Carnage #1 Review: A Divine Work In Progress

Remember when Carnage was a simple character? Sure, there's always been the alien symbiote of it all. That always amounted to little more than a superpowered serial killer, a being on the far end of the altruistic-hero-to-murderous-villain spectrum anchored by Spider-Man at the other pole and with Venom somewhere in the middle. The last few years have seen the character ascend to new heights of power and convolution. We won't try to untangle the web of continuity that differentiates Cletus Kasady from Carnage from whatever an "Extrembiote" is. However, since Marvel has already explored what happens when Carnage and Cletus stop getting along in the "Carnage Reigns" event, this new Carnage series takes the opposite path, exploring what happens when Carnage and Cletus work together in their quest for godhood, adding some compelling wrinkles to an often one-note antagonist.

What readers need to know (and the issue does a decent job of explaining) is that the Carnage symbiote has been acting independently to try to fully achieve godhood, purging traditional symbiote weaknesses from its system. With that done, the symbiote is forced to ask, "Now, what?" To answer that, he needs Cletus and retrieves his host by surprising and disgusting means. Carnage and Cletus, together, try to find the next step on the path to godhood.

The answer comes from another question: "Who would worship a god like Carnage?" Through this methodically paced first issue, Torunn Grønbekk begins to unpack the question. The first clue comes when Carnage meets a server who enjoys true crime podcasts, fixated on the "mystery" of violence.

It's a strong opening hook, but digs too deep, too fast. The scene predicates itself on Carnage exploring his divinity, but also presents him as self-assured and confident in his actions and their meanings even as each one further muddies things for the reader. Carnage does what Carnage does. He goes on a murder spree. The issue lingers on some victims, explaining their fixations on death and violence. Others get silently offed in a montage. The final murder, in which Carnage elevates his work to something like performance art, further muddies the thematic waters as it seems to bear little resemblance to earlier victims. The issue, at one point, suggests that Carnage may become an avatar for all the awfulness of the 21st century but doesn't define what that means beyond vague abstraction.

Carnage isn't the only symbiote/host pairing featured in the issue, as it parallels his search for purpose with that of Flash Thompson, host to Anti-Venom. Flash has no delusions of divinity to wrestle with. His feelings are more human and familiar. The former high school football star, military man, and superhero is now working in a dull security position he's overqualified for and realizing that his friends don't seem to miss him when he's gone. This loneliness and lack of purpose puts him on edge, and he and Carnage seem destined for a meeting when Carnage touches back down on Earth.

Artist Pere Pérez and colorist Erck Arciniega do solid work, especially in pulling off the issue's stranger moments, like the "birth" of the new Cletus Kasady. However, the artwork doesn't match the story's dark tone, running too close to the standard Marvel superhero style. It isn't too far afield, but longer, darker shadows and stronger emotion, especially on the sinister side, would go a long way toward removing that dissonance.

But the visual restraint seems symptomatic of an unwillingness to commit to the bit that plagues Carnage #1. The issue raises some interesting questions but seems unsure about how to answer them. Casting Carnage in his godhood as a reflection of those fascinated by what he represents is a high concept worth exploring. Grønbekk, Pérez, and Arciniega seem to be recasting Carnage as a 21st-century Corinthian, which is a bold move. However, this issue gets too caught up in the sensational aspects of Carnage's bloodlust, losing sight of that overarching theme. Carnage #1 is on the cusp of something worthwhile but hasn't fully invested.

Published by Marvel Comics

On November 22, 2023

Written by Torunn Grønbekk

Art by Pere Perez

Colors by Erick Arciniega

Letters by Joe Sabino

Cover by Paulo Siqueira