like Flash Thompson, aka Agent Anti-Venom, and Liz Allan, aka Misery. As the war between the alien creatures wages on, they and other heroes will have to fend off hordes of Zombiotes – both zombified symbiotes and symbiotized zombies. However, solicitations for upcoming issues hint that Black Widow and Sliver may separate and have to fight each other; as Natasha trained and bonded with Sliver, physically and emotionally, their falling out could be devastating.

Though some would argue that Natasha Romanoff didn’t necessarily need the boost, bonding with the young symbiote Sliver has given the character of Black Widow a brand-new trajectory since they first appeared. With an all-new costume and set of powers, the collective Widow has become a renewed and extremely dangerous force to be reckoned with, but the Venom War could end with Natasha going back to basics. If Sliver does find a new host, they only have Black Widow and her training to thank for helping them find an identity and name for themselves in the Marvel Universe.

Black Widow: Venomous #1 is available now from Marvel Comics.

Black Widow: Venomous #1 (2024) Writer: Erica Schultz

Artist: Luciano Vecchio

Colorist: David Curiel

Letterer: VC's Ariana Maher

Cover Artist: Lesley "Leirix" Li