In 2004, a new character appeared in the universe of American comics - Toxin. Marvel Comics for many years acquaints readers with the biography of this controversial hero.
Third symbiote
When the character Toxin appeared, Marvel Comics got another symbiote from the world of Spider-Man. This was the third such creature. To date, there are already nine, but Toxin remains one of the most popular among readers.
Symbiotes are organisms of extraterrestrial origin that need a host's body for life. In fact, it is a parasite. By merging with a person, he makes him stronger and gives unique abilities. However, as a rule, a foreign organism subjugates the will of its owner. There was a similar character and Toxin. Marvel Comics, however, decided to show this symbiote in a new light, very different from other similar creatures.
Patrick Mulligan
Toxin, like all comic book heroes, has his own alter ego - the personality of a person hiding behind the image of a character. In this case, it is Patrick Mulligan, an Irish-born man. He is from New York, he had a prosperous family - his parents were police officers.
The son also decided to follow in the family footsteps. He quickly moved up the ranks thanks to professional talent and diligence. Nothing in his biography portended trouble. Patrick had a wife. The couple were expecting a baby.
The appearance of Toxin
Patrick was not lucky to be on the path of Carnage. It was a psychopath who received a second symbiote. In one of the skirmishes, Carnage attacked the officer and instilled a parasite into him. It was only the rudiment of a foreign organism, which needed a host's body for growth. So with the help of Patrick, Toxin appeared. Marvel Comics talked about this story in the first character comic strip.
Carnage tried to find a reliable body for his offspring. The fact was that all symbiotes coexisted in a complex physical and neurological connection. The death of any of them could destroy the entire breed. The toxin was one of the most powerful and promising parasites. He was stronger than all his relatives. In order to infuse offspring into Patrick's body, Carnage kidnapped his wife Gene. Spider-Man saved the girl, but even he could not break the cunning plans of the maniac.
Spider ally
Soon after meeting with Carnage, Patrick began to notice that his strength, agility and speed had grown. He became sturdier. All these skills were useful to him in the police. Thanks to new forces, Patrick easily detained another controversial character in the Marvel universe - the Black Cat. She tried to escape from the persecutor, who demanded to appear for official interrogation. The symbiote helped Patrick capture the cat.
This couple had to survive another Karnage attack, after which the policeman finally turned into what was Toxin. Marvel Comics attached great importance to the drawing of this character. Like all symbiotes, it is vaguely reminiscent of Spider-Man, but still its alien features are much brighter than human ones. However, at first the creepy appearance did not hide Patrick's true character. He found a spider and became his faithful ally, deciding, like Parker, to fight evil.
At this time, the policeman had a son, Edward. Patrick knew that his wife and son were in great danger next to him. Enemies often terrorized Spider-Man by attacking his loved ones. The toxin could not allow such a thing. He forced the family to move, without explaining the reason for his strange behavior.
Fight Patrick and Toxin
The scriptwriters tried to describe as much as possible all the adventures that Toxin experienced. Marvel Comics 3 tells of his fight against Venom and Carnage in alliance with Spider-Man. After that, a couple of friends did everything to catch and neutralize the criminals who escaped from prison. In each new battle, Patrick increasingly realized that it was difficult for him to control the Toxin symbiote. Marvel Comics 5 talks about how he felt an irresistible desire to kill his enemies.
This was the fundamental difference between a policeman and his symbiote. Patrick (like a man) basically did not take the life of his opponents. Two superheroes, as a rule, brought criminals to the police so that the authorities could organize an honest trial over them.
The symbiote was no doubt a rational being. He felt and realized all the vibrations of his master. In one of the battles, the parasite in spite of Patrick refused to help him and share his strength. The confrontation of the two halves of one personality continued on the pages of several issues.
At some point, Patrick realized that he could not get rid of such a powerful parasite as Toxin (Marvel Comics). The superhero of the Marvel universe decided to commit suicide. Once he tried to jump under a train, but the symbiote himself threw the owner’s body off the rails. Of course, Toxin did not want to die with Patrick, and tried to stop him.
In one of the issues, the reader may find that this symbiote, in an unknown way, was separated from the policeman and ended up in a secret laboratory. He was stolen by Venom, after which he connected the alien with Edward Brock. In the body of the new host, Toxin exists today. The symbiote became a member of the Wild Six - a team of supervillains created by the Master.
Abilities and skills
Toxin not only physically strengthened its owners. He could change his structure, creating spikes and "antennae", allowing him to climb walls and ceilings. In this, he looks like Spider-Man, although the nature of their talents is completely different.
In addition, Toxin often used his abilities to create sharp claws that help in battle, and traps necessary to fool and defeat enemies. The symbiote can imitate any clothes, which easily allows the owner to merge with the crowd of ordinary passers-by or police if necessary.
Toxin has several fundamental differences from his older brothers - Venom and Carnage. The third symbiote is more resistant to ultrasound and high temperatures. His flair and scent is much sharper. Venom and Carnage were free to separate from their masters. The toxin could not do this, which is confirmed by the fact that he was torn from Patrick by force.
The appearance of an alien depends on its psychological state. If the owner is calm, then his "suit" is more like Spider-Man. The enraged Toxin looks like Venom and Carnage combined, while he is noticeably more than his relatives.