This is such a silly little detail to focus on, especially since Dylan's hair exists in a quantum state of being every length at once depending on the artist, but

Dylan's hair changed between Venom War and All-New Venom. Once he's no longer homeless and has access to a shower, it's fluffier.

Plus he likely went to a good stylist for that haircut, what with the face framing and layers.

I think both styles look great but the change between them really signals the change in Dylan's circumstances.

in my head, Dylan Brock sounds like Jesse McCartney as Roxas.

I don't want to get my hopes up but since Sleeper and Toxin are at risk of getting deported from Earth, it is worth noting that Avengers Academy is not currently located on Earth.

So you know. That could be a safe spot for them to hang out.

Why Haven't Sleeper and Dylan host-bonded long term?

Sleeper just doesn't like host bonding.

I've talked before about how Tel-Karr kidnapping Venom in First Host probably traumatized Sleeper pretty badly. It's not too far-fetched to think that it finds any kind of emotional vulnerability frightening. Because of that, it found a way of interacting with hosts that it's comfortable with: It wants to have complete control over its host when needed, and then wants to be completely forgotten.

Is it immoral? Yes. Is it unethical? Also yes. Regardless, to feel comfortable in a bond, Sleeper needs to be in control. It prefers having a puppet to having a partner.

Sleeper's got too much respect for Dylan to treat him like that!!

If asked, or even in an emergency, I'm sure Sleeper would be willing to bond with Dylan, but not long term. The kind of symbiote partner that Dylan deserves requires a level of vulnerability that Sleeper isn't comfortable with. Logically, it knows Dylan isn't abusive, but PTSD isn't exactly logical.

Of course, anything is possible. Maybe someday in the future Sleeper will work through its trauma and seek out emotional intimacy. From what I understand, Rick Jones has a pretty extensive resume. Maybe he'll be the one to get Sleeper to open up. Then it could bond with Dylan long-term without feeling anxious about it.

If I'm right about Dylan being the new King in Black, I think the best move would be for Dylan to regain the King in Black powers over several years. That way, he has a chance to grow into the role & learn to be a good king before bearing the full responsibility. Plus he'll have the opportunity to live a full human life before taking the throne for the rest of eternity. It's very important to me that Dylan gets to grow up naturally 😭 (as much as a kid can in comics, anyway)

I also want him to keep living with MJ. I think they are a good parent/child match. Eddie means well, but he's too unstable to provide a consistent roof over Dylan's head.

More than anything, I'm worried Marvel will use the King in Black thing to shoot Dylan into space and write him out of the story. But Eddie Brock was a grown-ass adult when he took the throne, and he could barely handle it. No way Dylan can handle it at the tender age of [???]teen.

I was talking with someone on Reddit who brought up the fact that Ben Rabin's spell on MJ, "May the scarlet woman accept her chains," might still be affecting her in some way, hence her still being attached to Paul.

After that, it really stuck out to me just how much time was spent on explaining the current situation between Sleeper and Rick AND pointing out how wrong it is.

Gee, I wonder if "It's wrong to exert control over someone in a relationship that SHOULD be based on mutual trust" might come back thematically in some way 🤔🤔🤔

It's also not lost on me that if MJ is still magically chained to Paul somehow, it's probably relevant that the foster kid in her home has "Chainbreaker" as one of his titles.