The Klyntarians are an alien race known primarily for its ability to bond to a creature of foreign origin and take on and enhance its initial traits. They are identified by their strange, slime-like appearance and various different colors, examples being Venom's shiny black and blue appearance and Carnage's red and black veiny appearance. They attach to a host, similar to a parasite, in a relationship that depends on both parties in essence living off of each other. This trait has led to the species as a whole being given the popular nickname "Symbiotes," a name for which they are more well-known on Earth. The most famous example of this species is Venom, a Symbiote who attached to Spider-Man, and decided he had all the most suitable traits Venom could want. He then loses his physical attachment to Spider-Man, attaches to Peter Parker's rival photographer Eddie Brock, and rebuilds himself in Spider-Man's image, but bigger, complete with the same eye lenses as the Spider suit and a large white Spider on his chest that extends to the same image on his back. Being connected to Parker's rival, who has a vendetta against him, he develops an insane rivalry with Spider-Man, often switching back and forth between ally and enemy just to butt heads with him. Klyntarians are usually on the whole a peaceful race, and incidents like Venom and Carnage are a rare occurrence. It should be noted that before attaching to Spider-Man, it attached to Deadpool. This is what gives Venom his bloodthirsty nature, and Carnage is as violent as he is because he is the result of a bizarre mix between a corrupt Symbiote mind, being Venom's offspring, and a serial killer. Klyntarians develop the personality traits of any host they inhabit, just as they do physical traits. It assists in the Symbiotic process that the two creatures mentally match up to each other in some way. The first example of a Symbiote in comics was Spider-Man mistaking a machine containing Venom's symbiote for a costume repair machine he was directed to by Thor and The Incredible Hulk. When the Symbiote attached to him, he assumed it was some form of futuristic morphing body suit, and wore it for some time before discovering it was, in fact, an living creature that was slowly corrupting his mind and turning him more evil by each use.