Flash Thompson

Flash Thompson
Flash Thompson as he appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15 (August 1962). Art by Steve Ditko.
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	As Flash Thompson: Amazing Fantasy #15 (August 1962) As Agent Venom: The Amazing Spider-Man #654.1 (April 2011)
Created by	Stan Lee Steve Ditko
In-story information
Full name	Eugene "Flash" Thompson
Team affiliations	United States Army Secret Avengers Thunderbolts Guardians of the Galaxy New Warriors S.H.I.E.L.D.
Supporting character of	Spider-Man
Notable aliases	Agent Venom, Venom
Abilities	Experienced hand to hand combatant Trained marksman Alien symbiote grants: Superhuman strength, agility, reflexes and endurance Organic webbing Immunity to Spider Sense Limited shapeshifting and camouflage Ability to cling to most surfaces, can create armor by taking pieces from the armor of others and placing it in his venom

Corporal Eugene "Flash" Thompson is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is a star high school football player who mercilessly bullies his high school classmate Peter Parker but greatly admires Spider-Man, an irony in which the superhero takes some gratification, though he and Peter become close friends in college. After graduation, he joins the United States Army and is haunted by his combat experiences, leading to alcoholism. After losing both of his legs in the Iraq War, he was bound to the Venom Symbiote as Agent Venom, a superhero and the first to control the organism.

The character has appeared in several other media adaptations, usually in his earlier bullying incarnation. In film, he is portrayed by Joe Manganiello in Spider-Man, Chris Zylka in The Amazing Spider-Man, and Tony Revolori in Spider-Man: Homecoming.

Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, Flash Thompson first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15 (August 1962), the same issue Spider-Man first appeared in. He was a recurring character in The Amazing Spider-Man series for several years.