Since the untimely passing of the heroic incarnation of Venom (Eugene “Flash” Thompson), there hasn’t been a true and strong person who has donned a symbiote and became a hero with it. One could easily count Eddie Brock as one, but he steers along the line of an anti-hero; whereas Flash was more of a straight-up hero, even if he did struggle a bit with it initially.
There is a symbiote or two that still exist and could be used by the government to re-create their symbiotic version of Project: Rebirth, or found and used by someone who wants to be a hero like Spider-Man. And here are my top candidates.
Harry Osborn
It does seem strange but Harry has had a lot of character growth. He went from a whiny slacker, to a drug addict to a responsible father breaking free from his father’s influence and abuse. He initially took on his mother’s maiden name to disassociate himself from Norman but would later take it back, citing that he had earned back in stepping up to his father and hope to redeem the name and legacy. Using a symbiote would not only allow him to distance himself from the tainted legacy of his father, but allow himself to truly become a hero. And his reasons would be different from seeking attention or validation like new young heroes stepping into someone else’s shoes, but in an attempt to better himself and use a symbiote’s power to protect his children.
John Jonah Jameson III
This would be a cinch for John. John is not only an accomplished astronaut for NASA but also a hero in his own right. Even with a dreaded title of Man-Wolf that sounds as weird and outdated as any vampire/werewolf romance, John has had amazing adventures in space and affiliated with several heroes such as Captain America and even married She-Hulk. He’s been called to action several times with his strange version of lycanthropy and proven himself to be a useful ally. In several iterations, John has been Spider-Man. Combined with his skills and his lycan abilities, a symbiote bonded to him would make John unstoppable. This could also allow John to pay a slight homage to his cousin/adopted sister; the brief third Spider-Woman: Martha “Mattie” Franklin.
Teresa Parker
Yes, after years of fanfiction writer’s prompts, Spider-Man had a sister, whom he didn’t know about. It’s official. Teresa didn’t even know about her brother until years late into his life. Circumstances as to how and why they met aside, Peter describes her to be a good version of The Punisher; having been trained by the C.I.A and would later join S.H.I.E.L.D. With a symbiote in hand, she would be able to create her own heroic legacy and forge her own path.
Betty Brant
Like several characters in the What-If comics, Betty Brant was one of the many people who would gain powers from the accident that gave Peter Parker his powers. Having a symbiote combined with her own investigative skills and recent martial arts training would make her a great rising hero. She may even pay homage to her heroic ex-boyfriend; Flash Thompson.
Carlie Cooper
Yes, one of the self-proclaimed great loves of Spider-Man’s life. Carlie was initially a member of the Goblin Nation with the unoriginal name of Monster, before returning to normal. With a symbiote, she could be a superhero within the NYPD, albeit in secret. She could also be an interesting foil to Norman Osborn. Osborn gained powers from the Goblin Formula and would then bond to the Carnage symbiote, whereas Carlie had powers from the Goblin Formula and then bond and gain abilities from a symbiote. She could also provide an interesting contrast to Yuri Watanabe/The Wraith, who would leave the NYPD and become a full-fledged anti-hero and vigilante, while Carlie could try to ensure her morality and sanity while still being affiliated with the NYPD.
