The Alien Costume Saga is a superhero comic book story arc published by Marvel Comics and centred on the character Spider-Man. It was originally published in the comic book series The Amazing Spider-Man #252–263, The Spectacular Spider-Man #90–100, Marvel Team-Up #141–150 and Web of Spider-Man #1 from May 1984 to April 1985. It features Spider-Man wearing the alien costume he brought home from Battleworld during the Secret Wars limited series and his subsequent discovery that the new costume is alive.
Creation
The idea for a new costume for Spider-Man (which would later become the separate character Venom) was conceived of by a Marvel Comics reader from Norridge, Illinois named Randy Schueller. Marvel purchased the idea for $220.00 after then-editor-in-chief Jim Shooter sent Schueller a letter acknowledging Marvel's desire to acquire the idea from him in 1982. Schueller's design was then modified by Mike Zeck, becoming the "Symbiote" costume.
Shooter came up with the idea of switching Spider-Man to a black-and-white costume with artists Mike Zeck and Rick Leonardi, as well as others, designing the black-and-white costume. It has been suggested this may have been influenced by the intended costume design for the new Spider-Woman. However, writer/artist John Byrne states on his website that the idea for a costume made of self-healing biological material was one he originated when he was the artist on Iron Fist to explain how that character's costume was constantly being torn and then apparently repaired by the next issue, explaining that he ended up not using the idea on that title, but that Roger Stern later asked him if he could use the idea for Spider-Man's alien costume. Stern then plotted the issue in which the costume first appeared but then left the title. It was writer Tom DeFalco and artist Ron Frenz who had established that the costume was a sentient alien being and also that it was vulnerable to high sonic energy during their run on The Amazing Spider-Man.
By mid-1984, Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz took over scripting and penciling Amazing Spider-Man. Issue #252 (May 1984) saw the first appearance in the title of Spider-Man's black costume, which the hero would wear almost exclusively for the next four years' worth of comics; issue #258 (Nov. 1984) revealed that the black costume is a living being, an alien of the Symbiote species. Al Milgrom took over scripting and art on sister title The Spectacular Spider-Man with issue #90 (May 1984) and worked on it through #100 (March 1985). Upon taking a serious look at sales figures for Marvel Team-Up, which featured Spider-Man partnering with a rotating guest character, Marvel's editorial staff found that sales dramatically rose or fell with each issue depending solely on the popularity of that issue's co-star. Taking this into consideration, Shooter concluded that it would make more sense to have another Spider-Man solo series with guest stars appearing when the storyline and or promotional needs called for it, rather than a team-up series which unnaturally forced guest-stars upon the story.
Marvel Team-Up ended with issue #150 (February 1985), to be replaced by new series Web of Spider-Man. This was launched with an April 1985 cover dated issue by writer Louise Simonson and penciller Greg LaRocque The first issue featured a cover painting by artist Charles Vess, and contained the return of the alien black costume, which attempted to rebond with Peter Parker. He managed to rid himself of the costume again using church bells and the alien was presumed to have died after that.
Plot
Following the Secret Wars, Spider-Man returns to Earth from Battleworld wearing a black costume. He discovers the black costume creates its own webbing and can disguise itself as street clothes according to his mental commands. Meanwhile, the mob boss Rose orders the murder of football player Ray Nesters. Spider-Man stops Rose's henchmen, then raids Rose's warehouse prompting Rose to hire Puma to kill Spider-Man. They fight, and Spider-Man is injured when he protects bystanders from debris. Puma decides not to continue the fight until Spider-Man has healed. Later, Peter Parker's girlfriend Mary Jane Watson reveals she has known about his double life as Spider-Man for years. That night, the black costume slips over Spider-Man and takes him out for exercise while he continues to sleep. While out, Peter has a nightmare where his old costume fights the new one. When he wakes, Spider-Man realizes the black costume is leaving him tired.