Absolute Carnage gets better every time you read it. I promise.
As I was perusing the latest releases of King’s Comics’ web store, something was amiss.
I swear I spotted Absolute Carnage #3. It had to be there. I refreshed my browser, searched for it and even checked my spelling of a.b.s.o.l.u.t.e c.a.r.n.a.g.e. Then I dreaded the possible. Could even the third issue be sold out? Sadly, a Facebook message confirmed my fear. But, at the same time cementing my decision to read it online and share the story and my thoughts with you about this issue as well as it's two predecessors.
The Absolute Carnage theme is running rampant across Marvel titles.
There are side-stories and tie-ins everywhere. You can more or less play catch-up reading any book with “Absolute Carnage” in the title. Let’s face it. You came here so I could save you a ton of cash and give you the low-down, so you can just buy your favourite cover, appreciate it’s glory and still know what the hell happened in all the other issues (at least 1-3).
Of course, it’s not exactly the same as reading the books themselves. As a lover of the medium as well as a writer and artist myself, I can think of few things that bring more satisfaction than sitting down with a comic and allowing myself to be taken to an apocalyptic symbiote-infested world.
Well, that satisfaction of sitting down and basking in papery, comic book delight was stripped from my grasp when the last book was bought from under my nose. Move on, Nick. Move on.
The fairly quick catch up.
We’re all familiar with Carnage and Venom, right? As it turns out, they aren’t the worst of it. There’s another bad boy. Well, actually a bad god. Knull. His first mention was through Jason Aaron back in Thor: God of Thunder #6 (2013). This guy is the god who created all the symbiotes. Carnage wants him back so he’s collecting all the bits (codices) that were embedded in every symbiote host. It’s the symbiote equivalent of Pokémon’s, “Gotta catch ‘em all!” Except, this final battle will unlikely be “G” rated. We see a slew of characters get some very pretty pencil treatment. Just take a look at Venom and Scorpion.
Venom’s portrayed as the brute we know, but without an excessively toothy grin or elongated head that we have seen from other pencilers. I like his 'more man than monster' look.
The dark and ominous backdrop and falling rain give an emotional intensity to the Scorpion. Gargan’s costume looks great in this light and his expression is fitting for what’s coming for him!
Absolute Carnage Issue #1.
When Carnage attacks Brock in the subway, we see a reference to the early days of Venom vs Carnage using the third rail to electrocute him. The bit I found hard to swallow was that Brock already had the pulp beaten out of him (orbital socket broken and brain haemorrhage), so while the idea was great, the same current had to pass through Brock/Venom before it reached Carnage. Before Brock even makes the decision to electrocute them both, the symbiote warns that he needs time to heal his damage. We end the scene with the Carnage symbiote flailing up and over Kasady who is prone, while Brock/Venom walk away with his son.
The more likely scenario would have been Venom fried while Carnage being semi-fried composing himself before finally dispatching Venom.
How does Stegman have the right to make Spidey and Venom look so damn cool teaming up? This is probably my favourite panel in the whole issue. And there are a lot of good panels.
Finally, Venom and Spidey face-off against a horde of Symbi-minions, Carnage, himself and an infected Normal Osborne!
Spider-punching your way out of the cell becomes the last option until the bad guys get through before they escape!
The short on issue #2.
The cover art of all these issues just isn’t doing it for me. I’m probably a minority, but with all the great art inside, why give us the super-goofy Xenomorph-Venom and the spiral-faced minions on the cover? Ungh.
Cover of issue #2. Ugly as sin.
I suppose I better get to the good stuff. Take this panel from the first page.
I mean, get rid of the text, and there’s a perfectly ace cover. Put it on a red background and you’ve just won me over.
I suppose this is just all kinds of awesome.
One word. Yes.
So, Spidey and Venom decide that the only way to beat the Carnage spree/infestation/hunt for the codices/codexes is “not to give up”. Pete does his hero-splaining to Eddie that they just can’t give up. They’ll split up – Pete goes to find help – the sort of Cap’n ‘Murica and Avengers-style goodies while Venom puts his hand up for the low-life, dead beats. Seemed kind of a dick move to assume Pete’s the only one who can have a civil conversation to explain to the morally-aware that there’s a dire need for super good guys on their team.
Flash to the Spire. Carnage’s baddie lair under New York City is filled with so much red ick that resembles both slime, blood and a series of exposed blood vessels. It’s also filled with those damn spiral-faced Carnage freaks. In case you missed it, I was never a fan of that creative choice. They just look like they’re weird hypnotic creatures. Carnage tells Normal Osborne (Carnage-ized version) to shut the fuck up and proceeds to tear the symbiote off his face. Normie’s response is that there’s going to be no love lost when the final codex needs to be put in place. Carnage laughs and calls him an idiot.
Fast forward to Mac ‘n Spider-Cheese playing fisty-cuffs with the horde.
Miles Morales aka Spider-Cheese (in my head, anyway) struggle to pulp the ongoing horde of red-menaces. As you can all imagine, none of this is going in their favour. Mac tries to bail (as inevitably all ass-hats do) and Brock turns up to throw him back in the fray to save Miles. What could have happened was that Mac ran and saved his behind while leaving Spidey for dead. What played out was Carnage himself showing up, Venom throwing Mac back at the baddies to fight who then became a paraplegic because of a certain red-someone putting a symbiote blade into his spine to fetch a codex.
Oh yeah, and Miles gets engulfed by symbiote goop and gets Carnage-ized, too.
I am certainly not a completionist.
I have too much self-respect to waste money on buying every tie in to this series. After all, there are close to ten titles that are all connected to it. One title I did buy was Absolute Carnage: Miles Morales. That particular issue just fleshes out the entire Scorpion/Spidey fight and how they got embroiled in all of this. There’s a bit of crossover between AC #2 and MM #1. And it’s when Carnage and Venom show up. There is some inconsistency between how Venom gets involved. In MM, he shows up to save Gargan after Mac uses Spidey as bait to run away. There are no words exchanged between Venom and Spidey. He just leaves him to fight alone. All this is contrasted with AC #2 where a fleeing Mac is stopped by Venom and thrown back into the fray to help Miles. What the fuck?
As a side note, AC #1 shows Mac getting his spine mangled with Gargan explaining he can’t feel his legs. MM #1? None of the good stuff. Just Venom casually walking away with Gargan over his shoulder.
Enjoy this comparison. And let it be known, Vicentini’s art doesn’t hold a candle to the style I prefer by Ryan Stegman.
Stegman’s take on Carnage enveloping Miles.
Vicentini turns Miles into a spiral-faced xenomorph with a classic spider-overbite.
Before we sink our teeth into AC #3, I went ahead and read MM #2. Spoiler alert: The plot is thin, watery, Silver Sable makes an appearance and J. Jonah Jameson gets a good stabbing by Miles. You’ll get all the best parts of Miles’ transition by sticking to the AC books.
Enjoy another comparison between Stegman and Vicentini’s rendition of Spider-Carnage. I’ll let you decide for yourself. I’m glad Vicentini’s got paid work, but it doesn’t fire off my webshooters.
Stegman’s artwork demands attention and slows your pace. It's detail is entrancing.
Vicentini’s artwork would more likely suit Saturday morning cartoons. It's simple and allows for more rapid storytelling.
Absolute Carnage Issue #3.
Well, great! So you spend upwards of $9.50 in Australia for AC issues ($350 for AC #1 Red Variant) and this issue wastes the first six pages re-hashing storyline I’ve already read!
Eddie and his symbiote have a chat about morals, stab Normie-carnage (is he Red Goblin again??) in the heart then swing away with Gargan. In essence, this was all covered in a single panel of the third last page of MM #1 when Venom trotted away with Gargan, albeit without all the meowing and whinging about the moral agency of an alien symbiote. Jiminy crickets!
But, before you leave now.. Wolverine (and the other guys) are here!
Best damn artwork of the issue!
The rest of this issue takes place in Venom HQ where Scorpion is told not to head off to hospital to get treatment. Captain America is handling it. Did I miss something? Is he a surgeon now?
We’re treated to some lovely cameos of the Thing, Captain America, Wolverine and Bruce Banner. Bruce is now the head of all science-y stuff and codex removal at HQ and after some chat regarding who’s been infected by symbiotes, Cap, Thing and Wolvie get in the capsules to get their codices extracted.
So, Brock? When you gonna tell Dylan you’re his papa?
Surprise! I’m not Brock! I’m Mister Shapeshifting Carnage! [insert maniacal laughter here.] We learn that Carnage is made of sex, drugs and rock n’ roll, baby!
YOU KNOW MY NAME! “Say my name, Bitch!”
Venom is getting tired of Brock’s pussy-footing about and seeks a new host to kick some ass.
Spidey looks up and sees the Venom symbiote leap off the back of Brock in an arc of black tendrils and so many teeth to lunge at Bruce Banner. Carnage underestimates the situation and calls Banner a “nerd”. ‘Twas a sick burn that really nobody was ready for.
Enter the Symbiotic-TRIO known as “The HULK!”
Now this will be interesting. Yes, Cletus Kasady is a psychopathic, schizophrenic murderer who could be argued has split personalities. Bruce Banner, on the other hand has actual physically manifested personalities and embodies two forms. Now, with a symbiote attached, there’s going to be a lot of time management strategies needing to be put into place to keep this relationship stable and on the up and up. Many men have tried. We’ll add you to the list. Good luck, Bruce.
My stylistic preferences would have included a flatter, wider head with flat, wide teeth or at least short, spiky ones. The new Hulk just looks like Venom with Spawn’s green tinted eyes overlayed onto a green non-descript host.
I don’t always recommend reading comics online (for free) because it’s effectively illegal, BUT if it encourages you to go out of your way to buy a copy of at least one of these books, then I’ve done my job promoting an excellent book. If you couldn’t buy the book (maybe it was sold out?) or hadn’t considered this title, check out a preview here. If you enjoy it, please grab a copy. Even if you read the whole series, but buy one of the books, it’s a win for everyone.
See y’all in the next review (probably not Absolute Carnage. This shit’s getting old and EVERYONE’s talking about it).
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Nick.
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